PatriotFB Notebook - Week Five  | Notes from Around the League
 
THREE PATRIOT LEAGUE CONTESTS, TWO IVY LEAGUE AND ONE MEAC MEETING IN WEEK FIVE
•Fordham at Lehigh - Lehigh puts a 22-game regular-season winning streak on the line against Fordham in a matchup featuring two of the League’s best rushing attacks. The Mountain Hawks are first in the League and third in the FCS in rushing offense (267.0), while the Rams are third in the League and 48th in the FCS (160.6).
•Richmond at Lafayette - The Spiders travel to Lafayette in search of their first win against the Leopards. Lafayette holds a 4-0 series advantage, including a 35-28 win at Richmond last season in their first matchup as League opponents.
•Holy Cross at William & Mary - The Crusaders and the Tribe meet for the first time since 1987 and the first time as League rivals. Holy Cross is coming off its highest offensive output of the season, while W&M looks to snap a three-game slide.
•Patriot League vs. The Ivy League - Georgetown hosts Cornell and Colgate travels to Harvard in two of the 11 games between Patriot League and Ivy League teams this season. The Patriot League trails the 2026 series, 4-3.
•Patriot League vs. MEAC - Villanova hosts Morgan State in one of four games between Patriot League and MEAC teams. The Patriot League leads the series, 2-0, and is 8-5 against non-League FCS opponents in 2026.
 
EIGHT NAMED CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS
Eight Patriot League football student-athletes were selected among the record 206 semifinalists (45 from the FCS) for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented annually to college football’s premier scholar-athlete. This is the 37th 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
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)
 
A NEW ERA OF PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL: PATRIOT LEAGUE IN THE POLLS
•AFCA Coaches Poll -  Three Patriot League teams remain in AFCA Coaches Poll entering Week Five. Lehigh climbed to No. 6 after a 20-7 win over Penn. Richmond jumped two spots to No. 17 with a dominant defensive performance in a 13-9 win over Furman and Colgate moved up three spots to No. 20 after a 28-21 win over then-No. 22 Villanova.
•Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll - Lehigh remained No. 6 in the Stats Perform Poll. Colgate entered the poll for the first time since 2019 at No. 22, with Richmond joining at No. 24.
 
2026 Patriot League Football Standings (as of Sept. 30)

School	PL	PL Pct.	Overall	Overall Pct.
No. 6/6 Lehigh	3-0	1.000	5-0	1.000
No. 20/22 Colgate	3-0	1.000	4-1	.800
No. 17/24 Richmond	2-0	1.000	4-1	.800
Fordham	1-1	.500	1-4	.200
RV/RV Villanova	1-2	.333	2-3	.400
RV William & Mary	1-2	.333	2-3	.400
Holy Cross	1-2	.333	1-4	.200
Lafayette	0-1	.000	1-3	.250
Bucknell	0-2	.000	1-4	.200
Georgetown	0-2	.000	0-3	.000

ONLINE SCHEDULE | ONLINE STATS
 
MOUNTAIN HAWKS WINNING ON THE GROUND
Through five games, the Mountain Hawks are third in the FCS in rushing offense, averaging 267.0 yards per game, with Luke Yoder (Sr., RB) ranking fifth in rushing yards per game (128.6) and first in rushing touchdowns (11). Lehigh has been just as dominant on defense, holding opponents to 89.6 rushing yards per game to rank sixth in the FCS. Lehigh’s success running the ball and stopping the run has helped push their regular-season win streak to 22 games, the second-longest streak in program history and four shy of its 26-game regular-season win streak from 2000 to 2002, the longest in Patriot League history.
Rk. FCS Rush Offense, Rush Yds./Gm.
1. South Dakota State, 302.4
2. South Carolina State, 280.6
3. Lehigh, 267.0
Rk. FCS Rush Defense, Rush Yds./Gm.
1. South Carolina State, 57.8
2. Harvard, 71.0
3. Brown, 78.0
4. Jackson St. , 84.0
5. Illinois State, 88.6
6. Lehigh, 89.6
 
DEFENSE LEADING COLGATE INTO THE POLLS
Colgate enters Week Five at No. 22 in the AFCA Poll and No. 24 in the Stats Perform Poll, making both polls for the first time since the 2019 preseason polls. The Raiders’ defense has been a big reason, ranking among the FCS top 20 in seven defensive categories, including first in interceptions (9) and red zone defense (.429). Jr. LB Christian Magliacano (0.60 int/gm) and Jr. DB Reece Allan (0.40 int/gm) are first and second in the Patriot League and among the FCS top 30 in interceptions per game. Magliacano is 18th in TFLs per game at 1.40, while Trooper Price is 33rd in total tackles (9.0 tpg).
FCS Category, FCS Rank (Stats)
Passes Intercepted, 1 (9)
Team Pass Efficiency Defense, 4 (89.88)
Passing Defense, 13 (156.0 ypg)
Red Zone Defense, 1 (0.429)
Rushing Defense, 13 (102.6 ypg)
Scoring Defense, 5 (13.0 ppg)
Total Defense, 5 (258.6 ypg)
 
THREE LEAGUE TEAMS IN FCS TURNOVER MARGIN TOP 10
Three Patriot League teams rank among the FCS top 10 in turnover margin through five weeks. Georgetown is No. 6 in the FCS with a +1.33 turnover margin, gaining five turnovers and giving the ball up just once in three games. Lehigh and William & Mary are tied for ninth at  +1.00. The Tribe is seventh in the FCS with 11 takeaways, including five fumbles recovered. The Mountain Hawks have nine takeaways and rank fifth in the FCS with seven interceptions, while leading the FCS with zero interceptions thrown.
 
SPIDERS FCS SACKS LEADERS WITH TRIO OF LEAGUE’S BEST
Richmond leads the Patriot League and is third in the FCS in sacks, averaging 3.80 sacks per game with a unit that features two of the top five in the FCS and three of the top four in the Patriot League. Camden Byrd, who is second among active FCS career leaders with 23.0 sacks, is tied with teammate Daniel Sellers (Jr., LB) for fifth in the FCS this season, with 1.10 sacks per game. TJ Baldwin (Sr., DL) is tied for fourth in the League with 0.60 sacks per game.
FCS Rk. Name, School, Sacks Per Game
5. Camden Byrd, Richmond , 1.10
5. Daniel Sellers, Richmond, 1.10
32. Chigozie Oge-Evans, Georgetown, 0.67
48. TJ Baldwin, Richmond, 0.60
48. Nathaniel McDonald, William & Mary, 0.60
48. Andrew Osmun, Fordham, 0.60
 
FOGLER AMONG FCS TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS LEADERS
Colgate’s Matt Fogler (So., WR) is fourth in the FCS with five touchdown receptions through five games. The reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year caught an 85-yard touchdown pass on the Raiders’ second play from scrimmage in a 20-7 win over Cornell. He also caught three touchdown passes, including a 64-yard reception, in a  win over Holy Cross in Week One. He leads a group of seven Patriot League receivers who rank in the FCS top 30 in touchdown receptions.
Rk. Name, School, Rec. TDs
4. Matt Fogler, Colgate, 5
9. Lincoln Fisher, Holy Cross, 4
29. Bryce Allen, Richmond, 3
29. Sam Milligan, Bucknell, 3
29. Nick Palumbo, Lehigh, 3
29. Ja’briel Mace, Villanova, 3
29. Braden Reed, Villanova, 3
 
YODER CLIMBING PATRIOT LEAGUE CAREER CHARTS
Lehigh RB Luke Yoder leads the Patriot League and is third in the FCS in rushing yards with 643 yards through five games, behind Southern Utah’s Floyd Chalk (708) and Montana’s Eli Gilman (684). The reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year is climbing Patriot League career leaders lists in several rushing categories. Against Penn, Yoder passed former Lehigh star Rabih Abdullah (3,686 rush yds) for 10th among League career rushers, giving him 3,710, second behind Gilman among active FCS rushers. Yoder’s 11 rushing touchdowns lead the FCS this season, while his 41 career rushing touchdowns is ninth in League history.
PL Rk. Name, School, Career rush yds
8.Dom Bragalone, Lehigh (2015-18), 4,324
9.Jamaal Branch, Colgate (2000-04), 4,108
10. Luke Yoder, Lehigh (2023-pres.), 3,710
PL Rk. Name, School, Career rushing TDs
7.Dom Bragalone, Lehigh (2015-18), 46
8. Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross (2021-24), 44
9. Luke Yoder, Lehigh (2023-pres.), 41
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE LONGEST PLAYS OF 2026
Georgetown’s Hassan Mahasin joined the Patriot League’s longest-play club 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 in the League. In Week Three, Colgate’s Jake Stearney (Sr., QB) threw an 85-yard touchdown pass to Matt Fogler (So., WR) on the Raiders’ second play from scrimmage in a win over Cornell for the longest play in the League this season.
Category, Player(Team), Yards
Pass Play, J. Stearney to M. Fogler (GATE), 85
Rush, Andrew King (W&M), 67
Field Goal, Max Lipinski (W&M), 51
Punt, Josh Leff (GU), 69
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.