Box Score Sept. 7, 2008
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Bronx, N.Y. - Tropical Storm Hanna made Fordham fans wait an extra 18 hours to open the 2008 season but the Rams made it worthwhile for the fans who showed up at Jack Coffey Field on Sunday. The Fordham defense held Rhode Island in check, while sophomore Xavier Martin rushed for a career-high 169 yards and sophomore John Skelton threw two long touchdown passes to lead Fordham to a 16-0 win over Rhode Island. The game, which was originally scheduled for Saturday night, was moved to Sunday when game officials deemed conditions too dangerous to play during the storm.
The game is believed to be the first Fordham football game played on a Sunday and was the first opening day shutout at home since the Rams blanked Marist, 46-0, in 1995. The last time the Rams shutout out an opponent on opening day was a 23-0 win at Lafayette in 1998 and their first shutout since a 14-0 win over Albany in 2004.
The Rams defense held Rhode Island to minus-26 net rushing yards, the first time a Fordham defense held an opponent to negative rushing yards since the Rams moved to the NCAA FCS level in 1989. The defense sacked Rhode Island quarterback Derek Cassidy seven times, the most sacks since the Rams recorded seven sacks at Fairfield in 2002.
"I'm very proud of the team, especially the defense," said Fordham head coach Tom Masella. "I know that we improved on defense this year as all through camp, they were giving the offense fits. Our defense is the most improved part of the team from a year ago."
Fordham wasted little time in getting on the board, taking the opening kickoff and driving from its own 26 to the Rhode Island 16 where Adam Danko connected on a 33-yard field goal. Skelton completed all three of his passes on the drive for 54 yards.
The game would remain 3-0 until Fordham took over on its own 10 following a Rhode Island punt midway though the second quarter. Two plays netted three years for Fordham before Skelton found a streaking Jason Caldwell down the left sideline and Caldwell outraced the defenders to the end zone for an 87-yard scoring strike. It was the longest pass completion since an 87-yard completion from Rich Collins to Chris Reis against Georgetown in 1977.
Later in the half, Rhode Island got the ball on the Fordham 41 after a failed Fordham fake punt, but Rhode Island couldn't take advantage of the field position and punted the ball back to Fordham.
Fordham led 10-0 into the fourth quarter when Rhode Island took advantage of a Fordham turnover as sophomore Nnamdi Onyeabor fumbled on the Rhode Island 45 and Rhode Island recovered the fumble and returned it to the Fordham 38. Rhode Island picked up a first down on the second play from scrimmage as Cassidy found Joe Bellini with a 16-yard pass that put the ball on the Fordham 24 but the drive would stall at the Fordham 19. Louis Feinstein then came on to attempt a 36-yard field goal but hit the left upright.
Following the miss, Fordham took over on its own 20 with a pair of Martin rushes gaining seven yards. On third down from the 27, Skelton found Asa Lucas with a 20-yard gain and three plays later, Skelton connected with Lucas again, this time for a 50-yard scoring strike to give Fordham a 16-0 lead with 7:12 remaining in the game as the extra point attempt was blocked.
Rhode Island threatened to get on the board later in the fourth, taking over after a short punt on its own 43 and driving to the Fordham four. Two Cassidy passes fell incomplete on the four before he was sacked back to the ten by Ryan Mehra. On fourth and goal from the ten, Cassidy's pass to Shawn Leonard fell incomplete with 43 seconds remaining and Fordham took a knee to ice the win.
Andre Delaire led the Fordham offense with nine solo tackles while Nicholas Magiera finished with seven tackles, including three for a loss and two sacks while also breaking up a pass, and Mehra added six tackles, including three for a loss and two sacks and a forced fumble.
Skelton completed 14 of 26 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns with Caldwell and Lucas each grabbing three passes for 95 yards with each scoring a touchdown.
The Rams will next be in action on Saturday, September 13th, as the travel to Dayton, Ohio, to face the University of Dayton Flyers at 1:00p.m.
Notes
Fordham has now won two straight against Rhode Island and lead the all-time series, 5-3...Fordham has also won back-to-back openers for the first time since the 2002 and 2003 seasons...In their four previous meetings, Rhode Island averaged 355.5 rushing yards/game...Martin's previous career-high was 157 yards against Columbia last year...The game was his third career 100-plus yard rushing game...Skelton's 267-yard game is his tenth career 200-plus yard passing game...Nine different receivers caught at least one pass for Fordham...Fordham ran two fake punts, the first one working and the second being stopped...Sophomore quarterback Clayton Busch handled the first punt for Fordham, recording a 41-yard punt in his first collegiate attempt...Freshman Cameron Dean handled the rest of the punting on the day, kicking four times of 126 yards.
