Saturday, September 18
Bethlehem, Pa.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
vs
Princeton
Photo by: Josh Liddick
Lehigh Returns Home To Host Princeton As Part Of Family Weekend, Presented by PSECU
9/14/2021 2:39:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh's rivalry with the Ivy League rekindles after a two-season hiatus as the Mountain Hawks welcome the Princeton Tigers to Goodman Stadium Saturday as part of Family Weekend, presented by PSECU.
The Mountain Hawks regularly face Ivy League opponents as part of their non-league schedule but have not squared off against a team from the Ancient Eight since playing Princeton in 2018.
Last time out, Lehigh dropped its second straight game to a ranked CAA opponent with a 31-3 loss at Richmond, but the Mountain Hawks did rush for 158 yards on the day, while holding the Spiders to just three second half points and 100 second half yards of offense.
Princeton opens its season after going 8-2 in 2019 and 10-0 the year prior. The Ivy League did not participate in athletics during the 2020-21 academic year.
Goodman Stadium is open at 100 percent capacity this fall. Portions of sections WR (Lehigh sideline) and ER (visiting team sideline) will be held for fans who desire physically-distanced seating, and will be marked by signs in those sections.
One the biggest positives for the Mountain Hawks in the game at Richmond was Lehigh's ability to run the football. Lehigh averaged just over 31 yards per game on the ground in the spring season and was held to minus-12 in the season opener against Villanova, but bounced back with 158 rushing yards against Richmond. Senior Alec Beesmer brought running ability to the quarterback position and led the Mountain Hawks with 65 yards on 11 carries. The running back quartet of senior RaShawn Allen, junior Zaythan Hill, sophomore Jack DiPietro and freshman Gaige Garcia combined for 107 yards on 23 carries. Garcia led the group with 43 yards, while Hill added 41, including a 24-yarder that was Lehigh's longest play of the day. Allen led the Mountain Hawks in rushing in the spring and scored on a 49-yard run against Lafayette. Hill led Lehigh in rushing as a freshman in 2019 and scored five touchdowns, including a Patriot League-record 94-yard effort at Fordham.
Lehigh has 26 first-year student-athletes on its roster and recent history shows that many will be relied upon to contribute right away. Nine freshmen appear on Lehigh's depth chart. DJ Lawrence and Logan Jones started at cornerback and safety, respectively at Richmond, while Tucker Knupp has served as snapper for field goals in Lehigh's first two games. Ten freshmen saw time against Villanova and six have appeared in each of Lehigh's first two games: Lawrence, Jones, Knupp, wide receiver Dajuan Fields, running back Gaige Garcia and linebacker Jaden Holzman. Nineteen of Lehigh's 29 returning sophomores appeared in at least one game during the spring, including 13 who appeared in all three. Defensive lineman Christian Jablonski, wide receiver Eric Johnson and cornerback LaTreil Wimberly started all three games. Wimberly was a second team All-Patriot League selection and won the J. Daniel Nolan Award as Lehigh's top first-year male athlete.
Lehigh will play its first game against an Ivy League opponent since 2018, when the Mountain Hawks lost at Princeton. A scheduling anomaly left no Ivy League foes on Lehigh's 2019 schedule, marking the first time since 1984 that the Brown and White faced no Ivy League opponents. Columbia and Yale were on Lehigh's original 2020 schedule, but the Mountain Hawks ended up playing only three Patriot League games in the spring of 2021, while the Ivy League didn't compete at all during the 2020-21 school year. Lehigh's last Ivy League break also lasted two years: 1983 and 1984.
Princeton plays its first game since November 23, 2019 as the Ivy League did not participate in athletic competition during the 2020-21 academic year. The Tigers followed an undefeated Ivy League championship season in 2018 by going 8-2 in 2019. Princeton was picked first in the Ivy League's preseason poll. The Tigers return eight All-Ivy honorees from 2019. Linebackers Jeremiah Tyler and James Johnson and defensive back Delan Stallworth lead the defense. Tyler was named to the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award. Offensively, Princeton returns leading rusher Collin Eaddy and leading receiver Jacob Birmelin, who was All-Ivy as both a receiver and a return specialist. Offensive lineman Henry Byrd, tight end Carson Bobo and punter Will Powers are returning All-Ivy performers.
This is the 61st meeting in the series, with Princeton leading 41-17-2. The Mountain Hawks have won 13 of the past 18 matchups, including five of the last seven. Lehigh has won the last three games in the series played at Goodman Stadium. These two teams met for the first time in 1887. Tom Gilmore has never faced Princeton as a head coach. He went 17-21 against the Ivy League while a Holy Cross.
Saturday's game kicks off just after noon from Goodman Stadium. Tickets can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-7LU-GAME during business hours.
The Mountain Hawks will take to the road for first time in the fall as they travel to Richmond to face their second straight CAA opponent on Sept. 11. It will be the first meeting between Lehigh and Richmond since the Mountain Hawks' 24-23 victory in the opening round of the 1998 playoffs. Game time is set for 2 p.m. from Robins Stadium in Richmond, Va.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
The Mountain Hawks regularly face Ivy League opponents as part of their non-league schedule but have not squared off against a team from the Ancient Eight since playing Princeton in 2018.
Last time out, Lehigh dropped its second straight game to a ranked CAA opponent with a 31-3 loss at Richmond, but the Mountain Hawks did rush for 158 yards on the day, while holding the Spiders to just three second half points and 100 second half yards of offense.
Princeton opens its season after going 8-2 in 2019 and 10-0 the year prior. The Ivy League did not participate in athletics during the 2020-21 academic year.
Goodman Stadium is open at 100 percent capacity this fall. Portions of sections WR (Lehigh sideline) and ER (visiting team sideline) will be held for fans who desire physically-distanced seating, and will be marked by signs in those sections.
One the biggest positives for the Mountain Hawks in the game at Richmond was Lehigh's ability to run the football. Lehigh averaged just over 31 yards per game on the ground in the spring season and was held to minus-12 in the season opener against Villanova, but bounced back with 158 rushing yards against Richmond. Senior Alec Beesmer brought running ability to the quarterback position and led the Mountain Hawks with 65 yards on 11 carries. The running back quartet of senior RaShawn Allen, junior Zaythan Hill, sophomore Jack DiPietro and freshman Gaige Garcia combined for 107 yards on 23 carries. Garcia led the group with 43 yards, while Hill added 41, including a 24-yarder that was Lehigh's longest play of the day. Allen led the Mountain Hawks in rushing in the spring and scored on a 49-yard run against Lafayette. Hill led Lehigh in rushing as a freshman in 2019 and scored five touchdowns, including a Patriot League-record 94-yard effort at Fordham.
Lehigh has 26 first-year student-athletes on its roster and recent history shows that many will be relied upon to contribute right away. Nine freshmen appear on Lehigh's depth chart. DJ Lawrence and Logan Jones started at cornerback and safety, respectively at Richmond, while Tucker Knupp has served as snapper for field goals in Lehigh's first two games. Ten freshmen saw time against Villanova and six have appeared in each of Lehigh's first two games: Lawrence, Jones, Knupp, wide receiver Dajuan Fields, running back Gaige Garcia and linebacker Jaden Holzman. Nineteen of Lehigh's 29 returning sophomores appeared in at least one game during the spring, including 13 who appeared in all three. Defensive lineman Christian Jablonski, wide receiver Eric Johnson and cornerback LaTreil Wimberly started all three games. Wimberly was a second team All-Patriot League selection and won the J. Daniel Nolan Award as Lehigh's top first-year male athlete.
Lehigh will play its first game against an Ivy League opponent since 2018, when the Mountain Hawks lost at Princeton. A scheduling anomaly left no Ivy League foes on Lehigh's 2019 schedule, marking the first time since 1984 that the Brown and White faced no Ivy League opponents. Columbia and Yale were on Lehigh's original 2020 schedule, but the Mountain Hawks ended up playing only three Patriot League games in the spring of 2021, while the Ivy League didn't compete at all during the 2020-21 school year. Lehigh's last Ivy League break also lasted two years: 1983 and 1984.
Princeton plays its first game since November 23, 2019 as the Ivy League did not participate in athletic competition during the 2020-21 academic year. The Tigers followed an undefeated Ivy League championship season in 2018 by going 8-2 in 2019. Princeton was picked first in the Ivy League's preseason poll. The Tigers return eight All-Ivy honorees from 2019. Linebackers Jeremiah Tyler and James Johnson and defensive back Delan Stallworth lead the defense. Tyler was named to the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award. Offensively, Princeton returns leading rusher Collin Eaddy and leading receiver Jacob Birmelin, who was All-Ivy as both a receiver and a return specialist. Offensive lineman Henry Byrd, tight end Carson Bobo and punter Will Powers are returning All-Ivy performers.
This is the 61st meeting in the series, with Princeton leading 41-17-2. The Mountain Hawks have won 13 of the past 18 matchups, including five of the last seven. Lehigh has won the last three games in the series played at Goodman Stadium. These two teams met for the first time in 1887. Tom Gilmore has never faced Princeton as a head coach. He went 17-21 against the Ivy League while a Holy Cross.
Saturday's game kicks off just after noon from Goodman Stadium. Tickets can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-7LU-GAME during business hours.
The Mountain Hawks will take to the road for first time in the fall as they travel to Richmond to face their second straight CAA opponent on Sept. 11. It will be the first meeting between Lehigh and Richmond since the Mountain Hawks' 24-23 victory in the opening round of the 1998 playoffs. Game time is set for 2 p.m. from Robins Stadium in Richmond, Va.
| Date: | September 18, 2021 |
| Opponent: | Princeton Tigers |
| Kickoff: | 12:05 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Goodman Stadium/16,000/Natural Grass |
| Location: | Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Lehigh's record | 0-2 overall, 0-0 Patriot League |
| Princeton's 2019 record: | 8-2 overall, 5-2 Ivy League |
| Series: | Princeton leads 41-17-2 |
| TV: | Service Electric Network and ESPN+ with Steve Degler, Doug Heater and Kristi Fulkerson |
| Radio: | Fox Sports Radio 1230/1320 and 94.7 FM Allentown with Matt Kerr and Lance Haynes '94, Matt Markus and Tom Fallon beginning at 11 a.m. |
| Internet Broadcast: | Video at PatriotLeague.TV (ESPN+) Audio at LVFoxSports.com |
| Key Stats: | •Lehigh's 158 rushing yards at Richmond were its most in 16 games under Tom Gilmore. •The Mountain Hawks limited Richmond to just 100 total yards and three points in the second half last week. •In the spring 2021 season, Lehigh led the Patriot League and ranked seventh nationally in total defense (252.7 yards allowed/game) and scoring defense (15.3 points allowed/game). |
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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