April 3, 2008

Printable Schedule

Bronx, N.Y. - A schedule that features six home games on Jack Coffey Field and a non-conference schedule which features the annual battle for the Liberty Cup at Columbia highlight the 11-game 2008 Fordham University football schedule released today.

Head coach Tom Masella, the 2007 Patriot League Coach of the Year, will open his third season at Rose Hill as the 2007 Patriot League champions host the University of Rhode Island Rams, out of the Colonial Athletic Association, on Saturday, September 6th at 6:00 p.m. It will be the eighth meeting between the two schools, with Fordham leading the all-time series, 4-3, thanks to last year's 27-23 win in Kingston as John Skelton connected with Jason Caldwell on a nine-yard scoring strike with 15 seconds left.

In week two, the Rams make their first and longest road trip of the year, venturing out to Dayton, Ohio, to face the University of Dayton Flyers on September 15th. This will mark the longest road trip to a home team's field for a Fordham football team since the 1989 squad traveled to Davidson College (Fordham played Holy Cross in Bermuda in 1995 and in Ireland in 1991). This will be the third meeting between the Rams and the Flyers with Fordham leading the all-time series, 2-1.

Week three has Fordham making its shortest road trip of the year as they trek into upper Manhattan to take on Columbia University in the annual battle for the Liberty Cup on September 22nd. The two schools have fought for the cup for the past six years, with each team winning it three times, including the Rams' 27-10 win last year. As the only two NCAA Division I institutions to sponsor football, Fordham and Columbia decided to compete for a special trophy in 2002 with the focus to honor alumni from both schools who were lost in the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The Rams then return to Jack Coffey Field to open their Patriot League title defense on September 27th, as Fordham plays host to Colgate University. Fordham broke a four-game losing streak in the all-time series with the Raiders with a 34-31 win in Hamilton, N.Y., last fall.

After a week off, Fordham will take to the road for its first conference road game of the year, traveling to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to battle the Lehigh University Mountain Hawks on October 11th. The Rams snapped a nine-game losing streak to Lehigh with a 28-18 win on Jack Coffey Field last October.

The Rams return to Jack Coffey Field to renew a rivalry with Ivy League foe, Yale University, on October 18th. This will be the first meeting between Fordham and Yale since 2001 with Yale leading the all-time series, 4-0.

The following weekend marks Homecoming for the Rams as Fordham hosts Lafayette College on Jack Coffey Field on October 25th. The Leopards, who won or shared the Patriot League title from 2004-06, will be looking to avenge a 34-23 Rams win in Easton last year.

The Rams then close out a three-game homestand with their final non-conference game of the year, hosting Marist College on November 1st. The two teams squared off for the fifth time last year, with Fordham shutting out the Red Foxes, 33-0, in Poughkeepsie.

Fordham then treks up to Worcester, Massachusetts, to face off with Patriot League and Jesuit rivals, the College of the Holy Cross, on November 8th in the annual battle for the Ram-Crusader Trophy, which has been retained at Fordham for six of the past seven years. Last year, with the Patriot League title on the line, the Rams upended the Crusaders, 24-21, in front of a sold out Jack Coffey Field.

Fordham closes out the home portion of the 2008 season by hosting Georgetown University on November 15th, as the Rams and the Hoyas battle for the 51st time on the varsity level. Fordham has won the past two meetings and leads the all-time series, 28-19-3.

The Rams then close out the regular season with a trip to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to face Bucknell University on November 22nd, as Fordham looks to take revenge for its only conference loss in 2007.

Ticket information for the 2008 season is available through the Fordham Athletic Ticket Office by calling 718-817-4300.