NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
Table of Contents
Colgate and Fordham open the 2026 season Friday night in the Bronx with the Raiders favored by about 10 points. The matchup pairs a Colgate team returning a veteran offensive core and nine defensive starters against a Fordham team that went 1-11 last season but brings back senior quarterback Gunnar Smith. Colgate’s Jake Stearney enters with 28 career games and 18 starts, giving the Raiders continuity at the position that matters most. The betting question is whether that edge is large enough to justify a double-digit road spread.
Find value before the match starts.
Check our picks.
Game Info: Can Fordham slow Colgate’s veteran core?
- Game: Colgate Raiders at Fordham Rams
- Competition: NCAA Division I FCS, Patriot League
- Date: Friday, August 28, 2026
- Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Moglia Stadium at Jack Coffey Field, Bronx, New York
- Expected quarterbacks: Jake Stearney, Colgate; Gunnar Smith, Fordham
- Weather: Warm and humid with a chance of showers or thunderstorms; light northwest wind
Travel is manageable for Colgate, so weather is the more relevant logistical variable. The Bronx forecast calls for warm, humid conditions with light wind and a chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind should not materially suppress either passing game, but intermittent rain would increase the value of ball security and efficient rushing.
Colgate Raiders vs Fordham Rams Odds: Is ten points too many?
| Team | Moneyline | Point Spread | Game Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate Raiders | -442 | -10 (-105) | Over 50.5 (-115) |
| Fordham Rams | +310 | +10 (-115) | Under 50.5 (-105) |
Prices checked on August 28 showed Colgate around -10, with the moneyline near -440 and Fordham above +300. The total was available around 50.5, though some screens showed 49. That difference matters. The side has also carried different juice at various points, so -10 is not the same bet as -10.5 or -11. A ten-point favorite can cash with a two-score win; beyond that, the required margin becomes less forgiving
Head-to-Head and Series History: Does Colgate’s series edge still matter?
Colgate leads the all-time series 27-10 and won last season’s meeting 44-21 in Hamilton. The Raiders have taken six of the last 10, although Fordham won 20-14 in the Bronx in 2024. Last year’s game is useful because Colgate created balance: Zach Osborne threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns, Cole Fulton rushed for 105 yards, and Winston Moore had 126 receiving yards. Smith still threw three touchdown passes for Fordham, showing the Rams can create offense through the air even when the overall matchup tilts toward Colgate.
Colgate Raiders Recent Form: Can the 2025 offensive growth carry over?
Colgate finished 5-7 in 2025 and 3-4 in Patriot League play, but the offense improved sharply under Curt Fitzpatrick. The Raiders set a program record with 29 passing touchdowns and totaled 3,294 passing yards, their best figure in a decade. They scored 44 on Fordham, 41 at Cornell, 29 at Holy Cross, 42 at Lafayette and 38 against Bucknell.
The offense now returns Stearney, running backs Danny Shaban and Cole Fulton, and multiple proven receiving pieces. Shaban averaged 5.1 yards per carry and Fulton 5.2. Colgate also returns a defense that led the Patriot League with 15 interceptions. That combination gives the Raiders more paths to separation than a typical Week 0 favorite.
Fordham Rams Recent Form: Can a veteran quarterback change the floor?
Fordham’s 1-11 record in 2025 came with difficult underlying numbers. The Rams averaged 15.9 points and 309.6 yards while allowing 33.1 points and 399.1 yards per game. The rushing offense managed only 86.3 yards per game and 2.7 yards per attempt, repeatedly forcing Smith into high-volume passing situations. He still threw for 2,680 yards and 14 touchdowns, but the offense lacked balance.
The encouraging part entering 2026 is continuity. Smith returns, top receiver Nodin Tracy is back, and seven offensive players who started at least four games return. That raises Fordham’s floor, but the key question is whether experience produces better efficiency rather than simply more familiarity.
Quarterback and Offensive Matchup: Can Fordham match Colgate’s balance?
| Team | Expected QB | Experience | Passing Context | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate | Jake Stearney | 28 games, 18 starts | Career: 4,711 yards, 36 TD | Functional runner |
| Fordham | Gunnar Smith | 12 starts in 2025 | 2,680 yards, 14 TD | 248 net rush yards, 6 TD |
Stearney gives Colgate a veteran distributor in an offense that expanded vertically last season. The Raiders can support him with Shaban and Fulton, then attack Fordham’s secondary with Winston Moore and Matt Fogler. Moore is healthy after a season-ending 2025 injury, while Fogler scored seven touchdowns over the final four weeks.
Smith can extend plays and carried much of Fordham’s offense. He completed 243 of 429 passes while adding six rushing touchdowns. The issue was efficiency around him. If Fordham remains poor on early downs, Smith will face too many obvious passing situations against a Colgate defense returning nine starters.
Injuries, Projected Starters and Availability: Which returners shape the opener?
The key availability story is continuity rather than a major confirmed absence. Colgate publicly lists Stearney as the offensive leader and returns nine defensive starters. Moore is healthy and playing without limitations. Fordham identifies Smith as its returning starter and brings back seven offensive players with at least four 2025 starts. The official Colgate roster and Fordham roster provide the current personnel baseline.
Colgate Raiders Key Projected Starters
- Jake Stearney, QB — senior captain and expected starter
- Danny Shaban, RB — returning leading rusher at 424 yards and 5.1 yards per carry
- Cole Fulton, RB — returning back who averaged 5.2 yards per carry
- Winston Moore, WR — healthy after a 2025 season-ending injury
- Trooper Price, DB — preseason all-league returner after 77 tackles and two interceptions
Fordham Rams Key Projected Starters
- Gunnar Smith, QB — returning starter after 2,680 passing yards
- Nodin Tracy, WR — top returning receiver from 2025
- Dylan Haines, C — senior captain and offensive-line anchor
- Andrew Osmun, LB — preseason all-league selection and leading returning tackler
- Colby Spencer, DL — graduate captain on the defensive front
The betting implication is straightforward: Colgate enters with more returning structure on both sides, while Fordham’s improvement case depends on better blocking and efficiency around Smith. Any late quarterback change would materially alter the side. With both expected to play, the current spread is mainly a test of whether Fordham’s experience can narrow a large 2025 performance gap.
Key Matchup Factors: Can Fordham avoid another efficiency gap?
Colgate’s first edge is offensive balance. Fordham allowed 399.1 yards per game last season, and the Raiders can attack both the front and secondary. The second edge is turnover potential. Colgate led the Patriot League with 15 interceptions, while Fordham threw 13 as a team. Short fields are especially valuable to a double-digit favorite because they reduce the number of sustained drives required to create separation.
The third factor is Fordham’s rushing efficiency. If the Rams remain near last year’s 2.7 yards per carry, Smith will face too many long-yardage downs. Colgate also returns kicker Luke Vogeler, who owns 25 career field goals and a long of 51. Fordham’s path to staying inside the number is clear: protect Smith, avoid giveaways and make Colgate drive the full field.
Alternative Bets: Is the Colgate moneyline too expensive?
Colgate First Half -6 at -110
A first-half Colgate -6 around -110 is attractive only if that number is available. It isolates the Raiders’ continuity advantage before late-game substitutions and clock effects add variance. The case is strongest if Colgate can establish the run early and force Fordham into obvious passing downs. I would not chase beyond -6.5.
Best Bet: Does Colgate have enough margin at minus ten?
Best Bet: Colgate -10 at -105
At -105, the implied probability is about 51.2 percent. My estimate puts Colgate’s chance of covering 10 points near 56 percent, which creates a modest but playable edge. The preferred range is Colgate -9.5 to -10 at prices no worse than -115. At -10.5 the margin narrows, and at -11 or higher the better move is to pass.
Three independent football reasons support the play. First, Colgate returns a veteran offensive core from a unit that set a program record with 29 passing touchdowns. Second, Fordham averaged only 2.7 yards per rush last season, a major problem against a defense returning nine starters because it leaves Smith too dependent on obvious passing situations. Third, Colgate’s 15 interceptions give the favorite a realistic path to short fields and non-linear scoring.
The counterargument is meaningful. Fordham is at home, Smith is experienced, and the Rams return seven offensive players who started at least four games. Fordham also won this matchup in the Bronx in 2024. That makes a rising number dangerous. The case is strongest at -10 or better, where Colgate can win by two touchdowns without needing a blowout.
Final Prediction: Can Colgate control four quarters?
Final Score Prediction: Colgate Raiders 31, Fordham Rams 17
The expected script has Fordham moving the ball in stretches behind Smith but struggling to generate consistent rushing efficiency. Colgate’s balance should force Fordham to defend the entire field, while the Raiders’ veteran secondary gives them a better chance to create the one or two takeaways that produce separation. The best bet is Colgate -10 at -105, with -10 as the preferred ceiling.
The main risk is Fordham’s quarterback experience and home-field familiarity. If Smith protects the football and the offensive line improves materially from last season, Fordham can shorten the game. My projection still has Colgate controlling more possessions and finishing enough drives to win by roughly two touchdowns.
