Box Score Sept. 22, 2007
Final Stats
Bronx, N.Y. -
The Fordham University football Rams dug a hole for themselves with three straight turnovers in the first half as the University of Dayton built a 24-3 lead after three quarters. But the Rams staged a ferocious fourth quarter comeback, scoring three times to tie the game at 24 with just under seven minutes remaining. However, the Homecoming crowd's hopes for a win were ruined a minute later when Dayton scored on a 69-yard pass play with 5:44 left to upend the Rams 31-24 on Jack Coffey Field. With the loss, the Rams even their record at 2-2 on the year while the Flyers remain undefeated at 4-0.
"We only played 30 minutes today and that's not enough to win," said Fordham head coach Tom Masella. "I have to give Dayton credit. They are a very good football team. But you can't dig yourself that big a hole and expect to win."
After Fordham tied the game on a two-yard Xavier Martin touchdown rush, the Flyers took over on their own 41 following the ensuing kickoff. On the first play from scrimmage, Asil Mulbah sacked Dayton quarterback Kevin Hoyng for a ten yard loss, raising the hopes of the Fordham fans before Nick Ruhe slipped behind the Fordham defensive backs and hauled in a 69-yard scoring strike from Hoyng on the next play to give the Flyers a 31-24 lead with 5:44 left in the game.
The Rams moved the ball from their own 34 to the 45 on their next possession before punting the ball back to Dayton. The Flyers were able to move out to their own 37 where they lined up to punt on fourth down. Jack O'Dell got off a low kick that skipped down field before hitting what appeared to be a Dayton player. However, the officials ruled that it hit a Ram, and the ball was recovered by Dayton's Austin Rosenberry on the Fordham 43 with 2:41 remaining.
The Fordham defense was able to force the Flyers to punt the ball with just over a minute left, with Dayton pinning the Rams back on their own nine. But on the first play from scrimmage, Brandon Cramer intercepted a John Skelton pass over the middle and the Flyers ran out the clock for the win.
Dayton jumped out to a 21-0 lead, taking advantage of three Fordham fumbles and an interception to score three touchdowns in the first two quarters.
The Flyers took a 7-0 lead on their second possession, moving 70 yards on eight plays with Jack O'Dell scoring on a reverse from the ten with 3:14 left.
On the third play of the ensuing possession, John Skelton hit Darryl Robinson with a short pass and Robinson tried to stretch the gain for a first down but fumbled the ball, which was recovered by the Flyers on the Fordham 36. Seven plays later, Kevin Hoyng found Mat Champa with a 19-yard scoring strike to put Dayton up 14-0 seven seconds into the second quarter.
A 36-yard kickoff return by Xavier Martin gave Fordham the ball on the Dayton 44. A quarterback keeper by Skelton gained 11 yards but on the next play, Jonte Coven fumbled on the Dayton 29 and the ball was recovered by Dayton's David Walbright.
Later in the quarter, the Flyers were threatening to score when Isiejah Allen intercepted a Hoyng pass in the end zone. But two plays later, Skelton was intercepted by Steve McDonald, giving Dayton the ball back on the Fordham 25. Five plays later, Rob Florian found Jack O'Dell in the back of the end zone with a 16-yard pass to increase the Dayton lead to 21-0 with 3:13 left in the half.
The Rams were able to score before the half, driving from their own 37 to the Dayton 12 where Adam Danko came on to boot a 30-yard field goal with 15 seconds left before intermission.
Fordham was driving for a score on its second possession of the second half, moving from its own 29 to the Dayton 33, but Skelton's fourth down pass from the 33 fell incomplete. The Flyers then drove from their own 33 to the Fordham four where Matt Swartz connected on a 21-yard field goal to put the Dayton lead back to 21, 24-3, with 2:25 left in the third.
The Fordham offense then came alive, scoring on three of its next four possessions to tie the contest at 24. Skelton led the Rams to the first score, completing seven of 10 passes for 80 yards, including a 17-yard scoring pass to Jason Caldwell, to make it a 24-10 game with 13:47 remaining.
On Dayton's ensuing possession, Ben Shappie fumbled on the Flyers' 33 and the ball was recovered by Fordham's Ryan Darcey. Three plays later, Skelton hooked up with Richard Rayborn with a 33-yard touchdown pass to pull the Rams to within seven, 24-17, with 11:28 left in the contest.
Jack O'Dell fumbled on the first play from scrimmage on Dayton's subsequent possession but the Rams couldn't capitalize on that turnover, punting the ball back to the Flyers four plays later.
After the Fordham defense held Dayton to three plays, Allen returned a punt 29 yards, giving the Rams the ball on the Dayton 32. Fordham kept the ball on the ground, calling six straight running plays, the last a two-yard touchdown rush by Martin to knot the game at 24 with 6:50 remaining.
"We lost the game with the turnovers and not stopping them on third down in the first half," said Masella. "It was encouraging that we came back to tie the game but we shouldn't have been in that situation."
Skelton completed 22 of 44 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns for the Rams with Asa Lucas catching six passes for 96 yards and Rayborn and Caldwell each grabbing five passes, including a touchdown.
Darcey led all Fordham tacklers with eight total tackles, six solo, including one for a loss, while James Crockett and Dominique Owens each registered seven stops and one tackle for a loss.
The Rams will next be in action next Saturday, September 29th, as they travel to Hamilton, New York, to open their 2007 Patriot League schedule with a game against Colgate University at 1:00 p.m.
Notes
Lieutenant Colonel Eric Deravin, a 1982 Fordham Army Reserve Officer Training Corps graduate, participated in the coin toss...Deravin recently returned from deployment overseas in the Global War Against Terrorism and is an adjunct professor of Military Science at Fordham...His awards include the expert infantryman's badge, the combat action badge and the Bronze Star Medal...All Fordham football alumni in attendance were recognized on the field at halftime...The Flyers now have defeated the Rams in all three meetings...This was the first game between the two schools since the 1979 season...The loss breaks a two-game winning streak in Homecoming contests for the Rams...Fordham punter Ben Dato kicked five times for 227 yards (45.4 yards/punt)...Skelton recorded his third 200+-yard passing game of the season.
