If you walked into Moglia Stadium in the Bronx this past September, you didn't just see a football game. You saw a decade of frustration finally boiling over. For eight straight years, the Holy Cross vs Fordham matchup had been a one-sided affair, with the Crusaders basically treating the Ram-Crusader Cup as a permanent fixture in their Worcester trophy case. But streaks are made to be broken.
On September 27, 2025, Fordham didn't just win; they survived a 26-21 nail-biter that felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.
The 2025 Shift: Breaking the Worcester Stranglehold
Honestly, the context going into the 2025 meeting was kinda grim for both sides. Holy Cross was sitting at a shocking 0-4. Fordham wasn't doing much better. Yet, when these two Jesuit rivals meet, the records usually go out the window. Gunnar Smith, Fordham’s quarterback, put the team on his back, throwing for 254 yards and a touchdown, while also bruising his way into the end zone on the ground.
It was a gritty, ugly, beautiful game.
The Crusaders actually rallied to take a 21-20 lead before the half, thanks to some heavy lifting by Jayden Clerveaux. But the second half belonged to the kickers and the defense. Bennett Henderson knocked through two clutch field goals, and Fordham’s defense pitched a shutout in the final two quarters.
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That win was massive. It snapped an eight-game losing streak against Holy Cross. It was their first time hoisting the Cup since 2016. For a program that has spent years looking at Holy Cross as the primary roadblock to a Patriot League title, it felt like a monumental exhale.
More Than Just a Game: The "Iron Major" and 120 Years of Grit
You can't talk about Holy Cross vs Fordham without talking about Frank Cavanaugh. They call him the "Iron Major." The guy was a literal war hero who coached both programs and is the reason this rivalry has its unique, reverent flavor.
The series started all the way back in 1902. Back then, Holy Cross took the first meeting 17-0. Since that afternoon, they’ve played in some of the weirdest places imaginable:
- Limerick, Ireland (1991): The "Emerald Isle Classic." Holy Cross won 24-19.
- Hamilton, Bermuda (1995): Fordham finally broke through with a 17-10 win.
- Yankee Stadium (2016): A blowout win for the Rams in front of 21,000 fans.
The all-time series record is tight. Holy Cross currently leads 35-26-2. But if you look at the last few years, the "tightness" of the rivalry has reached absurd levels. Before the 2025 meeting, the previous four games were decided by a combined total of just 12 points. We’re talking about overtime thrillers like the 53-52 Holy Cross win in 2022 and the 49-47 heartbreaker in 2023.
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The Basketball Side of the Feud
While football is the "trophy" sport for these two, the Holy Cross vs Fordham rivalry extends to the hardwood of the Rose Hill Gym.
Just a few weeks ago, on December 6, 2025, we saw another classic. Holy Cross head coach Dave Paulsen—who, by the way, used to be an assistant at Fordham—returned to his old stomping grounds and walked away with a 70-69 victory. It came down to two free throws by Joe Nugent with just 2.7 seconds left.
The Rams currently lead the all-time basketball series 42-30, but the Crusaders have been the ones laughing lately, winning the last two matchups. It’s a "sibling rivalry," as one alum famously put it. You want to beat them more than anyone else, but there’s a shared Jesuit heritage that makes it feel like you’re fighting your brother in the backyard.
Why James Conway is the Name You Need to Know
If you follow Patriot League football, you know James Conway. The Fordham linebacker is a tackling machine. In the 2025 win over Holy Cross, he racked up 19 total tackles.
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That performance put him at 511 career tackles. To put that in perspective, he’s chasing the all-time FCS record of 545 set by Boomer Grigsby. Conway is the heart of the Rams' defense, and his ability to neutralize the Crusaders' rushing attack was the secret sauce in reclaiming the Cup.
What’s Next for the Rivalry?
Looking at the 2025-2026 landscape, the power dynamic is shifting. Holy Cross is in a transition period after years of dominance under Bob Chesney (who moved on to James Madison). Meanwhile, Fordham is trying to prove that their 2025 Cup win wasn't a fluke but the start of a new era.
If you’re planning on catching the next Holy Cross vs Fordham showdown, here is what you should keep an eye on:
- The Venue Factor: Whether it’s at Fitton Field in Worcester or Jack Coffey Field in the Bronx, home-field advantage has been massive lately.
- The Quarterback Battle: Watch how Cal Swanson (HC) and Gunnar Smith (Fordham) develop. Both showed flashes of brilliance in 2025, but consistency will be the key to the 2026 season.
- The Playoff Implications: Historically, the winner of this game is usually the frontrunner for the Patriot League’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.
The Ram-Crusader Cup isn't just a trophy. It’s a 124-year-old argument about who owns the Jesuit football legacy in the Northeast. After Fordham’s recent resurgence, that argument just got a whole lot more interesting.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the 2026 Patriot League schedule (usually released in late spring) to see if the game returns to its traditional October/November "Homecoming" slot.
- Monitor the FCS transfer portal this winter; both teams have gaps to fill in the secondary that could decide the next 49-47 shootout.
- If you’re a history buff, look up the 1943 film The Iron Major—it gives you the soul of this rivalry better than any stat sheet ever could.