PatriotFB Notebook - Week Seven |
Notes from Around the League
THREE PATRIOT LEAGUE CONTESTS AND THE FINAL TWO NON-LEAGUE MATCHUPS OF 2026
• Georgetown at Colgate — Georgetown defeated Colgate for the second time in program history with a 21-17 win in D.C. last season. The Raiders look to bounce back and are 10-0 against the Hoyas in Hamilton, N.Y.
• Lafayette at Bucknell — Both teams are looking for their first Patriot League win in 2026. Last season, Lafayette set a school record for total offense (670 yards) and scored its most points since 1944 in a 62-24 win.
• Villanova at Fordham — The Wildcats and Rams renew a rivalry that has been dormant since 2015. The last time they met, No. 2 Villanova defeated No. 16 Fordham, 14-7, in an FCS Top 25 matchup.
• Patriot League vs. the Ivy League — Holy Cross travels to No. 17/17 Harvard, while No. 4/4 Lehigh meets Cornell in the Patriot League’s final non-League games of the season. The Patriot League is 3-6 against Ivy League opponents this season.
A NEW ERA OF PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL: PATRIOT LEAGUE IN THE POLLS
• AFCA COACHES POLL — Lehigh leads three Patriot League teams in the AFCA Coaches Poll at No. 4 entering Week 7. Lehigh’s 23-game regular-season winning streak is the longest in NCAA Division I and is three wins shy of the Patriot League record. Colgate remained at No. 19 after a bye week, while Richmond slipped to No. 22 following a loss to Fordham.
• STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25 POLL — Lehigh is No. 4 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, the highest ranking for a Patriot League team since Colgate was ranked No. 4 by The Sports Network following Week 1 of the 2004 season (Sept. 7, 2004). The Raiders climbed one spot to No. 22 this week following a bye.
2026 Patriot League Football Standings (as of Oct. 14)
| School |
PL |
PL Pct. |
Overall |
Overall Pct. |
| No. 4/4 Lehigh |
4-0 |
1.000 |
6-0 |
1.000 |
| No. 19/22 Colgate |
3-0 |
1.000 |
4-2 |
.667 |
| No. 22/rv Richmond |
3-1 |
.750 |
5-2 |
.714 |
| Holy Cross |
2-2 |
.500 |
2-4 |
.333 |
| Fordham |
2-2 |
.500 |
2-5 |
.286 |
| Villanova |
1-2 |
.333 |
2-4 |
.333 |
| Georgetown |
1-2 |
.333 |
1-4 |
.200 |
| William & Mary |
1-3 |
.250 |
3-4 |
.429 |
| Lafayette |
0-2 |
.000 |
1-4 |
.200 |
| Bucknell |
0-3 |
.000 |
1-5 |
.167 |
ONLINE SCHEDULE |
ONLINE STATS
MOUNTAIN HAWKS WINNING ON THE GROUND
Through six games, the Mountain Hawks are second in the FCS in rushing offense, averaging 262.5 yards per game, with Luke Yoder (Sr., RB) ranking second in rushing yards per game (135.7) and tied for second in rushing touchdowns (12). Lehigh has been even more dominant on defense, holding opponents to 80.3 rushing yards per game to lead the FCS. Lehigh’s success running the ball and stopping the run has helped extend its regular-season winning streak to 23 games, the second-longest streak in program history and three wins shy of its 26-game streak from 2000 to 2002, the longest in Patriot League history.
| FCS Rank: Rush Offense |
Rush Yds./Game |
| 1. South Dakota State |
291.8 |
| 2. Lehigh |
262.5 |
| 3. Southern Utah |
261.5 |
| FCS Rank: Rush Defense |
Rush Yds./Game |
| 1. Lehigh |
80.3 |
| 2. South Carolina State |
90.7 |
| 3. Elon |
91.7 |
DEFENSE LEADING COLGATE INTO THE POLLS
Colgate enters Week Seven at No. 19 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 22 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. The Raiders’ defense has been a big reason
for their success, ranking among the FCS top 15 in six defensive categories, including first in red zone defense (.421) and second in passes intercepted (10). Christian Magliacano (Jr., LB) is tied for the Patriot League lead in interceptions per game (0.50) and tackles for loss per game (1.58). Tymir Wynn (Sr., DB) is seventh in the nation with 1.50 pass breakups per game, while Trooper Price (Sr., LB) ranks second in the Patriot League and 14th in the FCS in total tackles per game (9.8).
| FCS Category |
Rank (Statistic) |
| Passes intercepted |
2 (10) |
| Team pass efficiency defense |
7 (105.72) |
| Red zone defense |
1 (.421) |
| Rushing defense |
7 (101.0 ypg) |
| Scoring defense |
5 (14.2 ppg) |
| Total defense |
12 (287.5 ypg) |
| |
|
FOUR LEAGUE TEAMS IN FCS TOP 25 FOR TURNOVERS GAINED
Four Patriot League teams rank in the FCS top 25 in turnovers gained entering Week Seven. Lehigh, which is tied with Colgate for second in the FCS with 10 interceptions, is tied for sixth nationally with 14 takeaways. William & Mary has matched the Mountain Hawks with 14 takeaways and ranks eighth in the FCS with seven fumble recoveries, one behind Richmond (eight), which ranks second in the FCS.
| FCS Rank, Team |
Turnovers Gained |
| 6. Lehigh |
14 |
| 6. William & Mary |
14 |
| 15. Colgate |
12 |
| 21. Richmond |
11 |
SPIDERS LEAD FCS IN SACKS WITH TRIO OF LEAGUE’S BEST
Richmond leads the Patriot League and ranks third in the FCS in sacks, averaging 3.29 per game. The unit features the League’s top two sack leaders, both of whom rank in the FCS top 15. Camden Byrd, who ranks second among active FCS career leaders with 25.0 sacks, and teammate Daniel Sellers (Jr., LB) average 1.07 and 0.93 sacks per game, respectively. Lehigh’s Lucas Manderbach (So., DL) ranks third in the League and 45th in the FCS with 0.58 sacks per game.
| FCS Rank, Player (School) |
Sacks per Game |
| 3. Camden Byrd, Richmond |
1.07 |
| 11. Daniel Sellers, Richmond |
0.93 |
| 45. Lucas Manderbach, Lehigh |
0.58 |
FOGLER AMONG FCS LEADERS IN TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS
Colgate’s Matt Fogler (So., WR) ranks fifth in the FCS with six touchdown receptions through six games. The reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year has recorded a touchdown reception in eight of his last 10 games dating to the 2025 season, including an acrobatic fourth-quarter touchdown catch against Harvard in Week Five. Fogler leads Patriot League receivers in receiving yards per game (99.8), ranking sixth in the FCS, and receptions per game (6.3), ranking ninth nationally. Three more Patriot League receivers rank among the FCS top 30 in touchdown receptions.
| FCS Rank, Player (School) |
Receiving TDs |
| 5. Matt Fogler, Colgate |
6 |
| 30. Bryce Allen, Richmond |
4 |
| 30. Lincoln Fisher, Holy Cross |
4 |
| 30. Ty Curran, Holy Cross |
4 |
YODER CLIMBING PATRIOT LEAGUE CAREER CHARTS
Lehigh RB Luke Yoder leads the Patriot League and ranks fifth in the FCS in rushing yards, with 814 through six games. The reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year is climbing the League’s career rushing charts. Against Penn, Yoder passed former Lehigh standout Rabih Abdullah (3,686 rushing yards) for 10th among Patriot League career rushing leaders. Yoder has 3,881 career rushing yards, ranking second among active FCS players behind Montana’s Eli Gilman. Yoder’s 12 rushing touchdowns are tied for second in the FCS this season, while his 42 career rushing touchdowns rank ninth in Patriot League history and third among active FCS players.
| Patriot League Rank, Player (School) |
Career Rushing Yards |
| 8. Dom Bragalone, Lehigh (2015-18) |
4,324 |
| 9. Jamaal Branch, Colgate (2000-04) |
4,108 |
| 10. Luke Yoder, Lehigh (2023-present) |
3,881 |
| Patriot League Rank, Player (School) |
Career Rushing TDs |
| 7. Dom Bragalone, Lehigh (2015-18) |
46 |
| 8. Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross (2021-24) |
44 |
| 9. Luke Yoder, Lehigh (2023-present) |
42 |
THREE AMONG ACTIVE INTERCEPTIONS LEADERS
Three Patriot League players rank among the FCS active career leaders in interceptions. Colgate’s Tymir Wynn (Sr., DB) leads the group with eight, including two this season. Lehigh’s Nick Peltekian (5th, DB) and Georgetown’s Wedner Cadet (Gr., DB) are also among the active FCS leaders. Cadet, who led the Patriot League with five interceptions as a rookie in 2022, has been limited to 13 games because of injuries since then. In his 2026 season debut against Bucknell in Week Six, Cadet recorded two interceptions, including a game-sealing pick late in the fourth quarter to help the Hoyas secure the win.
| FCS Rank, Player (School) |
Career Interceptions |
| 4. Tymir Wynn, Colgate |
8 |
| 14. Wedner Cadet, Georgetown |
7 |
| 14. Nick Peltekian, Lehigh |
7 |
EIGHT NAMED CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS
Eight Patriot League football student-athletes were selected among a record 206 semifinalists, including 45 from the FCS, for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented annually to college football’s premier scholar-athlete. The Patriot League’s eight semifinalists matched the Ivy League’s total, tying for the highest number in the FCS. Now in its 37th year, the Campbell Trophy is regarded as the “Academic Heisman” and recognizes the nation’s top football scholar-athlete for academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
Patriot League Semifinalists
Sam Milligan (Bucknell); Luke Vogeler (Colgate); Gunnar Smith (Fordham); Chigozie Oge-Evans (Georgetown); Spencer Adams (Lafayette); DJ Brown (Lehigh); Carter Glassmyer (Richmond); Sean McElwain (William & Mary)
PATRIOT LEAGUE LONGEST PLAYS OF 2026
Lafayette’s Jakyre Henley recorded the League’s two longest touchdown runs of the season, scoring from 74 and 72 yards, in the Leopards’ 40-31 loss to Richmond in Week Five. Lafayette’s Christian Bush added the League’s longest punt of the year at 70 yards. Georgetown’s Hassan Mahasin joined the Patriot League’s longest-play list in Week Four with a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown in the Hoyas’ loss to Columbia. Mahasin also has a 71-yard touchdown reception against Richmond this season, the fourth-longest pass play in the League.
| Category |
Player (Team), Yards |
| Pass play |
J. Stearney to M. Fogler (GATE), 85 |
| Rush |
Jakyre Henley (LAF), 74 |
| Field goal |
Max Lipinski (W&M), 51 |
| Punt |
Christian Bush (LAF), 70 |
| Punt return |
Hassan Mahasin (GU), 71 |
| Kick return |
Kameron Vance (LAF), 48 |
| Interception return |
Nate Olson (BUCK), 77 |
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.