Football Falls to CCSU on Homecoming

Bronx, N.Y. – What a difference a year makes. Last September, Fordham's Lawrence Menyah intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown to lead the Rams to a win at Central Connecticut State. Today it was the Blue Devils who used a pick six to upend Fordham, 24-13, in the Rams' Homecoming game on Jack Coffey Field.
 
With the loss, Fordham fall to 0-4 on the season while Central Connecticut evens its record at 2-2.
 
A bright spot for the Rams was that they were able to get the running game on track, rushing for 110 net yards, and one score, while the Fordham defense limited the Blue Devils to a season-low 265 yards of total offense.
 
Fordham couldn't overcome costly turnovers and miscues as Central Connecticut took advantage of a fumble and blocked punt in the first half to score ten points and then had the interception return for a score in the second.
 
The Rams pulled within four, 10-6, on a Tim DeMorat to Isaiah Searight 20-yard scoring strike with 9:23 left in the first half on a play that was set up by an Antonio Jackson interception that he returned 61 yards to the Blue Devils 19.
 
But with 48 seconds left in the half Central Connecticut blocked an Andrew Mevis punt and recovered the ball on the Fordham 30 which the Blue Devils turned into a five-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds remaining.
 
Fordham pulled within four again on its first possession of the second half thanks to a Zach Davis 25-yard touchdown run but less than three minutes later the Blue Devils scored on the pick six to build the lead to 24-13.
 
Takeaways
• Freshman Tim DeMorat became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Fordham since Peter Maetzold in 2011.
 
• The Rams honored the 1968 National Club Championship team at the game.
 
• The game marked the return of senior defensive back Dylan Mabin and sophomore running back Zach Davis, who both missed the last two games with an injury.
 
• Fordham started two freshmen on right side of the offensive line, Austin Glazier at guard and Phil Salah at tackle.
 

By the Numbers
3 – of six Andrew Mevis punts downed inside the Blue Devils 20.
 
9 – Total tackles by junior Max Roberts, a game-high.
 
153 – Career receptions for Austin Longi, who had four today, good for ninth place on the Fordham all-time list.
 
168 – Passing yards for the Blue Devils, a season-low for a Fordham opponent.
 
1,342 – Career receiving yards for Corey Caddle, who had 29 today, placing him 15th on the Fordham career list.
 
1,979 – Career receiving yards for Austin Longi, who had 43 today, moving him into eighth place on the Fordham career list.
 
What's Next?
• Following a week off, the Rams open Patriot League play by hosting the Georgetown University Hoyas on Jack Coffey Field next Saturday, October 6, at 1:00 p.m.
 
• It will be the 65th meeting between Fordham and Georgetown on the gridiron.
 
• The Rams lead the all-time series, which started in 1889, 39-22-3.
 
• The Rams have taken the past six meetings, including a 17-9 win in Washington, D.C., last October as Austin Longi hauled in 13 passes for 150 yards and one score and Andrew Mevis booted three field goals.
 
• Fordham is 14-2 against Georgetown since the Hoyas joined the Patriot League in 2001.
 
• The Rams are 19-6-1 against Georgetown on Jack Coffey Field, 11-9-1 at Georgetown and 1-5 at the Polo Grounds.
 
• The 60 varsity meetings with the Hoyas are the most against any opponent for the Rams.