FCS Playoffs Round 2: #9 Rhode Island (11-2) @ #8 UC Davis (8-3) Agreed us FCS schools gotta stick together with the big bad FBS trying to pillage anything in their way. I look forward to seeing how we match up against a team from a better league. CAA was once mighty but has certainly lost equity with the departure of JMU, Delaware and Richmond.
We will need an A+ game from our QB Devin Farrell. He's a Va Tech transfer who has been really good since taking over the role last season. He got hurt at tail end of last year or IMO we would have beaten Mercer in FCS playoffs (lost 10-7 with our backup who was a big step back). He's mobile and throws a really good deep ball. Our top WR is Marquis Buchanan. RI native, was Gatorade POY in football and basketball his senior year. He likely will have FBS options for his final year of eligibility - 6'4 with good (not great) speed. Back to back 1k yard seasons. In the backfield we have a sorta fire and ice combo - Littleton is a bulldozer at 230lbs (Maryland / Temple transfer) and Barrow is a former Stanford player who seemingly was hurt his entire time there and has been coming on strong in the back half of this season. He's smaller but very quick through the hole and a tough runner.
On defense we revolve around AJ Pena. Probably the best defensive player in the history of the school. Holds school record for sacks and is a handful off the edge. He left last year to Memphis in Spring but changed his mind over the Summer and re-enrolled back at RI for his final year of eligibility. In this era of mercenary athletes we should build a shrine to him outside our stadium because he for sure could have just stayed in FBS. Our top corner Ayinde Johnson is really good too, as is DL Case Mankins (son of New England Patriot O linemen Logan Mankins). I have concerns about our D and O line against better opponents so that will be something to watch.
I'm more a hoops guy than football guy but that's my quick scouting report hope it helps.