Box Score Oct. 1, 2011
Final Stats
Hamilton, N.Y. -
It was a game of missed opportunities for the Fordham Football Rams. Missed fourth down conversions, missed sacks and a missed touchdown (actually one that was called back for a penalty). And in the end those misses proved to be too much to overcome as Fordham fell to Colgate University, 38-14, in a match-up of Patriot League schools at Andy Kerr Stadium.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 1-3 on the year while Colgate improves to 2-3.
"We made too many mistakes today," said Fordham head coach Tom Masella. "We can't turn the ball over that many times and expect to win on the road. But we have to put this game behind us and get ready for Penn next week."
The Rams couldn't find an answer for Colgate senior running back Nate Eachus, the Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year who missed the past two games with an undisclosed injury. That injury appeared to be fully healed as he rushed for 228 yards and one touchdown today to lead the Raiders ground attack as Colgate picked up 347 rushing yards in the contest.
The biggest missed opportunity for the Rams came early in the second half as, trailing 17-7, Fordham took the opening possession and drove from its own 36 to the Colgate three, all on the ground. Darryl Whiting carried the ball on the first three plays, gaining 35 yards. Langston Lacroix then took over the work load, carrying three times to put the ball on the three. On third-and-two from the three, Lacroix took the ball into the end zone but the play was called back for an illegal formation penalty on the Rams. On the next play, quarterback Peter Maetzold fumbled as he attempted to pass and the ball was recovered by Colgate's Shane Wilson on the Colgate 18.
The Raiders took advantage of the turnover, covering the 82 yards on nine plays with quarterback Gavin McCarney taking care of the last seven on the ground to give Colgate a 24-7 lead midway through the third quarter.
Fordham threatened on its next possession, using the ground game again to run the ball down to the Colgate 27. But on third down, a Maetzold pass to Lourenzo Smith fell incomplete and a 44-yard field goal attempt from Michael Marando was wide left.
The Raiders took advantage of the Fordham missed opportunity, moving 73 yards on eight plays with McCarney capping the drive with a four-yard touchdown toss to Daniel Cason seven seconds into the fourth quarter for a 31-7 lead.
The Rams could only pick up one first down on their next series and punted the ball back to Colgate who added to its advantage when McCarney finished off an 81-yard drive with a 16-yard scoring run to put the Raiders up 38-7 with 6:25 left in the game.
Ryan Higgins, who came on in relief of Maetzold, responded for Fordham by leading the Rams on a quick scoring drive, a drive that was set up by a 37-yard kickoff return from Smith. Higgins completed two of four passes for 28 yards and Lacroix capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run to make it a 38-14 game.
Fordham recovered the ensuing onside kick on its own 40 and Higgins got the Rams to the Colgate 34 but a fourth down pass to Blake Wayne came up short of the first down and the Raiders took over with just over four minutes left.
The Rams immediately got the ball back as McCarney fumbled on the first play from scrimmage and the ball was recovered by Fordham on the Colgate 28. But the Rams gave the ball right back to the Raiders when Higgins threw an interception on the next play.
The game started out slowly on offense with neither team managing to move the ball until Fordham took over on its own 25 following a punt. Lacroix went to work, carrying five straight times to put the ball on the Colgate 41. But on fourth-and-two from the 40, Lacroix tried to go around the corner but was stopped in the backfield and the ball went back to Colgate.
The Raiders used that momentum to move 58 yards on eleven plays and take a 7-0 lead with 1:22 left in the first on a seven-yard touchdown pass from McCarney to Ed Pavalko.
Fordham responded with a scoring drive of its own, with Maetzold opening the series with a 19-yard completion to Aaron Mays to place the ball on the Colgate 43. Three plays later, the Rams faced a fourth-and-two from the Colgate 35 but Maetzold was able to pick up the first down on a keeper to sustain the drive. Six plays later, Maetzold found Carlton Koonce in the back of the end zone with a 20-yard scoring strike to even the game at seven 2:20 into the second quarter.
Colgate came right back to take the lead for good, 10-7, on a 20-yard Joe Uglietto field goal and then made it a 17-7 game on a 16-yard Eachus scoring rush with 3:20 left in the half.
Whiting gained 76 yards on 17 carries for the Rams while Lacroix added 70 yards on 14 attempts. Maetzold completed 14 of 22 passes for 110 yards and one score while Higgins completed five of ten for 58 yards. Koonce led all Fordham receivers with five catches for 39 yards while Mays and Wayne each had three receptions.
Defensively, Jake Rodriques, Andy Okonkwo and Victor DiFusco each made seven tackles for the Rams.
Fordham will next be in action on Saturday, October 8th, as the Rams travel down to Philadelphia to face the University of Pennsylvania on Franklin Field at 6:00 p.m.
Notes
Colgate has now won four straight over Fordham and lead the all-time series, 19-4... Koonce has a touchdown catch in each of the past three games... He is now tied for the team lead with 14 receptions this fall... The rushing yards and touchdown were the first with the varsity team for Lacroix... Fordham punter Patrick Murray, who entered the game leading the NCAA FCS in punting average, kicked twice today for 131 yards (43.7 yards/kick)... Sophomore offensive lineman Thomas Fisher, a Syracuse native, had a large contingent of fans in the Fordham stands... The Rams were without the services of starters Kevin Carter and Khary Powell, who were both injured in last week's game at Rhode Island.
