Football Edged in Overtime by Lehigh

Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham-Lehigh Patriot League football game today was billed a Cancer Awareness Game. For the Rams it could also have been known as the Pogo game after a famous quote from the character who once said "We have met the enemy and he is us." Fordham committed eleven penalties on the day, including one in overtime that extended Lehigh's drive as the Mountain Hawks scored two plays later to defeat Fordham, 30-27, on Jack Coffey Field.
 
With the loss, Fordham falls to 3-5 overall, 1-1 in the Patriot League, while Lehigh improves to 3-3 overall, 2-0 in the league.
 
The loss overshadowed a career-day for Fordham junior running back Zach Davis, who rushed 34 times for 185 yards, both career-bests, with one touchdown while junior running back Trey Sneed just missed a 100-yard game, carrying 12 times for 96 yards with one score.
 
Defensively for the Rams, sophomore Anthony Tony-Itoyah notched eight tackles, seven solo, while junior linebacker Glenn Cunningham also made eight stops, six solo, including one for loss.
 
The Rams had possession first in overtime and drove the ball to the Lehigh four but a third down pass fell incomplete and Fordham settled on a 21-yard Andrew Mevis field goal.
 
On Lehigh's first possession of overtime, the Mountain Hawks moved to the Fordham four where Jeremy Imperati caught Addison Shoup in the backfield for a loss on third down. Austin Henning came on to kick a field goal but the Rams were called for running into the kicker, giving Lehigh the ball on the four and, two plays later, the Mountain Hawks scored the winning touchdown.
 
Takeaways
• It was Zach Davis' fifth 100-yard game of the year, the sixth of his career.
 
• Davis has gone over 100 yards in each of the three home games in 2019.
 
• Andrew Mevis placed three of his five kickoffs into the end zone.
 
• Quarterback Tim DeMorat was held without a touchdown pass for the first time in 2019.
 
• The Mountain Hawks now lead the all-time series, which started in 1923, 25-7, but the Rams have taken five of the past seven meetings.
 
• It was Fordham's first overtime game since a 42-41 loss at Monmouth on October 1, 2016.
 
• The last Fordham home overtime game was a 47-41 win over Holy Cross on October 17, 2015.
 
By the Numbers
39.5 – Career tackles for loss by Glenn Cunningham, third on the Fordham all-time list.
 
40.4 – Yards/punt by Andrew Mevis.
 
185 – Rushing yards for Zach Davis, a career-high (previous high was 136 earlier this year vs. Richmond).
 
293 – Career completions for Tim DeMorat, good for eighth on the Fordham career list.
 
330 – Rushing yards for Fordham, a season-high (previous high was 257 vs. Bryant).
 
7,604 – Career punting yards for Andrew Mevis, third on the Fordham all-time list.
 
What's Next?
• After a week off, the Rams continue Patriot League play by traveling to Easton, Penn., to face the Lafayette College Leopards in Fisher Stadium on Saturday, November 2, at 12:30 p.m.
 
• It will be the 38th meeting between Fordham and Lafayette on the gridiron.
 
• The Leopards lead the all-time series, which started in 1903, 24-12-1, and took last year's game, 21-13, on Jack Coffey Field C.J. Amill rushed for 133 yards and one score.