BRONX, N.Y. – Lafayette used a potent running attack to post its second straight Patriot League victory, rolling up a season-high 280 rushing yards in a 21-13 final at Fordham on Saturday afternoon. 

Sophomore Selwyn Simpson (12-112) and C.J. Amill (25-133) took turns hammering at the Fordham defense and combined for all three scores in the game. The Leopard defense turned in a dominating performance, holding Fordham to minus-20 rushing yards and just 122 total yards in the game which ended with a second-half shutout. 

The weather was a factor for both teams with wind gusts approaching 30 miles per hour to accompany rain most of the afternoon. Accordingly, the Leopards kept the ball on the ground, running 58 times while passing just nine. 

Fordham (1-7, 1-2) drew first blood in the second quarter. Just before the end of the opening stanza, the Rams converted a 4th-and-1 at the Leopard 29 on a four-yard rush by Naim Mayfield. A 20-yard toss from Tim DeMorat (15-32-2 for 142) to Hunter Harris set up the scoring play. DeMorat hit Isaiah Searight for an eight-yard TD toss just a minute into the second quarter.

Things picked up for the Leopards on their next possession. Lafayette dialed up the run eight straight plays on carries by Amill, Sean O'Malley and Simpson. The final carry was a 38-yard breakaway by Simpson to the left side to knot the game at 7-7 with 9:48 left in the first half.  

The Leopards' first turnover came four minutes later and proved costly. A 66-yard wind-aided punt had pinned Lafayette at its own goal line. O'Malley fumbled on a run and the Rams took over at the four-yard line. DeMorat hit Austin Longi for a four-yard TD pass and a 13-7 lead after the snap on the PAT was mishandled.

Lafayette's defense came up with its own turnover when freshman Colin Hurlbrink recovered a fumble by DeMorat at the Fordham 39-yard line. Initially, ruled down, the play was reviewed and the officials determined that DeMorat didn't have possession of the ball.

The offense took advantage. Four straight runs, two by Nick Pearson and two by Amill, manufactured the go-ahead score. Amill ran 31 yards toward the visitor's sideline and in for the score. Jeffrey Kordenbrock's PAT was good and Lafayette led 14-13 at halftime. 

Lafayette's 145 yards in the first half surpassed its single-game high entering the contest (134 vs. Bucknell on Oct. 20) while the defense held Fordham to minus-15 on the ground in the opening 30 minutes. 

Lafayette got the ball against the wind to start the second half. The offense picked up two first downs before punting. Jacob Bissell unleashed a 42-yard punt into the wind that rolled to the Fordham three-yard line. 

The defense forced its own punt Lafayette took over near midfield. The running game continued to churn out the yards. Simpson took off for a 51-yard run that set up his one-yard touchdown run two plays later. Lafayette led 21-13 with 8:26 left in the third quarter.

With 5:50 left in the fourth, the Leopards' defense continued to pressure DeMorat. No. 99 Malik Hamm broke through for his third sack of the game which forced a Fordham punt. It was the first time since Nov. 19, 2016 that a Lafayette player managed three sacks in a game when No. 99 Robin Cepeda accomplished the feat. 

The Leopards' offense stayed on the ground, settling for a 46-yard field-goal attempt by Kordenbrock that was short and left of the upright in the misting rain.

Fordham took over at the Lafayette 29-yard line with 2:47 left in the game and no timeouts. The Rams picked up one first down before defensive end Keith Earle dropped back off the line and picked off DeMorat for the Leopards' second interception of the game (first of Earle's career). Earle and Eric Mitchell combined to give Lafayette its first two-interception day of the season.

Lafayette (3-5, 2-2) returns home to host Holy Cross which is coming off a 56-0 lashing of Holy Cross. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.