Patriot League Football Notebook - Week 1 (.PDF)
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN TO PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL GAMES THIS WEEK
Week one of the Patriot League’s 37th season of football will span three days, with Fordham opening the season at Wagner tonight. Coverage between the Rams and Seahawks begins at 6 p.m. on NEC Front Row. Lehigh travels to Villanova for a 6 p.m. start on FloSports to kick off a pair of Friday night games. Holy Cross will look to avenge one of its two regular-season losses at Merrimack in the 7 p.m. meeting on NEC Front Row. Georgetown opens Saturday’s slate of four games at Marist with a noon kickoff on ESPN3. Lafayette hosts Marist at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+ to open the John Troxell Era on College Hill. Bucknell welcomes Towson at 6 p.m. on ESPN+ and Colgate concludes the first week of action at Stanford at 8 p.m. ET on the Pac-12 Network Bay Area.
PRESEASON FAVORITE HOLY CROSS RANKED IN STATS PERFORM AND FCS COACHES POLLS
Three-time defending champion Holy Cross opens the 2022 campaign ranked in the Stats Perform, and FCS Coaches Polls. Chesney and the Crusaders were picked 18th in the preseason FCS Coaches Poll and 16th in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. The Patriot League preseason favorite finished last season ranked 22nd by the FCS coaches, and 19th in the Stats Perform poll after advancing to the quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs against Villanova. Holy Cross is 13-1 against League opponents since 2019 and will be aiming for a Patriot League record fourth-consecutive League title in 2022.
DEMORAT, DOBBS, GREENHAGEN AND HAMM NAMED TO FCS PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LISTS
Fordham grad. student QB Tim DeMorat is among the 35 FCS student-athletes on the 2022 Walter Payton Award Watch List, an award annually presented to the national offensive player of the year in the DI championship subdivision. Holy Cross senior LB Jacob Dobbs, Fordham grad. student LB Ryan Greenhagen and Lafayette fifth-year DL Malik Hamm are among the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List selections for the FCS defensive player of the year. Colgate running backs Kenny Gamble (1987) and Jamaal Branch (2003) won the Walter Payton Award. The League has not had a Buck Buchanan Award honoree.
DEMORAT MAKES WALTER PAYTON AWARD WATCH LIST
Fordham Gr. QB Tim DeMorat was one of the 35 players named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List when it was announced by Stats Perform in July. DeMorat, the two-time defending Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year completed 234-of-400 passes for 3,214 yards and 31 touchdowns last year to place among the FCS leaders. The Payton Award is annually given to the FCS offensive players of the year.
DOBBS, GREENHAGEN AND HAMM MAKE BUCHANAN AWARD LIST
Three Patriot League football players were selected to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List for the FCS defensive player of the year when it was announced by Stats Perform. Holy Cross Sr. LB Jacob Dobbs, the 2021 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, finished among the FCS leaders with 155 tackles last season. Fordham Gr. LB Ryan Greenhagen set the NCAA DI record with 31 tackles in the Rams’ season-opener at Nebraska after being selected the Spring 2020-21 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year. Lafayette Sr. DL Malik Hamm, the 2019 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and 2018 rookie of the year, also made the list.
THREE NAMED STATS PERFORM PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Three Patriot League football student-athletes earned Preseason All-America honors from Stats Perform when the publication announced honors in August. Dobbs and Greenhagen were selected first-team honorees while Hamm was a second-team selection. Dobbs was a Stats Perform First Team All-American in 2021. Greenhagen and Hamm both made the second team at the conclusion of the 2020-21 spring season.
FOUR RECEIVE HERO SPORTS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Dobbs and Greenhagen were selected as First Team Preseason All-Americans by Hero Sports when it announced its honorees in August. DeMorat was a second-team selection while Hamm made the third team. Dobbs received Second Team All-America honors from Hero Sports following the 2021 season.
HOLLENSTEINER, OLIVER NAMED TO CAMPBELL TROPHY WATCH LIST
Georgetown Gr. OL Mac Hollensteiner and Holy Cross Gr. RB Peter Oliver have been named to the William V. Campbell Trophy Watch List by the National Football Foundation (NFF), awarded to college football’s premier scholar-athlete. Hollensteiner earned his bachelor’s degree in political science in government in May and will begin his master’s in Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. Oliver, the defending Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year, received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and Spanish. He was a Campbell Trophy semifinalist in 2021.
HOLY CROSS’S HAUGHNEY NAMED TO FCS PUNTER WATCH LIST
Holy Cross Sr. P Patrick Haughney is one of 22 punters on the 2022 FCS Punter of the Year Award Watch List. The honor, presented by the Augusta Sports Council, was created in 2019 when Bucknell’s Alex Pechin earned the inaugural award. Haughney is a two-time All-Patriot League selection.
DOBBS, GREENHAGEN NAMED TO SENIOR BOWL WATCH LIST
Dobbs and Greenhagen were named to the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List. Dobbs, the defending Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and 2021 Buck Buchanan Award Finalist compiled a League-high 155 tackles and 17.5 TFLs last season. Greenhagen recorded 102 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in five games before his 2021 season was ended by injury. He led the FCS in tackles at the time of his injury. The 10th Annual Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List includes 484 position players who are identified as the best draft prospects at every level of college football for the 2023 NFL Draft.
FOUR SELECTED TO EAST-WEST SHRINE BOWL 1000
Four Patriot League football student-athletes have been selected to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000, recognizing college players who are eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft. Fordham’s Greenhagen and Sr. WR Dequece Carter, Holy Cross Sr. LB Liam Anderson and Lafayette’s Hamm were all on the initial list released by the organization in July. Carter led the Patriot League with 872 receiving yards and 79.3 yards per game last season. Anderson posted 88 tackles and 15.0 TFLs for the Crusaders defense. Hamm has recorded 23.5 career sacks, 1.5 shy of Lafayette’s program record.
HONORE AWARDED NCAA FALL POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP
Georgetown Gr. DB Jonathan Honore was one of 42 student-athletes to earn the 2022-23 NCAA Fall Postgraduate Scholarship. Honore, a St. Louis, Mo. native, is enrolled in GU’s Walsh School of Foreign Service’s security studies program. He has appeared in 32 games during his career on the Hilltop, recording 53 tackles, four interceptions and nine passes defended.
Thursday, September 1
FORDHAM RAMS (0-0, 0-0 PL) AT WAGNER SEAHAWKS (0-0, NEC)
Wagner College Stadium/Staten Island, N.Y. 6 p.m. (NEC Front Row)
BROADCAST (NEC Front Row): PxP - Keith Radd; Analyst - Marc Enray
RADIO BROADCAST (WFUV 90.7 FM/WFUVSports.org): PxP - Andrew Gullotta; Analysts - Ryan Gregware
Series History: Fordham and Wagner meet for the 12th time in series history with the Rams holding an 8-3 advantage.
Last Meeting: (Oct. 9, 2021) - QB Tim DeMorat completed 19-of-23 passes for 339 yards and four touchdowns to lead Fordham to a 56-7 victory over Wagner at Jack Coffey Field. DeMorat threw four touchdown passes for the second time in the last three games, and WR Fotis Kokosioulis caught seven passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns, both in the first half, to lead the Rams. LB James Conway led the Fordham defense with 12 tackles, 2.0 TFLs and a forced fumble.
Friday, September 2
LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (0-0, 0-0 PL) AT VILLANOVA WILDCATS (0-0, CAA)
Villanova Stadium/Villanova, Pa. 6 p.m. (FloFootball)
BROADCAST (Flo): PxP – Nick Mantegna; Analyst - Steve Pinone
RADIO BROADCAST (Fox Sports Lehigh Valley 1230/1320 AM): PxP - Matt Kerr; Analysts - Matt Markus and Steve Lomangino
Series History: Lehigh and Villanova meet for the 18th time with the Mountain Hawks trailing the all-time series, 12-5.
Last Meeting: (Sept. 4, 2021) - Lehigh fell to No. 15 Villanova, 47-3 in the season opener at Goodman Stadium. LB Pete Haffner led the Mountain Hawks’ defense with 11 tackles and 1.5 TFLs. DL’s Mikhari Sibblis and Michael Callahan had five tackles apiece with Sibblis picking up a sack
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HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS (0-0, 0-0 PL) AT MERRIMACK WARRIORS (0-0, NEC)
Duane Stadium/North Andover, Mass. 7 p.m. (NEC Front Row)
BROADCAST (NEC Front Row): TBA
Series History: Holy Cross takes on Merrimack for the second time in program history after meeting for the first-time last season. The Crusaders trail the series, 1-0, after a 35-21 loss at Fitton Field in 2021.
Last Meeting: (Sept. 11, 2021) - WR Spencer Gilliam caught a pair of touchdown passes, but Holy Cross fell to Merrimack, 35-21, at Fitton Field. Gilliam caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from QB Matthew Sluka in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead, but the Warriors answered with three second-quarter touchdowns and never looked back. LB Jacob Dobbs posted a game-high 18 tackles, and DB Walter Reynolds added 10 tackles and one TFL in the loss.
Saturday, September 3
GEORGETOWN HOYAS (0-0, 0-0 PL) AT MARIST RED FOXES (0-0, Pioneer)
Tenney Stadium/Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Noon (ESPN3)
BROADCAST (ESPN3): TBA
Series History: Georgetown and Marist meet for the 23rd time with the Hoyas holding a 17-5 series advantage.
Last Meeting: (Sept. 7, 2019) QB Gunther Johnson threw one touchdown pass and rushed for two more in Georgetown’s 43-3 victory over Marist in its home opener at Cooper Field. It was the most points scored by GU since 2011. RB Herman Moultrie III rushed for 103 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown, leading the Hoyas offense to 272 yards on the ground, its most since 2012.
SACRED HEART PIONEERS (0-0, NEC) AT LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS (0-0, 0-0 PL)
Fisher Stadium/Easton, Pa. 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+/LSN)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP - Gary Laubach; Analysts - Mike Joseph; Sidelines - Meghan Caffrey, John Leone, Phil Ng
Series History: Lafayette and Sacred Heart meet for the seventh time with the Leopards trailing the series, 5-1. Lafayette’s lone victory over the Pioneers came in 2006.
Last Meeting: (Sept. 14, 2019) - QB Keegan Shoemaker set a Lafayette record with 545 yards of total offense and accounted for four touchdowns, but Lafayette could not keep pace with Sacred Heart in a 56-40 loss at Fisher Stadium. Shoemaker completed 24-of-35 passes for 411 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 134 yards and two more scores on 23 carries to highlight his second career start. Senior wide receiver Nick Pearson had seven catches for a team-high 142 yards and a 33-yard touchdown reception while WR Joe Gillette finished with five catches for a career-high 103 yards and also scored on a 44-yard run in the second quarter.
TOWSON TIGERS (0-0, CAA) AT BUCKNELL BISON (0-0, 0-0 PL)
Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium/Lewisburg, Pa. 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP - Doug Birdsong; Analysts - Kevin Herr
Series History: Bucknell and Towson will meet for the 18th time with the Bison trailing the series, 9-8. Towson was an associate member of the Patriot League in football from 1997 until 2003. Bucknell won the final matchup as League opponents, 14-10, in Lewisburg in 2003.
Last Meeting: (Oct. 19, 2019) - Bucknell closed out the non-League portion of its schedule with a 56-7 loss to No. 18/20 Towson at Johnny Unitas Stadium. RB Jared Cooper scored for the Bison on a three-yard touchdown run with 8:25 remaining in the first half. DB Conner Romango led the Bison with 10 tackles while junior linebacker Gerrit Van Itallie added nine tackles, 1.5 TFL and 1.0 sack.
COLGATE RAIDERS (0-0, 0-0 PL) AT STANFORD CARDINAL (0-0, PAC-12 Bay Area)
Stanford Stadium/Palo Alto, Calif. 8 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
BROADCAST (Pac-12 Network Bay Area): PxP - Jordan Kent; Analysts - Greg Camarillo
Series History: Colgate will meet Stanford for the first time in program history.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.