Oct. 22, 2005

Stats

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) - Quarterback Jayson Davis rushed 19 times for 189 yards and three touchdowns as Rhode Island defeated Villanova 48-30 on Saturday.

Villanova (3-4, 1-3 Atlantic 10) got a team safety, a 1-yard TD run from Martin Gibson and a 17-yard scoring run from Dequese May to take a 16-3 lead early in the second quarter.

But Rhode Island's offense got going from there, scoring three straight rushing TDs - a 13-yarder by Joe Casey, a 1-yarder by Davis and a 5-yarder by Jerell Jones - to take a 24-16 lead at the 4:50 mark. Villanova's Frank Jankowski threw a 2-yard TD to Matthew Sherry with :32 left in the half to make it a 24-23 at the break.

In the second half, Rhode Island took over.

Joe Casey scored on a 40-yard run early in the third quarter to make it 31-23. After Gibson scored for Villanova and Colin Gallagher hit a 23-yard field goal for Rhode Island, Davis put the game away.

The running back capped a 44-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run with 9:46 to go in the fourth quarter, and then broke free for an 85-yard TD run at the 6:11 mark to end the scoring.

In a game dominated by the rushing attack, Davis was 3-of-7 passing for 40 yards and no interceptions. Villanova's Frank Jankowski was 22 of 38 for 194 yards and a pick.