Courtesy of Rhode Island Athletics

DAVIS, Calif. — The Rhode Island Rams saw their 11-win season come to a halt on Saturday night, falling to the No. 8 seeded UC Davis Aggies, 47-26, in the second round of the FCS Playoffs. Despite holding a lead in the second quarter, the No. 9 Rams were unable to contain a dominant second-half surge from the Aggies, who scored 36 unanswered points to take full control of the game.

Rhode Island initially rode the momentum of big plays to a lead early, sparked by a pair of Antwain Littleton, Jr. touchdowns, including a 63-yard run. The Rams’ led 20-11 in the second quarter following a spectacular 75-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Devin Farrell to Marquis Buchanan.

The potent UC Davis offense however, led by the dual-threat performance of quarterback Caden Pinnick, quickly began to chip away. Pinnick accounted for 365 yards of total offense, throwing five touchdown passes.

The Aggies closed the first half with a score to pull within two points, 20-18, and then delivered the decisive blow immediately after the break. A 50-yard touchdown run by Jordan Fisher less than three minutes into the third quarter gave the Aggies to a 25-20 lead—a lead they would not relinquish. A costly Rhode Island turnover soon after resulted in another short-field touchdown for the Aggies, expanding their cushion and shattering the Rams’ hopes of an upset. UC Davis outscored Rhode Island 29-6 in the final 30 minutes, turning a tight playoff battle into a comfortable victory.

Despite the loss, the Rams got a big performance from Antwain Littleton, Jr. who rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns, setting a new single-season program record for rushing touchdowns. Wide receiver Marquis Buchanan also had a standout night with four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, reaching over 200 career receptions.

Ultimately, however, the Aggies’ explosive second-half offense, coupled with 10 penalties for Rhode Island, proved too much to overcome. UC Davis advances to the FCS Quarterfinals while the Rams finish their campaign with an 11-3 record.