Ayden Pereira leads fourth-quarter rally and Merrimack edges Fordham 27-26

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (AP) — Ayden Pereira threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to lead Merrimack’s 27-26 come-from-behind victory over Fordham on Saturday.

The Warriors fell behind 26-13 through three quarters, but Pereira caught fire in the fourth period. His 66-yard pass to Austin Palmer made it 26-20 with 9:21 remaining.

On Fordham’s ensuing possession, Will Claude intercepted a pass by Gunnar Smith, setting up Merrimack 29 yards away from the go-ahead score, a 5-yard toss from Pereira to Cade Callahan. Carlton Thai added the PAT.

The Rams lost a fumble on their only possession after Merrimack took the lead.

Pereira completed only 11 of 30 passes for 167 yards and led the Warriors (4-8) with 77 yards rushing.

Smith was 17-for-31 passing for 252 yards with one touchdown. He was intercepted twice and also lost a fumble. He had two rushing touchdowns.

Troy Worrell caught six passes for 160 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown that gave the Rams their 26-13 lead.

Fordham (1-11) forced a three-and-out to open the game and cashed in with a safety when Krystian Pothel blocked a punt and the ball went through the end zone. The Rams capitalized on field position after the free kick, driving 50 yards to a 26-yard field goal by Bennett Henderson.

The early 5-0 lead, backed up by two touchdown runs by Smith built a 19-13 halftime lead for the Rams. Merrimack’s only touchdown of the first half came on Garry Rosemond Jr.’s 11-yard return of a blocked punt.

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