3 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁football ▁under ▁head ▁coach ▁Jim ▁Crow ley , ▁and ▁line ▁coach ▁Frank ▁Le ah y , ▁and ▁alongside ▁the ▁Seven ▁Block s ▁of ▁Gran ite ▁including ▁V ince ▁Lomb ardi . ▁ ▁In ▁R idd ick ' s ▁fresh man ▁year , ▁Ford ham ▁went ▁ 5 – 0 – 2 ▁before ▁losing ▁what ▁Lomb ardi ▁called , ▁" the ▁most ▁dev ast ating ▁loss ▁of ▁[ his ] ▁life ," ▁when ▁the ▁R ams ▁lost , ▁ 7 – 6 , ▁to ▁NY U , ▁and ▁their ▁hopes ▁of ▁playing ▁in ▁the ▁Rose ▁Bowl . ▁▁▁ ▁They ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁ranked ▁# 1 5 ▁in ▁the ▁AP ▁Pol l . ▁ ▁His ▁s oph om ore ▁year , ▁when ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁team ▁ro ster , ▁the ▁R ams ' ▁went ▁und efe ated ▁with ▁a ▁ 7 – 0 – 1 ▁record , ▁allowing ▁only ▁ 1 6 ▁points ▁all ▁season , ▁and ▁reaching ▁# 3 ▁in ▁the ▁AP ▁Pol l . ▁ ▁His ▁junior ▁year , ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁R ams ' ▁went ▁ 6 – 1 – 2 , ▁and ▁lead ▁the ▁nation ▁with ▁just ▁under ▁ 3 0 0 ▁off ensive ▁yards ▁per ▁game , ▁and ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁# 1 5 ▁in ▁the ▁AP ▁Pol l . ▁ ▁His ▁senior ▁year , ▁R idd ick ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁first - ever ▁tele vised ▁football ▁game , ▁as ▁the ▁R ams ▁beat ▁Way