Football Upended by Monmouth, 26-23

Bronx, N.Y. – It has been over 650 days since fans saw the Fordham football in action on Jack Coffey Field. And the Rams did their best to keep the fans in the stands the entire game before falling to #21 Monmouth University, 26-23.
 
With the loss, Fordham falls to 0-2 on the season while Monmouth improves to 1-1.
 
Senior linebacker Ryan Greenhagen tried his best to better his NCAA-record 31 tackles from last week but came up just shy with 28 stops, 11 solo, including one for loss.
 
Offensively, senior quarterback Tim DeMorat completed 27 of 49 passes for 352 yards and three scores with two of those touchdowns going to junior wide receiver Dequece Carter, who hauled in five passes for 97 yards.
 
The Rams trailed by ten, 26-16, with 13:26 remaining before the Rams pulled within three, 26-23, when DeMorat found Carter with a 39-yard scoring strike with just over five minutes left.
 
The Hawks held the ball for the next 4:35 before the Rams got the ball back on their own eight with 26 seconds on the clock. DeMorat completed three of four passes to get the ball to the Fordham 44 and a Hail Mary pass to the end zone was tipped before it fell to the ground as time expired.
 
Takeaways
• It was Salute to Heroes Night at Jack Coffey as the Rams honored all those lost on September 11, 2001, and saluted the first responders.
 
• NYPD Officer Tyler Abelson sung the National Anthem in front of the NYPD Color Guard and an antique NYPD vehicle.
 
• Dequece Carter made one of his patented one-handed catches in the second quarter that led to his first touchdown reception.
 
• Freshman linebacker James Conway recorded his first collegiate interception that led to the Rams' fourth quarter touchdown.
 
• Conway was Fordham's second leading tackler with eight stops, six solo.
 
• It was the fourth career 300-yard passing game for DeMorat.
 
• Fordham converted on eight of 14 third downs.
 
• The Rams outgained the Hawks by one yard in total offense, 469-468.
 
• After being called for just two penalties in the season opener, the Rams were fagged nine times tonight.
 
 
By the Numbers
 
28 – Total tackles for Ryan Greenhagen, his second straight 20+ tackles game.
 
40 –Career touchdown passes for Tim DeMorat, fifth all-time at Fordham.
 
517 – Career completions for Tim DeMorat, good of fifth on the Rams' career list.
 
5,873 – Career passing yards for Tim DeMorat, sixth all-time at Fordham.
 
 
What's Next?
• The Rams travel to Boca Raton, Florida, to face the Florida Atlantic University Owls in FAU Stadium next Saturday, September 18, at 6:00 p.m.
 
• It will be the first meeting between the Rams and the Owls.
 
• It will be Fordham's second game against an FCS opponent in 2021.
 
• It will be Fordham's second game in the Sunshine State, the other being at Miami in 1954.
 
• The Rams are 1-1 all-time vs. current Conference USA schools (a win over Rice in 1939 and a loss at Charlotte in 2018).