The Dayton Flyer defense came up with big plays when they were needed in the third quarter to help the Flyers defeat the Fordham Rams, 23-20 at Welcome Stadium. Four times Fordham drove inside Dayton territory and three times the Rams fumbled the ball with UD recovering. LB Joe Reis recovered two fumbles while DT Mike Morante got the third at the Dayton two-yard line. UD improves to 2-0 on the season.

Fordham jumped out to a 7-0 lead as John Skelton scored a one-yard touchdown run to cap a 16 play, 87-yard scoring drive. Dayton came back and drove 80 yards to tie the game at 7-7 on an 11-yard touchdown pass from QB Rob Florian to WR Steve Valentino, who two plays before converted on fourth and nine.

The game stayed tied at 7-7 as Dayton faced a first and 10 at the Fordham 44-yard line. Valentino took a reverse and ran 34 yards to the Ram 10-yard line. Three plays later, RB Ben Shappie gave UD a 14-7 lead with a one-yard touchdown run.

With less than a minute to go until halftime, Fordham faced a fourth and 10 at the Flyer 36-yard line and had to punt. Scott Vossler blocked the punt and returned it 36-yards for a touchdown to give Dayton a 21-7 halftime lead.

After UD recovered the first fumble; the Flyers went three-and-out. They set up to punt but botched the snap. With the ball bouncing at the two, it was kicked into the end zone, resulting in a Flyer penalty. The Rams took over at the Dayton two-yard line and Skelton scored two plays later to cut the lead to 21-13. Vossler blocked the extra point and DB Joe Castaneda returned it 90 yards the other way for a Flyer two-point conversion as they led, 23-13.

Dayton maintained a 10 point as they recovered two more Fordham fumbles in the third quarter but the Rams got closer in the fourth quarter as Skelton found Bo Marchard for a one-yard touchdown pass to get Fordham to within three, 23-20.

UD drove to the Fordham 41-yard line trying to run out the clock but Shappie fumbled the ball and the Rams recovered with 3:24 to play. Dayton's defense stepped up and stopped Fordham on a quarterback sneak on third and one, and then forced an incomplete pass on fourth down.

QB Rob Florian completed 18-32 for 172 yards and one touchdown. Justin Millio led the Flyers with nine catches for 58 yards while Steve Valentino caught five balls for 54 yards and a touchdown.

Steve McDonald led the Flyers with eight tackles while Joe Reis recovered two fumbles and Mike recovered one.

John Skelton led Fordham on offense by passing for 283 yards on 32-52 passing, throwing for one touchdown and running for two. Asa Lucas caught 11 passes for 114 yards. The Rams outgained the Flyers, 357-279, but had three turnovers.

Dayton's next game will be Saturday, September 20th when they host Robert Morris at Welcome Stadium.

by John Tisdell

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