1936 Fordham Rams football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1936
| team = Fordham Rams
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| APRank = 15
| record = 5–1–2
| head_coach = Jim Crowley
| hc_year = 4th
| captain =
| stadium = Polo Grounds
}}
{{1936 Eastern college football independents records}}
The 1936 Fordham Rams football team was an American football team that represented Fordham University as an independent during the 1936 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Jim Crowley, the Rams compiled a 5–1–2 record and were ranked 15th in the final AP rankings in the first year for the poll.
The offense scored 128 points over eight games, while the defense allowed no more than seven points in any game, and shut out three teams, including second-ranked {{nowrap|Pittsburgh.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fUYbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IU8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6563%2C200230 |work=Pittsburgh Press |last=Smith |first=Chester L. |title=Pitt, Fordham battle to scoreless tie|date=November 1, 1936 |page=1, sports}}}} The team is best remembered for its line, the Seven Blocks of Granite,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fuM-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=-UwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6464%2C6323406 |work=Tuscaloosa News |location=(Alabama) |agency=Associated Press |title=Georgia ties Fordham, 7-7|date=November 22, 1936 |page=6}} which included future National Football League (NFL) head coach Vince Lombardi. The line coach was Frank Leahy.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2274776 |publisher=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |title=Captain of Fordham's 'Seven Blocks of Granite' dies |date=December 29, 2005 |accessdate=January 22, 2018}}
By mid-November, the Rams were {{nowrap|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 {{nowrap|to eighth.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OnYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_yEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2990%2C4772890 |work=Milwaukee Journal |last=Gannon |first=Pat |title=It's no bowl of roses for Fordham, either |date=November 22, 1936 |page=1, part sports}}}} Five days later at Yankee Stadium on Thanksgiving, the NYU Violets handed the Rams {{nowrap|a 7–6}} {{nowrap|defeat.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PnYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_yEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5707%2C6470809 |work=Milwaukee Journal |title=New York beats Fordham in upset, 7-6 |date=November 27, 1936 |page=6, part 2}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MlkpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rOMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6790%2C4201160 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Fordham bows in big upset |date=November 27, 1936 |page=12}}}} 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 {{nowrap|21–0}} {{nowrap|shutout.){{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Bx1WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=i-MDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5449%2C3548695 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=New York bows out of picture |date=November 29, 1935 |page=10}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5KVQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JiIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5712%2C3819198|work=Milwaukee Journal |agency=United Press |title=Fists fly as New York U bows to Fordham, 21-0 |date=November 29, 1935 |page=6, part 2}}}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1936
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 3
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link |year=1936 |team=Franklin & Marshall Diplomats|title=Franklin & Marshall}}
| site_stadium = Randall's Island Stadium
| site_cityst = New York, NY
| score = 66–7
| attend = 12,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 10
| w/l = w
| opponent = SMU
| site_stadium = Polo Grounds
| site_cityst = New York, NY
| score = 7–0
| attend = 30,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 17
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1936|team=Waynesburg Yellow Jackets |title=Waynesburg}}
| site_stadium = Randall's Island Stadium
| site_cityst = New York, NY
| score = 20–6
| attend = 3,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 24
| w/l = w
| rank = 16
| opponent = Saint Mary's
| opprank = 12
| site_stadium = Polo Grounds
| site_cityst = New York, NY
| score = 7–6
| attend = 50,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Rams Whip Gaels, 7-6|newspaper=Daily News|author=Jack Smith|date=October 25, 1936|pages=94, 100|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23223117/rams_whip_gaels_76/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 31
| w/l = t
| rank = 5
| opponent = Pittsburgh
| opprank = 2
| site_stadium = Polo Grounds
| site_cityst = New York, NY
| score = 0–0
| attend = 57,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 7
| w/l = w
| rank = 3
| opponent = Purdue
| site_stadium = Polo Grounds
| site_cityst = New York, NY
| score = 15–0
| attend = 40,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 21
| w/l = t
| rank = 3
| opponent = Georgia
| site_stadium = Polo Grounds
| site_cityst = New York, NY
| score = 7–7
| attend = 35,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = {{tooltip|November 26|Thursday}}
| w/l = l
| neutral = y
| rank = 8
| opponent = NYU
| site_stadium = Yankee Stadium
| site_cityst = Bronx, NY
| score = 6–7
| attend = 50,000
| source = {{cite news |title=New York University Wrecks Rams by 7 to 6 |work=Daily Boston Globe |date=November 27, 1936 |page=21}}
}}
}}
Rankings
{{See also|1936 college football rankings}}
{{Ranking movements
| poll1title = AP
| poll1firstweek = 1
| poll1lastweek = 7
| poll1_0=
| poll1_1=16
| poll1_2=5
| poll1_3=3 (2)
| poll1_4=3 (3)
| poll1_5=3 (4)
| poll1_6=8
| poll1_7=15
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Fordham Rams football navbox}}
Category:Fordham Rams football seasons
{{collegefootball-1936-season-stub}}