Rams Open Season with Loss at Nebraska

Lincoln, Neb – Unfortunately for the Fordham Football Rams, not all David and Goliath stories end with David slaying the giant. Nevertheless, the Rams gave it their all today, with senior linebacker Ryan Greenhagen playing the role of David, before falling to the University of Nebraska, 52-7, in Memorial Stadium.
 
With the loss, the Rams open the 2021 season 0-1 while Nebraska evens its record at 1-1.
 
The loss overshadowed a record-setting day for Greenhagen, who set the NCAA Division I record with 31 total tackles (he was credited with a tackle on Monday to bring the total to 31). The former record of 30 was accomplished three times previously since the NCAA made tackles an official statistic in 2000. Others to achieve the feat include Chattanooga's Josh Cain (2001), Norfolk State's Kevin Talley (2004) and Stetson's Donald Payne (2014). 
 
According to cbssports.com Greenhagen's 31 tackles were the most by any player against an FBS opponent since the NCAA began keeping records. The record was previously held by former Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray, who had 28 tackles against Army. NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary notably recorded 35 tackles against Houston and 33 tackles against Arkansas in 1978 for Baylor, but both of those games occurred before stats were considered official. 
 
Greenhagen broke a 31-year-old Patriot League single-game tackles record, a mark that was held by Lehigh's Lee Picariello against William. & Mary in 1990.
 
Turnovers hurt Fordham as the Cornhuskers turned two first half interceptions into touchdowns as Nebraska took a 24-7 lead at the break. They added another seven points off a third quarter interception to take a commanding 31-7 lead.
 
The first interception came after the Rams held the Cornhuskers on the first possession of the game and Fordham drove to the Nebraska 29 where a Tim DeMorat pass was tipped and picked off.
 
The second came just before the half when DeMorat was intercepted on the Nebraska 17 with 2:27 left in the half.
 
After Nebraska took a 7-0 lead the Rams knotted the contest when DeMorat found senior wide receiver Fotis Kokosioulis over the middle and Kokosioulis took it to the end zone for a 31-yard scoring play 46 second into the second quarter.
 
Takeaways
 
• It was the second appearance at Memorial Stadium for senior running back Trey Sneed, who played at Nebraska while at Rutgers.
 
• It was the first ever meeting between the Rams and the Cornhuskers and Fordham's first game played in Nebraska.
 
• Freshman linebacker James Conroy, an Omaha native, commenced his collegiate career in his home state.
 
• The game was the first played against a team from a Power 5 conference for the Rams since 1954 (before there was a Power 5).
 
• The game was one of two contests against FBS opponents for the Rams this year as Fordham will travel to Florida Atlantic on September 18.
 
By the Numbers
 
11 – Games played by Fordham against an NCAA FBS opponent over the past eleven years.
 
31 - Tackles by senior linebacker Ryan Greenhagen, an NCAA Div. I and Patriot League record.
 
75 - Career-high rushing yards for junior Trey Wilson III.
 
376 – Consecutive sellouts for Nebraska football, an NCAA record.
 
490 – Career completions for Tim DeMorat, fifth on the Fordham all-time list.
 
5,521 – Career passing yards for Tim DeMorat, sixth on the Fordham career list.
 
90,000 – Announced attendance at the game, the largest crowd to watch a Fordham football game (previous high was 66,154 in the 1942 Sugar Bowl while previous high on the FCS level was 33,793 at Army West Point in 2014).
 
What's Next?
• The Rams return to the Bronx for their home opener next Saturday, September 11, as they host the Monmouth College Hawks on Jack Coffey Field at 6:00 p.m.
 
• It will be the fourth meeting between the Rams and the Hawks.
 
• Monmouth leads the all-time series, 2-1, and took the last meeting, 42-41 in overtime at Monmouth in 2016.