Fordham University Athletics

Bethlehem, Pa. – The press box at Lehigh University's Goodman Stadium is named for Herbert G. Harmon '27 and has a railroad theme which is only appropriate as he was a lifelong train fanatic. The Fordham football Rams felt like they encountered a runaway train today, falling to the sixth-ranked Mountain Hawks in a Patriot League game, 34-0.
 
With the loss, Fordham falls to 1-5 overall, 1-2 in the Patriot League, while Lehigh stays unbeaten at 6-0 overall, 4-0 in the conference.
 
Junior defensive back Boogie Owens led the Fordham defense with ten stops, six solo, while senior linebacker Andrew Osmun finished with nine, four solo, including one for loss.
 
Offensively, senior quarterback Gunner Smith completed 22 of 44 passes for 190 yards with eight of those going to senior wide receiver Ricky Gonzalez II for 56 yards.
 
After a scoreless first quarter, Lehigh scored early in the second to take a 7-0 lead.
 
The game remained 7-0 until the Mountain Hawks scored 21 points over the final 2:55 of the half, the last two scores the result of Fordham turnovers, to take a 28-0 lead at the break.
 
Notes
• Freshman quarterback Crew Colon came in late in the fourth quarter, completing all three of his pass attempts for 33 yards.
 
• Both teams were 5-of-14 on third down conversions.
 
• Lehigh entered the game leading the Patriot League in rushing offense with 267 yards/game and ran for 240 today.
 
• Conversely, the Mountain Hawks entered the game ninth in passing offense in the League, averaging 126.0 yards/game and threw for 152 today.
 
• Lehigh head coach Rich Nagy is no stranger to Fordham fans. He served as an assistant coach at Fordham in 1999 and 2000 under head coach Dave Clawson.
 
By the Numbers
18 – First downs for the Rams compared to 16 for Lehigh.
 
45.7 – Punting average for junior Dominic Sansone, with a long of 52 yards.
 
What's Next?
• The Rams return Moglia Stadium to host the University of Richmond Spiders in a Patriot League game next Saturday, October 10, at 3:30 p.m.
 
• It will be the fifth meeting between Fordham and Richmond on the gridiron with the Spiders leading the all-time series, 2-1-1.
 
• Richmond won last year's meeting, 17-14, in Richmond as Kyle Wickersham completed 23 of 35 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown and he ran for another.
 
• The Spiders joined the Patriot League last fall after playing in the CAA since 2007.
 
• Fordham took the previous meeting, 23-16 in 2019 at Moglia Stadium and Tim DeMorat threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third.
 
• The first meeting ended in a 3-3 tie on Jack Coffey Field as the two teams sloshed through a game that was affected by a tropical storm on October 21, 1995.
 
• The game was the last tie for Fordham as the NCAA instituted overtime rules the following season.
 
• Fordham and Richmond compete in the Atlantic 10 for most other sports