Saturday, October 1
New Haven, Conn.
1:30 PM
Lehigh University
at
Yale
Mountain Hawks seek third straight Ivy win Saturday at Yale
9/27/2016 11:08:00 AM | Football
Game Notes | One World Sports TV | Video | Audio | Live Stats
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – In its final non-league game of the regular season, Lehigh bids for its third straight win over an Ivy League opponent as the Mountain Hawks visit Yale Saturday at the Yale Bowl. The Mountain Hawks used another stellar offensive showing plus three timely interceptions on defense to defeat Princeton 42-28 last weekend. Lehigh gained 621 yards of offense with senior quarterback Nick Shafnisky throwing for 461 yards and four touchdowns. In all, five different players scored touchdowns for the Mountain Hawks against the Tigers. Yale returns home after losing at Cornell last weekend to fall to 0-2 on the season.
Lehigh's offense has kicked into high gear the last two weeks against Ivy League opponents. Lehigh averaged 301.5 yards of total offense in its first two games (both losses) but over the last two weeks, the Mountain Hawks have averaged 584.5 yards of offense in wins over Penn and Princeton. Lehigh's 621 total yards against Princeton were the most for the Mountain Hawks since they racked up 604 in a 69-0 win over Georgetown in 2002. After scoring 21 points in each of its first two games, Lehigh is averaging 45.5 in its last two. The Mountain Hawks' 464 net passing yards against Princeton were the fourth-highest single-game total in school annals.
Shafnisky has enjoyed two of the best games of his career in back-to-back weeks against Penn and Princeton. Against the Quakers, Shafnisky accounted for 388 yards of offense and a career-best six touchdowns. He followed that performance with by setting career-highs with 29 completions and 461 passing yards while tossing four touchdowns in the win over Princeton. The 461 yards marked the third-highest single-game total in school history. Shafnisky is now the two-time reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week and was also named the STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. He currently leads the FCS with a 72.7 completion percentage and ranks in the top 15 nationally in a number of other offensive categories. For the season, Shafnisky has thrown for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns, to just three interceptions and has also rushed for a team-leading five touchdowns. Shafnisky now owns six career 300-yard passing games and a pair of 100-yard rushing games.
In recent years, Lehigh's offensive success has been predicated on its ability to generate big plays, however, through three games, the Mountain Hawks' longest offensive play from scrimmage covered just 30 yards. In Lehigh's win over Princeton, the Mountain Hawks' big play attack came to life with four plays that covered 40 yards or longer as part of a 621 yard offensive day. Nick Shafnisky connected with Troy Pelletier on passes covering 48 and 49 yards, the latter of which set up Lehigh's final touchdown; and hit Gatlin Casey on two long touchdown passes covering 42 and 56 yards.
Creating more turnovers has been a point of emphasis for Lehigh's defense for several years, but the results had not materialized until last week's game with Princeton. The Mountain Hawks had just 13 takeaways in each of the last two seasons, but picked off three passes against the Tigers, giving Lehigh four interceptions through four games. Seniors Colton Caslow and Evan Harvey and junior Tyler Cavenas all collected their first career interceptions. Prior to the Princeton game, the last time Lehigh intercepted three passes in one game was Lehigh's Patriot League Championship-clinching win over Georgetown on Nov. 12, 2011. Offensively, Lehigh did not turn the ball over for the first time this season, as the Mountain Hawks moved from minus-2 to plus-1 in turnover margin.
Yale returns home looking to rebound from an 0-2 start. The Bulldogs opened their season with a 55-13 home loss to Colgate and then dropped their Ivy opener at Cornell 27-13. The Big Red offense jumped on the Yale defense early, building a 24-3 halftime lead. Deshawn Salter scored Yale's lone touchdown against Cornell. Salter tormented the Mountain Hawks last season, rushing for 233 yards and two touchdowns in place of the injured Candler Rich in the Bulldogs' 27-12 win at Goodman Stadium.
Rafe Chapple started Yale's first two games at quarterback before giving way to Tre Moore in the second half of the Cornell game. The Bulldogs return four All-Ivy performers on defense plus linebacker and defensive captain Darius Manora. Yale went 6-4 last season and was picked fourth in the Ivy League Preseason Poll.
Lehigh and Yale have met 23 previous times with the Bulldogs leading the series 17-6. This series has been highlighted by streaks, as Yale won the first 12 meetings and then the Mountain Hawks won the next five. Yale has now won five of the last six games. Andy Coen is just 1-5 versus the Bulldogs.
Yale's home stadium, the Yale Bowl, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2014. At the time of its opening for the 1914 Harvard-Yale game it was the largest athletic venue in the world. Lehigh first played at the Yale Bowl in 1915 and holds a 2-8 record in the venerable venue, with wins in 1994 and 2004. The Mountain Hawks' last visit to the Yale Bowl was rather forgettable. Lehigh led 21-0 with 6:51 left in the opening quarter but the hosts rallied to prevail 54-43 in a shootout that saw the teams combine to gain 1,204 yards of offense. That game marked Nick Shafnisky's first career 300-yard passing day and Troy Pelletier's first 100-yard receiving day.
In recognition of competition between Lehigh University (founded 1865) and Yale University (founded 1701), the lifetime achievements of their graduates, and the generations of families that have attended both universities, the Yank Townsend Trophy is presented to the winner of the Lehigh - Yale football game. Charles Frederick Townsend was the only student from Connecticut to enter the Lehigh Class of 1895, earning the nickname "Yank" He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in architecture and engineering, operated his own firm, Norton & Townsend from 1911-1960, and designed a number of bank buildings and colonial residences. Yank Townsend (1873-1963) was a devotee of Lehigh and Yale athletics, and today a trophy bearing his name is presented to the winner for the fifth time. Yale initially won the trophy in 2006 and successfully retained it twice, before Lehigh captured the trophy for the first time in 2011.
Saturday's game kicks off just after 1:30 p.m. from the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Conn. The game will be televised by One World Sports and streaming video will be available via subscription on the Ivy League Digital Network. Audio of the contest will air on ESPN Radio of the Lehigh Valley as well as ESPNLV.com with pregame coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Lehigh returns to Goodman Stadium on Saturday October 8 to open Patriot League play against defending champion Colgate. The Mountain Hawks will look to avenge a 49-42 loss last year in Hamilton, N.Y. as the Raiders went on to reach the FCS quarterfinals. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. as part of Lehigh's Family Weekend.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – In its final non-league game of the regular season, Lehigh bids for its third straight win over an Ivy League opponent as the Mountain Hawks visit Yale Saturday at the Yale Bowl. The Mountain Hawks used another stellar offensive showing plus three timely interceptions on defense to defeat Princeton 42-28 last weekend. Lehigh gained 621 yards of offense with senior quarterback Nick Shafnisky throwing for 461 yards and four touchdowns. In all, five different players scored touchdowns for the Mountain Hawks against the Tigers. Yale returns home after losing at Cornell last weekend to fall to 0-2 on the season.
Lehigh's offense has kicked into high gear the last two weeks against Ivy League opponents. Lehigh averaged 301.5 yards of total offense in its first two games (both losses) but over the last two weeks, the Mountain Hawks have averaged 584.5 yards of offense in wins over Penn and Princeton. Lehigh's 621 total yards against Princeton were the most for the Mountain Hawks since they racked up 604 in a 69-0 win over Georgetown in 2002. After scoring 21 points in each of its first two games, Lehigh is averaging 45.5 in its last two. The Mountain Hawks' 464 net passing yards against Princeton were the fourth-highest single-game total in school annals.
Shafnisky has enjoyed two of the best games of his career in back-to-back weeks against Penn and Princeton. Against the Quakers, Shafnisky accounted for 388 yards of offense and a career-best six touchdowns. He followed that performance with by setting career-highs with 29 completions and 461 passing yards while tossing four touchdowns in the win over Princeton. The 461 yards marked the third-highest single-game total in school history. Shafnisky is now the two-time reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week and was also named the STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. He currently leads the FCS with a 72.7 completion percentage and ranks in the top 15 nationally in a number of other offensive categories. For the season, Shafnisky has thrown for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns, to just three interceptions and has also rushed for a team-leading five touchdowns. Shafnisky now owns six career 300-yard passing games and a pair of 100-yard rushing games.
In recent years, Lehigh's offensive success has been predicated on its ability to generate big plays, however, through three games, the Mountain Hawks' longest offensive play from scrimmage covered just 30 yards. In Lehigh's win over Princeton, the Mountain Hawks' big play attack came to life with four plays that covered 40 yards or longer as part of a 621 yard offensive day. Nick Shafnisky connected with Troy Pelletier on passes covering 48 and 49 yards, the latter of which set up Lehigh's final touchdown; and hit Gatlin Casey on two long touchdown passes covering 42 and 56 yards.
Creating more turnovers has been a point of emphasis for Lehigh's defense for several years, but the results had not materialized until last week's game with Princeton. The Mountain Hawks had just 13 takeaways in each of the last two seasons, but picked off three passes against the Tigers, giving Lehigh four interceptions through four games. Seniors Colton Caslow and Evan Harvey and junior Tyler Cavenas all collected their first career interceptions. Prior to the Princeton game, the last time Lehigh intercepted three passes in one game was Lehigh's Patriot League Championship-clinching win over Georgetown on Nov. 12, 2011. Offensively, Lehigh did not turn the ball over for the first time this season, as the Mountain Hawks moved from minus-2 to plus-1 in turnover margin.
Yale returns home looking to rebound from an 0-2 start. The Bulldogs opened their season with a 55-13 home loss to Colgate and then dropped their Ivy opener at Cornell 27-13. The Big Red offense jumped on the Yale defense early, building a 24-3 halftime lead. Deshawn Salter scored Yale's lone touchdown against Cornell. Salter tormented the Mountain Hawks last season, rushing for 233 yards and two touchdowns in place of the injured Candler Rich in the Bulldogs' 27-12 win at Goodman Stadium.
Rafe Chapple started Yale's first two games at quarterback before giving way to Tre Moore in the second half of the Cornell game. The Bulldogs return four All-Ivy performers on defense plus linebacker and defensive captain Darius Manora. Yale went 6-4 last season and was picked fourth in the Ivy League Preseason Poll.
Lehigh and Yale have met 23 previous times with the Bulldogs leading the series 17-6. This series has been highlighted by streaks, as Yale won the first 12 meetings and then the Mountain Hawks won the next five. Yale has now won five of the last six games. Andy Coen is just 1-5 versus the Bulldogs.
Yale's home stadium, the Yale Bowl, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2014. At the time of its opening for the 1914 Harvard-Yale game it was the largest athletic venue in the world. Lehigh first played at the Yale Bowl in 1915 and holds a 2-8 record in the venerable venue, with wins in 1994 and 2004. The Mountain Hawks' last visit to the Yale Bowl was rather forgettable. Lehigh led 21-0 with 6:51 left in the opening quarter but the hosts rallied to prevail 54-43 in a shootout that saw the teams combine to gain 1,204 yards of offense. That game marked Nick Shafnisky's first career 300-yard passing day and Troy Pelletier's first 100-yard receiving day.
In recognition of competition between Lehigh University (founded 1865) and Yale University (founded 1701), the lifetime achievements of their graduates, and the generations of families that have attended both universities, the Yank Townsend Trophy is presented to the winner of the Lehigh - Yale football game. Charles Frederick Townsend was the only student from Connecticut to enter the Lehigh Class of 1895, earning the nickname "Yank" He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in architecture and engineering, operated his own firm, Norton & Townsend from 1911-1960, and designed a number of bank buildings and colonial residences. Yank Townsend (1873-1963) was a devotee of Lehigh and Yale athletics, and today a trophy bearing his name is presented to the winner for the fifth time. Yale initially won the trophy in 2006 and successfully retained it twice, before Lehigh captured the trophy for the first time in 2011.
Saturday's game kicks off just after 1:30 p.m. from the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Conn. The game will be televised by One World Sports and streaming video will be available via subscription on the Ivy League Digital Network. Audio of the contest will air on ESPN Radio of the Lehigh Valley as well as ESPNLV.com with pregame coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Lehigh returns to Goodman Stadium on Saturday October 8 to open Patriot League play against defending champion Colgate. The Mountain Hawks will look to avenge a 49-42 loss last year in Hamilton, N.Y. as the Raiders went on to reach the FCS quarterfinals. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. as part of Lehigh's Family Weekend.
| Date: | October 1, 2016 |
| Opponent: | Yale Bulldogs |
| Kickoff: | 1:34 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Yale Bowl/61,446/Natural Grass |
| Location: | New Haven, Conn. |
| Tickets: | Tickets can be purchased through Yale at 203-432-1400 |
| Lehigh's Record: | 2-2, 0-0 Patriot League |
| Yale's Record: | 0-2, 0-2 Ivy League |
| Series: | Yale leads 17-6 |
| Television: | One World Sports TV (Service Electric 178, DirecTV 623) |
| Radio: | ESPN Radio of the Lehigh Valley (1230/1320/1160-AM) beginning at 12:30 p.m. with Matt Kerr, Matt Markus and Steve Lomangino |
| Internet: | Video at IvyLeagueDigitalNetwork.com (subscription required) Audio at ESPNLV.com |
| Key Stats: | •Lehigh's 621 yards of total offense versus Princeton were its most since gaining 604 against Georgetown in 2002. •The Mountain Hawks rank second nationally in third down conversions (55.6%) •Senior quarterback Nick Shafnisky leads the FCS in completion percentage (72.7%) |
| Behind Enemy Lines: | http://www.yalebulldogs.com |
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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