Saturday, September 16
Bethlehem, Pa.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
vs
Cornell
Photo by: Hannahally Photography
Mountain Hawks Back Home To Host Cornell on Family Day, presented by PSECU
9/12/2023 1:39:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Coming off its first win of the season and the first win for head coach Kevin Cahill, Lehigh returns to Goodman Stadium to host Cornell Saturday in a Patriot League-Ivy League clash on Family Day, presented by PSECU. The Mountain Hawks dealt with venue changes due to damage from severe weather and then sat through a two-hour weather delay, but found a way to defeat Merrimack 14-12 last Saturday in a game played at Harvard Stadium. Sophomore Brayten Silbor connected with senior Connor Kennedy on a pair of late second quarter touchdown passes, while senior Mike DeNucci spearheaded a strong defensive effort with 10 tackles and a sack. Lehigh's defense yielded just 276 yards of offense and came up with several key stops in the fourth quarter to preserve the lead.
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Before Lehigh could battle Merrimack, the Mountain Hawks battled through site changes and weather delays before picking up a 14-12 victory to give coach Kevin Cahill his first win at Lehigh. Severe weather at Merrimack's campus Friday forced the game to be moved to Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Mass., and then thunderstorms pushed back the start of the game by two hours. The game was Lehigh's first at Harvard since Oct. 16, 2010 and its first "neutral" site game since Rivalry 150 at Yankee Stadium in 2014. Ironically, Cahill's first road game as Lehigh's head coach was at the same venue as his last road game as Yale's offensive coordinator, with Cahill's teams winning both contests.
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With the game on the line in the second half against Merrimack, senior linebacker Mike DeNucci took over. DeNucci registered four of his game-high 10 tackles in the fourth quarter, highlighted by a late third-down sack that knocked Merrimack out of field goal range. DeNucci started all 11 games at linebacker in 2022 and led the Mountain Hawks in total tackles (93), tackles-for-loss (16.5) and sacks (8.5) on the way to earning second team All-Patriot League honors. By the midpoint of last season, DeNucci earned a spot on the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS. A Preseason All-Patriot League honoree and team captain, DeNucci leads Lehigh with 17 tackles and three tackles for loss through two games.
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Senior wide receiver Connor Kennedy enjoyed the best game of his Lehigh career in the win over Merrimack, as he hauled in four passes for 47 yards and two touchdowns. In a span of 54 seconds late in the second quarter, Kennedy hauled in a pair of touchdown passes from Brayten Silbor to provide the offense in Lehigh's 14-12 victory. Kennedy's touchdown catches covered six and then eight yards and he also added a career-long 25-yard reception in the game.
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Third down defense has been a strength for the Mountain Hawks in the early season. Lehigh allowed both Villanova and Merrimack to convert just 1-of-12 third down opportunities, with the 8.3 percent success rate leading all of Division I FCS football. Merrimack's only third down conversion was its lone touchdown of the game. From there, Lehigh stopped the Warriors' last four third down opportunities including two tackles and a huge sack from senior Mike DeNucci which knocked Merrimack out of field goal range,
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Cornell opens its season against Lehigh. The Big Red are coming off a 5-5 campaign that included a 2-5 mark against Ivy League opponents. Cornell was picked seventh in the Ivy League preseason poll. Jameson Wang returns as Cornell's dual threat quarterback. while team captain Micah Sahakian anchors the offensive line. Linebacker Jake Stebbins will serve as captain of the defense and is one of four returning second team All-Ivy selections for the Big Red.
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Lehigh and Cornell have met 27 times with the Big Red leading the series 15-10-2. Cornell captured last year's meeting 19-15 in Ithaca and will be visiting Goodman Stadium for their first time since the Big Red claimed a walk-off victory on the final play of the game in 2008. Saturday's game will mark just the sixth meeting between Lehigh and Cornell since the year 2000 and just the 11th in the last 40 years. The Big Red were the opponent for the first game at Goodman Stadium, a 27-14 Lehigh win in 1988.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after noon from Goodman Stadium. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-758-4263 during business hours.
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Lehigh will embark on a three-game road trip beginning with a visit to Dartmouth next Saturday in the first meeting between the two programs since 1999. Game time is set for 1:30 from Memorial Field in Hanover, N.H. The Dartmouth game will be followed by visits to Monmouth (Sept. 30) and Fordham (Oct. 7) before Lehigh returns home to host Georgetown on Oct. 14.
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Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.Â
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Before Lehigh could battle Merrimack, the Mountain Hawks battled through site changes and weather delays before picking up a 14-12 victory to give coach Kevin Cahill his first win at Lehigh. Severe weather at Merrimack's campus Friday forced the game to be moved to Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Mass., and then thunderstorms pushed back the start of the game by two hours. The game was Lehigh's first at Harvard since Oct. 16, 2010 and its first "neutral" site game since Rivalry 150 at Yankee Stadium in 2014. Ironically, Cahill's first road game as Lehigh's head coach was at the same venue as his last road game as Yale's offensive coordinator, with Cahill's teams winning both contests.
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With the game on the line in the second half against Merrimack, senior linebacker Mike DeNucci took over. DeNucci registered four of his game-high 10 tackles in the fourth quarter, highlighted by a late third-down sack that knocked Merrimack out of field goal range. DeNucci started all 11 games at linebacker in 2022 and led the Mountain Hawks in total tackles (93), tackles-for-loss (16.5) and sacks (8.5) on the way to earning second team All-Patriot League honors. By the midpoint of last season, DeNucci earned a spot on the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS. A Preseason All-Patriot League honoree and team captain, DeNucci leads Lehigh with 17 tackles and three tackles for loss through two games.
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Senior wide receiver Connor Kennedy enjoyed the best game of his Lehigh career in the win over Merrimack, as he hauled in four passes for 47 yards and two touchdowns. In a span of 54 seconds late in the second quarter, Kennedy hauled in a pair of touchdown passes from Brayten Silbor to provide the offense in Lehigh's 14-12 victory. Kennedy's touchdown catches covered six and then eight yards and he also added a career-long 25-yard reception in the game.
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Third down defense has been a strength for the Mountain Hawks in the early season. Lehigh allowed both Villanova and Merrimack to convert just 1-of-12 third down opportunities, with the 8.3 percent success rate leading all of Division I FCS football. Merrimack's only third down conversion was its lone touchdown of the game. From there, Lehigh stopped the Warriors' last four third down opportunities including two tackles and a huge sack from senior Mike DeNucci which knocked Merrimack out of field goal range,
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Cornell opens its season against Lehigh. The Big Red are coming off a 5-5 campaign that included a 2-5 mark against Ivy League opponents. Cornell was picked seventh in the Ivy League preseason poll. Jameson Wang returns as Cornell's dual threat quarterback. while team captain Micah Sahakian anchors the offensive line. Linebacker Jake Stebbins will serve as captain of the defense and is one of four returning second team All-Ivy selections for the Big Red.
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Lehigh and Cornell have met 27 times with the Big Red leading the series 15-10-2. Cornell captured last year's meeting 19-15 in Ithaca and will be visiting Goodman Stadium for their first time since the Big Red claimed a walk-off victory on the final play of the game in 2008. Saturday's game will mark just the sixth meeting between Lehigh and Cornell since the year 2000 and just the 11th in the last 40 years. The Big Red were the opponent for the first game at Goodman Stadium, a 27-14 Lehigh win in 1988.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after noon from Goodman Stadium. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-758-4263 during business hours.
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Lehigh will embark on a three-game road trip beginning with a visit to Dartmouth next Saturday in the first meeting between the two programs since 1999. Game time is set for 1:30 from Memorial Field in Hanover, N.H. The Dartmouth game will be followed by visits to Monmouth (Sept. 30) and Fordham (Oct. 7) before Lehigh returns home to host Georgetown on Oct. 14.
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| Date: | September 16, 2023 |
| Opponent: | Cornell Big Red |
| Kickoff: | 12:02 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Goodman Stadium/16,000/Natural Grass |
| Location: | Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Lehigh's record: | 1-1 overall, 0-0 Patriot League |
| Cornell's 2022 record: | 5-5 overall, 2-5 Ivy League |
| Series: | Cornell leads 15-10-2 |
| Video: | ESPN+ with Matt Kerr and Mike Yadush '93 |
| Radio: | Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFoxSports.com with Tom Fallon, Jim Guzzo and Connor Mills beginning at 11 a.m. |
| Key Stats: | •Lehigh leads the Patriot League in 3rd down defense allowing opponents to convert just 2-of-24 third down opportunities (8.3%). •Lehigh ranks fifth in the FCS allowing just 109.0 passing yards per game. |
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.Â
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