Saturday, September 15
Annapolis, Md.
3:30 PM
Lehigh University
at
Navy
Lehigh travels to Navy Saturday in first FBS matchup since 2003
9/11/2018 1:17:00 PM | Football
Game Notes | Tickets | Video | Audio | Live Stats
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh will play its first Football Bowl Subdivision opponent in 15 years as the Mountain Hawks head to Annapolis, Maryland to face Navy Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Mountain Hawks will be looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season last weekend against Villanova. Lehigh's defense did its best to keep the Mountain Hawks in the game, but the Villanova defense limited Lehigh to less than 200 yards of total offense and nine points.
In recent years, the Mountain Hawks have been carried by a high-powered offense that ranked among the best in the FCS. This season, Lehigh's offense has started slowly, but through two games the defense has shown improvement. Lehigh allowed an average of 41 points and 477.7 yards of offense per game last season, but through two games has allowed 25 points and 352.5 yards per game. The Mountain Hawks have totaled 20 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions through two games. Lehigh has also been much improved in third down defense, allowing opponents to convert at 28 percent, after allowing 37.5 percent last season. Senior safety Sam McCloskey, senior linebacker Mark Walker and sophomore rover Divine Buckrham are tied for the team lead with 15 tackles.
Lehigh's rush defense has been one of the primary areas of improvement through two games this season, but that unit will be tested by Navy's hard-to-prepare-for triple option attack. The Mountain Hawks ranked near the bottom of the FCS last season, allowing 242.3 yards per game on the ground. Lehigh has allowed 248 total rushing yards in two games, highlighted by limiting Saint Francis to just 58 rushing yards, its fewest allowed since yielding 55 in a Patriot League win at Bucknell in 2015. Navy has rushed for an average of 295 yards per game through two games this season.
Saturday's game with Navy will mark Lehigh's first against the Midshipmen since 1987 and its first game against a team from the Football Bowl Subdivision since 2003. The introduction of merit-based financial aid for Patriot League football prior to the 2013 season has expanded the opportunities for league schools to play up against FCS competition. Since the split of Division I to I-A and I-AA (now FBS and FCS) in 1978, Lehigh is 3-5-1 against FBS opponents with the last meeting a 35-17 loss to Connecticut in 2003. The Mountain Hawks beat FBS Buffalo in their 2002 season-opener. This will be Lehigh's 10th game against a FBS opponent with eight of the 10 coming against Army or Navy, which compete in the Patriot League with Lehigh in most other sports.
Navy is 1-1 on the season. The Midshipmen dropped their opener at Hawai'i on Sept. 1 but used a fourth quarter rally to beat Memphis 22-21 in their home and American Athletic Conference opener last week. Navy was picked third in the AAC's West Division following a 7-6 season in 2017 that was capped by a 49-7 win in the Military Bowl. Quarterback Malcolm Perry has taken the reins of Navy's option attack and leads the Mids with 274 rushing yards and three touchdowns through two games. Zach Abey, a one-time starting quarterback, who is now working as a receiver, has five rushing touchdowns through two games. Fullback Anthony Gargiulo and safety Sean Williams serve as Navy's captains. Williams leads the Mids with 14 tackles and two forced fumbles this season.
Lehigh and Navy are meeting for the 22nd time, and the first time since 1987. Navy leads the all-time series 14-6-1, but it was Lehigh who won the most recent meeting 24-9 in 1987. These programs met 17 times between 1889 and 1913 and then rekindled the series with four games in a five season span (1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987).
Saturday's game kicks off just after 3:30 p.m. from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. The game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network with audio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 1230 and 1320 beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Lehigh returns to the road for the first of two games against Ivy League opponents, as the Mountain Hawks will face Penn. The Quakers won last year's meeting 65-47 at Goodman Stadium, while Lehigh posted wins over Penn in 2015 and 2016. Game time is set for 3 p.m. from historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh will play its first Football Bowl Subdivision opponent in 15 years as the Mountain Hawks head to Annapolis, Maryland to face Navy Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Mountain Hawks will be looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season last weekend against Villanova. Lehigh's defense did its best to keep the Mountain Hawks in the game, but the Villanova defense limited Lehigh to less than 200 yards of total offense and nine points.
In recent years, the Mountain Hawks have been carried by a high-powered offense that ranked among the best in the FCS. This season, Lehigh's offense has started slowly, but through two games the defense has shown improvement. Lehigh allowed an average of 41 points and 477.7 yards of offense per game last season, but through two games has allowed 25 points and 352.5 yards per game. The Mountain Hawks have totaled 20 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions through two games. Lehigh has also been much improved in third down defense, allowing opponents to convert at 28 percent, after allowing 37.5 percent last season. Senior safety Sam McCloskey, senior linebacker Mark Walker and sophomore rover Divine Buckrham are tied for the team lead with 15 tackles.
Lehigh's rush defense has been one of the primary areas of improvement through two games this season, but that unit will be tested by Navy's hard-to-prepare-for triple option attack. The Mountain Hawks ranked near the bottom of the FCS last season, allowing 242.3 yards per game on the ground. Lehigh has allowed 248 total rushing yards in two games, highlighted by limiting Saint Francis to just 58 rushing yards, its fewest allowed since yielding 55 in a Patriot League win at Bucknell in 2015. Navy has rushed for an average of 295 yards per game through two games this season.
Saturday's game with Navy will mark Lehigh's first against the Midshipmen since 1987 and its first game against a team from the Football Bowl Subdivision since 2003. The introduction of merit-based financial aid for Patriot League football prior to the 2013 season has expanded the opportunities for league schools to play up against FCS competition. Since the split of Division I to I-A and I-AA (now FBS and FCS) in 1978, Lehigh is 3-5-1 against FBS opponents with the last meeting a 35-17 loss to Connecticut in 2003. The Mountain Hawks beat FBS Buffalo in their 2002 season-opener. This will be Lehigh's 10th game against a FBS opponent with eight of the 10 coming against Army or Navy, which compete in the Patriot League with Lehigh in most other sports.
Navy is 1-1 on the season. The Midshipmen dropped their opener at Hawai'i on Sept. 1 but used a fourth quarter rally to beat Memphis 22-21 in their home and American Athletic Conference opener last week. Navy was picked third in the AAC's West Division following a 7-6 season in 2017 that was capped by a 49-7 win in the Military Bowl. Quarterback Malcolm Perry has taken the reins of Navy's option attack and leads the Mids with 274 rushing yards and three touchdowns through two games. Zach Abey, a one-time starting quarterback, who is now working as a receiver, has five rushing touchdowns through two games. Fullback Anthony Gargiulo and safety Sean Williams serve as Navy's captains. Williams leads the Mids with 14 tackles and two forced fumbles this season.
Lehigh and Navy are meeting for the 22nd time, and the first time since 1987. Navy leads the all-time series 14-6-1, but it was Lehigh who won the most recent meeting 24-9 in 1987. These programs met 17 times between 1889 and 1913 and then rekindled the series with four games in a five season span (1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987).
Saturday's game kicks off just after 3:30 p.m. from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. The game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network with audio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 1230 and 1320 beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Lehigh returns to the road for the first of two games against Ivy League opponents, as the Mountain Hawks will face Penn. The Quakers won last year's meeting 65-47 at Goodman Stadium, while Lehigh posted wins over Penn in 2015 and 2016. Game time is set for 3 p.m. from historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
| Date: | September 15, 2018 |
| Opponent: | Navy Midshipmen |
| Kickoff: | 3:32 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium/34,000/FieldTurf |
| Location: | Annapolis, Md. |
| Tickets: | Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY or online HERE |
| Lehigh's Record: | 1-1 overall, 0-0 Patriot League |
| Navy's Record: | 1-1 overall, 1-0 American Athletic Conference |
| Series: | Navy leads 14-6-1 |
| Television | CBS Sports Network with John Sadak, Randy Cross and Sheehan Stanwick Burch |
| Radio | Fox Sports Radio 1230 and 1320 with Matt Kerr, Mike Yadush '93 and Matt Markus |
| Internet Broadcast: | Video at CBSSports.com/CBS-sports-network Audio at LVFoxSports.com |
| Key Stats: | •Lehigh ranks seventh in the FCS averaging 10.0 tackles for loss per game. •Running back Dominick Bragalone became Lehigh's all-time leading rusher against Saint Francis. He is tied for Lehigh's career rushing touchdown record and is two touchdowns and 18 points shy of Lehigh career records in those categories. •Lehigh's 176 yards of total offense versus Villanova were its fewest since gaining just 129 in a loss at New Hampshire in 2010. |
| Behind Enemy Lines: | http://www.navysports.com |
Players Mentioned
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