Saturday, September 25
Hamilton, N.Y.
1:00 PM
Lehigh University
at
Colgate
Photo by: Hannahally Photography
Patriot League Play Begins As Lehigh Visits Colgate Saturday
9/21/2021 1:20:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The two most successful programs in Patriot League football history seek a fresh start as Lehigh visits Colgate in the league opener for both teams Saturday at Andy Kerr Stadium. Lehigh and Colgate have combined to win or share 22 league titles, but both teams have started this season 0-3 and have struggled offensively. The Mountain Hawks fell at home to Princeton last week as the offense struggled to get untracked. With just two field goals in three games Lehigh is in the midst of its toughest three-game offensive drought in more than 60 years. The Mountain Hawks have won four of the last five meetings in the series at Andy Kerr Stadium and face a Colgate team that has been outscored 102-10 in three losses so far this season.
Lehigh and Colgate both open their Patriot League schedules on Saturday. The two most successful programs in league history, Lehigh and Colgate have won or shared a combined 22 league titles, including the Raiders in 2015 and 2018 and the Mountain Hawks in 2016. Lehigh and Colgate shared the 2017 league title, with the Mountain Hawks earning the FCS playoffs auto bid by way of their win in Hamilton. Since the start of the 2008 season, Lehigh is 9-4 in its first game against a league opponent, including league-opening wins against Colgate in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
With their annual matchup seemingly always having championship implications, it's unusual for the Mountain Hawks and Raiders to meet this early. From 1986-2015 Lehigh and Colgate met before October 15 just five times. Going back to the 2012 season, Lehigh's game against Colgate has either been its league opener or has been contested the week before the Lafayette game. In recent years, Lehigh and Colgate have met in early October in 2016, 2017 and 2019 with the Mountain Hawks winning all three. Saturday's game will mark just the third-ever Lehigh-Colgate game contested in September. Lehigh defeated Colgate 20-9 on Sept. 16, 1995 and picked up a 41-39 victory on Sept. 20, 1986.
Lehigh has had success getting to opposing quarterbacks in its first three games of the season. The Mountain Hawks have seven sacks through three games, tying them with Holy Cross for most in the Patriot League. Lehigh had two sacks in each of its first two games and tallied three last week against Princeton. Junior Mikhari Sibblis leads the Mountain Hawks with two sacks, one of each of Lehigh's two home games. Senior Nate Norris has added 1.5 sacks, while junior Stephon Bland and sophomore Harris notched their first sacks of the season against Princeton. Senior Pete Haffner, junior Dean Colton and sophomore Donovan Thomas all own half a sack this season. Lehigh registered seven sacks in its last visit to Colgate in 2019, with Sibblis contributing two.
Most of Lehigh's Patriot League games under coach Tom Gilmore have not been decided until the final seconds. The Mountain Hawks have played nine league games under Gilmore, with seven of the nine decided by seven points or less. All three of Lehigh's league wins in 2019 were decided on the last play of the game. Divine Buckhram made a game-saving tackle on the one yard line to beat Colgate. Addison Shoup threw a touchdown pass to Devon Bibbens to down Fordham in overtime and Austin Henning booted a 27-yard field goal as time expired to beat Georgetown.
Colgate finds itself in a similar position as Lehigh as the Raiders open Patriot League play. The Raiders have started the season 0-3 with losses to Boston College, Stony Brook and William & Mary. Colgate has been outscored 102-10 in its three losses and scored its first touchdown of the season last week against William & Mary on a 23 yard run by backup quarterback Harry Kirk. The Raiders were picked seventh in the Patriot League preseason poll after going 0-2 in the spring. Colgate had four players named to the preseason All-Patriot League team: offensive lineman Jayvion Queen, linebacker Milton Braasch II, defensive back Collin Heard and return specialist Will Gruber. Quarterback Grant Breneman is in his fifth year as the Raiders' starter. Breneman leads the Raiders in passing and rushing so far this season. Myles Bradley has been the top receiver with 111 yards on 10 catches, while running back Max Hurleman is second on the team in both rushing and receiving. Braasch is the top tackler with 25 stops in three games.
Lehigh meets Colgate for the 59th time with the Raiders holding a 30-26 lead. There have also been two ties. Lehigh has won seven of the last 10 meetings, but Colgate's wins in 2012 and 2015 clinched Patriot League titles for the Raiders. Tom Gilmore is 5-9 versus Colgate as a head coach. He won in Hamilton in his first season at Lehigh and went 4-9 against the Raiders as head coach at Holy Cross. Lehigh has won four of its last five visits to Andy Kerr Stadium.
Saturday's game kicks off just after 1 p.m. from Andy Kerr Stadium in Hamilton, 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.
It's back to Goodman Stadium and back to Ivy League opponents for the Mountain Hawks next Saturday as Lehigh will host Yale on Tackle Cancer Day presented by Red Robin in partnership with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It will be the first meeting between Lehigh and Yale since 2017 and the first of two consecutive games against Ivy League opponents prior to Lehigh's Oct. 16 bye. Game time is set for noon.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Lehigh and Colgate both open their Patriot League schedules on Saturday. The two most successful programs in league history, Lehigh and Colgate have won or shared a combined 22 league titles, including the Raiders in 2015 and 2018 and the Mountain Hawks in 2016. Lehigh and Colgate shared the 2017 league title, with the Mountain Hawks earning the FCS playoffs auto bid by way of their win in Hamilton. Since the start of the 2008 season, Lehigh is 9-4 in its first game against a league opponent, including league-opening wins against Colgate in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
With their annual matchup seemingly always having championship implications, it's unusual for the Mountain Hawks and Raiders to meet this early. From 1986-2015 Lehigh and Colgate met before October 15 just five times. Going back to the 2012 season, Lehigh's game against Colgate has either been its league opener or has been contested the week before the Lafayette game. In recent years, Lehigh and Colgate have met in early October in 2016, 2017 and 2019 with the Mountain Hawks winning all three. Saturday's game will mark just the third-ever Lehigh-Colgate game contested in September. Lehigh defeated Colgate 20-9 on Sept. 16, 1995 and picked up a 41-39 victory on Sept. 20, 1986.
Lehigh has had success getting to opposing quarterbacks in its first three games of the season. The Mountain Hawks have seven sacks through three games, tying them with Holy Cross for most in the Patriot League. Lehigh had two sacks in each of its first two games and tallied three last week against Princeton. Junior Mikhari Sibblis leads the Mountain Hawks with two sacks, one of each of Lehigh's two home games. Senior Nate Norris has added 1.5 sacks, while junior Stephon Bland and sophomore Harris notched their first sacks of the season against Princeton. Senior Pete Haffner, junior Dean Colton and sophomore Donovan Thomas all own half a sack this season. Lehigh registered seven sacks in its last visit to Colgate in 2019, with Sibblis contributing two.
Most of Lehigh's Patriot League games under coach Tom Gilmore have not been decided until the final seconds. The Mountain Hawks have played nine league games under Gilmore, with seven of the nine decided by seven points or less. All three of Lehigh's league wins in 2019 were decided on the last play of the game. Divine Buckhram made a game-saving tackle on the one yard line to beat Colgate. Addison Shoup threw a touchdown pass to Devon Bibbens to down Fordham in overtime and Austin Henning booted a 27-yard field goal as time expired to beat Georgetown.
Colgate finds itself in a similar position as Lehigh as the Raiders open Patriot League play. The Raiders have started the season 0-3 with losses to Boston College, Stony Brook and William & Mary. Colgate has been outscored 102-10 in its three losses and scored its first touchdown of the season last week against William & Mary on a 23 yard run by backup quarterback Harry Kirk. The Raiders were picked seventh in the Patriot League preseason poll after going 0-2 in the spring. Colgate had four players named to the preseason All-Patriot League team: offensive lineman Jayvion Queen, linebacker Milton Braasch II, defensive back Collin Heard and return specialist Will Gruber. Quarterback Grant Breneman is in his fifth year as the Raiders' starter. Breneman leads the Raiders in passing and rushing so far this season. Myles Bradley has been the top receiver with 111 yards on 10 catches, while running back Max Hurleman is second on the team in both rushing and receiving. Braasch is the top tackler with 25 stops in three games.
Lehigh meets Colgate for the 59th time with the Raiders holding a 30-26 lead. There have also been two ties. Lehigh has won seven of the last 10 meetings, but Colgate's wins in 2012 and 2015 clinched Patriot League titles for the Raiders. Tom Gilmore is 5-9 versus Colgate as a head coach. He won in Hamilton in his first season at Lehigh and went 4-9 against the Raiders as head coach at Holy Cross. Lehigh has won four of its last five visits to Andy Kerr Stadium.
Saturday's game kicks off just after 1 p.m. from Andy Kerr Stadium in Hamilton, 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.
It's back to Goodman Stadium and back to Ivy League opponents for the Mountain Hawks next Saturday as Lehigh will host Yale on Tackle Cancer Day presented by Red Robin in partnership with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It will be the first meeting between Lehigh and Yale since 2017 and the first of two consecutive games against Ivy League opponents prior to Lehigh's Oct. 16 bye. Game time is set for noon.
| Date: | September 25, 2021 |
| Opponent: | Colgate Raiders |
| Kickoff: | 1:05 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Andy Kerr Stadium/10,221/FieldTurf |
| Location: | Hamilton, N.Y. |
| Lehigh's record: | 0-3 overall, 0-0 Patriot League |
| Colgate's record: | 0-3 overall, 0-0 Patriot League |
| Series: | Colgate leads 30-26-2 |
| 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: | •Lehigh is tied for the Patriot League lead with seven sacks through three games. The Mountain Hawks had seven sacks in their last meeting with Colgate in 2019. •Lehigh is 4-0 all-time versus Colgate in Patriot League openers. •Lehigh and Colgate have combined to win or share 22 Patriot League championships, including seven of the last 11 (Lehigh in '10, '11 and '16, Colgate in '12, '15 and '18. The Mountain Hawks and Raiders shared the 2017 title with Lehigh winning the league's automatic playoff bid by way of head-to-head victory). |
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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