PL title, playoff berth at stake as No. 6 Lehigh hosts Georgetown
11/8/2011 3:57:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Patriot League's automatic berth in the NCAA FCS Playoffs is on the line at Goodman Stadium as No. 6/6 Lehigh hosts upstart Georgetown Saturday afternoon. The Mountain Hawks needed a second half rally and a superb defensive effort to top Holy Cross 14-7 last week and can win their league-best tenth Patriot League Championship with a win on Saturday.
Georgetown is enjoying its best season in recent memory with an 8-2 overall mark and a 3-1 Patriot League record. The Hoyas have won five straight games including three consecutive wins over league opponents and boast the league's No. 2 rush offense and No. 2 rush defense. Georgetown also has the Patriot League leader in tackles, linebacker Robert McCabe and its leader in sacks in defensive end Andrew Schaetzke. Schaetzke was named recently named to the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS.
The winner of Saturday's game will capture at least a share of the Patriot League Championship and will earn the league's automatic berth to the NCAA FCS Playoffs. The game features an interesting contrast as Lehigh has won the a league-best nine championships and owns the most Patriot League wins in the league's 25-year history, while Georgetown joined the league in 2001 and won a total of eight league games in ten seasons prior to this year. The Hoyas are the only current league member that has not captured a league title.
Lehigh's high-powered passing attack carried the Mountain Hawks through their first seven games, but Lehigh's ground game has come to life over the last month. Three of Lehigh's top four rushing games this season have come in its last three outings. The Mountain Hawks rushed for a season-high 268 yards at Colgate and attempted a season-high 43 rushes last week versus Holy Cross. As a team Lehigh is averaging 4.1 yards per rush with 12 rushing touchdowns this season.Senior linebacker Mike Groome enjoyed his best all-around game this season in the win over Holy Cross and was rewarded with Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors. Groome led the Mountain Hawks with 13 tackles, and added a critical third quarter sack, plus a fourth quarter interception, which he returned 59 yards to the Crusader 15 yard line. A preseason All-American and the league's Preseason Player of the Year, Groome leads the Mountain Hawks with 78 tackles and has a team best four interceptions.
Lehigh and Georgetown meet for the 17th time on Saturday with the Mountain Hawks leading the series 11-5. Lehigh has won the last ten meetings, including a Patriot League-title clinching 24-7 win last year in Washington, D.C. The Brown and White met the Hoyas for the first time in 1901 and the teams did not meet between 1926 and 2001.
Saturday's game kicks off just after 12:30 at Goodman Stadium. Tickets for the game are still available, and may be purchased in one of three ways: by visiting the Lehigh ticket office located in Grace Hall, by calling (610) 7LU-GAME, or on-line anytime at Lehighsports.com.
|
Date:
|
November 12, 2011
|
|
Opponent:
|
Georgetown Howas
|
|
Kickoff:
|
12:37 p.m.
|
|
Stadium:
|
Goodman Stadium/16,000/Natural Grass
|
|
Location:
|
Bethlehem, Pa.
|
|
Tickets:
|
Tickets can be purchased by calling (610) 7LU-GAME, or on-line via the link above
|
|
Lehigh's Record:
|
8-1 overall, 3-0 Patriot League
|
|
Georgetown's Record
|
8-2 overall, 3-1 Patriot League
|
|
Series:
|
Lehigh leads 11-5
|
|
Television
|
Service Electric 2 Sports live with Mike Zambelli, Mike Yadush '93 and Al DiCarlo
|
|
Radio
|
ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 AM with Matt Kerr, Kody Fedorcha '00, and Matt Markus beginning at 11:30 a.m.
|
|
Internet Broadcast:
|
Lehighsports.com
|
|
Key Stats:
|
• Lehigh leads the nation in total offense (480.2 ypg) and ranks third in passing offense.
•The Mountain Hawks and Hoyas are the top two teams in the Patriot League in both scoring offense (LU 1st, GU 2nd) and scoring defense (GU 1st, LU T-2nd).
•Chris Lum failed to throw a touchdown pass against Holy Cross, snapping a streak of 11 straight games with a touchdown pass. Prior to last week, the last time Lum failed to throw a touchdown pass was last season at Georgetown.
|
|
Behind Enemy Lines:
|
MHT EP6 - Football
Thursday, November 20
Brown & Flight - Episode 4
Friday, November 14
Football Blitz
Friday, October 31
Brown & Flight 2025 - Episode 3
Friday, October 17
