Courtesy of Yale Athletics
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Chris Dooley got a hand on a 23-yard field goal attempt midway through the fourth quarter that helped the Yale football team preserve a 7-6 win over Fordham at Yale Bowl and the Class of 1954 Field.
Dooley, a sophomore DT, registered his team’s first blocked kick as the Bulldogs won a second straight game and improved to 4-1 after finishing off the non-league portion of the 2010 schedule.
Fordham PK Patrick Murray, who gave the Rams a 6-0 lead, had already connected on field goals from 45 and 38 yards when he set up for the potential winner.
“The defensive line got a good push, and I just got my hand on it,” said Dooley, who made one tackle in a game that was very balanced statistically.
The Rams’ defense and a blustery wind kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard until the first play of the fourth quarter. Brook Hart (15-29, 227), making his first start since week seven of the 2009 season found WR Jordan Forney (2-52) along the left sideline. Forney broke a few tackles and dove into the end zone for a 29-yard scoring play.
“We ran a crossing pattern and Chris Smith took the safety with him,” said Forney. “Brook [Hart] made a great throw and I got good blocking down field.”
The Bulldogs, playing without injured starters at quarterback, running back (first and second) and offensive line, outgained the Rams 317 to 308 but converted just three of 14 third downs. Yale sophomore Javi Sosa led all runners with 74 yards on 24 carries.
“It was nice to finally make a play to connect with him [Forney]. He made a great effort to get into the end zone,” said Hart, who had four starts in 2009.
Fordham (2-5), which has lost four straight close games, was led by the passing of Blake Wayne (25-42, 219) who also led his team with 54 rushing yards.
Yale junior LB Jordan Haynes, who recovered the game’s only fumble, led all tacklers with nine solo stops and 12 overall. SS Adam Money and FS Geoff Dunham each had interceptions for the Blue while DTs Jake Stoller and Reed Spiller notched sacks.
“A win like this is character building,” said Yale captain Tom McCarthy, who has seen his squad score winning TDs on the last play of the game twice already this fall. “This team has a lot of character.”