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HAMILTON, N.Y. (9/26/2009) - Senior wide receiver Pat Simonds (Sidney, N.Y.) caught 9 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown as Colgate held off Fordham 20-12 in the Patriot League opener for both teams. Simonds' receptions and yardage totals are both season-highs.

Junior quarterback Greg Sullivan (Monroe, N.Y) and sophomore running back Jordan McCord (Chicago, Ill.) starred for Colgate offensively as well. Sullivan threw two touchdown passes and ran for another while accumulating 308 total yards on the night. McCord rushed 41 times for 192 yards, following up his 44 carry, 212-yard effort from last week.

Colgate had the ball on Fordham one-yard line after a McCord 23-yard rush, but the Rams stopped the Raiders on three straight plays and recovered a McCord fumble in the end zone for a touchback. Fordham then drove down the field and had a 3rd-and-1 on the Colgate 4-yard line, but the Raider defense held firm and stuffed the Rams on two straight runs for a turnover on downs, to keep both teams scoreless in the first quarter.

Sullivan finally broke the scoreless tie in the second quarter by scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run. On the play, Sullivan faked a handoff to McCord and rushed around the left end untouched for an easy score. The ensuing extra point was wide left.

Fordham (0-3, 0-1) quickly responded. The Rams got great field position to start at the 50-yard line and drove in for the touchdown after five plays. Quarterback John Skelton found wide receiver Jason Caldwell wide-open for a 14-yard touchdown in the front right corner in the end zone after Caldwell ran an out pattern. The Rams' extra point attempt also sailed wide, and the score remained tied 6-6 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Sullivan found Simonds for a leaping touchdown reception, this time from 18 yards out. The ensuing PAT gave Colgate a 13-6 lead, an advantage Colgate would not relinquish.

On Fordham's next drive, the Raiders committed two costly penalties, a facemask on a 2nd-and-10 and a pass interference call in the end zone, that helped lead to Rams running back Darryl Whiting scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run. However, senior defensive tackle Carlton Walker (Columbus, Ohio) blocked the PAT.
   
Both teams exchanged failed possession until Colgate came up with one of its textbook time-consuming drives. The Raiders ran a 12-play, 79-yard drive that took 5:59 off the clock which ended with Sullivan throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nick Cvetic (Clifton, N.J.). Sullivan took the snap and ran to the right towards the trips set of wide receivers before throwing a looping pass to a wide-open Cvetic for his first career touchdown catch.
   
The Rams did not go quietly, as Skelton found Caldwell for a 33-yard pass on 4th-and 22 from the Rams' 1-yard line to stay alive late in the fourth quarter. Three plays later, Skelton threw a 46-yard pass to Caldwell, putting the Rams at the Colgate 20-yard line. However, Walker and junior linebacker Zach Smith (Thorafare, N.J.) sacked Skelton for an 8-yard loss on the next play. Fordham could not get a last-ditch effort at the end zone before the clock ran out, and the game ended.
   
The Colgate defensive effort was once again stellar. The Raiders registered seven sacks and allowed only 44 rushing yards. Walker had two sacks, while junior defensive end Lamont Sonds (Hampton, Ga.) had seven tackles and a sack. Furthermore, Colgate allowed its smallest point total since November 1, 2007, when the Raiders defeated the Lehigh Mountain Hawks 21-7 at Andy Kerr Stadium.
   
Colgate (4-0, 1-0) will now host Cornell (2-0) for its Homecoming Game on Saturday at 1 p.m. Both teams go into the contest with undefeated records. It marks the first time since 1966 that both teams will go into the game having beaten all of their previous opponents.
   

Game Notes: Colgate and Holy Cross are the only remaining undefeated teams in the Patriot League…The Raiders are now 17-4 all-time against Fordham…Colgate had 299 rushing yards on the night.