HAMILTON, N.Y. (9/29/07) – Sophomore quarterback John Skelton connected on 17-of-29 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, and ran 14 times for 69 yards and one touchdown, to lead Fordham to a 34-31 win over Colgate Saturday at Andy Kerr Stadium in the league opener for both teams.

 

Trailing 24-13 at halftime, Fordham (3-2, 1-0) rallied for only its second win at Andy Kerr Stadium in 10 appearances.  Colgate falls to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the league.

 

Colgate junior tailback Jordan Scott (Hyattsville, MD) led Colgate with 40 carries for 174 yards and two touchdowns.  He moves into fourth place in career rushing with 3,266 yards with his 17^th game over 100 yards rushing.

 

“I don’t think we played well on defense the whole game,” said Colgate head coach Dick Biddle.

 

Colgate jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter scoring on two of its first three possessions.  After stopping Fordham on its first possession, Colgate took over on its own 32-yard line following a Ram punt.  After moving yards on two plays, Colgate quarterback Alex Relph (Victor, NY) connected on a 44-yard pass play with sophomore Pat Simonds (Sidney, NY) to the Fordham 44.  After a five-yard offside penalty against Fordham, Relph hit Erik Burke (Traverse City, Mich.) with a 14-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead.

 

Fordham’s Xavier Martin fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Colgate’s Gigi Cadet (Riverside, CT) recovered the pigskin at the Fordham 19.  Five plays later, Scott scored the first of his two touchdowns on a nine-yard run giving the Raiders a 14-0 lead with 5:53 remaining in the opening period.

 

The Rams answered right back driving 80 yards in eight plays for their first touchdown.  Quasand Lewis capped the scoring drive with a three-yard rush for the TD.

 

In the second quarter, Colgate had a touchdown called back on its first possession when the Raiders were called for offensive pass interference.  The Raiders were forced to settle for a 46-yard field goal by Mike Buck (Basking Ridge, NJ) giving them a 17-7 lead.  Again, Fordham answered right back driving 57 yards for a touchdown on a 16-yard pass play from Skelton to Richard Rayborn to trail 17-13.

 

On Fordham’s next possession, Colgate’s All-America linebacker Mike Gallihugh (Midlothian, VA) came away with his first career interception racing to the Rams’ 10-yard line.  Two plays later, Scott scored on a six-yard run to give Colgate a 24-13 halftime lead.

 

Fordham scored three touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 34-24 lead.  Skelton fired a pair of touchdowns passes, hitting Rayborn with an 11-yard TD and Asa Lucas with a 14-yard scoring pass, before scoring himself on a 15-yard run.

 

Colgate scored its final touchdown with 13:30 remaining in the game when Relph hit Burke with a 13-yard strike to trail 34-31.  After stopping Fordham, Colgate started a long drive that latest eight minutes, but Colgate’s 37-yard field goal attempt to tie the contest was blocked by Sam Orah.

 

With 3:21 remaining, Fordham was able to run out the clock aided by a Colgate off-side penalty on fourth-and-two, giving the Rams a first down with just over one minute left.

 

GAME NOTES: Gallihugh was Colgate’s leading tackler with eight including one quarterback sack and one interception … Pat Nolan (Exeter, NH) had Colgate’s other sack … Burke finished with five receptions for 58 yards and two TD’s.  He moved into 12^th place in career receiving yardage with 1,323 yards … Scott has gone over 100 yards rushing in six straight games … Relph completed 15-of-23 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns.