Saturday, October 19
Bronx, N.Y.
1:00 PM
Lehigh University
at
Fordham
Photo by: Audra Smires
Mountain Hawks head to Fordham for battle of 1-0 Patriot League teams
10/15/2019 12:50:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – With the second of its two bye weeks now complete, Lehigh heads to the Bronx, N.Y. Saturday to battle Fordham in a matchup of 1-0 Patriot League teams. The Mountain Hawks have won two straight following an 0-3 start and are coming off a 21-14 road win at Patriot League preseason favorite Colgate on Oct. 5. The Lehigh defense turned in another dominant performance, holding the Raiders to nine yards rushing and one offensive touchdown, while registering seven sacks. Linebacker Keith Woetzel had 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks and was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week. Freshman Zaythan Hill scored the go-ahead touchdown with 33 seconds remaining and junior Divine Buckrham preserved the win with a tackle at the one yard line on the final play of the game.
A vastly improved rush defense has been an important component for Lehigh in the 2019 season. The Mountain Hawks gave up more than 200 yards per game on the ground in six straight seasons from 2013-18, but this year, Lehigh leads the Patriot League and ranks fourth nationally, allowing just 74 yards per game. The Mountain Hawks have kept four of their first five opponents to under 100 yards on the ground, and have allowed minus-14 rushing yards over their last two games, as Merrimack was held to minus-25 and Colgate gained just nine. Lehigh has allowed fewer than 50 rushing yards in back-to-back games after previously not keeping an opponent under 50 yards since 2011, when Georgetown mustered 48.
Trailing Colgate 14-7 and backed up against its goal line, the Lehigh offense responded with its best drive of the season. The Mountain Hawks marched 99 yards over 13 plays, keyed by a 60-yard catch-and-run by freshman Nate Hope, and scored the game-tying touchdown on a one-yard keeper by Tyler Monaco with 18 seconds left before halftime. The 99 yard drive was the first for a Lehigh offense since the Mountain Hawks put together an 11-play, 99-yard drive against Towson in the 2011 playoffs. That drive was capped by a 23-yard halfback option pass from Matt Fitz to Jamel Haggins on fourth down. In between 99 yard drives, Lehigh had 10 scoring drives of 90 yards or more, including three in the 2017 season. The Mountain Hawks' most-recent 90-plus yard drive was a 13-play, 91-yard drive at Fordham that ended in a 13-yard touchdown pass from Brad Mayes to Dom Bragalone.
Linebacker Keith Woetzel has led the Mountain Hawks in tackles in each of the last two seasons and will be looked upon to be a leader on defense again in 2019. Woetzel finished both 2017 and 2018 with 89 tackles and last year added 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception. Woetzel has 57 tackles through four games, including a career-high 16 at UC Davis, and leads the Patriot League, while ranking fourth nationally with 11.4 tackles per game. He also leads the FCS with 7.8 solo stops per game. Woetzel has 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble, and was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week following a 13-tackles, 2.5 sack effort at Colgate. Woetzel's inside linebacker partner, junior Pete Haffner, has 42 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, and made a game and career-high 13 tackles at Villanova.
Lehigh enjoyed its best rushing day of the season at Colgate with 97 yards, with the quartet of sophomores Rashawn Allen and Peter Lucas and freshmen Nate Hope and Zaythan Hill netting 104 yards on the afternoon. Allen led the way for Lehigh rushers with 38 yards, including a personal season-long 24 yard rush in the third quarter. Hope had a team-high 13 carries for 33 yards and was a factor in the passing game with a 19-yard touchdown reception and a 60-yard catch and run that led to another touchdown. Hill added 29 yards on 10 carries, with his nine-yard touchdown rush with 33 seconds to play proving to be the game-winner. For his game-high 112 all-purpose yards at Colgate, Hope was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week.
Fordham returns to Jack Coffey Field for the first time in three weeks with a 3-4 overall record. The Rams opened league-play with a dramatic 30-27 win at Georgetown as Tim DeMorat hit Fotis Kokosioulis for a 17-yard touchdown with just 16 seconds remaining. Fordham also owns wins over Bryant and Richmond. The Rams were picked fifth in the Patriot League preseason poll. Fordham ranks second in the Patriot League in rushing, averaging 144 yards per game, led by Zach Davis who has rushed for 676 yards and four touchdowns this season. Davis gained 138 yards and scored two touchdowns at Georgetown. Kokosioulis has been the top receiver with 33 receptions for 429 yards and six touchdowns. Defensively, the Rams are led by linebackers Ryan Greenhagen (75 tackles, 11.5 TFL) and Glenn Cunningham (46 tackles, 7.5 TFL). Greenhagen is a three-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week.
Lehigh has played Fordham 31 previous times with the Mountain Hawks winning 24 of those meetings. Fordham has won five of the last six meetings after winning just two of the first 25 games in the series. These two teams met for the first time in 1923 then did not meet again until 1989. Lehigh will be looking for its first win in the Bronx since 2011. Tom Gilmore went 5-8 versus Fordham in his time at Holy Cross.
Saturday's game kicks off just after 1 p.m. from Jack Coffey Field in the Bronx, N.Y. The game will be broadcast on the Patriot League Network, while audio coverage will be available on Fox Sports Radio 1230/1320 AM and 94.7 FM Allentown, LVFoxSports.com and the TuneIn App, beginning at noon.
Lehigh will return to Goodman Stadium for its next two games, beginning Oct. 26 when the Mountain Hawks host Georgetown as part of Family Weekend, presented by PSECU. The Mountain Hawks will be looking to avenge a 22-16, double overtime loss to the Hoyas last year, which snapped a 17-game Lehigh winning streak in the series. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. Lehigh will then host Holy Cross in the Salute to Service game on Nov. 2.
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A vastly improved rush defense has been an important component for Lehigh in the 2019 season. The Mountain Hawks gave up more than 200 yards per game on the ground in six straight seasons from 2013-18, but this year, Lehigh leads the Patriot League and ranks fourth nationally, allowing just 74 yards per game. The Mountain Hawks have kept four of their first five opponents to under 100 yards on the ground, and have allowed minus-14 rushing yards over their last two games, as Merrimack was held to minus-25 and Colgate gained just nine. Lehigh has allowed fewer than 50 rushing yards in back-to-back games after previously not keeping an opponent under 50 yards since 2011, when Georgetown mustered 48.
Trailing Colgate 14-7 and backed up against its goal line, the Lehigh offense responded with its best drive of the season. The Mountain Hawks marched 99 yards over 13 plays, keyed by a 60-yard catch-and-run by freshman Nate Hope, and scored the game-tying touchdown on a one-yard keeper by Tyler Monaco with 18 seconds left before halftime. The 99 yard drive was the first for a Lehigh offense since the Mountain Hawks put together an 11-play, 99-yard drive against Towson in the 2011 playoffs. That drive was capped by a 23-yard halfback option pass from Matt Fitz to Jamel Haggins on fourth down. In between 99 yard drives, Lehigh had 10 scoring drives of 90 yards or more, including three in the 2017 season. The Mountain Hawks' most-recent 90-plus yard drive was a 13-play, 91-yard drive at Fordham that ended in a 13-yard touchdown pass from Brad Mayes to Dom Bragalone.
Linebacker Keith Woetzel has led the Mountain Hawks in tackles in each of the last two seasons and will be looked upon to be a leader on defense again in 2019. Woetzel finished both 2017 and 2018 with 89 tackles and last year added 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception. Woetzel has 57 tackles through four games, including a career-high 16 at UC Davis, and leads the Patriot League, while ranking fourth nationally with 11.4 tackles per game. He also leads the FCS with 7.8 solo stops per game. Woetzel has 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble, and was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week following a 13-tackles, 2.5 sack effort at Colgate. Woetzel's inside linebacker partner, junior Pete Haffner, has 42 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, and made a game and career-high 13 tackles at Villanova.
Lehigh enjoyed its best rushing day of the season at Colgate with 97 yards, with the quartet of sophomores Rashawn Allen and Peter Lucas and freshmen Nate Hope and Zaythan Hill netting 104 yards on the afternoon. Allen led the way for Lehigh rushers with 38 yards, including a personal season-long 24 yard rush in the third quarter. Hope had a team-high 13 carries for 33 yards and was a factor in the passing game with a 19-yard touchdown reception and a 60-yard catch and run that led to another touchdown. Hill added 29 yards on 10 carries, with his nine-yard touchdown rush with 33 seconds to play proving to be the game-winner. For his game-high 112 all-purpose yards at Colgate, Hope was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week.
Fordham returns to Jack Coffey Field for the first time in three weeks with a 3-4 overall record. The Rams opened league-play with a dramatic 30-27 win at Georgetown as Tim DeMorat hit Fotis Kokosioulis for a 17-yard touchdown with just 16 seconds remaining. Fordham also owns wins over Bryant and Richmond. The Rams were picked fifth in the Patriot League preseason poll. Fordham ranks second in the Patriot League in rushing, averaging 144 yards per game, led by Zach Davis who has rushed for 676 yards and four touchdowns this season. Davis gained 138 yards and scored two touchdowns at Georgetown. Kokosioulis has been the top receiver with 33 receptions for 429 yards and six touchdowns. Defensively, the Rams are led by linebackers Ryan Greenhagen (75 tackles, 11.5 TFL) and Glenn Cunningham (46 tackles, 7.5 TFL). Greenhagen is a three-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week.
Lehigh has played Fordham 31 previous times with the Mountain Hawks winning 24 of those meetings. Fordham has won five of the last six meetings after winning just two of the first 25 games in the series. These two teams met for the first time in 1923 then did not meet again until 1989. Lehigh will be looking for its first win in the Bronx since 2011. Tom Gilmore went 5-8 versus Fordham in his time at Holy Cross.
Saturday's game kicks off just after 1 p.m. from Jack Coffey Field in the Bronx, N.Y. The game will be broadcast on the Patriot League Network, while audio coverage will be available on Fox Sports Radio 1230/1320 AM and 94.7 FM Allentown, LVFoxSports.com and the TuneIn App, beginning at noon.
Lehigh will return to Goodman Stadium for its next two games, beginning Oct. 26 when the Mountain Hawks host Georgetown as part of Family Weekend, presented by PSECU. The Mountain Hawks will be looking to avenge a 22-16, double overtime loss to the Hoyas last year, which snapped a 17-game Lehigh winning streak in the series. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. Lehigh will then host Holy Cross in the Salute to Service game on Nov. 2.
| Date: | October 19, 2019 |
| Opponent: | Fordham Rams |
| Kickoff: | 1:05 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Jack Coffey Field/7,000/FieldTurf |
| Location: | Bronx, N.Y. |
| Lehigh's record: | 2-3 overall, 1-0 Patriot League |
| Fordham's record: | 3-4 overall, 1-0 Patriot League |
| Series: | Lehigh leads 24-7 |
| Television | None |
| Radio | Fox Sports Radio 1230/1320 AM and 94.7 FM Allentown with Matt Kerr, Jim Guzzo and Matt Markus. Pregame coverage begins at noon. |
| Internet Broadcast: | Video at PatriotLeague.TV Audio at LVFoxSports.com, TuneIn App |
| Key Stats: | •Lehigh leads the Patriot League and ranks fourth nationally in rushing defense (74 ypg.) •The Mountain Hawks have 13 sacks over their last two games after registering just 15 in 11 games in 2018. •Senior linebacker Keith Woetzel leads the FCS averaging 7.8 solo tackles per game, and ranks fourth in the FCS averaging 11.4 total tackles per game. |
| Behind Enemy Lines: | http://www.fordhamsports.com |
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