Football Downed at Lehigh

Bethlehem, Pa. – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is known as Christmas City. But today it seemed more like Halloween City for the Fordham football Rams who experienced more tricks than treats in the first half and couldn't overcome the deficit, falling to Lehigh University, 33-19, in a Patriot League game at Goodman Stadium.
 
With the loss, Fordham falls to 0-8 overall, 0-3 in the Patriot League, while Lehigh improves to 4-3 overall, 1-1 in the League.
 
Freshman linebacker Jaylen Dawson paced the Fordham defense, recording 12 total tackles, eight solo, while senior defensive lineman Matt Jaworski added ten stops, seven solo, including three for loss and one sack.
 
Offensively senior running back Julius Loughridge carried 17 times for 77 yards with one touchdown and freshman quarterback Tripp Holley, who came on for starter Jack Capaldi in the second half, gained 25 net yards on eleven rushes with one score.
 
The Rams jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a Bennett Henderson 44-yard field goal midway through the first quarter before the Mountain Hawks scored 31 unanswered points to take a 31-3 lead at the half.
 
With 8:27 left in the third quarter the Rams lined up to punt from deep in their own territory when the snap deflected off a Ram and punter Will Haslett fell on it in the endzone for a Lehigh safety.
 
The score remained 33-3 into the fourth quarter when the Rams took advantage of a Lehigh fumble on a punt return which was recovered by Dee Rice-Williams on the Lehigh 29. Five plays later, on fourth down from the Lehigh 11, Tripp broke through the middle and into the endzone for a score and Loughridge added the two-point conversion to make it 33-11 with 10:27 remaining.
 
Later in the fourth, the Rams took over on their own 34 and Tripp drove them to the Lehigh nine where Loughridge took it in to cut the Fordham deficit to 33-19 when Holley was successful with the two-point conversion.
 
Takeaways
• Senior linebacker James Conway, who started the past two games, did not appear for the Rams today.
 
• Freshman defensive back Drew Minich made his first collegiate start at safety today.
 
• Tripp Holley gained 51 yards on the ground but was sacked three times to bring his net rushing total to 25.
 
• Freshman kicker Bennett Henderson has converted his last five field goal attempts, three of those went for more than 40 yards, and has now made good on seven of his nine three-point attempts this year.
 
• Fordham, who came into the game leading all NCAA FCS teams in fourth down conversion attempts, made good on four of six fourth down conversions.
 
• The Ram defense allowed 314 total yards in the first half but just 58 in the second.
 
• Fordham had taken the past three meetings with the Mountain Hawks.
 
• Grad student defensive back Nahil Perkins entered the game tied for third in the NCAA FCS in passes defended, averaging 1.7/game, but did not record one today.
 
• It was Fordham's second straight game on natural grass.
 
By the Numbers
8 – Tackles for loss by the Rams today.
 
12 – Pass breakups this year for Nahil Perkins, tied for eighth on the Fordham single season list.
 
24 – Career rushing touchdowns for Julius Loughridge, moving him into  tie for eighth on the Fordham career list with Pierre Davis (1974-77).
 
32 – Career pass breakups for Nahil Perkins, fifth on the Fordham career list.
 
417 – Career tackles for James Conway, eight shy of Ryan Greenhagen's school record.
 
2,695 – Career rushing yards for Julius Loughridge, moving him ahead of Pierre Davis (1974-77) and into sixth place on the Fordham career list.
 
 
What's Next?
• The Rams continue the 2024 season and return to the friendly confines of Moglia Stadium to host the Colgate University Raiders for a Patriot League matchup on Saturday, November 2, at 1:00 p.m.
 
• It will be the 36th meeting between Fordham and Colgate on the gridiron.
 
• The Raiders lead the all-time series, which started in 1989, 26-9.
 
• Colgate won last year's matchup, 21-14, in Hamilton as Michael Brescia ran for a pair of touchdowns.
 
• The Rams took the 2022 meeting, 52-38, at Moglia Stadium on November 19 as Tim DeMorat completed 33 of 51 passes for 454 yards and six touchdowns while Trey Sneed rushed 30 times for 230 yards and one score.