Feb. 14, 2011
Printable 2011 Schedule
Bronx, N.Y. -
A schedule that features four home games on Jack Coffey Field, including the annual match-up for the Ram-Crusader Cup with fellow Jesuit school, Holy Cross, and road games at UConn and Army highlights the eleven-game 2011 Fordham University football schedule released today.
The 2011 season will mark Fordham's second with scholarship players, as school welcomes its second scholarship class this summer. Fordham will remain as an associate member of the Patriot League for football, which currently does not offer athletic scholarships in the sport, and will continue to be included in the League schedule until at least the 2012 season but will not be eligible for the Patriot League championship. Fordham's games against League members will not count towards the standings.
Despite not being eligible for the Patriot League title, Fordham will still be eligible for an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoff at-large bid. The NCAA increased the number of playoff bids last fall from 16 to 20 (ten automatic bids/ten at-large bids).
Head coach Tom Masella will open his sixth season at Rose Hill on Thursday, September 1st, as the Rams travel to East Hartford, Conn., to face the University of Connecticut Huskies, defending BIG EAST champions who played in the Fiesta Bowl in January. It will be the second meeting between the two schools. The first meeting was in 1915, a game won by the Rams, 35-0.
After an open week, the Rams then open their 2011 home schedule by hosting the Columbia University Lions in the annual battle for the Liberty Cup on September 17th on Jack Coffey Field. The game will also be Fordham's Homecoming contest. The two schools have fought for the cup for the past nine years, with Fordham holding a 5-4 advantage in the Liberty Cup series. As two of only three NCAA Division I institutions in New York City 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.
Fordham returns to the road the following week, venturing to Kingston, R.I., to take on the University of Rhode Island Rams out of the Colonial Athletic Conference on Saturday, September 24th. The two schools have matched up in each of the past three years and in six of the past seven. The all-time series is tied at five wins each.
Fordham then takes a trip to Hamilton, N.Y., to open their Patriot League slate with a game at Colgate University on October 1st. It will mark the 22nd meeting between the rams and the Raiders.
The following week the Rams stay on the road, traveling down to Philadelphia to face the University of Pennsylvania, the 2010 Ivy League champions, on October 8th. Fordham and Penn have met four times previous, the last time in 1999.
Fordham returns to Jack Coffey Field on Saturday, October 15th to host the defending Patriot League champions, Lehigh University, for 2011 Family Weekend.
The Rams then hit the road for the first of three straight road games on October 22nd as Fordham travels out to Easton, Penn., to take on Lafayette College in the 29th meeting between the Rams and the Leopards. Fordham won last year's matchup, 14-10, on Jack Coffey Field.
The following week, October 29th, Fordham journeys up to West Point, N.Y., to take on the Army Black Knights at Michie Stadium as the Rams and the Black Knights renew a rivalry that started in 1891.
The Rams then wrap up their road schedule with a trip to our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., to face fellow Jesuits, Georgetown University, in a Patriot League matchup on November 5th. The Rams and the Hoyas will battle for the 54th time on the varsity level, the most games played against any opponent for the Rams. Fordham has won the past five meetings and leads the all-time series, 31-19-3.
Fordham returns to Jack Coffey Field for the final two regular season games, both Patriot League contests, starting with a meeting with Bucknell University on November 12th. The Rams have won the past two meetings with the Bison.
The Rams close out the 2011 regular season schedule on November 19th as they host fellow Jesuit institution, the Holy Cross Crusaders, in the annual battle for the Ram-Crusader Cup. Fordham has retained the trophy for six of the past ten years but the Crusaders have been in possession of the cup for the past three years.
Ticket information for the 2011 season is available through the Fordham Athletic Ticket Office by calling 718-817-4300.
