By Jack McLoone
Senior quarterback Kevin Anderson completed 18 passes for 231 yards on Saturday. (Andrea Garcia/The Fordham Ram)
Fordham Football had a successful Homecoming game against the University of Pennsylvania Quakers, leaving the band to play “New York, New York” as they exited Jack Coffey Field with a 31-17 victory on Saturday. Junior running back Chase Edmonds played a major part in the victory, scoring all four of the Rams’ touchdowns.
After starting the season with two games against schools from different levels — FBS school Navy and Division II school Elizabeth City State University — UPenn was Fordham’s first FCS opponent. Unlike the first two games, both of which were blowouts, the Homecoming matchup was tightly contested.
Fordham started the game with a highly efficient drive. After starting on their own 22, the Rams gained at least one yard on every play. It culminated on a play call that allowed Edmonds to leak out into the flat for a 22-yard receiving touchdown from senior quarterback Kevin Anderson. The Rams were already up 7-0 with just under four minutes gone.
The Quakers came right back with an aggressive drive of their own. On a fourth-and-4 right around midfield, they decided to go for it — an approach that ended up being one of the themes of the day. Despite multiple fourth downs for both sides, they punted just two times apiece. On this occasion, the Quakers were able to convert on a speed option, a play call that had the Rams on their heels all day. Five plays later, it was another option, this time a read, that led to running back Tre Solomon finding the end zone on a 22-yard rush and tying the game at 7-7 with 7:21 left in the first.
On their next drive, the Rams attempted to get Anderson’s cannon of an arm going. The first play was a long toss down the middle towards a streaking Jordan Allen; however, what appeared to be a sure touchdown slipped right through the sophomore receiver’s outstretched hands. The next play was another 30-yard toss to sophomore wideout Corey Caddle, but that was knocked away. After an Anderson run on third-and-10, the Rams decided to be just as aggressive as the Quakers, giving Edmonds the ball on fourth and two and watching him convert. After a long touchdown run that was called back on holding, Edmonds got another chance and found pay dirt on the ground for his first time in the game with a 24-yard scamper.
On the Quakers’ next drive, senior linebacker George Dawson came up with his third interception of the season just before the end of the first quarter. The Rams turned that turnover into three points after senior kicker Makay Redd booted a 22-yard field goal through the uprights, putting Fordham up 17-7 seven seconds into the second quarter.
The Quakers would turn the ball over on their next possession as well, with freshman linebacker Max Roberts forcing a fumble from quarterback Alek Torgersen and senior linebacker Brett Lambert recovering. This led to Edmonds’ third touchdown of the day, his second on the ground. The Rams marched all the way to the 1-yard line and let him punch it right up the middle. With 11:45 left in the half, the Rams were up 24-7.
After another forced fumble for Roberts on the Quakers’ next possession, Anderson attempted to go for an early dagger. He tried to force the ball through double coverage on the first play of the drive, and it was picked off in the end zone. The Quakers turned that into a field goal after a long drive, making it 24-10 with 3:23 left in the half. The score would remain the same at halftime.
UPenn received the second half kickoff but was forced to punt for the first time in the game. After forcing the Rams to follow suit on the ensuing drive, the Quakers regained possession and went back to the option game. At the 2-yard line, Torgersen kept it himself on a fake to make the score 24-17 with 4:50 left in the third.
The defenses for both sides made huge improvements in the second half. Instead of trading points, they traded punts and turnovers on downs. This included the Quakers going for it after a sack by sophomore linebacker Noah Fitzgerald and junior defensive lineman Ty Green, which put them at fourth-and-15 with 7:41 left in the game. They tried a halfback pass, which was sniffed out by junior defensive back Caleb Ham.
The Rams scored the final points of the game on the ensuing drive. Anderson finally completed a long pass, a 57-yarder to sophomore receiver Austin Longi. This set Edmonds up for his fourth and final touchdown with 5:31 left, bringing the score to the final of 31-17.
The Rams will be back in action next Saturday, Oct. 1, on the road against Monmouth University.
Notes:
- Max Roberts led the team with three sacks, two of them strip sacks.
- Edmonds was stellar, amassing 152 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries (5.2 yards per carry) and four receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown.
- Anderson went 18 for 33 for 231 yards and one touchdown. He also threw an interception.
- The Rams had multiple injury scares, with Dawson, senior linebacker David Barletta, Edmonds and Lambert all getting checked out but ultimately returning.
