Fordham University Football fans can finally let out a major sigh of relief as this wild ride of a season is officially over. The football season was a mix of tough losses, one much-needed rivalry win and consistent star performances from key players, especially graduate linebacker James Conway, who was the highlight of nearly every game.

Homecoming weekend was another frustrating outing, as Fordham fell 30-13 to Dartmouth College despite strong crowd support. Conway led the defense with 17 tackles, continuing his streak of double-digit games. Junior quarterback Gunnar Smith connected with sophomore wide receiver Jack Freeburg for a touchdown, but Dartmouth pulled away in the fourth quarter with key scores from kicker Owen Zalc and receiver Luke Rives.

The brightest moment of the season came on Sept. 27, when Fordham beat College of the Holy Cross 26-21 in the Ram-Crusader Cup, their first win of the year. The Rams came out firing with a 45-yard touchdown run by senior Ricky Parks and scores from Smith, building a 20-7 lead. After Holy Cross surged ahead 21–20 at halftime, Fordham responded with stronger defense and two clutch field goals from sophomore Bennett Henderson. Conway made history with 19 tackles, becoming the first Patriot League player ever to record over 500 career tackles.

However, Fordham was not able to maintain the momentum. In a 24-10 loss to Lafayette College, the offense struggled until the fourth quarter. Smith threw for 354 yards and a touchdown, while Freeburg posted a career-best 113 receiving yards and freshman Troy Worrell added 91 yards and a score. Conway led again with 11 tackles, extending his career total past 520. Despite holding Lafayette’s strong rushing attack to just 83 yards, Fordham couldn’t recover from its slow start.

Ending at 1-11 overall, the Rams showed flashes of potential, especially through Smith, Freeburg, Worrell and the record-breaking Conway, but will need more consistent starts and stronger execution to come back stronger next season.