Saturday, August 30
Bethlehem, Pa.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
vs
Richmond
Photo by: Dan Stalsitz
No. 14/15 Lehigh Kicks Off 2025 With Top 25 PL Showdown Saturday At Goodman Stadium
8/26/2025 1:51:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 142nd season of Lehigh football begins Saturday with a Top 25 Patriot League showdown at Goodman Stadium as the No. 14/15 Mountain Hawks host Patriot League newcomer No. 25/22 Richmond on Kickoff Weekend presented by JFR Salvage. Lehigh posted the second-largest turnaround in FCS football in 2024, going from 2-9 to 9-4 and capturing the program's league-best 13th Patriot League championship. The Mountain Hawks then went on the road and defeated Richmond 20-16 in the opening round of the FCS Playoffs for their first postseason win since 2011. The Spiders were 10-3 a season ago and will make their debut as an associate member of the Patriot League in football. Lehigh returns eight of its 10 All-Patriot League selections from a season ago and many key contributors from last year's championship squad.
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As part of Kickoff Weekend, presented by JFR Salvage, the first 1000 fans will receive a Lehigh Football schedule magnet to kick-off the season. Fans are also invited to bring their well-trained dogs on a leash to the game. Lehigh students, faculty, and staff receive free admission with their Lehigh ID card.
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Saturday's game will also feature the debut of several additions to the game day experience at Goodman Stadium, including the sale of alcoholic beverages, the Alumni Nest, the debut of Clutch's Kettle, the official student section spirit group of Lehigh Athletics, and the ceremonial bell ringing prior to kickoff.
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Lehigh had 10 All-Patriot League selections following the 2024 season with eight of the 10 back in the fold for 2025. Senior safety Nick Peltekian is a two-time all-league honoree. Other returning first team All-Patriot League performers include senior offensive lineman Langston Jones and senior defensive linemen TJ Burke and Matt Spatny. All four of Lehigh's second team All-Patriot League performers in 2024: senior offensive lineman Aidan Palmer, senior wide receiver Geoffrey Jamiel, junior running back Luke Yoder and sophomore running back Jaden Green, are back in 2025. Jones, Burke, Spatny, Peltekian, Palmer and Yoder were named to the Preseason All-Patriot League team along with senior linebacker Brycen Edwards.
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Defensive lineman Matt Spatny was a standout on one of the nation's top defensive units in 2024. Spatny made 36 tackles from his defensive end position and contributed a Patriot League-leading 11.5 sacks, ranking third in the FCS in sacks per game and fifth in overall sacks. Along with center George Padezanin, Spatny was named an honorable mention Associated Press All-American last season, the first All-Americans for Lehigh since 2019. Spatny's 2024 season included five multi-sack games, including a seven-tackle, 2.5-sack effort in a win over Princeton. Over the summer, Spatny was named a first team Preseason All-American by Stats Perform and was voted the Patriot League's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches and SIDs.
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Lehigh has now eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in 20 straight games dating back to the 2023 season, with the Mountain Hawks having eclipsed 200 rushing yards in six of their last nine games in 2024. Lehigh's 310 rushing yards at Georgetown were its most since gaining 306 at Fordham in 2017. Prior to last season, the last time Lehigh rushed for 200 or more yards in four straight games was in 2015, when the Mountain Hawks eclipsed the 200-yard mark in their final four contests. Lehigh led the Patriot League in rushing and ranked 12th nationally, averaging 201.8 yards per game. Luke Yoder led the way with 1,014 yards on 193 carries, a 5.3 yard per carry average. Yoder had 10 rushing touchdowns and scored at least one in each of Lehigh's first six games. Behind Yoder, Lehigh's next four leading rushers were all first-years, with running backs Jaden Green and Aaron Crossley and quarterbacks Hayden Johnson and Matt Machalik combining for 1,503 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per rush.
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While he contributed in all 13 games in 2024, quarterback Hayden Johnson really turned things on late in the season. Johnson started Lehigh's final four games, including the playoff victory at Richmond. In his first career start, Johnson completed 16-of-21 passes for 204 yards with three touchdowns in a win against Colgate. He went on to complete 10-of-13 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 25 yards and a score to earn the Most Valuable Player award of Lehigh's 38-14 Patriot League title-clinching win over Lafayette in Rivalry 160. The Lancaster, Pa., native became the first first-year player to earn Rivalry game MVP honors since Lafayette's Drew Reed in 2013, and the first Lehigh player to accomplish the feat since Phil Stambaugh in 1996. Johnson completed 14-of-18 for 199 yards and two touchdowns in the playoff win against Richmond. For the season, Johnson completed 67 percent of his passes for 1372 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also rushed 70 times for 307 yards and four touchdowns in 2024.
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Lehigh has an 84-51-6 all-time record in its season-opening contests. The Mountain Hawks are 2-8 in their last 10 openers and are looking to snap a six-game opening-day losing streak. Lehigh's last opening day win came against Saint Francis in 2018. Lehigh has never opened its season against Richmond.
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In a scheduling rarity, Lehigh is opening its season with a Patriot League contest. The Mountain Hawks only played league games in the abbreviated three-game Spring 2021 season. Prior to that, the last time Lehigh opened its season against a Patriot League opponent was 2003, when the Mountain Hawks defeated Holy Cross 38-20 at Goodman Stadium. That year, Lehigh opened with back-to-back home league games, with the Mountain Hawks beating Fordham in week two. Lehigh opened with a league game 12 times from the formation of the Patriot League in 1986 through 2001, with Fordham (8 games) serving as the most popular league opponent.
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Champions of the CAA in 2024, Richmond makes its debut as an associate Patriot League member in football. The Spiders went 10-3 last season, including an 8-0 conference mark. Richmond opens the new season against a Lehigh team that ended its 2024 campaign in the playoffs at Robins Stadium. Five Spiders earned Preseason All-Patriot League honors: offensive linemen Gabriel Carbajal and Scott Hummel, tight end Sean Clarke, linebacker Carter Glassmeyer and defensive end Camden Byrd. Richmond was picked second in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. Senior Kyle Wickersham is expected to start at quarterback for Richmond.
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Richmond is playing its first game as an associate member of the Patriot League in the sport of football, with 2025 marking the first time since 2001 that the Patriot League added a new member in football. Georgetown made its Patriot League debut in 2001, with Lehigh serving as the opponent for its first game. The Mountain Hawks claimed a 41-14 win over the Hoyas in the season-opener for both teams in Washington, D.C. on the way to an 11-1 championship campaign.
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Lehigh and Richmond meet for the fifth time with the series tied 2-2. Lehigh's two victories have come in the two NCAA playoff games, while Richmond has won the two regular season meetings.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after noon from Goodman Stadium. Tickets can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-758-4263 during business hours.
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The Mountain Hawks will play four of their first six games at home this season, with Lehigh back at Goodman Stadium to host Sacred Heart next Saturday on University Day/Hall of Fame Weekend. This is just the second-ever meeting between the Mountain Hawks and Pioneers and the first meeting in Bethlehem. Game time is set for noon.
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Follow Lehigh Football on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.Â
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As part of Kickoff Weekend, presented by JFR Salvage, the first 1000 fans will receive a Lehigh Football schedule magnet to kick-off the season. Fans are also invited to bring their well-trained dogs on a leash to the game. Lehigh students, faculty, and staff receive free admission with their Lehigh ID card.
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Saturday's game will also feature the debut of several additions to the game day experience at Goodman Stadium, including the sale of alcoholic beverages, the Alumni Nest, the debut of Clutch's Kettle, the official student section spirit group of Lehigh Athletics, and the ceremonial bell ringing prior to kickoff.
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Lehigh had 10 All-Patriot League selections following the 2024 season with eight of the 10 back in the fold for 2025. Senior safety Nick Peltekian is a two-time all-league honoree. Other returning first team All-Patriot League performers include senior offensive lineman Langston Jones and senior defensive linemen TJ Burke and Matt Spatny. All four of Lehigh's second team All-Patriot League performers in 2024: senior offensive lineman Aidan Palmer, senior wide receiver Geoffrey Jamiel, junior running back Luke Yoder and sophomore running back Jaden Green, are back in 2025. Jones, Burke, Spatny, Peltekian, Palmer and Yoder were named to the Preseason All-Patriot League team along with senior linebacker Brycen Edwards.
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Defensive lineman Matt Spatny was a standout on one of the nation's top defensive units in 2024. Spatny made 36 tackles from his defensive end position and contributed a Patriot League-leading 11.5 sacks, ranking third in the FCS in sacks per game and fifth in overall sacks. Along with center George Padezanin, Spatny was named an honorable mention Associated Press All-American last season, the first All-Americans for Lehigh since 2019. Spatny's 2024 season included five multi-sack games, including a seven-tackle, 2.5-sack effort in a win over Princeton. Over the summer, Spatny was named a first team Preseason All-American by Stats Perform and was voted the Patriot League's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches and SIDs.
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Lehigh has now eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in 20 straight games dating back to the 2023 season, with the Mountain Hawks having eclipsed 200 rushing yards in six of their last nine games in 2024. Lehigh's 310 rushing yards at Georgetown were its most since gaining 306 at Fordham in 2017. Prior to last season, the last time Lehigh rushed for 200 or more yards in four straight games was in 2015, when the Mountain Hawks eclipsed the 200-yard mark in their final four contests. Lehigh led the Patriot League in rushing and ranked 12th nationally, averaging 201.8 yards per game. Luke Yoder led the way with 1,014 yards on 193 carries, a 5.3 yard per carry average. Yoder had 10 rushing touchdowns and scored at least one in each of Lehigh's first six games. Behind Yoder, Lehigh's next four leading rushers were all first-years, with running backs Jaden Green and Aaron Crossley and quarterbacks Hayden Johnson and Matt Machalik combining for 1,503 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per rush.
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While he contributed in all 13 games in 2024, quarterback Hayden Johnson really turned things on late in the season. Johnson started Lehigh's final four games, including the playoff victory at Richmond. In his first career start, Johnson completed 16-of-21 passes for 204 yards with three touchdowns in a win against Colgate. He went on to complete 10-of-13 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 25 yards and a score to earn the Most Valuable Player award of Lehigh's 38-14 Patriot League title-clinching win over Lafayette in Rivalry 160. The Lancaster, Pa., native became the first first-year player to earn Rivalry game MVP honors since Lafayette's Drew Reed in 2013, and the first Lehigh player to accomplish the feat since Phil Stambaugh in 1996. Johnson completed 14-of-18 for 199 yards and two touchdowns in the playoff win against Richmond. For the season, Johnson completed 67 percent of his passes for 1372 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also rushed 70 times for 307 yards and four touchdowns in 2024.
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Lehigh has an 84-51-6 all-time record in its season-opening contests. The Mountain Hawks are 2-8 in their last 10 openers and are looking to snap a six-game opening-day losing streak. Lehigh's last opening day win came against Saint Francis in 2018. Lehigh has never opened its season against Richmond.
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In a scheduling rarity, Lehigh is opening its season with a Patriot League contest. The Mountain Hawks only played league games in the abbreviated three-game Spring 2021 season. Prior to that, the last time Lehigh opened its season against a Patriot League opponent was 2003, when the Mountain Hawks defeated Holy Cross 38-20 at Goodman Stadium. That year, Lehigh opened with back-to-back home league games, with the Mountain Hawks beating Fordham in week two. Lehigh opened with a league game 12 times from the formation of the Patriot League in 1986 through 2001, with Fordham (8 games) serving as the most popular league opponent.
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Champions of the CAA in 2024, Richmond makes its debut as an associate Patriot League member in football. The Spiders went 10-3 last season, including an 8-0 conference mark. Richmond opens the new season against a Lehigh team that ended its 2024 campaign in the playoffs at Robins Stadium. Five Spiders earned Preseason All-Patriot League honors: offensive linemen Gabriel Carbajal and Scott Hummel, tight end Sean Clarke, linebacker Carter Glassmeyer and defensive end Camden Byrd. Richmond was picked second in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. Senior Kyle Wickersham is expected to start at quarterback for Richmond.
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Richmond is playing its first game as an associate member of the Patriot League in the sport of football, with 2025 marking the first time since 2001 that the Patriot League added a new member in football. Georgetown made its Patriot League debut in 2001, with Lehigh serving as the opponent for its first game. The Mountain Hawks claimed a 41-14 win over the Hoyas in the season-opener for both teams in Washington, D.C. on the way to an 11-1 championship campaign.
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Lehigh and Richmond meet for the fifth time with the series tied 2-2. Lehigh's two victories have come in the two NCAA playoff games, while Richmond has won the two regular season meetings.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after noon from Goodman Stadium. Tickets can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-758-4263 during business hours.
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The Mountain Hawks will play four of their first six games at home this season, with Lehigh back at Goodman Stadium to host Sacred Heart next Saturday on University Day/Hall of Fame Weekend. This is just the second-ever meeting between the Mountain Hawks and Pioneers and the first meeting in Bethlehem. Game time is set for noon.
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| Date: | August 30, 2025 |
| Opponent: | No. 25/22 Richmond Spiders |
| Kickoff: | 12:02 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Goodman Stadium/16,000/Natural Grass |
| Location: | Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Lehigh's 2024 record: | 9-4 overall, 5-1 Patriot League |
| Richmond's 2024 record: | 10-3 overall, 8-0 CAA |
| Series: | Tied 2-2 |
| Video: | ESPN+ with Marco Socci and Mike Yadush '93 |
| Radio: | Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFoxSports.com with Matt Kerr, Jim Guzzo and Connor Brown beginning at 11 a.m. |
| Key Stats: | •Lehigh ranked 12th in the nation in rushing offense last year (201.8 ypg.) and returns its top seven rushers. •Last year the Mountain Hawks ranked in the top 20 in the FCS in pass defense (174.5 ypg.), total defense (303.8 ypg.) and sacks (2.62 pg.) •Lehigh's roster features 13 first-years, 39 sophomores, 22 juniors, 17 seniors and one fifth-year. |
Follow Lehigh Football on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.Â
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Players Mentioned
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