Saturday, November 23
Bethlehem, Pa.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
8-3 , 5-1
38
vs
14
Lafayette
6-6 , 2-4
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Lafayette
7
0
7
0
14
Lehigh
7
21
3
7
38
Photo by: Hannahally Photography
Lehigh Rolls To 38-14 Win In #Rivalry160; Secures 13th Patriot League Title
11/23/2024 4:30:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – At 21-point second quarter staked Lehigh to a 28-7 halftime lead and the Mountain Hawks went on to defeat Lafayette 38-14 Saturday at a sold-out Goodman Stadium in the 160th meeting of college football's most-played rivalry, presented by Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute.
The victory clinched Lehigh's league-leading 13th Patriot League football championship with the Mountain Hawks earning the league's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Lehigh finishes out the regular season at 8-3 overall and 5-1 in the Patriot League. Lafayette's season ends at 6-6 overall and 2-4 in league play.
On a day where Lehigh used a balanced offensive attack, first-year quarterback Hayden Johnson was named the game's most valuable player. Johnson completed 10-of-13 passes for 115 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 25 yards and a five-yard touchdown with one second remaining in the first half
Lehigh gained 344 yards of total offense, including 229 on the ground. A trio of rushers eclipsed the 60-yard mark, led by first-year Matt Machalik with 10 carries for 69 yards and first-year Jaden Green with 69 yards on 11 carries. Sophomore Luke Yoder gained 67 yards on 14 rushes.
The Mountain Hawks took the opening kickoff and drove 69 yards in nine plays, with Green opening the scoring on a 19-yard rush to give Lehigh the early 7-0 lead.
Lafayette answered with an 82-yard drive on its first possession, with Jamar Curtis scoring from nine yards out to tie the game at 7-7.
Lehigh's next drive ended in an interception, but the Mountain Hawks' defense stood tall, with a sack shared by juniors TJ Burke and Matt Spatny forcing a Lafayette punt. After the punt, Lehigh drove 68 yards in eight plays, with Machalik scoring the go-ahead touchdown from a yard out.
On its next possession, Lehigh scored again with Johnson connecting with sophomore Mason Humphrey on a 23-yard scoring pass.
Curtis scored his second touchdown of the game on the opening drive of the second half, to cut Lehigh's lead to 28-14, but Lehigh answered with a 54-yard drive that milked 8:10 off the clock. A 31-yard field goal by junior Nick Garrido put the Mountain Hawks up 31-14.
The 17-point advantage was maintained until midway point of the fourth quarter when sophomore Mason Moore stepped in front of a Dean DeNobile pass and raced 41-yard for the exclamation point on Lehigh's victory.
Junior Geoffrey Jamiel was Lehigh's top receiver with 39 yards on four catches.
Defensively, sophomore Aidan Singleton and juniors Brycen Edwards and Jackson Dowd led the way with seven tackles. Moore added six tackles with his second interception of the season.
Lehigh finished with five sacks, led by Burke and Spatny with 1.5 apiece. Sophomore William Parton and senior Dillon Sheehan added sacks.
Curtis rushed 21 times for 131 yards and two scores to lead Lafayette. DeNobile completed 20-of-25 for 171 yards and two interceptions.
The Mountain Hawks will learn their postseason fate Sunday when the FCS playoff bracket is announced at 12:30 p.m. The FCS playoffs begin with games next Saturday.
Gallery: (11-23-2024) Football vs. Lafayette (11/23/24)
EXTRA POINTS… Retiring Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett '76 was honored during Saturday's game and received the game ball postgame… Saturday was Sterrett's 53rd Rivalry game as a student-athlete, coach and administrator… Lehigh has now won 37 of the 60 games in the series since the teams played to a 6-6 tie in the 100th meeting in 1964… Hayden Johnson is the first first-year MVP in the Rivalry game since Lafayette's Drew Reed in 2013 and the first Lehigh first-year to win MVP since Phil Stambaugh in 1996… Lehigh has now outscored its opponents 153-34 in first halves at Goodman Stadium this season… Lehigh has now won 11 of the last 17 games in the Rivalry and has scored a defensive or special teams touchdown in eight of those 11 wins… Moore's pick-six was Lehigh's third of the season… Saturday's attendance was 15,097.
Follow Lehigh Football on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
The victory clinched Lehigh's league-leading 13th Patriot League football championship with the Mountain Hawks earning the league's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Postgame on @LVFoxSports with @coach_cahill and Connor Brown! pic.twitter.com/zYMWeXzhz1
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) November 23, 2024
Lehigh finishes out the regular season at 8-3 overall and 5-1 in the Patriot League. Lafayette's season ends at 6-6 overall and 2-4 in league play.
On a day where Lehigh used a balanced offensive attack, first-year quarterback Hayden Johnson was named the game's most valuable player. Johnson completed 10-of-13 passes for 115 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 25 yards and a five-yard touchdown with one second remaining in the first half
Lehigh gained 344 yards of total offense, including 229 on the ground. A trio of rushers eclipsed the 60-yard mark, led by first-year Matt Machalik with 10 carries for 69 yards and first-year Jaden Green with 69 yards on 11 carries. Sophomore Luke Yoder gained 67 yards on 14 rushes.
The Mountain Hawks took the opening kickoff and drove 69 yards in nine plays, with Green opening the scoring on a 19-yard rush to give Lehigh the early 7-0 lead.
Lafayette answered with an 82-yard drive on its first possession, with Jamar Curtis scoring from nine yards out to tie the game at 7-7.
Lehigh's next drive ended in an interception, but the Mountain Hawks' defense stood tall, with a sack shared by juniors TJ Burke and Matt Spatny forcing a Lafayette punt. After the punt, Lehigh drove 68 yards in eight plays, with Machalik scoring the go-ahead touchdown from a yard out.
On its next possession, Lehigh scored again with Johnson connecting with sophomore Mason Humphrey on a 23-yard scoring pass.
Lafayette drove into Lehigh territory late in the half, but an interception in the end zone by junior Nick Peltekian ended the treat. It took just a minute for Lehigh to drive 80 yards in six plays, with Johnson scrambling and reaching over the goal line to score with one second remaining in the half.TOP SHELF ⬆️ @saucyyy_mason @HaydenJohnson09
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) November 23, 2024
📺 https://t.co/LOS3nlo0KK@PatriotLeagueHQ @espn
#GoLehigh pic.twitter.com/I90et4QUs7
Curtis scored his second touchdown of the game on the opening drive of the second half, to cut Lehigh's lead to 28-14, but Lehigh answered with a 54-yard drive that milked 8:10 off the clock. A 31-yard field goal by junior Nick Garrido put the Mountain Hawks up 31-14.
The 17-point advantage was maintained until midway point of the fourth quarter when sophomore Mason Moore stepped in front of a Dean DeNobile pass and raced 41-yard for the exclamation point on Lehigh's victory.
MASON MOORE TO THE HOUSE!! 🏠
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) November 23, 2024
📺 https://t.co/LOS3nlo0KK@PatriotLeagueHQ @espn #GoLehigh #TheNest pic.twitter.com/VrpXQh26xO
Junior Geoffrey Jamiel was Lehigh's top receiver with 39 yards on four catches.
Defensively, sophomore Aidan Singleton and juniors Brycen Edwards and Jackson Dowd led the way with seven tackles. Moore added six tackles with his second interception of the season.
Lehigh finished with five sacks, led by Burke and Spatny with 1.5 apiece. Sophomore William Parton and senior Dillon Sheehan added sacks.
Curtis rushed 21 times for 131 yards and two scores to lead Lafayette. DeNobile completed 20-of-25 for 171 yards and two interceptions.
The Mountain Hawks will learn their postseason fate Sunday when the FCS playoff bracket is announced at 12:30 p.m. The FCS playoffs begin with games next Saturday.
EXTRA POINTS… Retiring Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett '76 was honored during Saturday's game and received the game ball postgame… Saturday was Sterrett's 53rd Rivalry game as a student-athlete, coach and administrator… Lehigh has now won 37 of the 60 games in the series since the teams played to a 6-6 tie in the 100th meeting in 1964… Hayden Johnson is the first first-year MVP in the Rivalry game since Lafayette's Drew Reed in 2013 and the first Lehigh first-year to win MVP since Phil Stambaugh in 1996… Lehigh has now outscored its opponents 153-34 in first halves at Goodman Stadium this season… Lehigh has now won 11 of the last 17 games in the Rivalry and has scored a defensive or special teams touchdown in eight of those 11 wins… Moore's pick-six was Lehigh's third of the season… Saturday's attendance was 15,097.
Follow Lehigh Football on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Team Stats
LAF
LEH
Total Yards
283
344
Pass Yards
171
115
Rushing Yards
112
229
Penalty Yards
90
35
1st Downs
19
25
3rd Downs
4
7
4th Downs
1
0
TOP
27:59
32:01
1st Quarter
LAF 0, LEH 7
LEH - Green,Jaden 19 yd run (Garrido,Nick kick), 9 plays, 69 yards, TOP 05:03
LAF 7, LEH 7
LAF - Curtis,Jamar 9 yd run (Simonetta,Jack kick), 9 plays, 82 yards, TOP 04:26
2nd Quarter
LAF 7, LEH 14
LEH - Machalik,Matt 1 yd run (Garrido,Nick kick), 8 plays, 68 yards, TOP 04:44
LAF 7, LEH 21
LEH - Humphrey,Mason 23 yd pass from Johnson,Hayden (Garrido,Nick kick) 5 plays, 59 yards, TOP 03:08
LAF 7, LEH 28
LEH - Johnson,Hayden 5 yd run (Garrido,Nick kick), 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 01:00
3rd Quarter
LAF 14, LEH 28
LAF - Curtis,Jamar 2 yd run (Simonetta,Jack kick), 10 plays, 76 yards, TOP 04:32
LAF 14, LEH 31
LEH - Garrido,Nick 31 yd field goal 12 plays, 54 yards, TOP 08:10
4th Quarter
LAF 14, LEH 38
LEH - Moore,Mason 41 yd interception (Garrido,Nick kick)
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
10
TD
1
YDS
115
INT
1
Players Mentioned
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