One of the longest tenured coaches in the CAA, Jim Fleming enters his 10th season as head coach of Rhode Island Football looking to build off a 7-4 season in 2022 when he led the Rams to a 5-3 conference slate. 

Fleming’s squad just missed the FCS Playoffs a year ago, but, according to Athlon Sports, enters 2023 as the No. 18 FCS team in the country. 

An offensive line that returns two all-conference blockers in Nick Correia and Lorenzo Thompson, Rhode Island is ready to challenge for a conference championship. 

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Despite coaching RIU for a decade, Fleming has never reached the playoffs with the Rams. After starting his tenure 2-21 in his first two seasons, it wasn't until Fleming's fifth season where the program turned the corner with a 6-5 season. But that was followed by a 2-10 year in 2019. 

But after back-to-back 7-4 seasons in 2021 and 2022, the Rams are eying their first playoff appearance since 1985. 

Rhode Island Football Schedule Avoids William & Mary, Includes Richmond

The Rams were one of the few teams in 2022 who faced both CAA champions in William & Mary and New Hampshire. Rhode Island nearly upset the Tribe in Virginia but lost 31-30. A few weeks later, Rhode Island had another close loss on the road to New Hampshire, 31-28. 

This year is different. While the Rams host New Hampshire, the unbalanced conference schedule avoids William & Mary, the favorites to win the CAA. But they trade the Tribe for their biggest rival, Richmond, who travels to Kingston on Oct. 14. At No. 21,  Richmond is the fourth-highest ranked team in the Athlon poll behind William & Mary (No. 4), New Hampshire (No. 8) and Rhode Island. 

Rhode Island Football Schedule 2023 

• Aug. 31: at Georgia State, 7 p.m. 
• Sept. 8: Stony Brook, 7 p.m. 
• Sept. 16: at Maine, 3:30 p.m. 
• Sept. 23: at Villanova, 2 p.m. 
• Sept. 30: Bryant, TBA
• Oct. 7: at Brown, TBA
• Oct. 14: at Albany, 3:30 p.m. 
• Oct. 28: New Hampshire, 1 p.m. 
• Nov. 11: North Carolina A&T, 1 p.m. 
• Nov. 18: at Towson, 1 p.m.

How To Watch Rhode Island Football In 2023?

All CAA football games will stream on FloFootball and the FloSports app this fall. Some non-conference games may not be available on FloSports.