ATHENS, Ohio (AP) -- Canadian Kurtis Rourke set a single-game passing record for Ohio with 537 yards and his fourth touchdown pass went to Jacoby Jones with 52 seconds remaining to help Ohio hold off FCS-member Fordham 59-52 on Saturday.
Fordham, trailing 53-52, drove to its 40 with five seconds left but the final play ended in Bryce Houston's fumble return for a touchdown to prevent an FCS-FBS upset.
Rourke, a native of Oakville, Ont., and the younger brother of B.C. Lions star quarterback and Ohio graduate Nathan Rourke, was 41-of-50 passing with four touchdowns for Ohio (2-2), which totaled 692 yards. He also carried it 10 times for 45 yards and a score. Jones and Tyler Foster each had two touchdown grabs.
Tim DeMorat's record-breaking day came up just short for Fordham (3-1), which was trying to open the season 4-0 for the first time since 2013 when the Rams opened with ten straight wins.
DeMorat threw his school-record sixth TD pass, the fourth to Fotis Kokosioulis for an 84-yarder, to put the Rams up 49-38 with 53 seconds left in the third quarter.
DeMorat was 27 of 35 for 503 yards and Kokosioulis had 13 receptions for a school-record 320 yards and four TDs. Kokosioulis' scores went for 33, 74, 45 and 84 yards.
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