WEEK 13 SCHEDULE
Saturday, Nov. 23
LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS (6-5, 2-3 PL) AT LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (7-3, 4-1 PL)
Goodman Stadium/Bethlehem, Pa Noon (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+/Lehigh): PxP – Marco Socci; Analyst – Mike Yadush; Sideline – Paige Messier BROADCAST (ESPN+/Lafayette): PxP – Gary Laubach; Analyst – Mike Joseph ; Sideline – Renee Washington, John Leone and Phil Ng
RADIO BROADCAST: (Fox Sports Radio Lehigh Valley 94.7): PxP – Matt Kerr; Analysts – Jim Guzzo, Connor Brown
SERIES HISTORY: Lafayette and Lehigh play for the 160th edition of The Rivalry, the most-played football rivalry game in the nation. The Leopards hold an 82-72-5 series advantage. Lehigh has a 40-38-0 record at home.
LAST MEETING: (Nov. 18, 2023) – Lafayette 49, at Lehigh 21
HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS (5-6, 4-1 PL) AT GEORGETOWN HOYAS (5-5, 2-3 PL)
Cooper Field/Washington, D.C. 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP – Jeremy Huber; Analyst – Colleen McNamara
SERIES HISTORY: Holy Cross and Georgetown meet for the 36th time, with the Crusaders holding a 24-11 advantage in a series that began in 1904. Holy Cross has won the last eight meetings, dating back to 2015.
LAST MEETING: (Nov. 18, 2023) – At Holy Cross 31, Georgetown 10
COLGATE RAIDERS (2-9, 1-4 PL) AT BUCKNELL BISON (5-6, 3-2 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: Colgate and Bucknell play for the 72nd time in series history. The Raiders hold a 52-19 advantage in the series that began in 1894.
LAST MEETING: (Oct. 28, 2023) – Bucknell 49, at Colgate 34
MERRIMACK WARRIORS (4-6, FCS Independent) AT FORDHAM RAMS (2-9, 2-4 PL)
Moglia Field at Jack Coffey Stadium/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: Fordham and Merrimack will meet for the first time.
PATRIOT LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
FORDHAM’S CONWAY APPROACHING LEAGUE TACKLES RECORD
Fordham Sr. LB James Conway recorded 11 tackles in the Rams’ Nov. 16 victory over Georgetown to become the Patriot League’s career leader in tackles. Conway passed Crusaders’ All-American Jacob Dobbs (432), who broke the record last season. The Omaha, Neb. native has 49 tackles in four games this season and is the FCS active leader in tackles and tackles per game (11.47).
LEHIGH FIFTH IN FCS IN TEAM PASS EFFICIENCY DEFENSE
Through 12 weeks, Lehigh is fifth in NCAA DI FCS in team pass efficiency defense (108.93). The Mountain Hawks’ have allowed just 158.0 passing yards per game to lead the Patriot League and rank among the FCS leaders. They also lead the League and rank 16th in the FCS with 12 interceptions this season. Lehigh has put pressure on opposing QBs, leading the League and ranking 12th in the FCS with 2.80 sacks per game. Jr. DL Matt Spatny is fifth in the FCS with 1.0 sack per game.
LEAGUE DEFENSIVE BACKS CLIMBING FCS ACTIVE LEADER LISTS
Lafayette Sr. DB Saiku White and Fordham Sr. DB Nahil Perkins are tied for fourth among FCS active leaders with nine career interceptions. White picked off a pass in the end zone in a loss vs. Bucknell in Week 10. Perkins picked off two passes in a win vs. Colgate in Week 10 and currently leads the Patriot League with five interceptions this season. He is also second among active FCS players with 40 career passes defended. Lafayette Sr. DB Gabe DuBois is sixth in the FCS with 34. This season, Perkins (1.8) and DuBois (1.3) are second and 10th in the FCS, respectively, in passes defended per game.
COLGATE’S SAUNDERS RANKS WITH FCS RECEPTION LEADERS
Colgate Jr. WR Treyvhon Saunders leads the Patriot League and is fifth in the FCS with 7.2 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 All-American 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).
TEAM NOTES:
BUCKNELL BISON Overall: 5-6 PL: 3-12
Next OPPONENT: Vs. Colgate (1 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ……………………… 27.1 (2nd)
Scoring Defense ……………………… 29.8 (5th)
Total Offense………………………… 372.5 (2nd)
Total Defense…………………………424.9 (7th)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….6/5
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….6/5
WEEK TWELVE RECAP: • Sr. QB Ralph Rucker IV completed 34-for-43 passes for 351 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions to lead the Bison. Rucker completed his 213th pass of the season to break his single-season program record from last year. • Jr. WR Eric Weatherly finished with 129 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches, including an 18-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. • Rucker put the Bison in front early with two touchdown passes to So. WR Sam Milligan in the first quarter to take a 14-0 lead. Milligan finished with 68 yards on five receptions. • Jr. WR Nate Anderson caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Rucker in the third quarter to give the Bison a two-touchdown lead. He finished with seven catches for 68 yards. • So. LB Gavin Willis, the reigning FCS National Def. Player of the Week, led the Bison with seven tackles, two pass breakups and a blocked kick.
COLGATE RAIDERS Overall: 2-9 PL: 1-4
Next Opponent: at Bucknell (1 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 18.9 (7th)
Scoring Defense …………………….. 30.0 (6th)
Total Offense………………………….324.8 (6th)
Total Defense…………………………404.6 (6th)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……..10/1
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….5/6
WEEK TWELVE RECAP: • So. QB Jake Stearney completed 33-of-42 passes for 263 yards and two touchdown passes to lead the Raiders’ offense. • Jr. WR Treyvhon Saunders caught a 33- yard touchdown pass from Stearney in the third quarter. Saunders finished with seven catches for 58 yards, • 5th-year TE Willie Parker and Stearney connected on an eight-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. So. WR Reed Swanson added eight receptions for 81 yards. Jr. WR Brady Hutchison also recorded eight receptions for 67 yards. • 5th-year LB Christian Sweeney recorded a team-high nine tackles, and Jr. DL Dane Picariello added seven tackles and one sack. • Jr. LB Cole Kozlowski posted four tackles against the Mountain Hawks. He leads the Patriot League and ranks among the FCS leaders with 11.0 tackles per game.
FORDHAM RAMS Overall: 2-9 PL: 2-4
Next Opponent: vs. Merrimack (1 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 19.2 (7th)
Scoring Defense ……………………… 30.4 (7th)
Total Offense………………………….319.0 (7th)
Total Defense…………………………380.8 (5th)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….7/4
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….7/4
WEEK TWELVE RECAP: • Sr. LB James Conway recorded 11 tackles to become the Patriot League’s career tackles leader. His 436 career tackles passed former Holy Cross All-American linebacker Jacob Dobbs, who recorded 432 during his Crusaders’ career. • Jr. QB Jack Capaldi threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns against the Hoyas. Capaldi connected with Gr. TE Jeff Ciccio on a five-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and a 12-yard touchdown pass to So. WR KJ Reed in the third quarter. • Sr. RB Julius Loughridge rushed for 91 yards on 16 carries, including the first score of the game at the 8:21 mark in the first quarter. • So. WR Tracy Nodin caught three passes for a team-high 97 yards • DB Trey Bradford recorded an interception and returned it 26 yards before lateraling the ball to Jr. DB Alex Kemper, who returned it for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Bradford and Kemper earned Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Play of the Week honors for Week 12.
GEORGETOWN HOYAS Overall: 5-5 PL: 2-3
NEXT Opponent: Vs. Holy Cross (12:30 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 20.0 (5th)
Scoring Defense ……………………… 24.9 (3rd)
Total Offense………………………….350.4 (5th)
Total Defense…………………………362.3 (3rd)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….6/5
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….7/4
WEEK TWELVE RECAP: • Sr. WR Cam Pygatt caught seven passes for 135 yards to lead the Hoyas’ offense. • So. QB Jacob Holtschlag completed 19-of34 passes for 253 yards and two interceptions in his first extended collegiate action. • Sr. PK Patrick Ryan connected on an 18- yard field goal in the second quarter for the Hoyas’ lone points of the afternoon. • So. LB GianCarlo Rufo made a team-high eight tackles, 1.0 TFL and one forced fumble. Rufo is fourth in the League with 8.1 tackles per game and second with two forced fumbles. • Gr. LB David Ealey III finished with seven tackles, one sack and a forced fumble. Ealey III is averaging 6.9 tackles per game. • So. DB Braylon Wise recorded his first collegiate interception against the Rams.
HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS Overall: 5-6 PL: 4-1
Next Opponent: AT GEORGETOWN (12:30 p.m.)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 27.0 (3rd)
Scoring Defense …………………….. 25.2 (4th)
Total Offense………………………….363.5 (3rd)
Total Defense…………………………364.5 (4th)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….4/7
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….6/5
WEEK TWELVE RECAP: • So. PK Daniel Porto connected on a 23-yard field goal with 59 seconds remaining in the game to lift Holy Cross to a 40-38 comeback victory over Bucknell to keep their hopes for at least a share of a sixth straight Patriot League title alive. • The Crusaders trailed 31-17 late in the third quarter before So. CB Cam Jones returned a blocked punt two yards for a touchdown. • So. RB Jayden Clerveaux tied the game at 31 with his second touchdown of the day. He finished with 91 yards on 23 carries. • Sr. S Curtis Harris-Lopez returned an interception 56 yards to take a 37-31 lead on the ensuing possession, for their first lead of the game. • Sr. QB Joe Pesansky completed 8-of-16 passes for 186 yards and a 35-yard touchdown pass to Jr. WR Max Mosey. • Sr. LB Frankie Monte finished with eight tackles, 1.0 TFL, one fumble recovery and an interception, while Sr. S Jake Jarmolowich recorded a team-high nine tackles.
LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS Overall: 6-5 PL: 2-3
Next Opponent: at Lehigh (Noon)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………. 26.6 (4th)
Scoring Defense ……………………. 22.9 (2nd)
Total Offense…………………………..378.3 (1st)
Total Defense……………………….. 340.5 (2nd)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….8/3
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….8/3
WEEK TWELVE RECAP: • Jr. RB Jamar Curtis totaled 91 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns to lead Lafayette to a 42-10 victory over Stonehill in the first meeting between the programs. • Curtis rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries and caught two passes for 40 yards and another score to lead the Leopards’ offense. • So. RB Troy Bruce rushed for 40 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries to help the Leopards’ offense total 204 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. • Jr. QB Dean DeNobile completed 18-of-24 passes for 275 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Fr. WR Mason Kuehner caught three passes for 90 yards. • Sr. LB Tim O’Hearn posted five tackles and one sack, while Sr. LB Reggie Thomas posted a team-high six tackles. • Sr. DBs Semaj Cross and Gabe DuBois, and freshman defensive back Xavier Johnson all registered interceptions.
LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS Overall: 7-3 PL: 4-1
Next Opponent: vs. Lafayette (NOON)
2024 Patriot League Rankings
Scoring Offense ………………………..30.0 (1st)
Scoring Defense ……………………… 21.7 (1st)
Total Offense………………………….350.4 (4th)
Total Defense………………………….291.1 (1st)
2024 Quick Facts
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost ……….7/4
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost……….7/4
WEEK TWELVE RECAP: • Fy. QB Hayden Johnson completed 16-of-21 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns to lead Lehigh to a 45-17 win over Colgate. • Johnson connected with Jr. WR Geoffrey Jamiel on a pair of touchdown passes, including a seven-yarder in the second quarter and a 51-yarder in the fourth quarter. Jamiel finished with seven catches for 125 yards. • So. WR Mason Humphrey caught a 19- yard touchdown pass in the third quarter from Johnson, finishing with four catches for 44 yards. • The Mountain Hawks rushed for 271 yards, as Fy. RB Jaden Green carried 12 times for 103 yards and a touchdown. So. RB Luke Yoder rushed 16 times for 83 yards and a score, and Fy. RB Aaron Crossley added an 84-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. • Jr. LB Jackson Dowd finished with nine tackles and 1.0 TFL, while Jr. DL Matt Spatny posted four tackles and two sacks.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Sr., QB, Lucas, Texas/Lovejoy
*Rucker IV completed 34-of-43 passes for 351 yards and tied a Bucknell program record with five touchdown passes in a 40-38 loss at Holy Cross. *The senior quarterback tossed three first-half touchdowns to help the Bison to a 21-3 lead, then went 6-for-6 for 72 yards on a drive that resulted in his fifth touchdown pass and gave Bucknell a 38-37 lead in the fourth quarter. *He is fourth in Bucknell program history with 4,926 passing yards and second with 41 touchdown passes.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Frankie Monte, Holy Cross, Sr., LB, Ramsey, N.J./St. Joseph Regional
*Monte registered eight tackles, 1.0 TFL, one interception and made a game-sealing fumble recovery in Holy Cross’s 40-38 comeback victory over Bucknell. *The senior linebacker intercepted a pass late in the second quarter that set up a touchdown to help the Crusaders cut the deficit to 21-10 going into the break. He recovered a fumble on Bucknell’s final drive to clinch the Crusaders win. *His 112 tackles rank third in the Patriot League and sixth in the FCS.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ross Dansdill, Holy Cross, So., DL, Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North
*Dansdill blocked a Bucknell punt that was returned for a touchdown in his first game of the season for the Crusaders. *The sophomore defensive lineman’s blocked punt was the first blocked punt returned for a touchdown by the Crusaders since the 2022 season. *The play helped spark Holy Cross’s 40-38 comeback win after trailing 21-3 in the first half.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Hayden Johnson, Lehigh, Fy., QB, Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Twp.
*Johnson completed 16-of-21 passes for career-highs of 204 yards and three touchdowns in Lehigh’s 45-17 win over Colgate to put them in the driver’s seat for the Patriot League title and an automatic berth to the FCS Playoffs. *He completed a second-quarter touchdown pass to Jamiel to give the Mountain Hawks a 17-3 halftime lead before throwing second-half touchdown passes to Mason Humphrey and Jamiel to help put the game away. *The first-year quarterback guided Lehigh to scoring drives on all four possessions in the second half.
