Rhode Island last faced Elon the final week of the regular season 2021 needing a win to reach eight wins for a campaign for the first time in 20 years, and advance to the Playoffs for the first time in 36. 

Instead, the Phoenix pounced to a 27-7 lead and held off a second-half Rams comeback effort. With both teams pursuing a Colonial Athletic Association championship in 2022, the 2021 outcome lingers for Rhode Island. 

"Certainly, it still sticks in your craw, that that loss kept you from achieving a significant program goal," said Rhode Island coach Jim Fleming. 

Last November's encounter isn't a topic on which the Rams have dwelled, but he didn't dismiss the heightened significance stemming from 2021. 

""Each year is a new year, each year is a new football team. Certainly, there's a little bit extra there, but I don't know if it'll make a big difference in the execution, which is what this game will come down to," he said. 

Elon takes its five-game winning streak into Meade Stadium for 1-of-4 CAA inter-conference matchups on the Week 7 docket. This slate promises to set the tone for the back-half of conference play. 

Elon Vs. Rhode Island

Saturday's slate promises significant impact on the CAA championship competition, with Elon-Rhode Island one of two matchups between teams ranked in the Top 25 and each with one loss or fewer in conference play. 

No team in the CAA, and possibly in the FCS, is hotter than Elon heading into Week 7. The Phoenix sit atop the conference, tied with New Hampshire in the loss column, boasting a pair of Top 25 wins in league play after second-half comebacks against William & Mary and Richmond. 

"We're a hungry football team, is what we are," Elon coach Tony Trisciani said of the Phoenix's identity. "I like the focus from this team, and we're playing really hard, man. We play hard, and resilient, and we fight. And the guys believe in each other." 

The combination of a balanced offense with quarterback Matt McKay ranked in the nation's top five for passing efficiency, big-play receivers including Jackson Parham, Bryson Daughtry and Chandler Brayboy, breakout ball-carrier Jalen Hampton; harassing yet disciplined defense with Devonte Chandler and Marcus Hillman leading one of the nation's best front sevens; and outstanding special teams has the Phoenix flying high. 

Elon is on track for its first playoff berth since 2018, but more importantly, its first conference title in 41 years. The Phoenix showed their championship mettle in the rallies against William & Mary and Richmond; now comes a similar test. 

Rhode Island marks the third ranked opponent for Elon amid this run, and the Rams are the last hurdle between the Phoenix and a showdown for first place at New Hampshire on Oct. 22. That hurdle's a high one, however. 

Rhody is one of six CAA teams scoring north of 30 points per game, combining effective passing from quarterback Kasim Hill with a multifaceted run game from Hill, Marques DeShields and Jaylen Smith. Defensively, the Rams are excellent at generating takeaways with six picks in five games. 

Elon marks the second CAA opponent ranked in the top 20 to visit Meade Stadium this season. Though the Rams lost the first such contest, they rebounded with impressive performances against both ACC foe Pittsburgh and a resounding win over in-state rival Brown. 

What's more, the experience from losing at home in a marquee CAA game offers Rhode Island a template for handling this week. 

"I was disappointed how we handled the environment in the significant game we had vs. Delaware," Fleming said of the 42-21 loss on Sept. 17. "We learned from that one, and I think it's been a building block.

"This month is going to be indicative of our conference race," he added with regard to Week 7's significance. 

Villanova Vs. Richmond

Expect a show from two of the most exciting, well-rounded offenses in the CAA. Richmond returns to Robins Stadium for the first time since routing Stony Brook on Sept. 24, following a tough, double-overtime loss at Elon before its bye week. 

When asked of the significance of this matchup, Spiders coach Russ Huesman emphasized the week-to-week grind of the Colonial schedule. Still, the meaning of playing reigning CAA champion and perennial contender Villanova isn't lost on his team. 

"We're playing a quality opponent, a team that's picked to win the league this year," Huesman said. "Our guys understand that Villanova's got a tremendous program and excellent football team." 

Heading into the bye off a loss "stings," said Richmond wide receiver Jake Herres — the only player to score a touchdown on the Elon defense after halftime with his scoring reception in the first overtime on Oct. 1. 

133 receiving yards and counting for @_jakeherres on the day?‍?#OneRichmond pic.twitter.com/E97OxoUjau

— Richmond Spider Football (@Spiders_FB) October 1, 2022

Still, he said, the Spiders "feel really good where we're at.

"Everybody still has a lot of faith," he said. "I think we've done a lot of good things. We can improve on a lot of things, but we're in a good place for us." 

Villanova faces the same turning point with this week's matchup as Richmond. The Wildcats are coming off their bye, which coach Mark Ferrante said "timed up well with our academic calendar," allowing the team to "clear their head from the football perspective, hit the books" during midterms. 

That hardly means no time was devoted to also studying Richmond, however. The Villanova defense faces a Richmond side averaging 31.2 points per game behind quarterback Reece Udinski. Udinski is averaging better than 300 yards per game and has thrown 13 touchdowns against just one interceptions. 

Villanova's quarterback, Connor Watkins, has been explosive in his own right: He's passed for 11 touchdowns and more than 1,000 yards, and ranks third in the nation in passing efficiency. With Watkins captaining the offense, Villanova is averaging 36 points per game, second-most in the conference. 

Despite the similarities in production, Huesman said how the teams have arrived at their lofty point totals differs. The Spiders coach cited Villanova's penchant for big plays — and, indeed, Watkins has thrown touchdown passes of 42, 66, 68 and 83 yards on the season. Three of those have gone to Jaaron Hayek, who is averaging almost 25 yards per reception. 

Here, via @FloFootball, are all four of Jaaron Hayek's touchdown receptions for @NovaFootball in its @CAAFootball win over Maine. pic.twitter.com/ww2oTpeXzm

— Kyle Kensing ? ? (@KyleKensing) October 2, 2022

In contrast, Herres leads Richmond at 11.7 yards per reception. 

That doesn't mean Richmond and Villanova are without similarities — among them, the importance of Saturday's contest. They have matching 3-2 records, which include a loss in the CAA as a result of a one-score game. The Wildcats' 49-42 shootout against Monmouth have them facing a sub-.500 mark in the CAA with a loss to the Spiders. 

That's the same scenario Richmond faces going into Week 7. 

"You don't want to think about the future too much and how the season's going to pan out, but obviously you don't want to fall under .500, especially in a league like this," Herres said. "But I think we're in the spot we need to be. We needed a little wake-up call [with the Elon loss]." 

Monmouth Vs. Maine 

Monmouth's offense continues to roll around, producing almost 40 points per game, with running back Jaden Shirden putting together a season for the record books. 

But with the Hawks improving to 4-2, receiving votes in the polls and looking like a potential playoff team, the weekly prospect for a trap looms. Week 7 is a great example with Monmouth visiting Maine. 

The Black Bears put together their most complete performance of the season, rallying in a 31-24 win at Hampton. Freddie Brock's return to 2021 form with a rushing touchdown and a receiving score complement Elijah Barnwell's 90 yards, and Maine's defense generated three takeaways. Continuing to force turnovers may be the Black Bears' best prospect of snapping Monmouth's four-game winning streak. 

Defenses haven't found many other ways to slow the Hawks, who have scored at least 35 points in every outing but one — a Week 1 loss at New Hampshire in which Tony Muskett threw three interceptions. 

Muskett's been rock solid otherwise, supplementing the run game with his own mobility and spreading the ball effectively via the pass to a diverse receiving corps. If the Monmouth offense can continue its prolific pace and score a fifth consecutive win, expect the Hawks to break into next week's Top 25.