1941 Fordham Rams football team

1941 Fordham Rams football
Sugar Bowl champion
Eastern champion
Sugar Bowl, W 2–0 vs. Missouri
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
APNo. 6
Record8–1
Head coach
Home stadiumPolo Grounds
1941 Eastern college football independents records
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 8 Duquesne     8 0 0
Thiel     7 0 0
Saint Francis (PA)     6 0 1
No. 6     8 1 0
Rochester     6 1 0
Trinity (CT)     6 1 0
Wagner     5 1 0
Franklin & Marshall     5 1 1
Penn State     7 2 0
Temple     7 2 0
Coast Guard     6 2 0
Norwich     6 2 0
Hofstra     5 2 0
Boston College     7 3 0
Syracuse     5 2 1
Bucknell     6 3 0
Drexel     4 2 1
Boston University     5 3 0
La Salle     5 3 0
Tufts     5 3 0
Army     5 3 1
CCNY     4 4 0
Villanova     4 4 0
Manhattan     4 4 1
Holy Cross     4 4 2
Colgate     3 3 2
Providence     3 3 2
Buffalo     3 4 1
Massachusetts State     3 4 1
Pittsburgh     3 6 0
Vermont     2 6 0
NYU     2 7 0
Carnegie Tech     1 7 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1941 Fordham Rams football team was an American football team that represented Fordham University as an independent during the 1941 college football season. In their ninth season under head coach Jim Crowley, the Rams compiled an 8–1 record, outscored opponents by a total of 182 to 67, and were ranked No. 6 in the final AP poll.

During the regular season, the Rams played a national schedule with wins over teams from the south (SMU, North Carolina, West Virginia, TCU), Midwest (Purdue), and west (Saint Mary's), while suffering their only loss to Pittsburgh. They concluded their season with a 2–0 victory over Missouri in the 1942 Sugar Bowl. The game was played in heavy rain and the only score came off of a blocked punt in the first quarter.[1][2]

Fordham end Jim Lansing was selected by Liberty magazine as a first-team player on the 1941 All-America team.[3] Fullback Steve Filipowicz completed 37 of 101 passes for 722 yards during the regular season and was selected by the Associated Press (AP) a first-team player on the 1941 All-Eastern football team. Guard Larry Sartori was named to the second team.[4]

The team played its home games at the Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 4SMUW 16–1028,500[5]
October 11at North CarolinaW 27–1427,000[6]
October 18West VirginiaNo. 4
  • Polo Grounds
  • New York, NY
W 27–012,500[7]
October 25TCUNo. 6
  • Polo Grounds
  • New York, NY
W 28–1439,500[8]
November 1PurdueNo. 3
  • Polo Grounds
  • New York, NY
W 17–020,500[9]
November 8at PittsburghNo. 3L 0–1325,000[10]
November 22vs. Saint Mary'sNo. 11
  • Polo Grounds
  • New York, NY
W 35–740,000[11]
November 29NYUNo. 8W 30–931,000[12]
January 1vs. No. 7 MissouriNo. 6W 2–073,000[13]
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes
Week
Poll1234567Final
AP463 (7)3 (6)111186

Roster

  • Joseph Andrejco, halfback, No. 46, sophomore, 6'0", 190 pounds, Beaver Meadows, PA
  • Thomas Bennett, guard, No. 11, 5'11", 175 pounds, Ansonia, CT
  • James Blumenstock, halfback, No. 51, senior, 5'10", 178 pounds, Rutherford, NJ
  • Steve Filipowicz, fullback, No. 25, junior, 5'8", 185 pounds, Kulpmont, PA
  • Stephen Hudasek, tackle, No. 7, senior, 6'1", 195 pounds, Plymouth, PA
  • Jim Lansing, end, No. 14, junior, 6'0", 186 pounds, Pelham, NY
  • James Noble, quarterback, No. 12, senior, 5'10", 162 pounds, Easton, PA
  • Joseph Sabasteanski, center, No. 35, junior, 6'0", 198 pounds, Portland, ME
  • Larry Sartori, captain and guard, No. 1, senior, 6'0", 200 pounds, Shepton, PA
  • Edward Slodowski, tackle, No. 41, sophomore, 6'2", 206 pounds, Jersey City, NJ
  • George Topo, end, No. 31, sophomore, 6'2", 215 pounds, Tamaqua, PA

[14]

References

  1. ^ Wheeler, Romney (January 2, 1942). "Blocked punt gives Fordham 2-0 verdict over Missouri Tigers". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. p. B3.
  2. ^ Kirksey, George (January 2, 1942). "Safety nets Fordham 2-0 Sugar Bowl win". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 60.
  3. ^ "Sinkwich Gets Most Votes on All-Foes Eleven: 96 of 96 Pick Bulldog Flash; Dudley Second". The Atlanta Constitution. December 31, 1941. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "MacKinney and Peabody on A.P. Eastern Eleven". The Boston Daily Globe. December 5, 1941. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Gene Ward (October 5, 1941). "Rams Nip Mustangs, 16-10, In Last Half-Minute". New York Daily News. p. 88 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Richardson, William D. (October 12, 1941). "Rams' Rally on Long Runs Sinks No. Carolina, 27-14". New York Times. p. S1.
  7. ^ Jack Smith (October 19, 1941). "Rams Win Third, Clip W. Va., 27-0". New York Daily News. p. 82 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Jack Smith (October 26, 1941). "Rams Rally in Fourth, Rout TCU, 28-14". New York Daily News. p. C36 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Jack Smith (November 2, 1941). "Rams Overpower Purdue, 17 to 0". New York Daily News. p. 88 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Nichols, Joseph C. (November 9, 1941). "Rams Are Toppled: Bowl Hopes Crushed by Panthers, Who Gain First 1941 Victory". New York Times. p. S1.
  11. ^ Harry Borba (November 23, 1941). "St. Mary's Buried, 35 to 7!". San Francisco Examiner. p. Sports 2, 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Jack Smith (November 30, 1941). "Rams Conquer NYU, 30-9; Blumenstock Scores 2". New York Daily News. p. C36 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Romney Wheeler (January 2, 1942). "Rams Eke Out 2-0 Triumph Over Tigers: 73,000 Sugar Bowl Fans See Fordham Win On Automatic Safety". The Monroe (La.) News-Star. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Game program, Fordham vs. Carolina". Fordham University. October 11, 1941. pp. 14, 17.