Fordham linebacker Stephen Hodge, from Medford, against Temple.

BY ROCK HOFFMAN

Philadelphia – The Fordham Rams might be the best college football team in the Delaware Valley. One week after beating Villanova, the Rams (3-0) shocked Temple (0-3) 30-29 when quarterback Mike Nebrich scrambled around before finding Sam Ajala for a 29-yard touchdown pass with four seconds to go in the game. It was the first win for a Patriot League team over an FBS team since 2003 and the Owls first loss to a FCS teams since Villanova beat the 27-24 in 2009.
“People should take shots at us,” Temple head coach Matt Rhule said when asked about losing to an FCS team. “We shouldn’t have lost that game. We’re better than that team but they played really good. I respect the heck out of that team.
“We played a certain way against Notre Dame; did it look the same to you today? What happened after we lost a couple years ago to Villanova was the team finally took responsibility for the way they played.”
Twice during the winning drive, Nebrich ran for first downs on fourth down plays in Temple territory.
“It was definitely frustrating,” said Temple linebacker Tyler Matakevich. “The first time, they got it by 2 or 3 inches. The second time, it was by less than an inch. We should’ve made a play.”
In the game, the lead changed hands six times with Fordham building a 20-7 advantage midway through the third quarter. At that point, Rhule inserted Conner Reilly at quarterback; Reilly injured his knee against Houston and was not expected to play. Juice Grange got the start and freshman P.J. Walker, whom the Owls were hoping to redshirt, came in for two series but Reilly provided a spark the other could not. He led them on three-straight scoring drives and they took a 29-23 lead with four-and-a-half minutes left in the game.
All that was left was for Nebrich to work his magic. The winning drive covered 71 yards in 13 plays and took four minutes and 26 seconds. It featured three replay reviews (the touchdown and the spot on both four down plays).
NOTES – Fordham featured a pair if players (one on each side of the ball) from Burlington County, NJ that had a big impact on the game. Senior running back Carlton Koonce, from Lumberton and Rancocas Valley Regional High School, is a preseason All-American. He gained 168 and scored one touchdown on 27 carries; he had an additional 26 yards on four catches. Linebacker Stephen Hodge is from Medford and played at Shawnee High School and Valley Forge Military Academy. He had a team-high 11 tackles with a sack, forced fumble and a pass breakup.

E-mail Rock Hoffman at Rock@footballstories.com