Box Score Sept. 4, 2010
Final Stats |
Photo Gallery 
Smithfield, R.I. -
It's likely that Fordham won't be scheduling any more season openers in the state of Rhode Island. Last year, the Rams were upended by the University of Rhode Island in the first game of the season. This year, the competition was Bryant University but the results weren't much different as the Bulldogs dropped the Rams, 44-30, on Bulldog Field.
The Rams had some chances but failed to take advantage of a couple of opportunities to pull to within a touchdown in the early in the second half before doing so in the fourth quarter. Fordham got the ball on one possession inside Bryant territory but fumbled it back to the Bulldogs on the first play from scrimmage and then later in the game had a first and goal from the four and couldn't take away any points.
"We didn't play well but you have to give Bryant credit," said head coach Tom Masella. "They knocked us off the ball and were more physical up front."
Fordham trailed by 20 at the half, 29-9, but came out and scored on the first possession of the second half. Sophomore quarterback Blake Wayne drove the Rams 66 yards on just four plays, hitting Aaron Mays with back-to-back passes to end the drive, the final a short pass to Mays that he turned into a 27-yard scoring strike as the Rams made it a 29-16 game.
On the first play of the ensuing possession, a Bryant runner fumbled the ball and it was recovered as it was going out of bound by Jamal Haruna on the Bryant 40. But on Fordham's next play, Darryl Whiting fumbled and the ball was recovered by the Bulldogs on the 40. Bryant took advantage of the Fordham miscue, moving 60 yards on seven play, scoring on a two-yard rush to take a 36-16 lead.
The Fordham offense came back, mounting an eight-play, 60-yard drive, capped by a Xavier Martin two-yard scoring run, as the Rams again pulled to within 13, 36-23, with 8:02 left in the third.
The Fordham defense forced the Bulldogs to punt on the next series but the ball was downed on the Fordham five and the Rams couldn't pick up a first down.
On Fordham's next offensive possession Wayne again went to work, guiding the Rams on an eleven-play drive, covering 84 yards and finishing it with a four-yard touchdown run to pull the Rams to within six, 36-30, with 12:49 remaining.
But the Bulldogs responded with a quick scoring drive of their own, using a 62-yard Jordan Brown scoring romp and a two-point conversion to take a 44-30 lead with 12:38 left.
The Fordham offense again came back, moving from its own 40 to the Bryant 14 where Wayne connected with Jason Caldwell for a six yard gain that was aided by a three-yard penalty, giving the Rams a first and goal at the four. But three plays didn't gain any yards and on fourth down a Wayne pass fell incomplete with 6:30 remaining.
The Bryant offense then managed to eat over four minutes off the clock before giving the ball back to the Rams on their own 20. Wayne took the squad down to the Bryant eight but on second and goal his pass was tipped and intercepted in the end zone with 44 seconds left.
Things got off on the wrong foot for the Rams as Bryant took the opening kickoff and quickly put the ball in the end zoned, courtesy of a 44-yard scoring pass from Mike Croce to Jordan Harris, with out jumped Isa Abdul-Quddus in the end zone. The drive was aided by a pass interference penalty on the Rams that gave Bryant the ball on the Fordham 44.
After the Rams were held to a three-and-out, Patrick Murray punted the ball 50 yards but was returned 70 by Bryant's Jeremy Woodson for a 14-0 Bulldog lead just 4:07 into the game.
The Rams were again held to a three-and-out and Murray came on to punt but his punt was blocked and recovered by Bryant on the four. Three plays later, Mike Canfora scored from two yards to put Bryant up 20-0 with 7:51 left in the first.
The Fordham offense got on track on the next possession, moving 68 yards on eight plays with Carlton Koonce taking it in from the ten to put the Rams on the board, 20-6, two minutes later.
The Bulldogs came back with a 38-yard field goal just before the end of the first quarter to take a 23-6 lead and early in the second Bryant used a long punt return to set up a five-yard scoring rush, putting the Bulldogs up 29-6 with 10:31 left in the second.
Later in the second, Fordham moved the ball down to the Bryant 30 where Murray connected on a 48-yard field goal, the third longest field goal in Fordham history, to cut the Fordham deficit to 20, 29-9, with 2:36 left in the half.
Wayne completed 20 of 34 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown and he also led the Rams with 98 rushing yards on 16 carries. Whiting finished with 67 yards on 14 carries while Caldwell made a team-high nine catches for 90 yards.
Isa Abdul-Quddus led all Fordham defenders with 14 tackles while Jamal Haruna added ten.
The Rams will return to Jack Coffey Field next Saturday to open the home portion of their schedule by hosting Rhode Island at 6:00 p.m.
Notes: The two teams have now split two games (the Rams defeated Bryant 35-7 on Jack Coffey Field last year)... The Rams are now 45-28 all-time in season openers, dropping the past two... Fordham is now 4-7 all-time in games played in the state of Rhode Island... The longest field goal in school history is a 50-yarder by Kevin Clyne against Ithaca in 1982... Clyne also has the second longest field goal in Fordham's history, a 49-yarder against Catholic that same season... Murray also averaged 51.0 yards/punt on four punts... Caldwell's 90 receiving yards brings his career total to 1,823, good for fifth on the Fordham career list, 43 yards behind Steve Porco for fourth on the list... His nine receptions brings his career total to 124, also fifth on the school's all-time list... Nine different receivers caught at least one pass... Abdul-Quddus' 14 tackles are a career-best.
