PatriotFB Notebook - Week Five (.PDF)

PATRIOT LEAGUE VS. WEEK FIVE OPPONENTS
•TROPHY GAMES IN NYC! Fordham hosts Holy Cross in the 63rd meeting for the Ram-Crusader Cup at 1 p.m., and Georgetown travels to Columbia for the 10th meeting for the Lou Little Trophy at noon, both on ESPN+.
•Patriot League vs. Ivy League Play Continues: The Hoyas and Lions are one of three meetings between Patriot and Ivy League teams on Saturday. Lehigh hosts Penn (Noon) and Lafayette welcomes Princeton (3:30 p.m.). The Patriot and Ivy League meet 12 times this season.
•Richmond welcomes Howard in the third meeting between the two programs at 2 p.m. The Spiders won both previous matchups, with the most recent a 38-14 win over the Bison in 2021.
•Bucknell and Saint Francis play for the first time in program history. The Bison will also celebrate the team’s 20 seniors.
 
LEHIGH SELECTED AS THE STATS PERFORM FCS NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK
No. 9/10 Lehigh was named the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week when honors were announced on Monday after downing Bucknell, 41-24, to avenge its only 2024 League loss. The Mountain Hawks improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2013 behind an offense that rushed for 323 yards, behind 100-yard performances from Jr. RB Luke Yoder (174) and So.  RB Jaden Green (127). It was the first time Lehigh has had two 100-yard rushers in a game since RB Dom Bragalone and QB Nick Shafnisky accomplished the feat since Oct. 29, 2016 in a 58-37 win vs. Fordham. Lehigh’s defense also posted six sacks.
 
2025 Patriot League Football Standings (as of September 24)

School	PL	PL Pct.	Overall	Overall Pct.
No. 9/10 Lehigh	2-0	1.000	4-0	1.000
Rv Lafayette	1-0	1.000	3-1	.750
Colgate	1-0	1.000	1-3	.250
Holy Cross	0-0	.000	0-4	.000
Bucknell	0-1	.000	2-2	.500
Georgetown	0-1	.000	2-2	.500
Rv/rv Richmond	0-1	.000	2-2	.500
Fordham	0-1	.000	0-4	.333

ONLINE SCHEDULE | ONLINE STATS
 
LEHIGH RANKED NO. 9 IN AFCA AND NO. 10 IN STATS PERFORM POLLS; RICHMOND AND LAFAYETTE RECEIVING VOTES
The Mountain Hawks climbed one spot to No. 9 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and remained No. 10 in the Stats Perform Poll after a 41-24 victory at Bucknell in Week Four to improve to 2-0 in League play. Richmond is receiving votes in both polls after defeating VMI, 38-14, on Saturday night and Lafayette is receiving votes in the AFCA coaches’ poll after a 38-14 victory over defending Ivy League tri-champion Columbia on Friday night.
 
SEVEN NAMED CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS
Seven Patriot League football student-athletes were selected among the 177 semifinalists, 44 from the FCS, for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented annually to college football’s top scholar-athlete. This is the 36th year the Campbell Trophy, regarded as the “Academic Heisman”, has been awarded to recognize the best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. 
Patriot League Semifinalists
John Ohnegian, Bucknell
Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate
James Conway, Fordham
Cam Nolan, Holy Cross
Phillip Peiffer, Lafayette
Brycen Edwards, Lehigh
Scott Hummel, Richmond
 
EDWARDS, YODER, GREEN AMONG FCS RUSHING LEADERS
Lafayette Jr. RB Kente Edwards’ breakout season continues, earning his third straight Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honor after rushing for 150 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-14 win vs. Columbia on Sept. 19. Lehigh’s running back duo of Luke Yoder (Jr.) and Jaden Green (So.) are second and third in the League and 13th and 20th, respectively, in the FCS in rushing yads per game. Yoder rushed for 174 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, while Green carried 16 times for 128 yards and three TDs in a 41-24 win vs. Bucknell on Sept. 20. It was the first time two Lehigh players topped 100 rushing yards since RB Dom Bragalone and QB Nick Shafnisky accomplished the feat in 2016. Georgetown So. RB Savion Hart is 39th in the FCS, averaging 72.5 yards per game.
Rk. Name, School, Rush yds.
1. Kente Edwards, Lafayette, 559
9. Luke Yoder, Lehigh, 413
14. Jaden Green, Lehigh, 355
28. Savion Hart, Georgetown, 290
 
SAUNDERS AND MILLIGAN AMONG FCS RECEVING LEADERS
Colgate Sr. WR Treyvhon Saunders continues to flourish, catching nine passes for 126 yards and a TD in a 44-21 win vs. Fordham (Sept. 20). He became the Raiders’ career receptions leader, moving to No. 7 in Patriot League history (223). The Columbus, Ohio native leads the FCS in receptions per game (10.8), receiving yards per game (147.8) and is eighth in touchdown receptions (4). Saunders has topped 100 receiving yards in his first four games and was the first League receiver since Lehigh’s Troy Pelletier (2015) to post three straight games with double-digit receptions for 100 yards or more. Bucknell Jr. WR Sam Milligan is sixth in the FCS in receiving yards per game (107.3) and fourth in receiving touchdowns (5).
Rk. Name, School, Rec. Yds./gm.       
1. Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, 147.8
2. Josh Derry, Monmouth, 133.8
3. Nico Brown, Yale, 119.0
4. Xayvion Noland, UTRGV, 117.5
5. Jalen Jones, Alabama St., 108.0
6. Sam Milligan, Bucknell, 107.3
 
MILLIGAN CATCHES RECORD FOUR TDS FROM RUCKER IV
Bucknell Jr. WR Sam Milligan matched a Patriot League single-game record with four touchdown receptions from 5th-year QB Ralph Rucker IV in the Bison’s 35-28 victory against VMI. Milligan is the 12th League player to register four touchdown catches in a single game, with Holy Cross’ Justin Shorter and Fordham’s Fotis Kokosioulis most recently accomplishing the feat in 2024.
 
FORDHAM’S CONWAY BUILDING ON LEAGUE TACKLES RECORD
Fordham Sr. LB James Conway recorded a season-low four tackles in the Rams’ loss against Colgate in Week Four. The Omaha, Neb. native has recorded 56 tackles in four games to rank third in the FCS with 14.0 tackles per game. He has amassed more than 100 total tackles in three of his four collegiate seasons. He opened the 2025 campaign on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List and is eight tackles shy of becoming the first Patriot League football player to reach 500 tackles.
PATRIOT LEAGUE CAREER TOTAL TACKLE LEADERS
1. James Conway, Fordham (2021-pres.), 492
2. Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross (2019-23), 432
3. Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham (2018-22), 425
3. Lee Picariello, Lehigh (1988-91), 425
3. David Streeter, Holy Cross (1993-96), 425
 
BIG-PLAY BACKS LEADING LEAGUE OFFENSES
Four Patriot League RBs rank among the FCS top 20 in rushing yards per carry. Lafayette’s Edwards, the three-time League offensive player of the week, has scores of 78, 70 and 51 yards this season, helping the Leopards rank seventh in the FCS with 224.5 rushing yards per game and second with 15 rushing touchdowns. Lehigh’s tandem of Luke Yoder and Jaden Green is fifth and seventh, respectively, in yards per carry, helping the Mountain Hawks to the No. 5 rushing offense (234.5) in the FCS. GU’s Hart had TD runs of 69 and 27 yards in a Week One win vs. Davidson, while averaging 6.17 yards per carry to rank 18th in the FCS. 
Rk. Name, School, Yds./Carry
3. Kente Edwards, Lafayette, 8.47
5. Luke Yoder, Lehigh, 7.51
7. Jaden Green, Lehigh, 7.24
18. Savion Hart, Georgetown, 6.17
 
FOUR AMONG FCS TOP 25 INTERCEPTION LEADERS
Georgetown Jr., CB Quincy Briggs and Lehigh So. DB Mekhai Smith have three interceptions apiece to lead the Patriot League and rank tied for ninth in the FCS with 0.75 interceptions per game. The Hoyas’ Bijay Bolden and Colgate’s Tymir Wynn are tied for third in the League and 22nd in the nation with 0.50 INTs per game. Georgetown and Colgate are eighth and 17th, respectively, in the FCS in turnovers gained with eight and seven.
Rk. Name, School, INTs./Gm.
9. Quincy Briggs, Georgetown, 0.75
9. Mekhai Smith, Lehigh, 0.75
22. Tymir Wynn, Colgate, 0.50
22. Bijay Boldin, Georgetown, 0.50
 
DENOBILE AND RUCKER IV CLIMBING COMPLETION PCT. LEADERS
Lafayette Sr. QB Dean DeNobile and Bucknell 5th-year QB Ralph Rucker IV are third and fourth, respectively, among FCS career leaders in completion percentage. DeNobile has completed .654 (452-691) of his pass attempts to rank fourth in Patriot League history. Rucker has completed .654 (527-806) of his passes to rank fifth in League history.
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.), 65.41
5. Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell (2023-pres.), 65.38
 
THREE LEAGUE WR’S AMONG ACTIVE FCS RECEPTIONS LEADERS
Colgate’s Treyvhon Saunders leads all active FCS pass catchers and is seventh in League history with 223 receptions. Saunders is five shy of tying Georgetown’s Joshua Tomas for sixth in League history. Lehigh Sr. WR Geoffrey Jamiel is third among FCS receivers with 180 career receptions, while Lafayette Sr. WR Elijah Steward is ninth with 154.
Rk. Name, School, Receptions
1. Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, 223
3. Geoffrey Jamiel, Lehigh, 180
9. Elijah Steward, Lafayette, 154
 
SPATNY FOURTH AMONG FCS CAREER SACKS LEADERS
Lehigh Sr. DL Matt Spatny, the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, is fourth among active FCS leaders in total sacks with 18.5 into his fourth season in Bethlehem, including 1.0 sack at Bucknell in Week Four. Richmond Jr. DL Camden Byrd is tied for 12th among FCS active leaders with 12.0 sacks. He has 3.0 sacks this season, including 2.0 at Wofford and 1.0 at UNC. Georgetown Jr. DL Cooper Blomstrom and Lehigh Sr. DL T.J. Burke are tied for 18th with 11.0 career sacks.
 
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.