Photo by Dave Saffran
WATCH | LIVE STATS | Game Notes
Bronx, NY - The Wagner College football team will make the trip across town to the Bronx on Saturday, October 9, when the Seahawks take on Fordham at 1:00 pm in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
The Seahawks took a 20-7 lead into the halftime locker room and came back in the fourth quarter to tie the game, but Delaware State came out on top on homecoming night at Hameline Field, earning a 33-27 victory in double overtime.
Leo And Simmons Earn Robb and Lia Trophies
At the conclusion of Saturday's game,
Naiem Simmons was the recipient of the James Robb Memorial Trophy, which is annually presented to the outstanding offensive player at Homecoming while
Titus Leo earned the Nick Lia Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the Seahawks' outstanding defensive player.
Simmons led the Seahawks with six catches for 136 yards and a touchdown, while Leo compiled a game-high 17 tackles, including two sacks and five tackles for loss.
Established in 1949, the Robb Trophy was named in memory of James Robb, a Seahawk gridiron star who was killed in action during World War II. It was presented to Wagner's outstanding individual player in the annual homecoming game until 1969. In that season, the Lia Trophy was introduced in honor of another Wagner football player, Nick Lia, who was killed in the Vietnam War. An outstanding defensive player and team captain, the Staten Island native was a graduate of Curtis High School.
Leo Dominates On Defense
Titus Leo showed why he is the reigning Northeast Conference (NEC) Defensive Player of the Year against the Hornets. His 17 total tackles are tied for eighth in the FCS in a single game this year. No other player in the NEC has had more tackles in one game than Leo against Delaware State.
On the season, Leo ranks 11
th in the country and first in the conference in tackles for loss, averaging 1.8 stops behind the line of scrimmage per game. Leo also ranks 29
th in the country and second in the NEC in solo tackles (5.2 per game) and 34
th in the country in sacks with 0.8 per game.
Explosive Plays
On the first play from scrimmage in Saturday's contest, Simmons took a quick pass from freshman quarterback
Guenson Alexis and turned it into a 74-yard touchdown reception.
Simmons' reception was the second touchdown catch of 70 or more yards on the season for Wagner, with freshman
Randy Fizer's 82-yard catch and run at Saint Francis U still tied for the fourth-longest reception in the country this season.
Wagner has had an offensive explosive play of 50 or more yards in three of its five games this season.
Applying Pressure
The Seahawks combined for 18 tackles for loss against Delware State, most in the nation by any team at the Division I level this season.
On the year, the Seahawks are 12
th in the nation and first in the NEC with eight tackles for loss per game.
Taking Care Of The Football
As a team, Wagner has only lost one fumble on the season, which is tied for first in the NEC and tied for 15
th in the country.
Managing The Clock
Wagner's offense has held the ball for an average of 33:21 minutes per game, good for second in the NEC and 18
thnationally.
Jumping Like Jordan
Sophomore
Julian Jordan made a splash on Saturday against the Hornets, hauling in a 39-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.
For Jordan, it was his first collegiate catch and first collegiate score.
The Series
The Seahawks and Rams will meet for the first time since 1987, when the Seahawks beat the Rams 21-0 in the NCAA Division III Playoffs.
Wagner holds an 8-3 lead in the all-time series and has won the last six meetings between the two schools.
Masella's Homecoming
Head coach
Tom Masella was the head coach at Fordham between 2006-2011. Masella's Rams won the 2007 Patriot League title after an 8-4 season, earning him Patriot League Coach of the Year honors. Masella was also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, which is given to the top FCS coach in the country. The Rams featured 12 all-league players that season.
Scouting The Rams
Fordham enters Saturday's matchup with a 2-3 record, most recently beating Stony Brook and Lafayette.
Similar to Wagner, the Rams have lost two games to FBS opponents this season.
Seahawks In The NFL
With the NFL regular season in full swing, former Seahawks are making an impact in the NFL.
Long-time NFL veteran Julian Stanford has made three tackles on the season for the Carolina Panthers so far.
Defensive tackle Chris Williams made his first NFL tackle for the Indianapolis Colts against the Tennessee Titans in week three of the season.
Reigning Super Bowl champion Cam Gill was designated to return from the injured reserve list by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week and is eligible to be promoted to the active roster.
The Schedule
Saturday's matchup marks the last non-conference game of the season for the Seahawks.
Five conference games will round out the 2021 schedule, with home contests against Bryant (October 23), Merrimack (November 6), and Duquesne (November 20), as well as road matchups at LIU (October 30) and Sacred Heart (November 13).
Fordham Spectator Policy
- Fans/guests will be permitted to attend outdoor events.
- All fans/guests at outdoor competitions must show proof of vaccination when they enter campus.
- Children under 12 years can attend as long as they can provide a documented COVID test within 72 hours prior to coming on campus. They also need to remain masked at all times indoors and outdoors.
