Football Stops Stony Brook, 26-7

Stony Brook, N.Y. – If you were looking to see the solar eclipse at Stony Brook's LaValle Stadium tonight you were out of luck as the game was played in a steady rain. However the fans in attendance witnessed something almost as rare as the Rams did not score through the air. Nevertheless, junior running back Julius Loughridge's legs and an opportunistic Ram defense led the way as Fordham defeated the Seawolves, 26-7.
 
With the win, Fordham improves to 5-2 on the year while Stony Brook falls to 0-6.
 
Loughridge carried 24 times for 154 yards and two scores while also catching two passes for 19 yards while sophomore quarterback CJ Montes completed 20 of 33 passes for 171 yards.
 
Defensively the Rams forced three fourth quarter Stony Brook turnovers, two on strip sacks from junior defensive lineman Matt Jaworski, both which were converted into touchdowns, and the third on an interception by senior defensive back Nahil Perkins. Junior linebacker James Conway led the Fordham defense with 12 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, while Perkin finished with six stops and he forced a fumble.
 
The defense came up with a big play at the end of the first half, stopping Stony Brook on a fourth and goal play from the Fordham one with five seconds left in the half.
 
The Rams trailed 7-6 at the half but took the lead on the final play of the third quarter when Loughridge scored from the six. The two-point conversion failed so Fordham settled for a 12-7 lead.
 
With 10:31 left in the game, Jaworski got to Stony Brook quarterback Casey Case and caused a fumble, which was recovered by Colby Spencer on the Seawolves' 12. Two plays later Loughridge carried it in from the two for a 19-7 Fordham lead.
 
On the third play of the ensuing possession, Jaworski got to Case again with Sam Buerkle recovering the fumble on the Stony Brook 19. It took just one play for freshman running back Jamell James to cover the 19 yards and give the Rams a 26-7 lead with 8:23 remaining.
 
Takeaways
• The last time Fordham won a game without a passing touchdown was against Colgate during the 2021 spring season while the last time it occurred in a fall game was versus Georgetown in 2017.
 
• The Rams are now 30-18 in nonconference play over the last eleven years.
 
• Grad student receiver MJ Wright, who entered the game leading the Rams in receptions, was held to one catch on the night though he did draw two pass interference penalties.
 
• Conway recorded his fifth double-digit tackle game of the year.
 
• Junior punter Will Haslett downed all four of his punts inside the Stony Brook 20.
 
• Fordham has won the past three meetings with Stony Brook and now lead the all-time series, 4-3.
 
• The Rams entered the game leading the NCAA FCS in passing touchdowns over the past two years (75).
 
• Fordham has outscored its opponent 74-33 in the third quarter this year and 71-37 in the fourth quarter.
 
By the Numbers
11 – Field goals made this season by senior kicker Brandon Peskin, tied for seventh most in a season for a Ram.
 
27 – Net rushing yards for Stony Brook, a season-low for a Fordham opponent.
  
78 – Wins for the Rams since 2012, the most for any New York City football team.
 
98 – PATs for Brandon Peskin, good for third on the Fordham career list.
 
157 – Career receptions for MJ Wright, 12^th on the Fordham career list.
 
215 – Net rushing yards for the Rams, Fordham's third 200-yard rushing game of the season.
 
324 – Career tackles for James Conway, fifth all-time at Fordham.
  
1,254 – Career receiving yards for MJ Wright, fourth place on the Fordham all-time list.
 
What's Next?
• After a week off, the Rams return to Patriot League play by hosting the Holy Cross Crusaders at Moglia Stadium in the annual Ram Crusader Cup game on October 28, at 1:00 p.m.
 
• This will be the 61st meeting between Fordham and Holy Cross on the gridiron.
 
• The Crusaders lead the all-time series, which started in 1902, 33-25-2, including a 53-52 overtime win last year on October 29 in Worcester as Matthew Sluka completed 15 of 23 passes for 291 yards and four touchdowns and he ran for 174 yards and another score.
 
• Holy Cross has won the past six meetings, snapping a five-game Fordham winning streak in the series.
 
• The Rams won the 2016 meeting, 54-14, on November 12 in Yankee Stadium as Chase Edmonds rushed for 119 yards and four scores, and Kevin Anderson completed 28 of 34 passes for 426 yards and three touchdowns.


 
• Fordham is 15-19 against Holy Cross since joining the Patriot League.