Fordham University Athletics

Bronx, N.Y. - Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu famously said, "New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings." That was the case for the Fordham football squad tonight as the Rams opened the 2026 season by hosting Colgate University for a Patriot League contest at Moglia Stadium. Though it was a new beginning for Fordham, who rallied from a 14-point deficit to tie the game in the third quarter, the ending was painful as the Raiders scored ten fourth quarter points for the 24-14 victory.
 
The Fordham defense forced three Colgate turnovers, including a pick six by junior Justin Johnson that tied the game in the third. Senior Andrew Osmun led the Fordham defense with ten tackles, including 0.5 sacks, and he intercepted a pass while junior Jaylen Dawson also made ten stops for the Rams.
 
Senior quarterback Gunnar Smith completed 13 of 27 passes for 116 yards and one score for the Rams while sophomore Judah Ofori-Ansah led the Fordham receivers with three catches for 28 yards.
 
How it Happened
• After the Rams missed a scoring opportunity on a missed field goal, Colgate drove to the Fordham one where Danny Shaban scored to give the Raiders a 7-0 lead.
 
• With 4:27 remaining in the half, Colgate made it a 14-0 game on an 8-yard scoring run and the Raiders had a chance to go up 17-0 but a field goal attempt was blocked on the final play of the first half.
 
• On Fordham's first possession of the second half, Smith found senior Ricky Gonzalez II in the left side of the endzone with a 24-yard scoring strike to make it a 14-7 game.
 
• Later in the quarter Johnson stepped in front of a Jake Stearney pass and returned it 23 yards to knot the game at 14.
 
• But Colgate broke the tie with a field goal midway through the fourth and iced the game with a touchdown with 1:53 remaining.
 
Notes
• Fordham did not allow a sack in the game and gave up only one tackle for loss.
 
• Johnson's pick six was the first for the Rams since Alex Kemper and Trey Bradford combined to bring one back against Georgetown in 2024.
 
• It was the first time Fordham intercepted two passes in a game since the Stony Brook contest in 2024.
 
• It was the first time the Rams opened the season at home since 2019.
 
• The contest was the earliest Patriot League opener for Fordham.
 
• The previous earliest League opener was Sept, 2 against Towson in 2000.
 
• It was also be just the ninth game the Rams have played in August where they are 4-5 all-time.
 
By the Numbers
3 – Turnovers forced by the Rams.
 
4 – Tackles for loss by Fordham.
 
7 – Quarterback hurries for the Rams.
 
40 – Long kickoff return for sophomore Yohan-Li Louis.
 
46.7 – Punting average for junior punter Dominic Sansone on six punts.
 
What's Next?
• The Rams will take the longest road trip in the history of Fordham football as they fly out to Fargo, North Dakota, to take on the North Dakota State University Bison, at the Fargo Dome on Saturday, September 5, at 3:30 p.m. (EST).
 
• It will be the first meeting between Fordham and North Dakota State.
 
• The Bison, winners of ten NCAA FCS titles – most recently in 2024, moved up to the FBS level this fall and are a member of the Mountain West Conference.
 
• The game will be the furthest west a Fordham football team has played (previously most westerly game was at Nebraska in 2021).


 
• It is the first of two consecutive games against an FBS opponent as the Rams will play at Coastal Carolina on September 12.