Lewisburg, Pa. – The Fordham defense has been an improved unit in 2018 and that was evident on the final day of the season as
Antonio Jackson picked off a Bucknell pass and returned it 70 yards for a score to break a 7-7 deadlock and lead Fordham to a 17-14 win over the Bison in Christy Mathewson Stadium.
With the win, Fordham closes out the season at 2-9, 2-4 in the Patriot League, while Bucknell goes to 1-10 on the year, 1-5 in the league.
The Fordham defense was paced by freshman defensive back
Anthony Tony-Itoyah, who recorded a season-high 12 tackles, while freshman linebacker
Ryan Greenhagen and sophomore linebacker
Glenn Cunningham each notched eleven stops, with Greenhagen adding a pair of tackles for loss.
Offensively junior running back
Tyriek Hopkins rushed for 34 yards and one score and freshman quarterback
Tim DeMorat completed 13 of 26 passes for 113 yards with four of those going to senior tight end
Isaiah Searight for 26 yards.
The Rams struck first, scoring on a one-yard Hopkins run 5:20 into the game. The score was set up when
Jeremy Imperati blocked a Bucknell field goal attempt and Jackson returned the ball to the Bucknell 12.
The Bison tied the game midway through the second before Jackson stepped in front of a John Chiaralanzio pass and returned it 70 yards to the end zone with just 12 seconds left in the first half.
Junior
Jesse Bramble picked off another Chiaralanzio pass on the second play of the second half and the Rams turned that into a 28-yard
Andrew Mevis field goal.
Bucknell pulled within three later in the third quarter, taking advantage of a Fordham fumble, but the Ram defense hunkered down, allowing the Bison to gain just 47 fourth-quarter yards.
Takeaways
• Jackson finished with six tackles, five solo, including 2.5 for loss and 0.5 sacks to go with the interception.
• With his 26 receiving yards, Searight closes out his career with 1,119 receiving yards, third all-time among Fordham tight ends (he is just the fourth tight end to record 1,000 career receiving yards, joining Dan Light (1,594 from 2011-14), Stephen Skelton (1,313 from 2007-2010) and Jim Walls (1,021 from 1996-1999).
• The Rams were a perfect 2-for2 in fourth down conversions.
• The last time a Ram returned an interception for a score was
Lawrence Menyah who did it against Central Connecticut State last year.
• The blocked field goal attempt was Fordham's second this year.
• Fordham has now won the past six meetings but Bucknell leads the all-time series, 198-16.
By the Numbers
4 - Interceptions on the season by
Jesse Bramble.
7 – Tackles for loss recorded by the Rams, who entered the game ranked 18th in the NCAA FCS in TFLs (7.60/game).
11 – Touchdown passes thrown by DeMorat this year, a Fordham freshman record.
15.0 – Tackles for loss recorded by
Ryan Greenhagen this year, the most by a Fordham freshman in a season and the fifth most in a season for the Rams.
20.5- Tackles for loss recorded by
Glenn Cunningham this year, a new school record (old mark was 20.0 set by Carl Barbera in 1995).
32 – Completions by freshman quarterback
Tim DeMorat, a season-high (previous high was 19 vs. Bryant).
56 – Long punt for
Andrew Mevis, who averaged 36.9 yards/punt with three landing inside the Bucknell 20.
148 – Completions this year by DeMorat, second most all-time for a Fordham rookie.
192 – Career receptions by senior
Austin Longi, who had two today, good for third place on the Fordham all-time list.
1,633 - Passing yards in 2018 for DeMorat, the second most for a freshman in school history.
2,431 – Career receiving yards for Longi, who had 19 today, good for fifth place on the Fordham career list.
What's Next?
• The Rams are scheduled to open the 2019 season on Saturday, August 31, as they host the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils on Jack Coffey Field.
