Oct. 8, 2009
Center Valley, Pa. - The Patriot League Football schedule gets off to a rare early start this weekend, as No. 23/24 Colgate visits Princeton on Thursday night at 7 p.m. in a nationally-televised contest on ESPNU. The remaining Patriot League teams play in the usual Saturday slots, with Lehigh hosting Georgetown in a League game and No. 19/20 Holy Cross trying to stay undefeated at Brown.
Patriot League Football Release - 10.5.09 
The Mountain Hawks and Hoyas will both go in search of their first win of the year when they meet in Bethlehem at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, while Lehigh is also trying to join a four-way tie at the top of the Patriot League standings by winning its League opener.
Bucknell and Lafayette join Colgate and Holy Cross in playing a non-League game against an opponent from the Ivy League over the weekend. The Bison travel to Penn at 1 p.m. while the Leopards host Columbia at 6 p.m. Patriot League teams are an even 5-5 in competition versus the Ancient Eight this year, and will conclude the season series with four more games against the Ivy League next weekend. Fordham hosts Bryant at 6 p.m. in the final non-League action against an opponent from the Northeast Conference. Patriot League teams are 3-2 against NEC foes this year.
Patriot League teams exploded on offense last week, with four squads topping the 30-point mark and strong individual performances from a number of players. For their efforts, Fordham senior quarterback John Skelton was named Patriot League and ECAC Offensive Player of the Week and Holy Cross senior quarterback Dominic Randolph claimed his sixth-career Gold Helmet award as the Division I New England Player of the Week. Skelton leads the Football Championship Subdivision in passing and total offense, while Randolph is in the top five in each category. Randolph enters Saturday's action one attempt away from the Patriot League career record of 1,459, which would be his ninth Patriot League career record. He has 1,163 passing yards and 14 touchdowns with no interceptions in three career starts against Brown, all Holy Cross victories.
No. 23/24 Colgate and No. 19/20 Holy Cross are two of only eight remaining undefeated teams in the FCS. The 5-0 Raiders are off to their best start since winning their first 15 games in 2003, while the 4-0 Crusaders have won their most games to start a season since a perfect 11-0 mark in 1991. Colgate leads all FCS teams with 13 straight regular-season wins and has claimed 13 of 14 overall, while Holy Cross has won 10 of 11 games dating back to last year. The teams meet on Oct. 24 in Worcester.
For more coverage of Patriot League Football throughout the weekend, follow the League's Gameday Blog and Twitter page. Look for score updates from Colgate's contest and all of the Patriot League action on Saturday. Also, view the Patriot League composite schedule for all video, audio and live stat links for the weekend's games, and the new interactive scoreboard, which provides in-game score updates for any contest with Gametracker coverage.
Read the capsules below for a synopsis of each Patriot League contest this weekend, including game notes and any media links for each matchup.
This Week in the Patriot League
Georgetown (0-5, 0-3) at Lehigh (0-4, 0-0)
Goodman Stadium; Bethlehem, Pa. - Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Series Lehigh, 9-5 TV SE2, Fox College Sports Atlantic (tape-delay)
Streak Lehigh, Eight Wins Last Meeting Lehigh, 33-13 (11.1.2008)
Last Georgetown Win 40-0 (1925) Last Five Meetings Lehigh, 5-0
Georgetown Head Coach Kevin Kelly, Springfield, 1982
Career Record 5-32 (Fourth Season) Overall/Georgetown; 1-19 Patriot League
Lehigh Head Coach Andy Coen, Gettysburg, 1986
Career Record 16-21 (Fourth Season) Overall/Lehigh; 11-7 Patriot League
Two teams looking for their first win of the season meet when Georgetown visits Lehigh on Saturday...The Mountain Hawks are playing their first Patriot League contest, and would make it a five-way tie at the top of the League standings with a win...Lehigh has won all eight contests played as Patriot League members, with each of the victories coming by at least 20 points...The closest game in the Patriot League history came last year, as the Mountain Hawks scored a 33-13 win at Georgetown...The teams did not play from 1925 until Georgetown joined the Patriot League in 2001...Lehigh is trying to win its Patriot League opener for the second straight year and 10th time in the past 12 seasons...The Mountain Hawks are also attempting to avoid their first 0-5 start since an 0-9 campaign in 1966...Georgetown will try to end its longest season-opening losing skid since dropping seven in a row to begin the 2007 season.
Georgetown The Hoyas fell to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in the Patriot League with a 14-6 loss at Bucknell on Saturday...Georgetown held a 6-0 lead at the half on two field goals by Jose Pablo Buerba, but was outgained, 172-58, in the second half as Bucknell came back...Georgetown had a chance to tie on its final drive, but Isaiah Kempf was picked off in the final minute...Kempf completed 14-of-27 passes for 136 yards in the game....Robert Lane had 111 all-purpose yards, with 55 on 11 carries on the ground and three catches for 56 yards...Travis Mack led the defense with 11 tackles...It was the first time since 2003 that the home team won the matchup...Georgetown dropped its 10th consecutive League game, with the last victory coming at Bucknell in 2007...The Hoyas have lost five games to start a season for the first time since dropping their first seven games in 2007...Georgetown completes a three-game League stretch when it hosts Colgate next week.
Lehigh Lehigh dropped to 0-4 for the first time since 1982 with a 28-14 loss to Harvard on Saturday...The Mountain Hawks fell to 0-3 at Goodman Stadium, and have lost the first two of their four-game homestand...Lehigh took an early 7-0 lead, but Harvard scored 28 unanswered points to take control...The Mountain Hawks tallied the game's last touchdown late in the fourth quarter...Sophomore Chris Lum made his first collegiate start and went 22-of-42 for 269 yards with a touchdown and four interceptions...Lehigh notched six sacks in the game, including 2.5 by Andrew Knapp...Al Pierce had a career-high 10 tackles and a sack...The Mountain Hawks held a 375-333 edge in total offense...De'Vaughn Gordon and Jake Drwal each had six receptions...Lehigh completes its four-game homestand when it faces Yale on Oct. 17.
Georgetown Game Notes
Lehigh Game Notes
Video
No. 23/24 Colgate (5-0, 1-0) at Princeton (1-2, 0-1 Ivy League)
Princeton Stadium; Princeton, N.J. - Thursday, 7 p.m.
Series Princeton, 26-23-1 TV ESPNU
Streak Colgate, One Win Last Meeting Colgate, 27-24 (10.11.2008)
Last Princeton Win 27-26 (OT) (10.7.2006) Last Five Meetings Colgate, 4-1
Colgate Head Coach Dick Biddle, Duke, 1971
Career Record 109-49 (14th Season) Overall/Colgate; 63-16 Patriot League
Princeton Head Coach Roger Hughes, Doane, 1982
Career Record 44-48 (10th Season) Overall/Princeton
No. 23/24 Colgate will try to continue its best start to a season since winning its first 15 games in 2003 when it visits Princeton in a nationally-televised contest on Thursday night...The game will be shown live on ESPNU at 7 p.m. from Princeton Stadium...Colgate scored a 27-24 win at home over Princeton last year, part of an active stretch of five consecutive wins against Ivy League foes over the past two years...The teams are meeting at Princeton for the first time since Colgate scored a 16-10 win in 2005...The last four matchups have been decided by six points or less...Patriot League teams are 25-35 all-time against Princeton, including Lehigh's 17-14 loss on Sept. 26.
Colgate No. 23/24 Colgate ran all over regional rival Cornell on Saturday, as the Raiders tallied 344 yards on the ground in a 45-23 victory over the Big Red...Colgate is off to a 5-0 start for only the eighth time in program history and first since winning its first 15 games in 2003...The Raiders have won 13 consecutive regular-season games dating back to last year, the longest regular-season win streak in the FCS...Three players had at least 84 rushing yards in the game, with Nate Eachus leading the way with 19 carries for 129 yards and three touchdowns in his first action since the season opener...Colgate's six rushing touchdowns were one off the Patriot League record...Colgate boosted its FCS-best rushing average from 260 to 277 yards per game, more than 40 yards ahead of second-place North Dakota State...The Raiders also lead the nation in time of possession and third down conversion percentage...The Raiders had a 344-63 edge on the ground, and 561-280 advantage in total offense...The Raiders visit Georgetown on Oct. 17 to start a stretch of five League games.
Colgate Game Notes
Live Stats
Audio
Bucknell (3-2, 1-0) at Penn (1-2, 1-0 Ivy League)
Franklin Field; Philadelphia, Pa. - Saturday, 1 p.m.
Series Penn, 27-5
Streak Penn, Four Wins Last Meeting Penn, 34-24 (10.7.2006)
Last Bucknell Win 23-16 (10.2.1999) Last Five Meetings Penn, 4-1
Bucknell Head Coach Tim Landis, Randolph-Macon, 1986
Career Record 84-93-1 (17th Season) Overall/31-41 (7th Season) at Bucknell; 15-23 PL
Penn Head Coach Al Bagnoli, Central Connecticut State, 1975
Career Record 201-75 (28th Season) Overall/115-56 (18th Season) at Penn
Bucknell plays its final non-League game of the season at Penn on Saturday...The Bison are trying to snap a four-game losing streak in the series and beat Penn for the first time since 1999...Three of the four losses were by 10 points or less, including one overtime game...Bucknell scored a 23-16 win in Philadelphia in 1999...Patriot League teams are 17-36 all-time against Penn, with Lafayette beating the Quakers in overtime on Sept. 26.
Bucknell The Bison joined a four-way tie for first place in the Patriot League by winning their League opener, 14-6 over Georgetown, at home on Saturday...The Bison trailed, 6-0, at the half, but C.J. Hopson scored on a pair of second-half touchdown runs to lead the comeback...Hopson carried 21 times for 101 yards in the game...Jamal Briggs sealed the win on an interception with 37 seconds to play in the game...The Bison registered a season-high five sacks by five different players, the highest total for the team since 2004...Bucknell held a 172-58 edge in total yardage...Bucknell held an opponent to less than 10 points for the first time since 2007...The Bison are 3-0 at home this year, and have won four consecutive home games overall for the first time since 2001...Bucknell won its League opener over Georgetown for the second straight season, and snapped a five-game losing streak for home teams in the series...The Bison have a bye next week before getting back into Patriot League play for their final five games, beginning at home on Oct. 24 against Lehigh.
Bucknell Game Notes
Live Stats
Audio
Video
No. 19/20 Holy Cross (4-0, 1-0) at Brown (1-2, 0-1 Ivy League)
Brown Stadium; Providence, R.I. - Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Series Holy Cross, 31-20-3
Streak Holy Cross, Three Wins Last Meeting Holy Cross, 41-34 (10.11.2008)
Last Brown Win 37-14 (9.30.1995) Last Five Games Holy Cross, 3-2
Holy Cross Head Coach Tom Gilmore, Penn, 1986
Career Record 34-25 (Sixth Season) Overall/Holy Cross; 18-13 Patriot League
Brown Head Coach Phil Estes, New Hampshire, 1980
Career Record 67-45 (12th Season) Overall/Brown
No. 19/20 Holy Cross will try to build on its best start since 1991 when it visits Brown on Saturday...The Crusaders are 4-0 for the first time since an 11-0 season in 1991...Holy Cross has won all three meetings since the series started back up in 2006...Each game has been a shootout, with the Crusaders winning at home in 2006 (35-30) and 2008 (41-34) and at Brown in 2007 (48-37)...Holy Cross quarterback Dominic Randolph has posted a huge day in each of those three games, and has 1,163 passing yards and 14 touchdowns with no interceptions in his career against the Bears...Randolph had his most-ever touchdown passes with six against the Bears in 2007, and his second-highest passing yardage total with 430 in 2008...Holy Cross last lost to Brown in 1995, and is 13-2-1 in the past 16 matchups since 1981...Patriot League teams are 21-17 all-time against Brown.
Holy Cross The No. 19/20 Crusaders are off to their best start since 1991 after opening up a 35-0 second-quarter lead and cruising to a 42-21 win at Northeastern on Saturday...Holy Cross has a 4-0 mark for the first time since completing an undefeated 11-0 campaign in 1991...Dominic Randolph completed 16-of-24 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns in the game, connecting with 11 different receivers...He was 11-for-13 with 241 yards and four touchdowns in the first half alone as Holy Cross built a 35-0 lead in the second quarter...Randolph ended the day just one attempt shy of the Patriot League record of 1,459 held by Lafayette's Marko Glavic (2000-03)...Randolph is in the top five in the FCS in passing yards, total offense and points responsible for per game this season...He is now tied for 10th in FCS history with 94 touchdown passes, 13th all-time in passing yards (10,965) and 14th in yards of total offense (11,421)...Randolph is the Patriot League record holder and active FCS career leader in each category...The Crusaders are in the top 10 nationally in passing, total and scoring offense...Holy Cross gained 420 yards of total offense on only 48 plays, averaging 8.8 yards per play in the contest...The Crusader defense had four sacks, including two from Mude Ohimor...Holy Cross defeated a school from the CAA for the first time since it downed Boston University 27-23 on Sept. 21, 1991, when the league was known as the Yankee Conference...Holy Cross plays its final non-League contest next week as it returns home to face Dartmouth.
Holy Cross Game Notes
Audio
Video
Bryant (3-1, 2-0 NEC) at Fordham (1-3, 0-1)
Jack Coffey Field; Bronx, N.Y. - Saturday, 6 p.m.
Series First Meeting
Bryant Head Coach Marty Fine, West New Mexico, 1985
Career Record 65-32 (10th Season) Overall/37-19 (6th Season) at Bryant
Fordham Head Coach Tom Masella, Wagner, 1981
Career Record 34-47 (Eighth Season) Overall/17-21 (Fourth Season) at Fordham; 7-12 PL
Fordham becomes the first Patriot League team to match up with Bryant when the Rams host the Bulldogs on Saturday evening at Jack Coffey Field...Fordham was also the first Patriot League team to play Old Dominion, beating the Monarchs, 34-29, last Saturday...Bryant is in its second season at the Division I level, playing in the Northeast Conference...Patriot League teams are 3-2 against the NEC this year heading into the last matchup of the season between the leagues.
Fordham The Rams used a historic offensive performance to notch their first win of the year, as they totaled a school-record 687 yards of total offense in a 34-29 victory over Old Dominion on Saturday...Even with the offensive outburst, the game was in doubt until Xavier Martin scored the winning points on a three-yard touchdown with 1:59 left...The Fordham defense forced a fumble on the ensuing possession to seal the win...Fordham came back for the win after squandering a 25-7 third-quarter lead...The previous school record for total offense was 667 against New Haven in 1977...Fordham had huge performances from five different players to amass its offensive output, including a career day from senior quarterback John Skelton...Skelton completed 28-of-42 passes for a career-high 402 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions...The 402-yard day tied for the second-best effort in Fordham history...John's brother, Stephen, caught 10 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown, while David Moore had six receptions for 132 yards and a score...The last time the Rams had two receivers with more than 100 receiving yards in a game was 1999 with Kendel Creer (171) and Gerry McDermott (142) doing it against Harvard...Martin had a career-high 187 rushing yards and the touchdown, while Darryl Whiting totaled 101 yards and a score on the ground...It was the first time since 2007 that a pair of Fordham backs went over 100 yards on the ground...Fordham outgained Old Dominion by nearly 300 yards (687-392)...The Rams play their final non-League game of the year at Cornell on Oct. 17.
Fordham Game Notes
Gametracker
Video
Audio
Columbia (2-1, 1-0 Ivy League) at Lafayette (3-1, 1-0)
Fisher Stadium; Easton, Pa. - Saturday, 6 p.m.
Series Lafayette, 27-11-2 TV Lafayette Sports Network
Streak Lafayette, Seven Wins Last Meeting Lafayette, 13-3 (10.11.2008)
Last Columbia Win 47-22 (10.7.2000) Last Five Games Lafayette, 5-0
Columbia Head Coach Norries Wilson, Minnesota, 1989
Career Record 10-23 (Fourth Season) Overall/Columbia
Lafayette Head Coach Frank Tavani, Lebanon Valley, 1976
Career Record 55-51 (10th Season) Overall/Lafayette; 32-26 Patriot League
Lafayette will try to continue its recent success against Columbia when the teams meet on Saturday at Fisher Stadium...The Leopards have won the last seven meetings in the series, and have only surrendered three total points to the Lions in the past two years....Lafayette earned a 13-3 win at Columbia last year, and posted a 29-0 shutout in the last meeting in Easton in 2007...Each of the wins during the streak has come by at least seven points...Lafayette has not lost to the Lions since 2000, and has a 13-0-1 record when the teams match up in Easton...Lafayette has won three consecutive games against Ivy League opponents, including the first two of four straight meetings with Ivy foes...Patriot League teams are 42-18-2 against Columbia, with Fordham losing to the Lions on Sept. 19.
Lafayette The Leopards earned their first-ever win over Yale on Saturday at the Yale Bowl, scoring 24 consecutive points to go on to a 31-14 victory...Yale had won the previous seven meetings in the series...Lafayette scored 24 consecutive points after falling behind 7-0 in the first quarter...Rob Curley and Mark Layton connected on touchdown strikes for a 10-7 lead late in the second quarter and 24-7 edge in the fourth quarter...Curley completed 20-of-28 passes for 241 yards and the two touchdowns to Layton, who hauled in seven receptions for 116 yards...Layton leads the Patriot League and is in the top 20 nationally in receptions, receiving yards and scoring per game....Curley is 10th in the nation in pass efficiency and is completing 66 percent of his passes...Maurice White ran for 131 yards in the game, and sealed the win with a six-yard touchdown run with 3:13 left...The Leopards recorded six sacks in the game, with Ian Dell and Andrew Poulson each tallying two apiece...It was the most team sacks since Sept. 11, 2004 against Georgetown...Lafayette held a 396-272 edge in total offense...The Leopards play their final non-League contest of the year at Harvard on Oct. 17.
Lafayette Game Notes
Gametracker
Video
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