Football Takes Down Lafayette, 45-10

Bronx, N.Y. – It's becoming easy to lead football game stories with the exploits of the 2022 Fordham University offense. And today was no exception. But we interrupt this exaltation of the Fordham offense with a story about the Rams' defense, a unit that held Lafayette College to 180 total yards, as Fordham defeated the Leopards, 45-10, in a Patriot League game on Jack Coffey Field.
 
With the win, Fordham, who entered the game ranked 18th in the latest NCAA FCS Coaches poll, improves to 8-2 overall, 4-1 in the Patriot League, while Lafayette falls to 3-7 overall 2-3 in the League.
 
Sophomore linebacker James Conway paced the Fordham defense with nine total tackles, three solo, including 1.5 for loss and 1.0 sacks, and he also had a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. Senior defensive back B.J. Ferguson and grad student linebacker Ryan Greenhagen each added seven stops, with Ferguson having one for loss.
 
Of course, the offense had its share of highlights too, led by senior quarterback Tim DeMorat who completed 32 of 45 passes for 482 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a pair of touchdowns.
 
Three Fordham receivers registered more than 100 receiving yards, led by senior MJ Wright, who had eleven catches for 155 yards while senior Fotis Kokosioulis grabbed seven balls for 117 yards and senior Dequece Carter added six receptions for 117 yards with both Kokosioulis and Carter hauling in a pair of scoring strikes.
 
Kokosioulis' 117 yards brings his season total to 1,110 as he becomes the sixth Ram all-time to amass more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
 
The Rams jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a  DeMorat one-yard run and a 22-yard Brandon Peskin field goal.
 
A second DeMorat rushing touchdown with 3:49 left in the second quarter boosted the Fordham lead to 17-0 before a Lafayette field goal made it a 17-3 game two minutes later. But DeMorat then found Carter in the end zone from the 30 to give the Rams a 24-3 halftime lead.
 
After the Leopards scored 5:49 into the second half, Fordham scored 21 unanswered points for the 45-10 win.
 
Takeaways
• Quarterback Tim DeMorat recorded his fifth 400-yard passing game of the year.
 
•Junior quarterback Joey Gulbin completed his first collegiate pass today.
 
• The Fordham defense allowed Lafayette to convert on only two of its 14 third downs.
 
•The Rams defense sacked the Lafayette quarterback a season-high five times.
 
• Lafayette entered the game leading the Patriot League in yards allowed/game (318.8) but the Rams gained 613 total yards today.
 
• The Rams have taken two of the past three meetings with the Leopards.
 
• It was Fordham's Salute to Service game with retired four-star general Jack Keane, GABELLI '66, speaking with the team before the game and being honored on the field at halftime.
 
• Fordham has a veteran on its roster as junior offensive lineman Thomas Fischbach served for four years in the United States Marine Corp (2016-2021) as a C-130 crew chief at the rank of corporal.
 
By the Numbers
6- First half points allowed by the Fordham defense over the past two games.
 
7 – Career 400-yard passing games for Tim DeMorat, a school record.
 
11 – Field goals this season by Brandon Peskin, tied for seventh most in a season at Fordham.
 
32 – Career 200-yard passing games for Tim DeMorat, a new school record (former mark was 26 by John Skelton (2006-2009).

33 – Career receiving touchdowns by Fotis Kokosioulis, one shy of the school record held by Javaris Dudley (2000-2003).
 
47 – Passing touchdowns in 2022 for Tim DeMorat, a school and Patriot League record (old record as 35 by Fordham's Mike Nebrich in 2013).

63 – PATs on the season for junior kicker Brandon Peskin, second most in a season for a Ram (school record is 64 by Michael Marando in 2014).
 
114 – Career touchdown passes for Tim DeMorat, a school record and second all-time in the Patriot League (Patriot League record is 117 by Holy Cross' Dominic Randolph).

210 – Career receptions for Fotis Kokosioulis, third on the Fordham all-time list.

500 – Points scored by Fordham in 2022 (school record is 569 set by the 2014 team).
 
238 – Career solo tackles for Ryan Greenhagen, a new school record (former record was 232 by Ian Williams (2011-2014).

405 – Career tackles for Ryan Greenhagen, second on the Fordham career tackles list (school record is 409 by Mark Blazejewski (1988-92).
 
974 – Career completions for Tim DeMorat, a new school record (old record was 802 by John Skelton (2006-2009).
 
1,110 – Receiving yards this year for Fotis Kokosioulis as he becomes the sixth Ram all-time to amass more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
  
2,792 – Career receiving yards for Fotis Kokosioulis, fourth on the all-time list for the Rams.

2,768 – Career receiving yards for Dequece Carter, fifth place all-time at Fordham.

4,107 – Passing yards for Tim DeMorat this season, second most in a season for a Ram (school record is 4,380 by Mike Nebrich in 2013).
  
12,670 – Career passing yards for Tim DeMorat, a Fordham career record and second all-time in the Patriot League (Patriot League record is 13,455 by Holy Cross' Dominic Randolph).
 
What's Next?
• The Rams close out the 2022 Patriot League regular season by hosting the Colgate University Raiders on Jack Coffey Field on Saturday, November 19, at 1:00 p.m.
 
• It will be the 34th meeting between Fordham and Colgate on the gridiron.
 
• The Raiders lead the all-time series, which started in 1989, 25-8.
 
• The Raiders took last year's meeting, 45-31, in Hamilton, N.Y., on November 20 as Michael Brescia rushed 28 times for 162 yards and two touchdowns and threw for two other scores.