Football Falls to Holy Cross

Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham offense seemed to be coming alive, taking a 24-17 lead with 3:21 remaining in the first half. Then Mother Nature took over with lightning forcing a over hour delay and when the teams came back out, Holy Cross seemed to be energized, scoring with 15 seconds left in the half to tie the game and then 28 unanswered second half points to defeat the Rams, 52-24, on Jack Coffey Field.
 
With the loss, the Rams fall to 6-4 overall, 4-1 in the Patriot League, while Holy Cross clinches its third straight Patriot League title, improving to 8-2 overall, 5-0 in the League.
 
Senior quarterback Tim DeMorat was held in check by Holy Cross, completing 12 of 27 passes for 223 yards and two scores while graduate student running back Zach Davis gained 66 yards on 15 carries with one score.
 
Freshman linebacker James Conway led the Rams' defense, recording a game-high 16 total tackles, five solo, including 0.5 for loss, while senior Jesse Bramble added eleven stops, five solo.
 
The Crusaders jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter before DeMorat found MJ Wright with a 54-yard completion that led to a two-yard Davis touchdown run with 1:43 remaining in the quarter.
 
After Holy Cross bumped the led back to ten with a field goal, DeMorat found senior wide receiver Fotis Kokosioulis over the middle and Kokosioulis took it to the end zone, a play that covered 25 yards to make it a three-point game, 17-14, early in the second.
 
The Fordham defense held on Holy Cross' next possession and the offense moved 83 yards on ten plays, capped by a toe-touching 32-yard touchdown catch in the back of the end zone to put the Rams up 21-17 midway through the quarter.
 
After a Holy Cross three-and-out, Fordham took over one its own 38 and oved to the Holy Cross 17 where senior kicker Nick Leinenweber connected on a 35-yard field goal to give the Rams a 24-17 lead.
 
Following the ensuing kickoff play halted for 1:12 due to lightning strikes in the area.
 
Takeaways
• The scoring catch for Fotis Kokosioulis was his 12th of the year, tied for third most on a season for a Ram.
 
• James Conway has recorded double figures in tackles in seven games this year.
 
• Conway entered the game second in the NCAA FCS in tackles/game (11.4).
 
• Tim DeMorat was picked off in the game, the first interception thrown by the quarterback since the FAU game on September 18.
 
• DeMorat had a string of 233 straight pass attempts without an interception.
 
• The loss snapped a six-game Fordham winning streak, the longest winning streak for the Rams since 2015.
 
• Fordham was looking to go to 5-0 in the Patriot League for the first time since 2014.
 
• Prior to the game the Fordham seniors were honored.
 
By the Numbers
12 – Touchdown catches this year for Fotis Kokosioulis, who entered the game leading the NCAA FCS in touchdown receptions.
 
65 –Career touchdown passes for Tim DeMorat, fourth all-time at Fordham, one behind Mike Nebrich for third.
 
678 – Career completions for Tim DeMorat, second on the Rams' career list.

8,220 – Career passing yards for Tim DeMorat, moving him ahead of Mike Nebrich and into second all-time at Fordham.
 
What's Next?
• The Rams close out Patriot League play as they travel to Hamilton, N.Y. to face the Colgate University Raiders in Andy Kerr Stadium on Saturday, November 20, at 12:00 p.m.
 
• It will be the 33rd meeting between Fordham and Colgate on the gridiron.
 
• The Raiders lead the all-time series, which started in 1989, 24-8.
 
• Fordham won the matchup last spring, 40-8, on Jack Coffey Field on April 3 as Tim DeMorat completed 22 of 31 passes for 274 yards and ran for two scores while Trey Sneed rushed 23 times for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
 
• The win snapped a three-game Colgate winning streak in the series.