HAMILTON – Colgate Football put a stamp on homecoming weekend with a commanding 44-21 victory over Fordham on Saturday at Andy Kerr Stadium. The win is the first for Fred '50 and Marilyn Dunlap Head Football Coach
Curt Fitzpatrick, who has led the Raiders to 1-0 in Patriot League play for the first time since 2021.Â
The Raiders' offense exploded for 547 total yards and six touchdowns with three each on the ground and through the air. The defense blanked Fordham in the second half, limiting the visitors to 307 total yards with four sacks. Colgate held the Rams to -2 yards on six total plays in the third quarter, possessing the ball for nearly 12 minutes of the frame.
Zach Osborne and Jake Stearney combined for 331 yards passing, while Cole Fulton's 97 rushing yards led Colgate's attack on the ground, which finished with 216 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Treyvhon Saunders (9 receptions) and Winston Moore (4 catches) each had 126 yards receiving.Â
First Quarter
- Osborne delivered a 78-yard touchdown strike to Moore on the first play from scrimmage for an early 7-0 lead.
- The Rams responded with a drive culminating in a 39-yard touchdown pass from Gunnar Smith to Jabril Carter, tying the game 7-7 at 11:20. Â
- Osborne connected with Saunders for a 51-yard pass, setting up Danny Shaban's four-yard rushing touchdown to regain the lead for the Raiders, 14-7, with 8:36 remaining. Â
- Fordham replied with a 13-play, 73-yard drive, capped by Smith's 5-yard touchdown pass to Jack Freeburg, evening the score at 14-14 through the opening frame.Â
Second Quarter
- The Raiders capitalized early with a 10-yard rush by Osborne, followed by his four-yard touchdown run, pushing Colgate's lead to 20-14 at 13:48. Â
- Fordham's next drive was halted after a three-yard gain and an incomplete pass, leading to a punt that set Colgate up at its own 32-yard line. Osborne led a methodical drive, completing an 11-yard pass to Brady Hutchison and a 12-yard pass to Matt Fogler, culminating in a 25-yard field goal by Luke Vogeler at 6:56. Â
- The Rams responded with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Freeburg at 3:50, narrowing the gap to 23-21. Â
- The Raiders quickly answered with a 36-yard rush by Fulton and a 13-yard touchdown pass from Osborne to Reed Swanson at 2:11, extending the back-and-forth halftime lead to 30-21.Â
Third Quarter Â
- Colgate's defense took over in the second half. The Raiders limited Fordham to six plays for -2 yards with help by two sacks from Brock Winsett and Paul-Marie Dogui.Â
- With 2:56 remaining, Stearney capped a 68-yard drive with a five-yard rollout to the end zone, extending Colgate's lead to 37-21 after Vogeler's successful PAT.Â
Fourth Quarter Â
- The highlight of the game came early in the fourth, when Stearney connected with Saunders who made a few players miss before launching into the end zone to extend the lead to 44-21 with 13:33 remaining.Â
- Zach Jones intercepted a pass from Smith just over a minute later to continue the standout defense.Â
- Fordham's drive was halted again at 6:44 when Connor Rowlison broke up a fourth-down pass from Smith. Defensive efforts were capped by Winsett's sack for an 8-yard loss with 1:43 remaining, securing a decisive 44-21 victory for the Raiders. Â
Game Notes
- With the win, Curt Fitzpatrick earned his first win as the head coach of the Raiders. His career head coaching record improved to 81-46.Â
- Treyvhon Saunders surpassed Luke Graham's '05 record (221) for the most career receptions in program history. Saunders with nine catches now has 223 and counting for his career.Â
- For the second straight week, Colgate had two receivers go for more than 100 yards with Saunders (126) and Moore (126) both eclipsing the mark on Saturday.
- Colgate's 44 points were its most since racking up 41 last year against Cornell (9/21/24).
- The Raiders improved to 27-10 all-time against Fordham, including 16-3 at home against the Rams.
- Colgate starts 1-0 in Patriot League play for the first time since 2021 when the Raiders opened with a 30-3 victory over Lehigh.Â
UP NEXT
Colgate (1-3, 1-0 Patriot) has a bye week before visiting Cornell on Saturday, Oct. 4, for non-conference action.Â
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