The 2011 Fordham Rams football team finished with a record of 1-10. Their Patriot League record was 0-6, and they won only one of four home games. In an effort to turn around the team’s fortunes, Fordham turned over the reins to Joe Moorehead, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’95 amd a record holder as the Rams’ quarterback from 1992-95. So far, the progress has been inspiring. The team fought hard to achieve their current 4-3 record and is undefeated at home with a record of 3-0. Their 1-1 conference record is already certainly better than last season.

The team split their two most recent games, winning at home against Patriot League opponent Georgetown, dropping the Hoyas to a 3-3 record while improving to a record of 4-2 at the time.

Quarterback Ryan Higgins, FCRH ’13, chalked up his second consecutive 300-yard passing game, completing 29-of-38 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns. Across the two conference games, Higgins managed a stellar completion percentage of over 72 percent.  Wide receiver Brian Wetzel, FCRH ’15, also had a stellar day for the second-straight week, racking up eight catches for 123 yards for his second 100-yard outing in as many games. Linebacker Michael Martin, FCRH ’13, notched 18 tackles, nine of them solo.

This past weekend, the Rams traveled to Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, to face the 21st-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats. Unfortunately, the Rams’ winning streak was halted at one, as the Bearcats steamrolled the visitors on their way to a 49-17 victory. Such a margin of victory for the opponent might scare Fordham fans into a panic, but some perspective is much needed here. Cincinnati came into the game undefeated and nationally ranked, and they played exactly as expected.

After the loss, Moorhead had only praise for his team. “I’m so proud of the way the team competed tonight,” Moorhead said. “We had an excellent week of practice and came out tonight ready to play against not a top 20 team in the FCS [Football Championship Subdivision], but a top 20 team in the country in the FBS [Football Bowl Subdivision].”

The Rams managed to hold the powerhouse Bearcats to only 14 first-half points on less than 150 yards of total offense. As has been the case all season, Fordham scoring was kept respectable by the prowess of kicker Patrick Murray, FCRH ’13, who again broke his own school record with a 55-yard kick just before the half.

Murray’s 2012 heroics haven’t exactly gone unnoticed, either. In college football, where kickers tend to be much less consistent than their professional counterparts, Murray has been nothing short of a revelation, making kicks that even National Football League kickers struggle with.

Through seven games, the 2012 Rams have been plenty impressive. They have already quadrupled last season’s win total and remain undefeated at home. The team was paced by consistent performances from veterans Higgins, Murray, Martin and running back Carlton Koonce, FCRH ’13.  As they approach the end of the season, the Rams have shown enough late-game heroics and resilience for fans and players alike to be confident that a winning conference record is well within reach.