Saturday, October 23
Bronx, N.Y.
1:00 PM
Lehigh University
at
Fordham
Photo by: Josh Liddick
Back From Bye Week, Mountain Hawks Travel To Fordham Saturday
10/19/2021 1:18:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh returns from its bye week to play the first of five consecutive Patriot League games as the Mountain Hawks visit Jack Coffey Field in the Bronx, N.Y. Saturday to battle Fordham. The Mountain Hawks are looking for a fresh start in the second half of the season after losing their first six games prior to the bye week. In its last game before the bye, Lehigh and Penn were locked in a defensive battle for two and a half quarters before the Quakers kicked a third quarter field goal and added 17 fourth quarter points to win 20-0. Lehigh lost its only league game this season at Colgate on Sept. 25. Fordham has bounced back from an 0-3 start to win four straight games, including two league games. The Rams defeated Bucknell 66-21 at home last weekend behind six touchdown passes from quarterback Tim DeMorat.
A trip to Fordham might be just what the Mountain Hawks needed in terms of rehashing previous successes. Lehigh's 30-27 overtime win in 2019 was its last road win of any kind. Other notables from that game include Zaythan Hill's Patriot League record 94 yard touchdown run, Alex Snyder's career-high 128 receiving yards and Austin Dambach's most recent touchdown reception. Defensively, Dean Colton and Mikhari Sibblis recorded sacks, with Sibblis also forcing a fumble. In Lehigh's last visit to Jack Coffey Field prior to 2019, the Mountain Hawks rushed for 306 yards in a losing effort in the only league setback in their 2017 Patriot League Championship campaign.
Freshman wide receiver Dajuan Fields has provided a spark offensively for the Mountain Hawks over their last two games. Fields led Lehigh in all-purpose yards against both Yale and Penn, rushing three times for 23 yards and catching three passes for 33 yards against the Bulldogs and then hauling in four passes for 69 yards against the Quakers. His 50 yard catch-and-run against Penn was Lehigh's longest play from scrimmage this season. Fields has a team-best 111 receiving yards on nine catches this season. The Buford, Georgia native was coached in high
school by former Lehigh captain and All-Patriot League linebacker Bryant Appling '01.
Lehigh has had success getting to opposing quarterbacks in its first six games this season. The Mountain Hawks have 12 sacks through six games, ranking them third among Patriot League programs. Lehigh has had at least two sacks in five of its first six games. Junior Mikhari Sibblis and sophomore Trevor Harris registered Lehigh's two sacks at Penn and are tied for the team lead with three. Senior Nate Norris has 2.5 while junior Stephon Bland has two.
Lehigh's loss at Penn was its 13th straight dating back to the 2019 season. The Mountain Hawks are looking for a victory at Fordham to snap what is now the longest losing streak in program history. The previous mark was 12 games as Lehigh lost its last five games in 1925 and its first seven in 1926 before snapping the streak with a 14-0 win over Rutgers in its next-to-last game of the 1926 season.
Fordham comes in at 4-3 overall and 2-0 in the Patriot League but the Rams come in red hot, having won four consecutive games, averaging nearly 49 points per game along the way. The Rams opened the season with losses to Nebraska, Monmouth and Florida Atlantic and have stormed back with wins over Stony Brook, Lafayette, Wagner and Bucknell. Last weekend, Fordham routed Bucknell 66-21 behind a school record-tying six touchdown passes by quarterback Tim DeMorat. Fordham boasts the Patriot League's top offense in terms of both scoring and total yardage. DeMorat won his fourth Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honor on Monday. Receivers Fotis Kokosioulis and DeQuece Carter have combined for 942 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Trey Sneed has rushed for 354 yards and four touchdowns in just three games. Linebacker Ryan Greenhagen has 102 tackles through five games, but has missed Fordham's last two contests. Freshman James Conway has added 75 tackles and an interception.
Lehigh has played Fordham 32 previous times with the Mountain Hawks winning 25 of those meetings. Fordham has won five of the last seven 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. Tom Gilmore is 6-8 versus Fordham as a head coach, winning with Lehigh in 2019 and going 5-8 during 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 ESPN+ with audio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 1230/1320 AM and 94.7 FM Allentown and LVFoxSports.com beginning at noon.
Lehigh returns to Goodman Stadium next Saturday to host two-time defending Patriot League champion Holy Cross as part of Halloweekend, presented by Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop. The Mountain Hawks will be looking to stop a three-game slide against the Crusaders. Game time is set for noon.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
A trip to Fordham might be just what the Mountain Hawks needed in terms of rehashing previous successes. Lehigh's 30-27 overtime win in 2019 was its last road win of any kind. Other notables from that game include Zaythan Hill's Patriot League record 94 yard touchdown run, Alex Snyder's career-high 128 receiving yards and Austin Dambach's most recent touchdown reception. Defensively, Dean Colton and Mikhari Sibblis recorded sacks, with Sibblis also forcing a fumble. In Lehigh's last visit to Jack Coffey Field prior to 2019, the Mountain Hawks rushed for 306 yards in a losing effort in the only league setback in their 2017 Patriot League Championship campaign.
Freshman wide receiver Dajuan Fields has provided a spark offensively for the Mountain Hawks over their last two games. Fields led Lehigh in all-purpose yards against both Yale and Penn, rushing three times for 23 yards and catching three passes for 33 yards against the Bulldogs and then hauling in four passes for 69 yards against the Quakers. His 50 yard catch-and-run against Penn was Lehigh's longest play from scrimmage this season. Fields has a team-best 111 receiving yards on nine catches this season. The Buford, Georgia native was coached in high
school by former Lehigh captain and All-Patriot League linebacker Bryant Appling '01.
Lehigh has had success getting to opposing quarterbacks in its first six games this season. The Mountain Hawks have 12 sacks through six games, ranking them third among Patriot League programs. Lehigh has had at least two sacks in five of its first six games. Junior Mikhari Sibblis and sophomore Trevor Harris registered Lehigh's two sacks at Penn and are tied for the team lead with three. Senior Nate Norris has 2.5 while junior Stephon Bland has two.
Lehigh's loss at Penn was its 13th straight dating back to the 2019 season. The Mountain Hawks are looking for a victory at Fordham to snap what is now the longest losing streak in program history. The previous mark was 12 games as Lehigh lost its last five games in 1925 and its first seven in 1926 before snapping the streak with a 14-0 win over Rutgers in its next-to-last game of the 1926 season.
Fordham comes in at 4-3 overall and 2-0 in the Patriot League but the Rams come in red hot, having won four consecutive games, averaging nearly 49 points per game along the way. The Rams opened the season with losses to Nebraska, Monmouth and Florida Atlantic and have stormed back with wins over Stony Brook, Lafayette, Wagner and Bucknell. Last weekend, Fordham routed Bucknell 66-21 behind a school record-tying six touchdown passes by quarterback Tim DeMorat. Fordham boasts the Patriot League's top offense in terms of both scoring and total yardage. DeMorat won his fourth Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honor on Monday. Receivers Fotis Kokosioulis and DeQuece Carter have combined for 942 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Trey Sneed has rushed for 354 yards and four touchdowns in just three games. Linebacker Ryan Greenhagen has 102 tackles through five games, but has missed Fordham's last two contests. Freshman James Conway has added 75 tackles and an interception.
Lehigh has played Fordham 32 previous times with the Mountain Hawks winning 25 of those meetings. Fordham has won five of the last seven 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. Tom Gilmore is 6-8 versus Fordham as a head coach, winning with Lehigh in 2019 and going 5-8 during 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 ESPN+ with audio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 1230/1320 AM and 94.7 FM Allentown and LVFoxSports.com beginning at noon.
Lehigh returns to Goodman Stadium next Saturday to host two-time defending Patriot League champion Holy Cross as part of Halloweekend, presented by Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop. The Mountain Hawks will be looking to stop a three-game slide against the Crusaders. Game time is set for noon.
| Date: | October 23, 2021 |
| Opponent: | Fordham Rams |
| Kickoff: | 1:05 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Jack Coffey Field |
| Location: | Bronx, N.Y. |
| Lehigh's record: | 0-6 overall, 0-1 Patriot League |
| Fordham's record: | 4-3 overall, 2-0 Patriot League |
| Series: | Lehigh leads 25-7 |
| Television: | None |
| Video: | ESPN+ (PatriotLeague.TV) |
| Radio: | Fox Sports Radio 1230/1320 AM and 94.7 FM Allentown beginning at noon with Matt Kerr, Matt Markus and Steve Lomangino. |
| Internet Audio: | LVFoxSports.com |
| Key Stats: | • The Mountain Hawks have had at least two sacks in five of their six games this season. • Freshman wide receiver Dajuan Fields has seven receptions for 102 yards in his last two games. • Lehigh's defense will have to contend with the Patriot League's top-ranked offense (34.1 ppg./450.1 ypg.) • Lehigh has averaged 35 points per game in its last six visits to Jack Coffey Field and has not scored fewer than 30 points in any of those games. |
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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