Nov. 14, 2008
Center Valley, Pa. - A game with huge Patriot League title implications highlights Saturday's football slate, as 4-0 Holy Cross travels to 3-1 Lafayette for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The Crusaders are looking to maintain a share of first place heading into the final weekend and the Leopards are trying to keep hope alive for the League title and automatic postseason berth. Patriot League co-leader No. 23/24 Colgate has a bye Saturday. In other League action, Bucknell visits Lehigh and Georgetown is at Fordham.
Patriot League Football Release - 11.10.08 
A Holy Cross victory would set up a showdown for the Patriot League title when the Crusaders go to Colgate on Nov. 22. Lafayette can win a share of the League title only if defeats Holy Cross on Saturday, then beats Lehigh on Nov. 22 while the Crusaders knock off the Raiders in that matchup. The teams would finish in a three-way tie for first in that scenario, with the League's automatic berth to the FCS playoffs decided by the athletic directors of schools not involved in the tie.
Holy Cross quarterback Dominic Randolph, who won his third ECAC Offensive Player of the Week honor on Tuesday, will go in search of a few Patriot League records in Easton. He has 77 career touchdown passes, one shy of the League record of 78 held by Lehigh's Phil Stambaugh (1996-99). Randolph already holds the League record with 16 career 300-yard passing games. He has six 300-yard games this season, one shy of the Patriot League single-season record that he tied a year ago. Randolph has been responsible for 32 touchdowns this year (28 passing/4 rushing), just two off the League record that he tied last season. Finally, he is 43 completions away from tying the Patriot League career record of 820 held by Lafayette's Marko Glavic (2000-03).
The Crusaders are trying to win their sixth consecutive game and start 5-0 in League play for the first time since 1991.
Read below for complete previews of each of Saturday's games, including game notes from each of the teams.
This Week in the Patriot League
Holy Cross (6-3, 4-0) at Lafayette (7-2, 3-1)
Fisher Stadium; Easton, Pa. - Saturday, 1 p.m.
Series Lafayette, 14-8 TV LSN, MASN
Streak Lafayette, One Win Last Meeting Lafayette, 31-21 (11.10.07)
Last Holy Cross Win 38-28 (10.21.06) Last Five Meetings Lafayette, 4-1
Holy Cross Head Coach Tom Gilmore, Penn, 1986
Career Record 29-24 (5th Season) Overall/Holy Cross; 16-12 Patriot League
Lafayette Head Coach Frank Tavani, Lebanon Valley, 1976
Career Record 52-48 (9th Season) Overall/Lafayette; 31-24 Patriot League
Holy Cross tries to stay perfect in Patriot League play, while Lafayette attempts to stay in the hunt for the League title when the two meet in Easton on Saturday...The Crusaders are tied with Colgate at 4-0 in the League, while the Leopards are just one game behind at 3-1...They are the only three teams that can still claim the League title and automatic berth to the FCS playoffs...Lafayette has won five of the last six games in the series, including a 31-21 victory at Holy Cross last season...The Leopards have scored 28 points or more in each of the last eight matchups, going 6-2 in that span...The road team has won the last three games in the series, with Holy Cross claiming a 38-28 victory in the last meeting in Easton in 2006...All 22 of the all-time matchups between the schools have been Patriot League games, with Lafayette holding a 14-8 edge in the series...Holy Cross is trying to go to 5-0 in the Patriot League for the first time since finishing with that perfect record in their last League title season in 1991...The Crusaders are also going for their sixth consecutive victory overall, which they have not done since posting a perfect 11-0 mark in that 1991 campaign...Lafayette goes for a 4-1 record in the League for the fourth time in the last five years.
Holy Cross Notebook Holy Cross moved to 4-0 in the Patriot League and remained in a first-place tie with Colgate with a 38-17 victory at home against Fordham on Saturday...The Crusaders are 4-0 in League play for the first time since their last title season in 1991...They also have a five-game winning streak for the second time in the last three years...Holy Cross has scored at least 34 points in each of the five straight victories...The Crusaders have won each of their last two home games against Fordham...They finished their 2008 home schedule with a 4-1 record...They also won four home contests last season...
Dominic Randolph completed 35-of-59 passes for 407 yards with five touchdowns in the win...He has 77 career touchdown passes, one off the Patriot League record of 78 held by Lehigh's Phil Stambaugh (1996-99)...He extended his Patriot League record to 16 career 300-yard passing games...Jon Brock caught eight passes for 105 yards and a career-high three touchdowns...Brock now has 12 touchdown catches on the season, standing just one shy of the school single season record (13 by Chris Summers in 1993)...Ten different players had at least one reception...Holy Cross held a 491-258 edge in total yardage and a 31-13 advantage in first downs...The Crusaders lead the nation with 26.9 first downs per game...They are third nationally in passing offense and sixth in total offense.
Holy Cross game notes
Lafayette Notebook Lafayette stayed in the race for the Patriot League title with a 38-21 victory at Bucknell on Saturday...Lafayette is 3-1 through four League games for the fourth time in the last five years...The Leopards completed their five-game road trip with a 4-1 record, and finished their road slate for the season with a 5-1 mark...The five-game trip was the longest since 1986...It was Lafayette's seventh consecutive victory against Bucknell, and fourth straight in Lewisburg...The Leopards have scored 31 points or more in each of the last four matchups with the Bison...Backup quarterback Marc Quilling started in place of the injured Rob Curley and went 17-of-26 for 274 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start...Tyrell Coon ran for 169 yards and a score in his return to the lineup, while Michael Conte had 118 receiving yards and a touchdown...Quilling's 51-yard touchdown pass to Conte was Lafayette's longest pass play of the season...Lafayette outgained Bucknell, 474-222, with strong advantages in rushing (200-90) and passing (274-132) yardage...Shaun Adair had five receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown...Mark Leggiero and Andy Romans each had nine tackles to lead the Leopard defense...The Leopards are fourth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 15 points per game.
Lafayette game notes
Bucknell (4-5, 1-3) at Lehigh (3-6, 2-2)
Goodman Stadium; Bethlehem, Pa. - Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Series Lehigh, 39-29-3 TV SE2
Streak Lehigh, 10 Wins Last Meeting Lehigh, 38-7 (11.10.07)
Last Bucknell Win 21-14 (11.1.97) Last Five Meetings Lehigh, 5-0
Bucknell Head Coach Tim Landis, Randolph Macon, 1986
Career Record 80-90-1 (16th Season) Overall/27-38 (6th Season) at Bucknell; 13-22 PL
Lehigh Head Coach Andy Coen, Gettysburg, 1986
Career Record 14-17 (3rd Season) Overall/Lehigh; 9-7 Patriot League
Lehigh and Bucknell meet up in Bethlehem on Saturday...The Mountain Hawks have a 10-game win streak in the series with the Bison...It is the longest active winning streak in any Patriot League series...The Mountain Hawks have scored 38 points or more in each of the last five matchups...Lehigh has also won by 23 points or more in each of the last six games against Bucknell...Bucknell's last victory against Lehigh was a 21-14 triumph at home in 1997...The Bison's last victory in Bethlehem came by a 7-6 score in 1996...Lehigh is 15-6-1 against the Bison in Patriot League matchups, and 39-29-3 in the series overall...Lehigh is trying to secure a League record of .500 or better for the 10th time in the last 11 years...Bucknell will try to snap a three-game losing streak, and finish with four victories on the road for the first time since winning six in 1997.
Bucknell Notebook Bucknell dropped its third consecutive League game, falling at home to Lafayette, 38-21, on Saturday...It was Bucknell's seventh consecutive loss to the Leopards...Bucknell has lost four consecutive home games for the first time since 1991...A.J. Kizekai starred for the Bison, notching a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and 210 kickoff return yards in the game...Both marks are Bucknell records...He also set the program record with 2,039 kickoff return yards in his career...He holds five of the top eight single-game marks in school history...Kizekai has tied a Patriot League record with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career...He is one of six players to accomplish the feat...He also had a career-high 285 all-purpose yards in the game...Kizekai is second in the nation with 193.6 all-purpose yards per game, and 15th in kickoff return average...Bucknell is fifth nationally with a 23.4 team kickoff return average...Shaun Pasternak caught seven passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns in the game...He now has 10 touchdown receptions this season, equaling the Bucknell record held by Lester Erb...Pasternak is 19th nationally in receiving yards per game.
Bucknell game notes
Lehigh Notebook Lehigh lost in heartbreaking fashion to Colgate, 34-33, on Saturday in Bethlehem...The Mountain Hawks fell to 2-2 in Patriot League play and were eliminated from contention for the League title...It was their first home loss to the Raiders since 2002...Lehigh's four losses to Princeton, Cornell, Harvard and Colgate have come by a combined total of eight points...The Mountain Hawks lost despite an outstanding effort from sophmore quarterback J.B. Clark...Clark completed 24-of-39 passes for a career-high 338 yards and a career-high tying four touchdowns with no interceptions in the loss...Clark's 338 yards were the most by a Lehigh quarterback since Sedale Threatt threw for 304 yards last October at Fordham...Clark helped Lehigh score 27 consecutive points to turn a 21-6 deficit into a 33-21 lead in the third quarter...Clark has 2,017 passing yards with 20 touchdowns this season...He has five games of 200+ yards and three games of 250+ yards...Clark has thrown at least two touchdown passes six times this season, including five straight games...Mike Fitzgerald had seven receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns, while Sekou Yansane notched six catches for 113 yards and a touchdown...Lehigh moved up to fourth nationally in net punting with a 37.1 average.
Lehigh game notes
Georgetown (2-7, 0-4) at Fordham (4-5, 0-4)
Jack Coffey Field; Bronx, N.Y. - Saturday, 1 p.m.
Series Fordham, 28-21-3
Streak Fordham, Two Wins Last Meeting Fordham, 38-31 (10.13.07
Last Georgetown Win 24-21 (10.22.05) Last Five Meetings Fordham, 4-1
Georgetown Head Coach Kevin Kelly, Springfield, 1982
Career Record 5-26 (3rd Season) Overall/Georgetown; 1-15 Patriot League
Fordham Head Coach Tom Masella, Wagner, 1981
Career Record 32-43 (7th Season) Overall/15-17 (3rd Season) at Fordham; 6-10 PL
Fordham and Georgetown both go for their first League victory when they face off in the Bronx on Saturday...Both teams are at 0-4 in League action...The Rams are trying to end a five-game League losing skid, while the Hoyas are attempting to snap a six-game losing streak in League action...Georgetown is playing its final game of the year...The Hoyas played only five League contests due to the cancellation of their Oct. 4 contest at Colgate...Fordham has a 6-1 advantage in Patriot League games between the schools, with a 38-31 win at Georgetown last season...The Rams won the last game in the Bronx, 38-30, in the season finale in 2006...Georgetown's last victory was a 24-21 home triumph in 2005...Georgetown is trying to avoid its second winless Patriot League campaign in the last three seasons.
Georgetown Notebook Georgetown snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 13-12 victory over Marist in the home finale on Saturday...The victory gave Patriot League teams 20 non-League wins for the first time since 2004, and made the League 4-0 this season against Marist...The last three games between the teams have been decided by three points or less...The Hoyas finished their non-League slate with a 2-3 record...The Hoyas trailed, 12-10, at halftime, but took the lead for good on a 31-yard field goal by Jose-Pablo Buerba late in the third quarter...The defense sealed the win with a pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter, including one with 1:42 to go by Nick Umar...Philip Oladeji ran for 100 yards, while Keerome Lawrence threw for 119 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 37 yards...Joey Tavarez had a team-high nine tackles...The Hoyas earned their first home victory of the year.
Fordham Notebook Fordham fell to 0-4 in the Patriot League with a 38-17 loss at Holy Cross on Saturday...The Rams have dropped five consecutive League contests after winning their first five on the way to the 2007 League title...Fordham is 0-4 in League action for the second time in the last three years...Fordham's Kevin Colbert had a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter...John Skelton moved into the top 15 in Patriot League annals in passing yardage and total offense, ranking 14th in each category...Skelton is in the FCS top 20 in completions, passing yardage and total offense per game this season...Fordham is 17th in the nation in passing yardage.
Fordham game notes
