Dec. 20, 2007
Fordham's run to the title was just one of the highlights of the 2007 Patriot League football season. The year also featured impressive individual and team accomplishments, record-setting performances and national postseason honors.
Patriot League Football Release - 12.20.07 
Patriot League Major Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year
Dominic Randolph, QB, Holy Cross
-3,604 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and only eight interceptions; Third-best passing total in League history; Second in FCS in passing yards, completions and total offense per game
Defensive Player of the Year
Andy Romans, LB, Lafayette
-113 TT, 12.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 3 FF, 3 FR; Second in League in tackles, tied for first in forced fumbles and fumble recoveries; Led No. 1 total defense (260.91 ypg)
Coach of the Year
Tom Masella, Fordham
-Team won first-ever outright League title; Finished 8-4/5-1 after 3-8/1-5 in 2006; Was picked to finish sixth in preseason
Rookie of the Year
Xavier Martin, RB, Fordham
-635 rushing yards, 8 TD; Averaged 5.0 yards per carry
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Kyle Van Fleet, FB/HB, Georgetown
-3.65 GPA in Business and Management; 44 rec., 478 yards, 4 TD
For the full release on the Patriot League major award winners and All-League team, click here
Patriot League Notebook
Fordham Claims First Outright Patriot League Title
It didn't happen in the most conventional or predictable manner, but the Fordham Rams celebrated their first-ever outright Patriot League Football Championship. Fordham wasn't able to take care of business at home against Bucknell on Nov. 17 after clinching the automatic berth two weeks prior against Holy Cross. But before the Bucknell game had concluded, the Rams learned that they would claim sole possession of the Patriot League crown as Holy Cross rallied from a 20-10 deficit to top Colgate, 27-20. The Rams (8-4, 5-1) are the first Patriot League team to claim the title outright since Colgate in 2003. They fell to Massachusetts, 49-35, in the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
Depth in the Standings
Three teams finished just one game behind Fordham in the Patriot League standings, and it gave the Patriot League one of its deepest pools of quality teams in its 22-year history. Holy Cross' victory over Colgate on the final day of the season gave both teams identical 4-2 marks in the League, and Lafayette joined them for a three-way tie after a 21-17 victory over archrival Lehigh. All three teams also finished with 7-4 overall marks, and combined with Fordham's final record gave the Patriot League a strong group at the top. It was just the second time in the League history that four teams finished at 4-2 or better in League play, and only the sixth time that four teams closed the year with seven overall wins or more. Both feats were most recently accomplished in 2004.
The Record-Setters
Here are the new Patriot League records set at the completion of the 2007 campaign:
Most Rushing Yards Per Game Average, Season: Jordan Scott, Colgate - 170.45
Most Rushes Per Game Average, Season: Jordan Scott, Colgate - 37.18
Most Consecutive Games Gaining 100 yards or more in a season: Jordan Scott, Colgate - 11 (Tied two players)
Most Games Gaining 200 Yards or More, Career - Jordan Scott, Colgate - 6 (Tied Erik Marsh, Lafayette/1991-94)
Most Seasons Gaining 1,000 Yards or More: Jordan Scott, Colgate - 3 (Tied two players)
Highest Percentage Completed, Season: Georgetown, .667 (Tied Lehigh/1999)
Most Passing Yards Per Game, Career (min. 15 games): Dominic Randolph, Holy Cross - 292.0 (leader with one season of eligibility remaining)
Top Completion Percentage, Career (min. 15 games): Matt Bassuener, Georgetown - 67.62
Total Offense Per Game, Career (min. 15 games): Dominic Randolph, Holy Cross - 303.5 (leader with one season of eligibility remaining)
Touchdowns Responsible For, Season: Dominic Randolph, Holy Cross - 34 (tied with Jeff Wiley, Holy Cross/1987)
Highest Average Per Punt, Career: Ben Dato, Fordham - 44.4
Highest Average Per Punt, Season: Fordham - 44.7
Most Kickoff Returns, Season: John Kennedy, Lehigh - 45
Most Kickoff Return Yards, Season: A.J. Kizekai, Bucknell - 1,113
Four Patriot Leaguers Named All-Americans
With three of the major FCS All-America teams released to date, Lafayette offensive lineman Jesse Padilla is the big winner from the Patriot League. Padilla was named to the American Football Coaches Association All-America team and earned Second-Team honors from the Associated Press. The AFCA named only one team, and Holy Cross wide receiver Ryan Maher joined Padilla on the list. Colgate linebacker Mike Gallihugh and Fordham punter Benjamin Dato earned Second-Team AP honors. The Sports Network and College Sporting News have yet to release their All-America teams, and the ECAC All-Star list is also expected at a later date.
Four Patriot Leaguers in Final FCS Awards Voting
The Patriot League had a representative on all three of the major FCS awards ballots for the first time since 2004. Fordham Head Coach Tom Masella placed seventh in the Eddie Robinson Award voting, and was tied for fifth in first-place votes with eight. Holy Cross' Dominic Randolph finished 12th and Colgate's Jordan Scott was 14th in the Walter Payton Award voting for most outstanding player in the FCS. Colgate linebacker Mike Gallihugh was on the Buck Buchanan Award ballot for defensive player of the year honors for the second year in a row, and placed 11th in the voting.
Fordham Finishes in Top 20
After winning the Patriot League title and advancing to the NCAA Division I Football Championship, the Fordham Rams reaped one final reward for their season when they placed in the top 20 in the final rankings of both major FCS polls. The Rams ranked No. 19 in the FCS Coaches poll, and No. 20 in The Sports Network top 25.
Holy Cross' Smith, Bucknell's Mozal Named Academic All-Stars
A pair of Patriot League offensive lineman received praise for their work in the classroom, as Holy Cross junior Chris Smith and Bucknell senior Nick Mozal were two of 51 student-athletes selected to the 2007 FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Team. Both student-athletes carried a GPA above 3.5, as Smith majors in ecomonics and accounting and Mozal in economics and political science.
Masella Earns AFCA Regional Co-Coach of year Honor
Fordham Head Coach Tom Masella was named the American Football Coaches Association's Region 1 Co-Coach of the Year. Masella was one of six Football Championship Subdivision coaches to earn regional honors. He shared the Region 1 Coach of the Year award with Richmond Head Coach Dave Clawson.
Scott and Randolph Lead Way in Final NCAA Statistics
Colgate running back Jordan Scott and Holy Cross quarterback Dominic Randolph went back and forth with huge efforts throughout the 2007 campaign, and it paid off with high finishes in the final NCAA statistics. Scott led the nation in rushing with 170.45 yards per game. He became the first Patriot Leaguer to lead the nation in rushing since former Raider Kenny Gamble did it in the inaugural season of 1986, and Scott also set the Patriot League record for rushing yards per game. Scott was third nationally in total rushing yards with 1,875, and seventh in all-purpose rushing and scoring. Randolph placed second in passing yards, total offense and completions per game, and in the top five in total passing yards and points responsible for. His 3,604-yard passing total was the third-best mark in League annals. Fordham punter Benjamin Dato had a solid finish in NCAA stats, as his 44.66 average was No. 3 in the nation.
Patriot League Teams Place High in NCAA Stats, Too
They flirted with the top spot all year, and in the end the Lafayette Leopards can claim the title as the No. 1 defense in the country. Lafayette led the nation with 260.91 yards allowed per game, which was nearly four yards per contest better than second-place Morgan State. The Leopards' average was the fourth-best mark in Patriot League history, and trailed only Bucknell in 2001 (260.1 ypg) for the top spot since 1988. Lafayette also placed eighth nationally in scoring defense and fourth against the rush. Holy Cross was on the other end of the spectrum, as the Crusaders placed in the top five nationally in total and passing offense, while putting up the best season for a Patriot League team since 1999 in both categories. Fordham and Bucknell also figured prominently in team statistics, as the Rams led the nation in net punting and punt return defense and the Bison led the way in fewest penalties per game.
Team Notebooks
Bucknell Bucknell finishes 3-8 overall and 1-5 in the Patriot League...The Bison won their season finale at Fordham, 38-24, to break a five-game losing streak...Sophomore A.J. Kizekai finished 13th in the nation in all-purpose yardage, and won Bucknell's Team MVP award...Kizekai became the first player in school history to lead the team in both rushing and receiving since Ken Jenkins in 1980...Kizekai broke the school record with 1,908 all-purpose yards...He also set a Patriot League mark with 1,113 kick return yards in 2007...Nick Mozal was an FCS Academic All-Star and semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy, known as football's "Academic Heisman."...The Bison finished the season as the least penalized team in the nation.
Colgate The Raiders finished in a three-way tie for second in the Patriot League with a 4-2 record, and were 7-4 overall...Colgate won four games in a row before losing the season finale at Holy Cross...They posted a winning record for the 11th time in 12 years under Head Coach Dick Biddle...Biddle picked up his 95th win at Colgate on No. 10 against Georgetown to tie Andy Kerr for the most all-time victories in school history...Running back Jordan Scott led the nation and set a Patriot League single-season record with 170.45 rushing yards per game, and also became one of three players in the history of the Patriot League to notch 11 consecutive 100-yard games in a season...He has 4,473 career rushing yards, good for fifth place in Patriot League annals...Scott placed 14th in the Walter Payton Award voting...Mike Gallihugh was named a Second-Team AP All-American, and finished 11th in the Buck Buchanan Award voting...Colgate placed 10th nationally in rushing defense and 11th in time of possession.
Fordham The Rams won their first Patriot League title since 2002, and their first-ever outright Patriot League crown...They advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship, where they fell to Massachusetts, 49-35, in the first round...Fordham closed the season with an 8-4 overall mark, and 5-1 Patriot League record...It won six games in a row from Sept. 29-Nov. 3, the longest winning streak for the school since moving to Division I and longest overall since 1988...Head Coach Tom Masella received AFCA Regional Co-Coach of the Year honors, and finished seventh in the Eddie Robinson Award voting...Masella was named Patriot League Coach of the Year, while freshman running back Xavier Martin earned Rookie of the Year honors...Punter Ben Dato was named a Second-Team All-American by the AP...Dato's 44.66 average was the second-best single-season mark in League annals...He has the second and third best seasons in League history, and finished his career as the Patriot League's top all-time punter (44.4 avg.)...Dato also helped Fordham to the No. 1 mark nationally in net punting and punt return defense.
Georgetown The Hoyas wrapped up the 2007 campaign with a loss at home to Colgate on Nov.10...Georgetown played the first triple overtime game in Patriot League history in a 37-34 loss to Marist on Nov. 3...Quarterback Matt Bassuener ended his career with a 67.62 completion percentage, which is the best Patriot League mark of all-time...Bassuener finished the season in the top five nationally in career completion percentage among active players...He led Georgetown to a tie for the best completion percentage in League history at 66.7 in 2007...Georgetown running back Kyle Van Fleet was named Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and also made the CoSIDA Academic All-District team.
Holy Cross The Crusaders defeated Colgate on the final day of the regular season to finish in a three-way tie for second place in the League at 4-2...They had a 7-4 overall record...Quarterback Dominic Randolph earned Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year honors after finishing the season with 3,604 yards, 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 297-of-482 passes...He also placed 12th in the Walter Payton Award voting...Randolph set school single-season records for completions, attempts, and total offense (3,741), while finishing second in passing yards and touchdowns...His 3,604-yard passing total is third in League history...Randolph placed second nationally in passing yards, total offense and completions per game, and in the top five in total passing yards and points responsible for...Wide receiver Ryan Maher was named an AFCA All-American...Offensive lineman Chris Smith earned FCS Academic All-Star honors...Holy Cross was in the top five nationally in passing and total offense, and 13th in scoring.
Lafayette The Leopards joined a three-way tie for second place with Colgate and Holy Cross at 4-2 in the League, and also finished 7-4 overall...They finished the season with three consecutive wins, and beat rival Lehigh for the fourth time in a row ...They recorded a winning regular-season record for the fourth year in a row, and won at least seven games for the third time in the last four years...Linebacker Andy Romans won Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors after recording 113 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries...He was second in the League in tackles and tied for first in forced fumbles and fumble recoveries...Offensive lineman Jesse Padilla was named an All-American by the AFCA and AP (Second-Team)...Lafayette finished the year No. 1 nationally in total defense at 260.91 yards per game, nearly four yards better than second-place Morgan State...The Leopards also placed fourth in rushing defense and eighth in scoring defense.
Lehigh The Mountain Hawks finished the season at 5-6 ovearll and 2-4 in the Patriot League...Their loss to Lafayette in the regular-seaon finale ended a streak of nine consecutive winning seasons overall and nine straight seasons at .500 or better in Patriot League play...Lehigh defeated a Harvard team that went on to an undefeated season in the Ivy League...Freshman John Kennedy set a Patriot League record with 45 kickoff returns in 2007...Linebacker Tim Diamond notched 107 tackles for the season, becoming Lehigh's first 100-tackle player since 2004...Lehigh led the Patriot League in attendance for the 17th year in a row.
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