Patriot League Football Notebook (Week Four)
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN TO PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL GAMES THIS WEEK
Six of the seven Patriot League teams are in action in week four with all five games on ESPN+. Georgetown hosts Columbia for the Lou Little Trophy at 12:30 p.m. on Cooper Field to open Saturday’s action. No. 13/13 Holy Cross travels to Colgate as the Raiders host the Crusaders in the second League game of the season, at 1 p.m. Two Patriot League teams will travel to take on Ivy League opponents at 1 p.m., with Lehigh at Princeton and Lafayette at Penn. No. 18 Fordham will conclude Saturday’s slate of games when they match up with FBS opponent Ohio University at 2 p.m. Bucknell has a bye this week.
2022 Patriot League Football Standings (as of Sept. 22)
| School |
PL |
PL Pct. |
Overall |
Overall Pct. |
| Lehigh |
1-0 |
1.000 |
1-2 |
.333 |
| Fordham |
0-0 |
.000 |
3-0 |
1.000 |
| Holy Cross |
0-0 |
.000 |
3-0 |
1.000 |
| Lafayette |
0-0 |
.000 |
1-2 |
.333 |
| Colgate |
0-0 |
.000 |
1-2 |
.333 |
| Bucknell |
0-0 |
.000 |
0-3 |
.000 |
| Georgetown |
0-1 |
.000 |
1-2 |
.333 |
ONLINE SCHEDULE |
ONLINE NOTES
HOLY CROSS AND FORDHAM IN THE STATS PERFORM AND AFCA COACHES POLLS
Three-time defending champion Holy Cross dropped one spot to 13th in the FCS Coaches Poll and remained 13th in the Stats Perform FCS Poll after a decisive 38-14 victory against Yale. Chesney and the Crusaders were picked 18th in the preseason FCS Coaches Poll, and 16th in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. Fordham defeated Albany, 48-45, and moved up three spots to No. 18 in the FCS Coaches Poll. The Rams are receiving votes in the FCS Coaches Poll for the third-straight week. This is the second-straight week that two Patriot League teams have been ranked during the regular-season. Prior to this season, the last time two League teams were ranked at the same time was Sept. 4, 2017 when Lehigh was No. 19 and Colgate checked in at No. 25 in the FCS Coaches Poll.
PATRIOT LEAGUE TEAMS AMONG THE FCS STATISTICAL LEADERS HEADING INTO WEEK FOUR
Fordham ranks first among FCS programs in total offense, averaging 618.7 yards per game and second in scoring offense with 49.3 points per game, led by the FCS’s leading passer Tim DeMorat (434.0 ypg). Holy Cross has also been among the nation’s best, placing eighth in the FCS in rushing offense (238.3) and third in team passing efficiency (192.86), just in front of fourth-ranked Fordham (186.95). Through three games, Colgate has been among the most careful and opportunistic, ranking ninth in turnover margin (1.67) and second in defensive touchdowns (2).
DEMORAT CLIMBING LEAGUE CAREER-LEADERS LISTS
Two-time defending Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Tim DeMorat threw for a career-high 464 yards and five touchdowns in the Rams’ 48-45 win against Albany. The FCS active leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns (83) is fourth in the League record book in career passing yards after beginning the season in eighth place. The Walter Payton Award candidate leads the FCS averaging 434.0 passing yards per game. DeMorat is in striking distance of becoming the third quarterback in Patriot League history to eclipse 10,000 career passing yards.
PL CAREER PASSING LEADERS
1. Dominic Randolph, Holy Cross (2006-09), 13,455
2. Peter Pujals, Holy Cross (2013-17), 11,695
3. John Skelton, Fordham (2006-09), 9,923
4. Tim DeMorat, Fordham (2018-pres.), 9,872
GREENHAGEN, DOBBS AND OLIVAS AMONG ACTIVE LEADERS
Fordham Gr. LB Ryan Greenhagen, Holy Cross Sr. LB Jacob Dobbs and Lafayette Sr. LB Marco Olivas all rank among the top-10 active FCS leaders in tackles per game (tpg). Greenhagen is the leader with 9.82 tpg. With 334 career tackles, Greenhagen is 38 tackles shy of Lehigh’s Ian Eason for 10th-place on the Patriot League career tackles list. Dobbs is sixth among active FCS players with 9.15 tpg. His 10.3 tackles per game are second in the Patriot League this season. Olivas is 10th among active leaders with 8.48 tackles per game and is fourth in the League through three games with 9.7 tpg.
NCAA.COM’S WEEK 4 FCS QUARTERBACK RANKINGS
NCAA.com’s Stan Becton unveiled his weekly FCS quarterback rankings, with Fordham’s DeMorat remaining second behind UIW’s Lindsey Scott Jr. DeMorat leads the FCS in passing yards (1,302) and passing touchdowns (16). He helped lead the Rams to a 48-45 comeback victory against Albany with a career-high 464 yards and five touchdown passes. Holy Cross’s Sluka ranked sixth this week after accounting for three touchdowns in the Crusaders 38-14 win against Yale.
HOLY CROSS MOVES UP IN CBS SPORTS FCS POWER RANKINGS
Emory Hunt of CBS Sports released his FCS power rankings leading up to week four of the season with Holy Cross moving up three spots to No. 6 after their decisive victory against Yale. Fordham moved up one spot in Hunt’s power rankings to No. 17 after improving to 3-0 for the first time since 2013.
HC’S SMITH SECOND AMONG ACTIVE FCS LEADERS IN INTS
Holy Cross Sr. DB John Smith is second among active FCS players with 12 career interceptions, one behind Tarleton State’s Jalen Carr. Smith led the League and was among the FCS leaders last season with six INTs.
THIS WEEK IN PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL (WEEK FOUR)
COLUMBIA LIONS (1-0, Ivy) AT GEORGETOWN HOYAS (1-2, 0-1 PL)
Cooper Stadium/Washington, D.C. 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP - Jeremy Huber
Series History: Georgetown and Columbia meet for the ninth time in series history and the sixth time for the Lou Little Trophy. The Hoyas trail the series 5-3 but the teams are tied 3-3 in Lou Little Trophy Games. The Hoyas are 1-1 against the Lions in D.C.
Last Meeting: (Sept. 25, 2021) - At Columbia 35, Georgetown 24 - The Hoyas fell to Columbia, 35-24, at Robert K. Kraft Field. WR Cameron Crayton led GU with eight catches for 190 yards and a touchdown. QB Pierce Holley completed 27-of-42 passes for 368 yards and a rushing touchdown.
LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS (1-2, 0-0 PL) AT PENN QUAKERS (1-0, Ivy)
Franklin Field/Philadelphia, Pa. 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP - Joe Tordy; Analysts – Coffee Jones
Series History: The Leopards and Quakers will meet for the 92nd time in series history with Lafayette trailing 63-24-4. The first meeting between the two programs came in 1882.
Last Meeting: (Sept. 25, 2021) - At Lafayette 24, Penn 14 - – Lafayette capitalized at home, defeating the Quakers, 24-14. WR Joe Gillette provided the bulk of the scoring with a 29-yard score on a jet sweep, and a 70-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Gillette went on to finish the game with five catches for 91 yards, and four carries for 49 yards.
LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (1-2, 1-0 PL) AT PRINCETON TIGERS (1-0, Ivy)
Princeton Stadium/Princeton, N.J. 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP – Cody Chrusciel ; Analysts – Dave Giancola and Renee Washington
RADIO BROADCAST (Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM/LVFoxSports.com): PxP – Matt Kerr; Analysts – Lance Haynes and Mike Yadush
Series History: Lehigh and Princeton meet for the 62nd time in series history, with the Mountain Hawks trailing 42-17-2. Lehigh has won 13 of the last 19 matchups, including five of the last eight. They last defeated the Tigers, 49-28, in 2016.
Last Meeting: (Sept. 18, 2021) - At Princeton 32, Lehigh 0 - Lehigh fell 32-0 against Princeton at Goodman Stadium, after back-to-back opening drive scores from the Tigers. Lehigh was held to -25 yards on the ground, largely due to three Tiger sacks.
No. 13/13 HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS (3-0, 0-0 PL) AT COLGATE RAIDERS (1-2, 0-0 PL)
Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium/Hamilton, N.Y. 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP - Eric Malanoski; Analysts – Jeff Bishop
Series History: Colgate and Holy Cross will meet for the 84th time in series history, with the Crusaders holding a 42-36-5 advantage. The Raiders won seven of the last 11 meetings, including seven-straight from 2012-18 before Holy Cross picked up wins in the last two games.
Last Meeting: (Oct. 23, 2021) - At Holy Cross 42, Colgate 10 - RB Peter Oliver led a Holy Cross rushing attack that totaled 359 yards on the ground, as the Crusaders defeated Colgate, 42-10, in the first football game at Polar Park. QB Matthew Sluka carried 12 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Colgate DB/RS Will Gruber returned a kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown, his second of the season to tie the Patriot League single-season record.
FORDHAM RAMS (3-0, 0-0 PL) AT OHIO UNIVERSITY BOBCATS (1-1 MAC)
Peden Stadium/Athens, Ohio 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
BROADCAST (ESPN+): PxP – Michael Reghi; Analyst – Jerod Cherry
RADIO BROADCAST (WFUV 90.7 FM/WFUVSports.org): PxP - Andrew Gullotta; Analyst - Ryan Gregware
Series History: Saturday’s game marks the first meeting between Fordham and Ohio University.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athlete 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.