Box Score Nov. 15, 2008
Final Stats |
Photo Gallery 
Bronx, N.Y. - After a morning of dark clouds and heavy rains, the skies brightened and the sun poked its head out as the Fordham University football seniors took the field one last time, celebrating Senior Day with their parents. Perhaps it was an omen of things to come because the day would end on appositive note with numerous seniors on the field as the Rams shut out Georgetown in a Patriot League match-up on Jack Coffey Field.
With the win, Fordham evens its record at 5-5 on the year, 1-4 in the Patriot League, while Georgetown closes out the year with a 2-8 overall record, 0-6 in the conference.
"I told the seniors last night that I was proud of the way they have been able to change the culture of the team," said head coach Tom Masella. "Not all the seniors have been able to play this year so it was nice to end the home season with just about everyone getting a chance to play."
The Fordham offense on the final series of the game was a collection of seniors, including T.J. Jordan at quarterback, kicker Adam Danko at wide receiver and linebacker Mark Meehan in the backfield. It was a tribute to the players who have given the football program so much over the past four years, including a Patriot League title last year.
Though it was Senior Day, it was a sophomore who stole the show as running back Xavier Martin rushed 40 times for 186 yards, bringing his season total to 1,090 yards. Martin becomes the sixth Fordham running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, the first since James Prydatko in 2005.
The Fordham defense also had a hand in the win, holding Georgetown to just 99 yards of total offense, the lowest total allowed by the Rams on the NCAA FCS level, while notching its second shutout of the season. The two shutouts ties the Patriot League mark for most shutouts in a season, tying the record set by the 1997 Rams and matched by the 2002 Lehigh and 2004 Georgetown squads.
The game looked like it would be a scoreless affair as the Rams couldn't convert on three straight fourth down calls, while fumbling on another possession, and the Hoya offense had problems getting on track, gaining just 13 yards on their first three series.
The Rams took the opening kickoff and moved from their own 20 to the Georgetown 31 where the drive stalled when the Rams couldn't convert on a fourth down call.
After Georgetown went three and out, Fordham took over on its own 42 and again moved into Hoyas' territory only to see the drive stopped at the Georgetown 27 on a fourth down incompletion.
The Rams got the ball right back as two plays later, Georgetown quarterback Keero Lawrence was intercepted by Fordham's Ryan Darcey on the Hoya 39 but the Rams returned the favor, giving the ball back to Georgetown with on a fumble on the Hoyas' nine.
The Hoyas again couldn't move the ball and punted it back to the Rams on the final play of the first quarter. Fordham advanced downfield from its own 22 to the Georgetown 33 but again turned the ball over on downs.
After Georgetown went three-and-out, Fordham took over on its own 22 and this time the Rams were able to put points on the scoreboard. Martin led the drive, gaining 22 yards on the first five plays before John Skelton started completing passes, eventually getting the ball down to the Georgetown one. A Martin rush on third down couldn't cross the goal line and Fordham went for it on fourth down with John Skelton finding his brother, Stephen Skelton, in the end zone for a 7-0 Fordham lead with 3:15 left in the half.
A short punt on Georgetown's next possession gave the Rams excellent field position as Fordham took over on its own 46 and Skelton and Martin moved the Rams downfield. The big play was a third and eight completion from Skelton to Clayton Busch, play in which Skelton managed to avoid two would-be sacks, completing the pass on the run.
The drive would stall on the Georgetown 17 where Danko came on to boot a 35-yard field goal, tying his season-long, to put the Rams up, 10-0, 40 seconds before halftime.
The score would remain 10-0 until the Rams intercepted Lawrence for the second time on the day, this one by Kelvin Colbert on the Georgetown 29. Three plays later, Skelton found Jon Arnold over the middle with a 26-yard scoring strike to give Fordham a 17-0 lead with 10:27 remaining in the third.
Later in the third, Fordham almost picked up two more points as Craig Stevens sacked Georgetown quarterback Scott Darby in what appeared to be a safety but the officials ruled that he was sacked on the one.
Skelton completed 19 of 33 passes on the day for 144 yards and two scores while Arnold led all receivers with seven catches for 51 yards and Busch added three catches for 34 yards.
Defensively, Stevens led the Rams with seven solo tackles, including two for a loss and one sack, while Bryson Wilson added five stops, four solo, and Matt Loucks finished with four tackles and two pass break ups.
The Rams will close out their 2008 season by traveling to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to face the Bucknell University Bison next Saturday, November 22nd, at 1:00 p.m.
Notes
Skelton's 144 passing yards brings his career total 6,074, leaving him 39 yards shy of tying Kevin Eakin's (2000-03) career record at Fordham...Skelton's 19 completions bring his career total to 502, leaving him 16 short of Joe Moorhead's (1992-95) career mark while his two touchdown passes give him 43 for his career, two off of Eakin's career record...Fordham now leads the all-time series with Georgetown, 29-19-3, winning the past three meetings and 13 of the last 14...John Zizzo, a 1968 Fordham team captain, and Joe Lonardo, a 1968 Georgetown captain, were honorary captains for the game...Fordham, who entered the game leading the Patriot League in sacks (2.11/game) and ranking second in tackles for loss (6.56/game), recorded six tackles for loss and two sacks...The other five Rams to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season are Kirwin Watson, who did it three times (2001, 2002 and 2003), Prydatko (2005), Chip Kron (1984), Juan Pacheco (1980) and Pierre Davis (1977).
