1936 Fordham Rams football team

1936 Fordham Rams football
Conference Independent
Ranking
AP No. 15
1936 record 5–1–2
Head coach Jim Crowley (4th season)
Assistant coach Frank Leahy (4th season)
Home stadium Polo Grounds
1936 NCAA independents football records
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 6 Santa Clara   –    8 –1 –0
No. 3 Pittsburgh   –    8 –1 –1
No. 13 Dartmouth   –    7 –1 –1
Boston College   –    6 –1 –2
No. 15 Fordham   –    5 –1 –2
Holy Cross   –    7 –2 –1
No. 8 Notre Dame   –    6 –2 –1
No. 18 Navy   –    6 –3 –0
Army   –    6 –3 –0
Drexel   –    6 –3 –0
Penn State   –    3 –5 –0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1936 Fordham Rams football team represented Fordham University during the 1936 college football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Jim Crowley, the Rams' offense scored 128 over eight games, while the defense allowed no more than seven points in any game, and shut out three teams, including second-ranked Pittsburgh.[1]

This team is best remembered for its offensive line, the Seven Blocks of Granite,[2] which included future NFL head coach Vince Lombardi; the line coach was Frank Leahy.[3]

By mid-November, the Rams were 5–0–1 and ranked third with two games to play, and the leading candidate for a Rose Bowl invitation, but a tie with Georgia at the Polo Grounds dropped them to eighth.[2][4] Five days later at Yankee Stadium on Thanksgiving, the NYU Violets handed the Rams a 7–6 defeat.[5][6] Right guard Lombardi called it "the most devastating loss of my life," dashing the hopes of a bowl game. (The previous year, Fordham had spoiled NYU's undefeated season and bowl hopes with a 21–0 shutout.)[7][8]

Fordham ended up fifteenth in the Final AP National Ranking in the first year for the poll.

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result Attendance
October 3 Franklin & Marshall Randall's Island Stadium • New York, NY W 66–7   12,000[9]
October 10 SMU Polo Grounds • New York, NY W   7–0   30,000[10]
October 17 Waynesburg Randall's Island Stadium[11] • New York, NY W 20–6   3,000[11]
October 24 No. 12 St. Mary's (CA) No. 16 Polo Grounds • New York, NY W   7–6   50,000[10]
October 31 No. 2 Pittsburgh No. 5 Polo Grounds • New York, NY [1] T    0–0   57,000[10]
November 7 Purdue No. 3 Polo Grounds • New York, NY W 15–0   40,000[10]
November 21 Georgia No. 3 Polo Grounds • New York, NY [2][4] T    7–7   35,000[10]
November 26 vs. NYU No. 8 Yankee Stadium • Bronx, NY [5][6] L    6–7   50,000[12]
#Rankings from AP Poll.

References

  1. 1 2 Smith, Chester L. (November 1, 1936). "Pitt, Fordham battle to scoreless tie". Pittsburgh Press. p. 1, sports.
  2. 1 2 3 "Georgia ties Fordham, 7-7". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. November 22, 1936. p. 6.
  3. ↑ "Captain of Fordham's 'Seven Blocks of Granite' dies". ESPN. Associated Press. December 29, 2005. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Gannon, Pat (November 22, 1936). "It's no bowl of roses for Fordham, either". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1, part sports.
  5. 1 2 "New York beats Fordham in upset, 7-6". Milwaukee Journal. November 27, 1936. p. 6, part 2.
  6. 1 2 "Fordham bows in big upset". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 27, 1936. p. 12.
  7. ↑ "New York bows out of picture". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 29, 1935. p. 10.
  8. ↑ "Fists fly as New York U bows to Fordham, 21-0". Milwaukee Journal. United Press. November 29, 1935. p. 6, part 2.
  9. ↑ Deegan, Thomas J. (October 4, 1936). "Fordham Conquers F. and M. by 66-7". New York Times. p. S1.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Luchter, P.S. "List of all Amateur Football games played at The Polo Grounds, New York". luckyshow.org.
  11. 1 2 Deegan, Thomas J. (October 18, 1936). "Mautte, Mulrey and Druze Tally for Fordham in Victory Over Waynesburg". New York Times. p. S4.
  12. ↑ "New York University Wrecks Rams by 7 to 6". Daily Boston Globe. November 27, 1936. p. 21.
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