PatriotFB Notebook (.PDF)

PATRIOT LEAGUE GAMES THIS WEEK
•Patriot League Play Continues: Saturday features three Patriot League games on ESPN+, beginning at noon.
•Georgetown puts a two-game win streak on the line at Bucknell, which has lost its last two games without reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Ralph Rucker IV (5th, QB).
•Lehigh aims to extend its 12-game regular-season win streak, the longest in the FCS, against Fordham, which has won eight of the last 11 meetings vs. the Mountain Hawks.
•Holy Cross looks to stay in the hunt for its seventh straight League title against a Colgate squad looking to bounce back from two straight League losses.
 
LEHIGH RANKED NO. 7 IN FCS TOP COMMITTEE RANKINGS
Lehigh ranked No. 7 in the initial FCS Top 10 Committee Rankings when it was released on Oct. 15. The Mountain Hawks also remained No. 7 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and Stats Perform Top 25 after their bye week. Lehigh is one of eight undefeated teams remaining in the FCS.
 
FORDHAM’S JAMES CONWAY CLOSING IN ON FCS CAREER TACKLES RECORD
Fordham Sr. LB James Conway registered 17 tackles in the Rams’ loss vs. Dartmouth (Oct. 18), bringing him within 11 tackles of matching Illinois State’s Boomer Grigsby for the FCS career tackles record. Conway, the Patriot League career tackles leader, became the first League student-athlete to surpass 500 total tackles and just the fifth FCS player since 2000 to eclipse the milestone. He has recorded 103 tackles in seven games to lead the FCS with 14.7 tackles per game. He has amassed more than 100 total tackles in four of his five collegiate seasons. He opened the 2025 campaign on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. Conway earned Stats Perform National FCS Defensive Player of the Week for his 19-tackle performance vs. Holy Cross (Sept. 27).
FCS CAREER TOTAL TACKLE LEADERS (since 2000)               
1. Boomer Grigsby, Illinois State (2001-04), 550
2. James Conway, Fordham (2021-pres.), 539
 
2025 Patriot League Football Standings (as of October 23)

School	PL	PL Pct.	Overall	Overall Pct.
Lafayette	3-0	1.000	5-3	.625
No. 7/7 Lehigh	2-0	1.000	7-0	1.000
Georgetown	1-1	.500	4-3	.571
Holy Cross	1-1	.500	1-6	.143
Bucknell	1-2	.333	4-4	.500
Colgate	1-2	.333	2-5	.286
Fordham	1-2	.333	1-6	.143
Richmond	1-3	.250	4-4	.500

ONLINE SCHEDULE | ONLINE STATS
 
FORDHAM’S CONWAY NAMED CAMPBELL TROPHY FINALIST
Fordham Sr. LB James Conway was selected as one of the 16 finalists for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented annually to college football’s premier scholar-athlete for his combination of academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Conway earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing Information Systems with a 3.71 GPA and is pursuing his master’s degree in artificial intelligence in business. The graduate student linebacker is 11 tackles shy of breaking the FCS career tackles record and 38 away from the NCAA DI record. He joins Austin Peay’s Chandler Kirton (OL) as one of two FCS finalists for the Campbell Trophy. Since 2022, three Patriot League football student-athletes have been selected as Campbell Trophy finalists, including Fordham’s Ryan Greenhagen (2022) and Holy Cross’ Peter Oliver (2022) and Jacob Dobbs (2023).
 
YODER, EDWARDS, GREEN AMONG FCS RUSHING LEADERS
Lehigh’s running backs Luke Yoder (Jr.) and Jaden Green (So.) are first and third in the League and seventh and 30th in the FCS in rushing yards through eight weeks. Yoder has rushed for 761 yards in seven games, while Green has totaled 536 rushing yards. The duo has led the Mountain Hawks to the sixth-ranked rushing offense (236.4) in the FCS. Lafayette Jr. RB Kente Edwards, a three-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week, missed two games, but still ranks 18th in the FCS with 626 rushing yards. He is seventh in the nation with 10 rushing touchdowns. Edwards posted three straight weeks with three or more rushing scores. Lafayette Jr. RB Ethan Weber is fourth in the PL and 46th in the FCS with 484 yards.
Rk. Name, School, Rush yds.
4. Luke Yoder, Lehigh, 761
18. Kente Edwards, Lafayette, 626
30. Jaden Green, Lehigh, 536
46. Ethan Weber, Lafayette, 484
 
FIVE LEAGUE RECEIVERS AMONG FCS TOP 25
Bucknell Jr. WR Sam Milligan leads the Patriot League and is fourth among FCS receiving yards leaders with 718 yards through eight weeks. Milligan has three 100-yard games this season, including an 11-catch, 133-yard performance vs. Lafayette (Oct. 11). Colgate Sr. WR Treyvhon Saunders still ranks fifth among FCS receiving yards leaders despite an early injury vs. Richmond in Week Seven. Lehigh Sr. WR Geoffrey Jamiel has three straight 100-yard receiving performances, including a career-high 182 against Columbia in Week Seven. Georgetown Sr. WR Jimmy Kibble has consecutive 100-yard games, including a season-high 141 yards in a win over Colgate in Week Eight. Bucknell Jr. WR TJ Cadden rounds out the League’s top five, to rank 22nd in the FCS.
Rk. Name, School, Rec. Yds.         
4. Sam Milligan, Bucknell, 640
5. Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, 700
7. Geoffrey Jamiel, Lehigh, 639
14. Jimmy Kibble, Georgetown, 605
22. TJ Cadden, Bucknell, 563
 
DENOBILE, SMITH, RUCKER AMONG FCS PASSING LEADERS
Three Patriot League QBs rank among the FCS top 30 in passing yards through eight weeks. Lafayette Sr. QB Dean DeNobile’s consecutive 300-yard passing performances in Week Six and Seven place him ninth in the FCS with 1,777 passing yards. Fordham Jr. QB Gunnar Smith threw for 238 yards in his last outing vs. Dartmouth in Week Seven, ranking 10th in the FCS, while Bucknell’s Rucker, the League’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year, is 27th in the nation with 1,510 passing yards despite missing the Bison’s last two games.
Rk. Name, School, Passing Yds.
9. Dean DeNobile, Lafayette, 1,777
11. Gunnar Smith, Fordham, 1,518
13. Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, 1,510
 
BRIGGS AND SMITH AMONG FCS INTERCEPTION LEADERS
Georgetown Jr., CB Quincy Briggs and Lehigh So. DB Mekhai Smith have four interceptions apiece to lead the Patriot League. Briggs and Smith are tied for fifth in the FCS in interceptions per game with 0.57. Four more League players, including Georgetown’s Bijay Boldin (0.40) and Colgate’s Trooper Price (0.29), Justyn Toler (0.29) and Tymir Wynn (0.29) rank inside the FCS top 50. Colgate is third in the FCS with 10 interceptions, while Lehigh and Georgetown are tied for 10th with eight.
Rk. Name, School, INTs./Gm.
5. Quincy Briggs, Georgetown, 0.57
5. Mekhai Smith, Lehigh, 0.57
 
LEHIGH AND LAFAYETTE RANKED IN FCS SCORING TOP 30
Lehigh (33.0) and Lafayette (32.0) are 25th and 28th, respectively, in the FCS in scoring offense. The Leopards’ 62 points vs. Bucknell in Week Seven were their highest single-game total since 1944. The Leopards and Mountain Hawks possess two of the best rushing attacks in the nation, with Lehigh ranking sixth in rushing offense (236.4), with 18 of its 30 TDs coming on the ground. Lafayette has also been impressive on the ground, ranking 24th in the FCS in rushing offense (192.8) and fifth in the FCS with 22 rushing touchdowns.
 
DENOBILE AND RUCKER IV ARE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE
Lafayette Sr. QB Dean DeNobile and Bucknell 5th-year QB Ralph Rucker IV are third and fourth, respectively, among current FCS career leaders in completion percentage. DeNobile has completed .655 (548-837) of his pass attempts to rank fourth in Patriot League history. Rucker has completed .654 (566-866) of his passes to rank fifth in League history. Rucker is also ninth among FCS active leaders in passing efficiency (149.67).
Rk. Name, School, Career Comp. Pct.
1. Michael Nebrich, Fordham (2012-14)  68.79
2. Matt Bassuener, Georgetown (2004-07), 67.62
3. Ryan O’Neil, Lafayette (2008-11), 65.60
4. Dean DeNobile, Lafayette (2023-pres.), 65.47
5. Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell (2023-pres.), 65.14
 
THREE LEAGUE WRS ON FCS ACTIVE RECEPTIONS LIST
Colgate’s Treyvhon Saunders leads all active FCS pass catchers and is fifth in League history with 230 receptions, two shy of Lehigh’s Ryan Spadola for fourth in the League record book. Lehigh Sr. WR Geoffrey Jamiel is third among FCS receivers with 197 career receptions, while Lafayette Sr. WR Elijah Steward is tied for seventh with 176.
Rk. Name, School, Receptions
1. Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, 230
3. Geoffrey Jamiel, Lehigh, 197
7. Elijah Steward, Lafayette, 176
 
SPATNY THIRD AMONG FCS CAREER SACKS LEADERS
Lehigh Sr. DL Matt Spatny, the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, is third among active FCS leaders in total sacks with 21.5 in four seasons in Bethlehem, including 2.0 sacks vs. Columbia in Week Seven. Richmond Jr. DL Camden Byrd is 12th among FCS active leaders with 13.5 sacks. Spatny (5 sacks) and Byrd (4.5 sacks) are second and third, respectively, in the League this season. 
 
LEHIGH’S GARRIDO, RICHMOND’S ALSHESKIE PERFECT IN 2025
Lehigh Sr. PK Nick Garrido has been automatic for the Mountain Hawks through seven games. Garrido has connected on all seven field-goal attempts to rank tied for first in the FCS in field-goal percentage. He is also 30-for-30 on PATs. Garrido ranks third among active FCS placekickers, making 84.0 percent (21-of-25) of his career field-goal attempts. Richmond Sr. PK Jayden Alsheskie is 7-for-7 on field-goal attempts in eight games. Prior to 2025, Alsheskie only saw action in 2023, making a pair of PATs.
 
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 who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.