PAWTUCKET, R.I. (Interstat) — Ty Groff kicked a pair of 43-yard field goals, including the go-ahead kick in the closing seconds, and Alex McClelland ran for a 12-yard touchdown as Rhode Island edged visiting Brown 13-10 in an NCAA Football Championship Division game on Saturday at Centreville Bank Stadium. The Rams improved to 3-3. The Bears fell to 1-2. Rhode Island’s defense made enough stops to preserve the narrow win after Brown moved the ball effectively through the air for much of the game.

James Murphy led Brown’s passing attack, completing 21 of 37 attempts for 271 yards. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound quarterback from Reading, Massachusetts, spread the ball to several receivers. Jadon Garza-Pender caught three passes for 66 yards, Saphir Miller, a 6-foot-0, 190-pound receiver, had two receptions for 44 yards, Carson Hill made two catches for 34 yards, and Pearson Hill added four receptions for 33 yards. Levi Linowes caught two passes for 22 yards, while Najih Rahman, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver, had one reception for 4 yards and returned one punt 8 yards. Q. Brown scored Brown’s touchdown on a 1-yard rush, and Drew Crabtree kicked a 33-yard field goal and the extra point. Malcolm Flynn punted nine times for 341 yards for the Bears.

Rhode Island used two quarterbacks. Alex McClelland, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound quarterback, completed 6 of 11 passes for 83 yards and ran six times for 25 yards and one touchdown. Tyler Budge, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback, completed 10 of 15 passes for 74 yards and carried eight times for 26 yards. Marquis Buchanan, a 6-foot-4, 175-pound receiver, was the Rams’ top receiver with five catches for 90 yards. Sean Byrd, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound receiver, had two receptions for 36 yards. Kevin Green Jr., a 5-foot-11, 170-pound receiver, ran once for 18 yards, caught three passes for 20 yards, and returned four punts for 10 yards. Gabe Winowich, a 6-foot-1, 217-pound running back, led the ground game with 23 carries for 85 yards, caught one pass for 9 yards, and returned one kickoff 8 yards. Brendon Barrow, a 5-foot-8, 182-pound running back, ran eight times for 42 yards and caught two passes for 1 yard. Terrence Campbell, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound running back, carried four times for 21 yards. Rian Black, a 6-foot-0, 210-pound receiver, Aboraa Kwarteng, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound receiver, and Jamall Mensah, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound receiver, each had one reception. Black’s catch went for minus 5 yards, while Kwarteng and Mensah each gained 3 yards. Randy Leavitt punted six times for 214 yards. Elijah Rich returned one kickoff 2 yards. Ty Groff handled the field goals and extra points, and his second 43-yard kick provided the final margin.

Rhode Island’s defense produced several key tackles. Rohan Davy, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound linebacker, and Andre DePina-Gray, a 6-foot-1, 216-pound defensive back, each finished with eight tackles. Trey Lubin, a 6-foot-0, 188-pound defensive back, made seven tackles. Case Mankins, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive lineman, recorded six tackles, one sack, and one quarterback hurry. Tyson Grimm, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound defensive back, and Dane Picariello, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound defensive lineman, each had four tackles. Ethan McCann-Carter, a 6-foot-0, 200-pound defensive back, had three tackles and one interception. D.J. Cureton, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound defensive back, added three tackles and one quarterback hurry. Sam Ofurie, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker, also had three tackles. Jermel Bynum and Moses Meus, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker, each made four tackles, with Meus adding half a sack. Gage Hinkley, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound linebacker, contributed one tackle and one sack. Marquese Avery, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker, had two tackles and half a sack. Tosin Akinsulire, a 6-foot-4, 277-pound defensive lineman, made two tackles. Mitchell Garner, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound linebacker, had one tackle and two quarterback hurries. Patrick Conserve, a 6-foot-3, 255-pound defensive lineman, Antonio Morgan, a 6-foot-0, 165-pound defensive back, Shaun Ukeje, a 6-foot-0, 191-pound defensive back, Dillon Keough, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound long snapper, and Toddrick Brewton, a 6-foot-3, 234-pound defensive end, each recorded one tackle.

Brown’s defense was led by Max Malo, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker, who recorded 19 tackles. Stefano Montella, a 6-foot-0, 215-pound linebacker, had 18 tackles. Landon Heard, a 6-foot-0, 205-pound defensive back, and Brock Owen, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back, each made eight tackles, with Owen adding one quarterback hurry. Camryn Williams-Dalton, a 6-foot-0, 185-pound defensive back, finished with seven tackles and one interception. Tommy Dunn had four tackles and one sack. EJ Perez made three tackles. Their efforts kept Brown within reach, but Rhode Island’s late field goal proved decisive.

Rhode Island took the early lead on Groff’s first 43-yard field goal. Brown answered with Crabtree’s 33-yard field goal. The Bears then went ahead when Q. Brown scored on a 1-yard run and Crabtree added the extra point. McClelland’s 12-yard touchdown run and Groff’s extra point tied the game, and Groff’s second 43-yard field goal gave Rhode Island the win.

The result moved Rhode Island to 3-3, while Brown fell to 1-2. Brown is scheduled to host Bryant in its next game. Rhode Island is set to visit Yale next. Earlier this season, Brown lost to Harvard and beat New Haven. Rhode Island had beaten Elon and Merrimack while falling to Temple, Stony Brook, and North Carolina A&T. Brown’s upcoming schedule includes games against Bryant, Princeton, Cornell, Penn, Yale, Columbia, and Dartmouth. Rhode Island is set to face Yale, Albany, Maine, New Hampshire, Towson, and Bryant.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Rhode Island 49, Brown 25. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Rhode Island with a 92.2 percent probability to win. Brown had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +3.5. The total score of 23 went over the over/under line of 42.5.