2021 Bryant Bulldogs football team

2021 Bryant Bulldogs football
Conference	Northeast Conference
Record	7–4 (5–2 NEC)
Head coach	Chris Merritt (3rd season)
Defensive coordinator	Anthony Barese (2nd season)
Home stadium	Beirne Stadium

2021 Northeast Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Sacred Heart $^		6	–	1					8	–	4
Duquesne		5	–	2					7	–	3
Bryant		5	–	2					7	–	4
Central Connecticut		4	–	3					4	–	7
Saint Francis (PA)		4	–	3					5	–	6
Merrimack *		2	–	5					5	–	6
LIU		2	–	5					2	–	8
Wagner		0	–	7					0	–	11
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Note: Merrimack ineligible for NEC title and FCS postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division II

The 2021 Bryant Bulldogs football team represented Bryant University as a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC) during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by third-year head coach Chris Merritt, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, tying for second place in the NEC. Bryant played home games at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, Rhode Island.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 4	6:00 p.m.	at Rhode Island*	Meade Stadium Kingston, RI	FCS	L 21–45	5,735
September 11	7:00 p.m.	Sacred Heart	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI		W 17–6	2,276
September 18	3:30 p.m.	at Akron*	InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field Akron, OH	ESPN3	L 14–35	8,779
September 25	6:00 p.m.	at Marist*	Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field Poughkeepsie, NY	ESPN3	W 34–17	6,154
October 2	4:00 p.m.	Brown*	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI		W 36–29	2,805
October 9	12:00 p.m.	at Duquesne	Arthur J. Rooney Athletic Field Pittsburgh, PA		L 34–39	0
October 16	12:00 p.m.	Saint Francis (PA)	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI		W 18–17	3,150
October 23	12:00 p.m.	at Wagner	Wagner College Stadium Staten Island, NY		W 31–10	1,763
November 6	12:00 p.m.	at Central Connecticut	Arute Field New Britain, CT	ESPN3	L 15–30	2,171
November 13	1:00 p.m.	LIU	Beirne Stadium Smithfield, RI		W 52–7	3,300
November 20	1:00 p.m.	at Merrimack	Duane Stadium North Andover, MA		W 58–14	2,318
*Non-conference game Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Game summaries

at Rhode Island

See also: 2021 Rhode Island Rams football team

Game One – Rhode Island Rams (0–0) vs Bryant Bulldogs (0–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bryant	7	7	7	0	21
Rhode Island	7	24	7	7	45

at Meade Stadium • Kingston, Rhode Island

• Date: Saturday, September 4, 2021
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 5,735
• TV: FloSports
• Pregame line: URI -20.5

Game information

First quarter (11:03) URI – Justice Antrum 1 Yd Run, C.J. Carrick Kick (Rhode Island 7–0) (1:25) BRY – Daniel Adeboboye 1 Yd Run, Luke Samperi Kick (Tied 7–7) Second quarter (8:48) URI – C.J. Carrick 33 Yd Field Goal (Rhode Island 10–7) (6:58) URI – Ivory Frimpong 17 Yd Pass, C.J. Carrick Kick (Rhode Island 17–7) (5:04) BRY – Landon Ruggieri 6 Yd Pass, Luke Samperi Kick (Rhode Island 17-14) (3:21) URI – Matt Pires 38 Yd Pass, C.J. Carrick Kick (Rhode Island 24–14) (0:32) URI – Justice Antrum 10 Yd Run, C.J. Carrick Kick (Rhode Island 31–14) Third quarter (7:52) URI – Kasim Hill 1 Yd Run, C.J. Carrick Kick (Rhode Island 38–14) (1:22) BRY – Fabrice Mukendi 14 Yd Run, C.J. Carrick Kick (Rhode Island 38–21) Fourth quarter (7:26) URI – Joey Kenny 20 Yd Pass, C.J. Carrick Kick (Rhode Island 45–21)

Statistics	BRY	URI
First downs	19	26
Plays–yards	63-262	68
Rushes–yards	115	235
Passing yards	147	273
Passing: comp–att–int	18-32-1	15-23-0
Time of possession	29:01	30:59

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Bryant	Passing	Zevi Eckhaus	9/17, 55 yards
	Rushing	Daniel Adeboboye	17 carries, 68 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Gary Cooper	3 receptions, 39 yards
Rhode Island	Passing	Kasim Hill	12/18, 249 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Justice Antrum	18 carry, 96 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Paul Woods	2 receptions, 73 yards