The Rhode Island Rams face the Mercer Bears on Saturday in Georgia

Now comes a taste of the unusual for the University of Rhode Island football team.

It goes beyond the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Rams are already entering new territory in December and mixing it up with the national elite.

That includes a trip to Georgia and a duel with an opponent they wouldn’t normally see. Mercer is as much a curiosity as it is a test, the No. 7 seed and Southern Conference champion who received an opening-round bye. Saturday afternoon kickoff is at 2 p.m. at Five Star Stadium and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.

URI has already had a taste of the postseason, and it has been a challenge. The 10th-seeded Rams defeated Central Connecticut State 21-17 in their most recent win at Meade Stadium. The Blue Devils were a fairly well-known regional opponent, but the Bears are in a completely different league.

“It really wasn’t a problem,” URI coach Jim Fleming said. “You’re in playoff football right now. Either you win or you go home.”

URI came out strong against Central Connecticut State and felt like they were in control the entire time, but a few untimely errors prevented the Rams from truly burying the Blue Devils late into the night. Westley Neal Jr. made an interception in the final minute to seal the game by deflecting a pass just over the line of scrimmage that was tipped by Carson Primrose. Fleming pushed through the postgame chaos on the field to hug Neal and found a crowd of alums waiting to continue the celebration in the home locker room.

“You name it – the boys just came in,” Fleming said. “They were really, really moved. That was probably the most emotional thing, getting these guys to be a part of it again.”

URI (11-2) got another big performance from running back Malik Grant, who became the first Rams player to reach 200 yards rushing in consecutive weeks. The offensive line faces the ultimate challenge as Mercer (10-2) boasts the best rush defense in the country. The top seven has been the backbone of URI in 2024 and will make a splash this weekend with something of a reflection.

“We hammer as a basic mantra to play the next play,” Fleming said. “Every coach in America says the same thing – the most important play in football is the next play.”

The Rams have already set a school record for wins in a season. The 39-year wait for such an occasion is over. What happens from here will help this URI team continue to write its own chapter in the programming books.

“We didn’t panic when we were down,” Fleming said. “We don’t fall apart when things don’t go our way. It’s a fundamental thing in our program.”

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The Rhode Island Rams face the Mercer Bears on Saturday in Georgia

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