WEEK 10 SCHEDULE
LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (4-4, 1-1 PL) AT GEORGETOWN HOYAS (5-3, 2-1 PL)
Cooper Field/Washington, D.C. 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP – Jeremy Huber; Analyst – Colleen McNamara
RADIO BROADCAST: (Fox Sports Radio Lehigh Valley 94.7): PxP – Matt Kerr; Analysts – Steve Lomangino, Connor Brown
SERIES HISTORY: Lehigh and Georgetown will match up for the 29th time, with the Mountain Hawks leading the series, 21-7.
LAST MEETING: (Oct. 14, 2023) – Georgetown 17, at Lehigh 7
LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS (4-4, 1-2 PL) AT BUCKNELL BISON (3-5, 1-1 PL)
Christy Mathewson – Memorial Stadium/Lewisburg, Pa. 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP – Doug Birdsong; Analyst – Charlie Fisher
RADIO BROADCAST: (1070 AM WKOK): PxP -Joe Vasile; Analyst – Luke Smith
SERIES HISTORY: Lafayette and Bucknell will meet for the 102nd time in series history, with the Leopards holding a 57-38-6 advantage.
LAST MEETING: (Sept. 30, 2023) – At Lafayette 56, Bucknell 22
COLGATE RAIDERS (2-6, 1-1 PL) AT FORDHAM RAMS (0-8, 0-3 PL)
Moglia Stadium at Jack Coffey Field/Bronx, N.Y. 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP – Andrew Bogusch; Analyst – Grant DelVecchio
RADIO BROADCAST: (WFUV 90.7 FM/WFUVSports.org): PxP – Lou Orlando; Analysts – Evan Harkin
SERIES HISTORY: Colgate and Fordham meet for the 36th time in series history. The Raiders hold a 26-9 advantage.
LAST MEETING: (Nov. 18, 2023) – At Colgate 21, Fordham 14
Week 10 bye – Holy Cross
PATRIOT LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
THREE AMONG FCS TOTAL TACKLES TOP 20
Colgate Jr. LB Cole Kozlowski, a two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week, leads the League and is third in the FCS in total tackles per game, averaging 10.9 through eight games. Two more Patriot League linebackers are among the FCS top 20 in the category. Bucknell So. LB Gavin Willis is fourth in the FCS with 10.5 tackles per game after a career-high 19 tackles against Cornell (Oct. 19). Holy Cross Sr. LB Frankie Monte is third in the League and 16th in the FCS with 9.2 tackles per game. Monte recorded 16 stops vs. Fordham (Oct. 12).
LEAGUE DEFENSIVE BACKS CLIMBING FCS ACTIVE LEADER LISTS
Lafayette Sr. DB Saiku White ranks seventh among FCS active leaders with eight career interceptions after picking off a pass in the Leopards’ 28-23 victory over Fordham in Week Six. Fordham Sr. DB Nahil Perkins is tied for 12th among the FCS active leaders with seven career interceptions. Perkins is tied for the Patriot League lead with three interceptions this season. He is also 10th among active FCS players with 32 career passes defended, behind Lafayette Sr. DB Gabe DuBois, who is fourth in the FCS with 34. DuBois and Perkins are tied for fourth in the FCS with 1.7 passes defended per game this season.
HOYAS RANK FOURTH IN FCS IN SACKS PER GAME
Georgetown’s defense leads the Patriot League and is fourth in the FCS, averaging 3.0 sacks per game through eight games. The Hoyas’ 25 sacks have been for a loss of 151 yards, including four sacks for 30 yards in a 21-20 victory vs. Bucknell in Week Nine. Three Hoyas are among the League’s leaders in the category with So. DL Cooper Blomstrom’s 6.5 sacks are second in the League. He is also second in the League and 17th in the FCS with 0.81 sacks per game. Gr. LB David Ealey III (0.63 spg) and So. LB GianCarlo Rufo (0.38 spg) are third and seventh, respectively, in the League.
COLGATE’S SAUNDERS RANKS WITH FCS RECEPTION LEADERS
Colgate Jr. WR Treyvhon Saunders leads the Patriot League and is third in the FCS with 7.3 receptions per game. In Week Five, he tied the League’s single-game record with 16 receptions in a loss at Penn. Saunders matched former Lehigh AllAmerican WR Troy Pelletier, who set the record with 16 grabs against Georgetown on Oct. 14, 2017. Saunders’s previous career-high was 10 receptions against the Hoyas in 2023. The FCS single-game record is 24 receptions, shared by Chas Gessner (Brown, 2002) and Jerry Rice (Miss. Val. St., 1983).
THREE LEAGUE QBS AMONG FCS TOP 30 PASSING LEADERS
Three Patriot League passers are among the FCS top 30 in passing yards per game through nine weeks. Holy Cross Sr. QB Joe Pesansky leads the Patriot League and is 25th in the nation, averaging 219.1 yards per game, while leading the League and ranking 12th in the FCS with 16 passing touchdowns. The Crusaders’ signal-caller is also 20th in the FCS in pass efficiency (151.3). Bucknell Sr. QB Ralph Rucker IV 213.1) and Lafayette Jr. QB Dean DeNobile (213.1) are 28th and 29th in the FCS in passing yards per game, respectively.
CLERVEAUX LEADING GROUND GAME IN 3-0 LEAGUE START
Holy Cross So. RB Jayden Clerveaux carried just four times in the first two weeks of the season, but his workload and production have increased with the injury to All-America RB Jordan Fuller in Week Three. Clerveaux eclipsed his career-high in rushing yards in consecutive weeks to claim Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors twice. He rushed for 159 yards on 30 carries in a 19-16 win over Fordham on Oct. 12. One week later, the Everett, Mass. native rushed for 165 and two touchdowns on 27 carries in a 35-34 loss at Harvard. He ranks fourth in the League in rushing yards per game (70.2) and tops the leaderboards in rushing yards per game in League play (108.7), helping the Crusaders to a 3-0 start.
FORDHAM’S CONWAY APPROACHING LEAGUE TACKLES RECORD
Fordham Sr. LB James Conway has recorded 30 tackles in two games this season to bring his career total to 417, ranking sixth in Patriot League history, three behind Holy Cross legend Rob McGovern. Conway is 15 tackles away from matching Crusaders’ All-American Jacob Dobbs (432), who passed Fordham’s Ryan Greenhagen, Lehigh’s Lee Picariello and Holy Cross’s David Streeter’s mark of 425 last season. Conway is the FCS active leader in tackles and tackles per game (11.58).
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Max Mosey, Holy Cross, Jr., WR, Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin
*Mosey caught a touchdown pass and rushed for another score to lead Holy Cross to a 34-28 victory at Lafayette to improve to 3-0 in League play. *The junior wide receiver caught four passes for 74 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. *He also added two carries for 28 yards and a four-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mike DeNucci, Lehigh, Gr., LB, Denville, N.J./Pope John XXIII Regional
*DeNucci recorded 11 tackles with career-highs of 4.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in Lehigh’s 33-19 victory over Fordham. *The graduate student linebacker led a Mountain Hawks’s defense that held Fordham to just 226 yards of total offense, with 136 yards through three quarters to allow Lehigh to build a 33-3 lead. *His three sacks are a single-game high in the Patriot League this season.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Daniel Porto, Holy Cross, So., PK, Orlando, Fla./Horizon *Porto connected on a 53-yard field goal in the second quarter of Holy Cross’s 34-28 victory at Lafayette for the longest field goal in Holy Cross program history and the longest in the Patriot League this season. *The sophomore placekicker also connected on a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to help seal the Crusaders’ win. *He was a perfect 4-for-4 on PATs.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jaden Green, Lehigh, Fy., RB, San Francisco, Calif./Junipero Serra
*Green rushed for a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries in Lehigh’s 33-19 win against Fordham. *The first-year running back put the Mountain Hawks in front in the first quarter with a 44-yard touchdown run, his longest of the season. *He helped set the tone early for Lehigh, with 104 of his 147 rushing yards coming in the first quarter.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
TEAM NOTES:
BUCKNELL BISON Overall: 3-5 PL: 1-1
Next OPPONENT: Vs. Lafayette (1 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 26.4 (4th)
Scoring Defense ……………………… 30.9 (6th)
Total Offense………………………….363.0 (3rd)
Total Defense…………………………427.3 (7th)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….6/5
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….6/5
WEEK NINE RECAP:
Fr. RB Tariq Thomas rushed for a career-high 145 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries to lead the Bison. •Thomas scored on touchdown runs of 15 and 27 yards in the first half to give the Bison an early 14-0 lead. •Sr. QB Ralph Rucker IV completed 17- of-29 passes for 226 yards. Rucker is tied for second in the League, averaging 213.1 passing yards per game. •Jr. WR Josh Gary caught five passes for 91 yards. •So. LB Gavin Willis posted a game-high 13 tackles. Willis is second in the League with 10.5 tackles per game. •Sr. LB Brad Jamison added eight tackles and 1.0 TFL. •Jr. CB Roman Pearson recorded his second interception of the season. •Jr. PK Matt Schearer connected on field goals from 43 and 32 yards against the Hoyas.
COLGATE RAIDERS Overall: 2-6 PL: 1-1
Next Opponent: At Fordham (1 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 19.6 (6th)
Scoring Defense …………………….. 30.5 (5th)
Total Offense………………………….332.6 (6th)
Total Defense…………………………417.8 (6th)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……..10/1
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….5/6
WEEK NINE RECAP:
Colgate could not keep pace with Merrimack’s offense in a 51-17 loss at Duane Stadium on Saturday. •So. QB Jake Stearney completed 15-of-28 passes for 155 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. •Jr. RB Marco Maldonado led the Raiders with 75 rushing yards on 16 carries, while Sr. RB Brendan Cassamajor added 20 rushing yards and a second-quarter touchdown. •Jr. WR Brady Hutchison caught three passes for 50 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Jr. WR Treyvhon Saunders caught a team-high seven passes for 47 yards. •Jr. LB Cole Kozlowski led the Raiders’ defense with nine tackles, a half TFL and a forced fumble. •Jr. DL Dane Picariello finished with six tackles and 2.0 TFLs.
FORDHAM RAMS Overall: 0-8 PL: 0-3
Next Opponent: Vs. Colgate (1 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 16.6 (7th)
Scoring Defense ……………………… 36.1 (7th)
Total Offense………………………….278.5 (7th)
Total Defense…………………………400.9 (5th)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….7/4
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….7/4
WEEK NINE RECAP:
Fordham scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter but could not complete its comeback attempt in a 33-19 loss at Lehigh. •Fr. QB Tripp Holley found the end zone on an 11-yard run in with 10:27 remaining in the fourth quarter for the Rams’ first touchdown of the day. •Fr. RB Julius Loughridge added a two-point conversion after Holley’s touchdown, then added a nine-yard touchdown run with 1:44 left in the game. He rushed for a team-high 77 yards on 17 carries. •Fordham’s defense was led by Fr. LB Jaylen Dawson, who recorded a game-high 12 tackles. •Sr. DL Matt Jaworski added 10 tackles, 3.0 TFLs and one sack. Jaworski, the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, leads the League with 13.0 TFLs. •Jr. DLs Claudy Robinson and Sam Buerkle both recorded four tackles and 1.5 TFLs against the Mountain Hawks.
GEORGETOWN HOYAS Overall: 5-3 PL: 2-1
NEXT Opponent: VS. Lehigh (12:30 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 23.9 (5th)
Scoring Defense ……………………….21.9 (1st)
Total Offense………………………….360.5 (4th)
Total Defense…………………………355.5 (3rd)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….6/5
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….7/4
WEEK NINE RECAP:
Fr. RB Savion Hart and So. RB Bryce Cox each eclipsed 100 yards rushing to lead Georgetown to a 21- 20 victory over Bucknell to improve to 2-1 in League play. •Cox, who finished with 104 rushing yards on 17 carries, plunged into the end zone from the one-yard line with 5:56 remaining in the third quarter for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown. •Hart rushed for a team-high 112 yards on 17 carries and a 40-yard touchdown to cut Bucknell’s early 14-0 lead in half. The Hoyas’ rushing attack finished with 274 yards on 50 carries. •Jr. QB Danny Lauter completed 13-of-23 passes for 130 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His 11-yard touchdown pass to Jr. WR Nicholas Dunneman tied the score at 14 in the second quarter. •Sr. S Zayid Aziz recorded nine tackles and two pass breakups. So. LB GianCarlo Rufo added five tackles and one sack for a Hoyas’ defense that held the Bison to a pair of field goals in the second half.
HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS Overall: 4-5 PL: 3-0
Next Opponent: Vs. Lehigh (Nov. 9 – Noon)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ……………………… 27.8 (2nd)
Scoring Defense …………………….. 25.4 (3rd)
Total Offense…………………………..378.7 (1st)
Total Defense…………………………372.6 (4th)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….4/7
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….6/5
WEEK NINE RECAP:
Sr. QB Joe Pesansky completed 14-of-21 passes for 183 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns to help Holy Cross improve to 3-0 in League play with a 34-28 victory at Lafayette. •Pesansky opened the game with a 58-yard touchdown pass to Jr. WR Max Mosey and a six-yard touchdown pass to Sr. WR Justin Shorter to take a 14-0 first-quarter lead. •Mosey, who finished with four receptions for 74 yards, rushed for a four-yard score early in the second quarter to give the Crusaders a 21-0 lead. •So. RB Jayden Clerveaux rushed for 95 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown in the second quarter, on 19 carries. •So. PK Daniel Porto connected on a program-record and Patriot League seasonlong 53-yard field goal at the end of the first half. He also hit a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. •Sr. S Curtis Harris-Lopez posted a Holy Cross team-high nine tackles and 1.0 TFL, while So. LB Cam Santee added five tackles and 2.0 TFLs.
LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS Overall: 4-4 PL: 1-2
Next Opponent: VS. HOLY CROSS (1:30 p.M.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 27.0 (3rd)
Scoring Defense ……………………. 25.1 (2nd)
Total Offense………………………… 376.6 (2nd)
Total Defense……………………….. 345.1 (2nd)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….8/3
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….8/3
WEEK NINE RECAP:
Jr. QB Dean DeNobile completed 26-of-36 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns in the Leopards’ 34- 28 loss against Holy Cross. •DeNobile spurred a Leopards’ comeback in the second quarter with a two-yard touchdown pass to So. TE Ethan Hosak before rushing for an eight-yard touchdown to bring the Leopards within seven points, at 21-14, in the second quarter. •Jr. TE Dallas Holmes caught a six-yard touchdown pass from DeNobile with 6:43 left in the game to bring Lafayette within six, at 34-28. •Jr. RB Jamar Curtis rushed for a game-high 117 yards on 18 carries. He added a 30- yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Curtis is second in the League with 90.8 rushing yards per game. •Sr. S Saiku White registered eight tackles, and Sr. LBs Semaj Cross and Preston Forney added six apiece. •Jr. DL Tyree Morris blocked a field-goal attempt and added four tackles.
LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS Overall: 4-3 PL: 1-1
Next Opponent: At Georgetown (12:30 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………..28.9 (1st)
Scoring Defense …………………….. 26.7 (4th)
Total Offense………………………….345.9 (5th)
Total Defense………………………….296.3 (1st)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….7/4
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….7/4
WEEK NINE RECAP:
Fy. RB Jaden Green rushed for a career-high 147 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries to lead Lehigh to a 33-19 victory over Fordham at Goodman Stadium. •Green raced for a 44-yard touchdown late in the first quarter to put the Mountain Hawks in front, 7-3. •Fy. QB Matt Machalik scored on a pair of two-yard touchdown runs as part of a Lehigh ground attack that rushed for 246 yards. So. RB Luke Yoder added 75 yards on 19 carries. •Fy. QB Hayden Johnson connected with Fy. WR Matt D’Avino with 34 seconds left in the first half to give Lehigh a 31-3 lead at the break. The Mountain Hawks would add a safety in the third quarter. •Gr. LB Mike DeNucci finished with 11 tackles, 4.0 TFLs and three sacks, while Jr. LB Brycen Edwards also posted 11 tackles. •Jr. DL Matt Spatny posted 1.5 sacks, and So. DB DJ Brown recorded an interception for a Mountain Hawks’ defense that held Fordham to 226 yards.
