Oct. 20, 2015
Patriot League Football Release: Week 8 
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - For the first time this season, the entire Saturday schedule features Patriot League contests with three League games on the slate. Two of the three remaining unbeatens get together when Lehigh visits No. 10/11 Fordham in the Bronx.
Patriot League Twitter Notebook - @PatriotLeagueFB
*Three Patriot League games are on Saturday's slate, with each set to kickoff at 1 p.m. on Patriot League Network.
*Lehigh visits No. 10/11 Fordham in a matchup of unbeaten teams in League action.
*Georgetown and Bucknell each have one League loss as they look to stay in the race in a contest in Lewisburg.
*Lafayette and Holy Cross aim to get in the win column in League action when they play in Worcester.
*The Lehigh/Fordham matchup is a Campus Insiders Exclusive for PLN with Matt Martucci and Dan Conley on the call.
*Lafayette/Holy Cross will be shown on Charter TV3 and Lafayette Sports Network, with a radio broadcast on Sirius XM 208.
*Fordham has won nine straight and 13 of its last 14 League contests after beating Holy Cross 47-41 in overtime Saturday.
*Fordham has scored at least 30 points in 12 of the 13 wins in that span, and 40 points or more seven times.
*The Rams are trying to start 3-0 in Patriot League games for the third year in a row on Saturday against Lehigh.
*Lehigh looks to get to 2-0 in the Patriot League for the first time since 2012.
*Colgate, which is off on Saturday, is 2-0 for the fourth year in a row after beating Georgetown 17-13 over the weekend.
*Georgetown can get to 2-1 in League action for the third time overall and first since 2011 with a win at Bucknell.
*Holy Cross' Peter Pujals had the fourth-highest passing total in Patriot League history with 508 yards against Fordham.
*Fordham's Chase Edmonds has rushed for 626 yards and 10 touchdowns in the past three games.
Patriot League Notebook
LEHIGH/FORDHAM HEADLINES PATRIOT LEAGUE SLATE
For the first time this season, the entire Saturday schedule features Patriot League contests with three League games on the slate. Two of the three remaining unbeatens get together when Lehigh visits No. 10/11 Fordham in the Bronx. Georgetown and Bucknell meet in Lewisburg and each try to stay close in the race with one League loss, while Lafayette heads to Holy Cross as each squad seeks its first League win. All three games kick off at 1 p.m., and all will be available on Patriot League Network. The Lehigh/Fordham matchup will be a Campus Insiders Exclusive game with Matt Martucci and Dan Conley on the call, while Lafayette/Holy Cross will be televised by Charter TV3 and Lafayette Sports Network and also feature a national radio broadcast on Sirius XM Channel 208. The third League unbeaten, Colgate, has its bye on Saturday.
FORDHAM, COLGATE IMPROVE TO 2-0 IN PATRIOT LEAGUE ACTION
Fordham and Colgate prevailed in tight contests on Saturday to move to 2-0 at the top of the Patriot League Football standings. The No. 10-ranked Rams defeated Holy Cross 47-41 in overtime as Chase Edmonds scored on a seven-yard rush in the extra session to earn the win after Holy Cross had tied the score at 41-41 on a 48-yard field goal by Zane Wasp as time expired. Colgate had a close victory as well, though it was more of a defensive grind as the Raiders held on for a 17-13 win at Georgetown. The Raiders built a 17-0 halftime lead before the Hoyas stormed back in the fourth quarter, but Colgate responded with a drive to run out the last four minutes of the clock. A pair of teams fell in non-League action. Bucknell held a 14-7 halftime lead and was still tied late in the contest at Army West Point, but the Black Knights hit a 68-yard touchdown pass with 4:44 left to pull out a 21-14 win. No. 18 Harvard pulled out a 42-0 win at Lafayette.
RAMS CONTINUE IMPRESSIVE RUN IN PATRIOT LEAGUE
Fordham's 47-41 escape in overtime against Holy Cross was the ninth straight Patriot League win for the Rams, and 13th in the past 14 games since the start of the 2013 season. Fordham is a perfect 7-0 in League action at home during that time. Fordham has done it with an explosive offense as the Rams have scored 40 points or more in seven of the 14 League contests and topped 30 points in all but one of the 13 victories. The Rams are also 4-0 in League contests decided by three points or less or in overtime over the past three seasons.
HOLY CROSS' PUJALS POSTS 500-YARD PASSING DAY
Holy Cross junior quarterback Peter Pujals put up one of the top passing days in Patriot League history in Saturday's loss at Fordham. Pujals completed 35-of-70 passes for 508 yards and four touchdowns in the contest, and his passing yardage and total offense (526) marks both set school records while ranking fourth in Patirot League history. Pujals is the only FCS quarterback to throw for 500 yards in a game this season. He is building on an impressive career that began early in his freshman season. Pujals is already 11th in Patriot League history in total offense (7,613) and nearing the top 15 in passing yards (6,254). Pujals leads all FCS juniors in career total offense and stands third among his class in career passing yardage.
PATRIOT LEAGUE QUARTERBACKS RATE HIGH IN FCS STATISTICS
Pujals is not the only Patriot League quarterback putting up big numbers this season as multiple Patriot League signal-callers are on the FCS statistical leaderboard. Pujals, Fordham's Kevin Anderson and Lehigh's Nick Shafnisky all rank in the top 20 nationally in passing yards per game, and each player is within the top 15 in the country in total offense per contest. Pujals and Shafnisky stand in the top 20 along with Georgetown's Kyle Nolan and Lafayette's Drew Reed in completions per game, while Shafnisky, Anderson and Reed stand among the leaders in completion percentage. Anderson has the higheset ranking in any category among the group as he stands third in the nation with a 174.1 passing efficiency rating.
EDMONDS CONTINUES INCREDIBLE PACE
Fordham's Chase Edmonds carried 31 times for 162 yards and four touchdowns on Saturday, including the game-winner in overtime. He has now rushed for 626 yards and 10 scores in the past three games, and has 1,046 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground this season. Edmonds leads the nation in scoring (16.3 ppg), stands second in rushing (149.3 ypg) and third in all-purpose yardage (190.3). He is up to 2,884 career rushing yards and 38 career rushing touchdowns, a mark which already puts Edmonds seventh on the Patriot League career list.
BUCKNELL'S GOLDEN HONORED FOR PERFORMANCE AGAINST ARMY WEST POINT
Bucknell sophomore Connor Golden came up big in his team's near-upset of Army West Point, recording 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions in a 21-14 defeat for the Bison. He was named the Corvias Patirot League Defensive Player of the Week on Monday before adding a pair of national honors. Golden was selected as a National All-Star by College Sporting News, and was one of two players on the honorable mention list for FCS Defensive Player of the Week by STATS.
This Week in the Patriot League
Lehigh Mountain Hawks (3-3, 1-0) at No. 10/11 Fordham Rams (6-1, 2 0)
Jack Coffey Field; Bronx, N.Y. - Saturday, 1 p.m.
Coverage: Patriot League Network (CI Exclusive) | Live Stats | Lehigh Audio | Fordham Audio | Lehigh Game Notes | Fordham Game Notes
*First place in the Patriot League is on the line when Lehigh visits No. 10/11 Fordham on Saturday at 1 p.m.
*The Patriot League Network broadcast will be a Campus Insiders exclusive with Matt Martucci and Dan Conley on the call.
*Fordham is tied with Colgate atop the Patriot League standings at 2-0, with Lehigh also unbeaten at 1-0.
*The Rams have won the matchup the past two years: 48-27 at Lehigh in 2014 and 52-34 at home in 2013.
*Lehigh had won the previous five meetings from 2008-12, and has a 21-4 lead in Patriot League games against Fordham.
*The Rams' other wins against Lehigh came at home in 1997 and 2007.
*Fordham has won nine straight and 13 of 14 Patriot League games over the past three years, with a 7-0 mark at home.
*The Rams look to start 3-0 in the Patriot League for the third year in a row.
*Lehigh aims to start League action with two victories for the first time since 2012.
Georgetown Hoyas (3-4, 1-1) at Bucknell Bison (3-3, 0-1)
Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium; Lewisburg, Pa. - Saturday, 1 p.m.
Coverage: Patriot League Network | Live Stats | Bucknell Audio | Georgetown Audio | Bucknell Game Notes | Georgetown Game Notes
*Georgetown and Bucknell look to keep their Patriot League title hopes alive when they meet on Saturday.
*The 1 p.m. contest will be available on Patriot League Network.
*The Bison have won the last two and six of the past seven meetings between the schools.
*Bucknell posted a 22-17 win at Georgetown last season after a 17-7 victory at home in 2013.
*Georgetown's only win in the past seven years was a 10-3 triumph at home in 2012.
*The Bison have won the past three meetings in Lewisburg since Georgetown's overtime victory in 2007.
*Bucknell holds a 16-10-1 edge in the all-time series, with a 10-4 lead in Patriot League games.
*Bucknell started 0-2 in League play in 2012 and 2013, a position the Bison will try to avoid on Saturday.
*Georgetown's only seasons with a 2-1 record through three League games came in 2010 and 2011.
Lafayette Leopards (1-6, 0-2) at Holy Cross Crusaders (2-4, 0-2)
Fitton Field; Worcester, Mass. - Saturday, 1 p.m.
TV: Charter TV3, Lafayette Sports Network (RCN-4, RCN-8, WBPH-60)
Coverage: Patriot League Network | Live Stats | Holy Cross Audio | HSRN Radio (Sirius XM 208) | Holy Cross Game Notes | Lafayette Game Notes
*Lafayette and Holy Cross try to get in the win column in League play when they meet at Fitton Field Saturday at 1 p.m.
*The 1 p.m. kickoff will be televised on Charter TV3 and Lafayette Sports Network and also shown on PLN.
*The game will also feature a national radio broadcast on Sirius XM Channel 208.
*The visiting team has won the matchup each of the past two seasons, and the road squad has a 7-3 mark since 2005.
*Holy Cross recorded a 24-14 victory at Lafayette in 2014 after the Leopards won 41-23 in Worcester in 2013.
*Lafayette also won at home in 2012 after the Crusaders had beaten the Leopards four straight years from 2008-11.
*Lafayette leads the all-time series 16-13 in a matchup that has been played entirely as Patriot League members.
Team Notebooks
Bucknell Bucknell led at halftime and hung tough until the final minutes at FBS Army West Point, but the Black Knights scored late for a 21-14 victory over the Bison on Saturday...Army West Point connected on a 68-yard touchdown pass with 4:44 to go for the winning margin...Bucknell's first pass was intercepted on its next drive, and Army West Point ran out the clock with three first downs...Bucknell had a 14-7 hafltime lead as R.J. Nitti threw a 35-yard strike to Will Carter with 5:28 left in the second quarter and a four-yard touchdown to Andrew Owers just 26 seconds before the break after Army got on the board...The Black Knights tied the score late in the third quarter and Bucknell punted on three straight drives before Army's game-winning score...Nitti threw for 186 yards and the two scores while Matt DelMauro led the Bucknell rushing attack with 105 yards...Connor Golden had 13 tackles and two interceptions for the Bucknell defense, including a highlight-reel one-handed pick in the first half as he was named the Corvias Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week and a National All-Star by College Sporting News...Bucknell returns home to take on Georgetown on Saturday.
Colgate Colgate scored all of its points in the first half and held off a comeback attempt by Georgetown in the fourth quarter for a 17-13 win on the road on Saturday...The Raiders built the lead as James Holland scored on an eight-yard run in the first quarter and a two-yarder in the second and Jonah Bowman hit a 39-yard field goal as time expired in the first half for a 17-0 advantage...It stayed that way into the fourth quarter when Georgetown notched a touchdown and two field goals to get within 17-13 with 4:41 to go...Colgate would hold the ball the rest of the way, picking up a first down when Jake Melville gained two yards on a 4th-and-1 play from its own 39 and adding another on a 15-yard run by Holland to run out the clock....Holland carried 14 times for 75 yards and the two scores, while Melville threw for 190 yards and ran for 80...Kyle Diener led the Colgate defense with 13 tackles, while Pat Afriyie had two forced fumbles to go with two tackles for loss and a sack...Colgate starts Patriot League play with two wins for the fourth year in a row...The Raiders are off on Saturday, then host Fordham on Oct. 31 to begin a stretch of three out of the last four games at home in League play.
Fordham Chase Edmonds scored from seven yards out in overtime as Fordham improved to 2-0 in the Patriot League with a 47-41 win at home against Holy Cross on Saturday...Edmonds gained all 25 yards on the overtime drive for the Rams on five carries...The Rams had stopped Holy Cross on its possession, with the Crusaders missing a 37-yard field goal attempt as the game stayed tied...After trailing 10-0 and 17-7 in the first quarter, Fordham scored three second-quarter touchdowns to grab a 27-17 lead at the half...Edmonds scored on runs of 12 and 13 yards and Keivn Anderson threw a 33-yard strike to Ben Johnson, the second touchdown connection for the duo, as the Rams built the halftime lead...After Holy Cross scored early in the third quarter, Fordham responded with an 87-yard kickoff return touchdown by Jihaad Pretlow for a 34-24 lead...The Crusaders would score the next two touchdowns before Fordham went back in front 41-38 on Edmonds' seven-yard run with 2:03 left in the period...Holy Cross tied the score with a field goal on the final play of regulation...Edmonds carried 31 times for 162 yards and four touchdowns in the game, and has 626 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in the past three contests...He leads the nation in scoring, is second in rushing and third in all-purpose yardage...Anderson threw for 194 yards and the two scores and ran for 115 yards for the Rams, while Stephen Hodge totaled eight tackles, a sack and a forced fumble...Fordham beat Holy Cross for the fourth straight season to retain the Ram-Crusader Cup...The Rams are 2-0 in League play for the third year in a row, and have a 13-1 mark against Patriot League foes since 2013...They try to keep the success going when Lehigh comes to Jack Coffey Field on Saturday.
Georgetown A fourth-quarter comeback attempt fell just short as Georgetown fell 17-13 at home against Colgate on Saturday...The Raiders took a 17-0 lead at halftime, but the Hoyas battled back in the final period...After a field goal to get on the board, Georgetown executed a surprise onsides kick and cut the margin to 17-10 on Kyle Nolan's 10-yard touchdown run with with 12:43 to play...Georgetown had to settle for a field goal on its next possession after reaching the Colgate 11, and the Raiders ran the final four-plus minutes off the clock to secure the win... Nolan threw for 194 yards and had the rushing touchdown for Georgetown, while Jo'el Kimpela had 104 yards on the ground for the Hoyas and Justin Hill notched eight catches for 98 yards...Leo Loughery (14), Brennen Sawicki (12) and Daniel Yankovich (11) had double-figure tackles for the Hoyas, with Sawicki adding his first collegiate forced fumble...Georgetown tries to get back over .500 in Patriot League action when it visits Bucknell on Saturday.
Holy Cross The Crusaders put up an outstanding effort at No. 10 Fordham, but the Rams scored the only points of overtime to beat Holy Cross 47-41 on Saturday...Peter Pujals completed 35-of-70 passes for 508 yards and four touchdowns for the Crusaders...He set the school record for passing yards and total offense (526), coming in fourth in Patriot League history in each category...He is the only FCS quarterback to throw for 500 yards in a game this season... Holy Cross had leads of 10-0 and 17-7 in the first quarter as Brendan Flaherty had a nine-yard touchdown run and Pujals threw a 30-yard strike to Jake Wieczorek...Fordham rebounded to take a 27-17 lead at the half, but Pujals threw three touchdowns in a wild third quarter...He brought Holy Cross within 27-24 on a 34-yard strike to Kalif Raymond, and then connected on a 20-yard score to Flaherty and a 13-yarder to Raymond for a 38-34 lead later in the period...Fordham re-gained the lead at 41-38 late in the third quarter, but Holy Cross tied the score at 41-41 when Zane Wasp hit a 48-yard field goal as time expired in regulation...The Crusaders did not score on their overtime possession, and Fordham followed with a touchdown to win the game... Holy Cross had a trio of 100-yard receivers as Flaherty (11 rec., 143 yards, TD), Raymond (9 rec., 140 yards, 2 TD) and Wieczorek (4 rec., 110 yards, TD) all hit the century mark... Matt Bhaya had nine tackles and an interception to lead the Holy Cross defense...The Crusaders fell to Fordham for the fourth year in a row...They try to get in the win column in the Patriot League at home against Lafayette on Saturday.
Lafayette Harvard extended the nation's longest winning streak with a 42-0 triumph at Lafayette on Saturday...The Crimson took a 21-0 halftime lead and added three second-half touchdowns for the 42-0 win...Drew Reed threw for 215 yards for Lafayette, while Matt Mrazek had seven receptions for 79 yards and Beau Bosch had a pair of sacks...The Leopards return to Patriot League play on Saturday as they seek their first League win on a trip to Holy Cross.
Lehigh Lehigh comes off its bye week with a huge Patriot League contest at No. 10/11 Fordham on Saturday...The Mountain Hawks won their League opener with a 21-10 win at Bucknell in their last action on Oct. 10...Lehigh outgained the Bison 432-233, with 229 yards on the ground and 203 through the air...Nick Shafnisky completed 23-of-33 passes for 203 yards and a score and ran for 68 yards and two touchdowns in the win...Dom Bragalone carried 18 times for 107 yards to lead the Mountain Hawks on the ground, while three different players had five receptions...Pierce Ripanti led the Mountain Hawks with eight tackles as the team also racked up four sacks...Lehigh has a 2-2 record on the road, and tries to win consecutive games for the first time since 2013 with Saturday's visit to Fordham.