Holy Cross defense steps up down stretch as Crusaders win thriller against Fordham

NEW YORK — Matt Duchemin scored the winning points with a 68-yard interception return and Jacob Dobbs led the swarming defense on a two-point conversion stop with 54 seconds left as Holy Cross pulled out a 49-47 win over Fordham on Saturday.

After Duchemin took C.J. Montes' first interception to the end zone for a 49-41 lead with five minutes to play, Montes drove the Rams 79 yards in four minutes. Julius Loughridge scored on a 4-yard run but Loughridge was buried after taking a shovel pass from Montes on the conversion attempt.

Joe Pesansky threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns for Holy Cross, subbing for Matt Sluka, who ran for a Division-I quarterback record 330 yards a week earlier when the Crusaders’ 17-game Patriot League winning streak ended. His favorite target was Jalen Coker with five receptions for 102 yards and a score.

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Holy Cross (5-3, 3-1 Patriot League) had 466 yards of total offense as Jordan Fuller ran for 116 yards and two scores on 24 carries. Tyler Purdy had 85 yards on five receptions and 30 yards on five rushes with TDs rushing and receiving.

Montes was 29-of-36 passing for 410 yards and four touchdowns for Fordham (5-3, 1-2). MJ Wright made seven catches for 164 yards and a touchdown and Garrett Cody had 127 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions.

With Loughridge piling up 211 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, the Rams finished with 619 yards but the one interception was the difference.

A missed extra point on Fordham's second touchdown allowed Holy Cross to lead 14-13 after one quarter. The Rams led 34-28 at the half.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Defense steps up as Holy Cross wins thriller against Fordham