The 2013 edition of the Fordham Rams have apparently decided that the best way to honor the 100th birthday of former Ram guard Vince Lombardi--who started during the glorious heyday of Fordham football in the 1930s--was to win all their games. They have played six so far and run the table despite facing their toughest competition during the season's first half (Villanova, Temple, Lehigh). Saturday's game, played before a second straight sellout crowd, pitted the Rams, just two years removed from a disastrous 1-10 record, against a Lehigh club favored to win a Patriot League crown the Rams are ineligible to win due to four full classes of scholarship players to two and counting for rest of the league. Both teams were undefeated and ranked and the game did not disappoint--well Ram fans anyway. Fordham ended up winning 52-34 but score would have been a lot tighter without huge plays that all came through for home team. Both teams featured star QBs and with Fordham's Michael Nebrich, a UConn transfer, leading team to win with brilliant play (26-36/384y, 4 TDs) he is in drivers seat for conference player of the year over Lehigh's Brandon Bialkowski (28-46/324y, 3 TDs, INT). Fordham, gaining 630y Saturday, is difficult to defend as Nebrich is a two-way threat, passing for 1761y on season with 16TDs, to only 1 INT while rushing for 342y. He has a star RB in senior Carlton Koonce, who averages 125y rushing a game, for balance and three dynamic receivers in Sam Ajala, Brian Wetzel and Tebucky Jones. Ajala was the star on Saturday with 7 catches for166y and 3 TDs. Wetzel is not only a brilliant receiver but a stud punt returner. He is also my daughter's favorite player.
Can Fordham keep this up? Why not. Most of their remaining opponents are overmatched and Fordham is inspired by having to earn an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs. While they can never bring back the excitement of the Lombardi era they can increase the local excitement for college ball. It will be fun finding out.
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