In Riddick's freshman year, Fordham went 5–0–2 before losing what Lombardi called, "the most devastating loss of [his] life," when the Rams lost, 7–6, to NYU, and their hopes of playing in the Rose Bowl.
His sophomore year, when he joined the team roster, the Rams' went undefeated with a 7–0–1 record, allowing only 16 points all season, and reaching #3 in the AP Poll.
His junior year, the 1938 Rams' went 6–1–2, and lead the nation with just under 300 offensive yards per game, and finished the season #15 in the AP Poll.
[2] His senior year, Riddick played in the first-ever televised football game, as the Rams beat Waynesburg, 34–7.
By 1949, Lowell high football was drawing crowds of 16,000 fans to watch their first undefeated Class A championship team, capped by a 55–0 thrashing of rival Lawrence.