Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh University
Central Connecticut State
Mountain Hawks set to kick off 2013 campaign Saturday vs. CCSU
9/3/2013 11:46:00 AM | Football
Game Notes | Broadcast Info | Buy Tickets
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 130th season of Lehigh football begins Saturday at Goodman Stadium as the Mountain Hawks host the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut State. Lehigh is coming off a 10-1 season in 2012, the program's third-straight ten-win campaign. The Mountain Hawks will be looking to return to the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the third time in four years. Lehigh returns a pair of All-Patriot League performers in linebacker Nigel Muhammad and offensive tackle Ned Daryoush but the Mountain Hawks will have to break in a new starting quarterback.
Â
Lehigh was picked second in the Patriot League preseason poll, and the Mountain Hawks enter their first game of 2013 ranked 19th by the FCS Coaches and 23rd by the Sports Network.
Â
Central Connecticut State will play its second game of the season Saturday. The Blue Devils opened with a 38-14 loss at James Madison last week. CCSU was picked to finish sixth in the Northeast Conference after a 2-8 campaign in 2012. The Blue Devils are led by preseason All-NEC running back Rob Hollomon who eclipsed the 1,000 yard rushing mark last season.
Â
Lehigh returns just two of the 11 players named to last season's All-Patriot League teams. Junior offensive tackle Ned Daryoush and senior outside linebacker Nigel Muhammad were named to the All-League second team at the end of last season. Both players were named to the preseason All-Patriot League team in late July. Daryoush is expected to make his 12th straight start at left tackle, the longest active streak among Lehigh linemen. Muhammad, Lehigh's top returning tackler from a year ago will man his strongside outside linebacker position.
Â
One key position where Lehigh will break in a new starter is at quarterback. None of the five quarterbacks on the Mountain Hawks' roster have thrown a pass in a college game. Senior Brandon Bialkowski is the projected starter. Bialkowski, a lefty out of Arizona with an accurate arm served as the backup to All-Patriot League performer Mike Colvin a year ago and was third string behind Colvin and Walter Payton Award runner-up Chris Lum in 2011. He made his varsity debut in mop-up duty at the end of the 2011 Lehigh-Lafayette game and appeared in ten games last year, primarily as a holder. Bialkowski has not attempted a pass, but did rush once for four yards at CCSU last season. Projected backup Matt McHale, a junior, is the only other Lehigh signal-caller with on-field experience. He appeared in four games as a special-teamer last season.
Â
One of the keys for Lehigh's success over the last three seasons has been its ability to win close games. Since the start of the 2010 season, the Mountain Hawks are 12-1 in games decided by seven points or less and 9-0 in games decided by a field goal or less. In Andy Coen's first four seasons, Lehigh was just 4-14 in games decided by seven points or less. Half of Lehigh's ten wins in 2012 were by a field goal or less.
Â
Lehigh has an 81-42-6 all-time record in its season-opening contests. The Mountain Hawks are 4-3 in season openers under Andy Coen with wins over Drake in 2008 and 2010 and Monmouth in 2011 and 2012. Lehigh is opening against Central Connecticut for the second time, and the first since 2009. Home openers have not been kind to Lehigh under coach Andy Coen. The Mountain Hawks are just 2-5 in home openers since 2006.
Â
Saturday's game kicks off just after 12:30 on Community Day 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 Stabler Arena, by calling (610) 7LU-GAME, or on-line anytime at LehighTickets.com.
| Date: | September 7, 2013 |
| Opponent: | Central Connecticut State Blue Devils |
| 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: | 0-0 overall, 0-0 Patriot League |
| CCSU's Record: | 0-1 overall, 0-0 Northeast Conference |
| Series: | Lehigh leads 2-1 |
| Television | Service Electric 2 Sports live with Steve Degler, Mike Yadush '93 and Al DiCarlo |
| Radio | ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 AM with Matt Kerr, Kody Fedorcha '00, Tom Fallon, and Matt Markus beginning at 11:30 a.m. |
| Internet Broadcast: |
Video on the Patriot League Network Audio at Lehighsports.com and ESPNLV.com |
| Key Stats: |
• Lehigh is the only FCS program to win at least 10 games in each of the last three seasons. •The Mountain Hawks own a 31-6 record over the last three seasons and have won 19 of their last 20 regular season games. •Lehigh ranked in the top ten nationally in sacks for and fewest sacks allowed in 2012. |
| Behind Enemy Lines: | http://www.ccsubluedevils.com |
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
