Lehigh University
4-0 , 2-0
Bucknell
2-2 , 0-1
Ground Game Powers No. 10 Lehigh To 41-24 Win At Bucknell
9/20/2025 10:14:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – No. 10 Lehigh came out of halftime strong, outscoring Bucknell 21-0 in the third quarter, turning a seven-point halftime lead into a 28-point advantage, as the Mountain Hawks improved to 2-0 in the Patriot League with a 41-24 win over the Bison Saturday night at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
The Mountain Hawks rushed for 326 yards and gained 494 yards of offense for the game. Sophomore Jaden Green scored three of Lehigh's five touchdowns while junior Luke Yoder ran for a career-best 174 yards and a score.
The win moves Lehigh to 4-0 on the season, the Mountain Hawks' first 4-0 start since 2013.
Hear from Lehigh Football head coach Kevin Cahill & sophomore RB Jaden Green on Lehigh's 41-24 win over Bucknell. pic.twitter.com/Nq0MrsIqR6
— Lehigh Sports (@LehighSports) September 21, 2025
The Lehigh defense set the early tone with sophomore Mekhai Smith picking off Bucknell's Ralph Rucker IV on the first play from scrimmage. Smith's third interception of the season led to a 24-yard Nick Garrido field goal and an early 3-0 Lehigh lead.
The Mountain Hawks got a defensive 3-and-out on Bucknell's second series and Lehigh turned around with a five-play, 55-yard drive capped by a 12-yard touchdown run by Green to give Lehigh a 10-0 lead with 7:03 remaining in the opening quarter.
Leading 10-3 late in the first quarter, Yoder broke loose for a 29 yard rush to get Lehigh out of the shadow of its end zone. The Mountain Hawks ended up driving 98 yards in 11 plays, with Yoder scoring on a one-yard rush to push Lehigh's lead to 17-3.
Rucker scored Bucknell's first touchdown on a five-yard rush late in the first half. The Bison also stopped Lehigh on a 4th-and-1 inside the Bison 10 yard line as the Mountain Hawks took a 17-10 lead into halftime.
Green rushed for 28 yards on the second play of the third quarter, setting the tone for Lehigh as the Mountain Hawks needed just four plays to move 65 yards. Green broke off the right side for 23 yards and after review, was awarded his second touchdown of the night to put Lehigh up 24-10.
Mason Humphrey gets into the act! 17-yard catch from Johnson, his first TD of the season!
Watch: https://t.co/XFLwjm8ciY@espn @PatriotLeague pic.twitter.com/ybLAkRZALn— Lehigh Sports (@LehighSports) September 21, 2025
A sack by senior Matt Spatny ended Bucknell's first drive of the second half with a punt, and Lehigh capitalized on good field position, needing just four plays to go 30 yards. Sophomore quarterback Hayden Johnson hit Green wide open in the left flat for a six-yard touchdown to put Lehigh up by 21 points.
After another Bucknell 3-and-out, Lehigh moved 60 yards in seven plays, capped by a 17-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to junior Mason Humphrey.
Mason Humphrey gets into the act! 17-yard catch from Johnson, his first TD of the season!
Watch: https://t.co/XFLwjm8ciY@espn @PatriotLeague pic.twitter.com/ybLAkRZALn— Lehigh Sports (@LehighSports) September 21, 2025
Rucker threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes to bring the Bison closer, but Lehigh recovered a pair of onside kicks. A 23-yard field goal by Garrido capped the scoring.
Green finished with 127 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, plus two catches for four yards and a third score.
Johnson completed 16-of-20 for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Geoffrey Jamiel was the top receiver with eight catches for 102 yards.
For Bucknell, Rucker completed 23-of-34 for 291 yards with two passing touchdowns and an interception. Sam Milligan caught five passes for 109 yards.
Defensively, Smith and sophomore Cole Hughes led the way with six tackles. The Mountain Hawks sacked Rucker six times, with fifth-year Dillon Sheehan registering 2.5.
The Mountain Hawks return to Goodman Stadium next Saturday to host Penn as part of Family Weekend, presented by Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute, part of Jefferson Health. Game time is set for noon. Tickets can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-758-4263 during business hours.
EXTRA POINTS… Lehigh has its first four-game winning streak since 2019… the Mountain Hawks have now won 22 of the last 28 meetings with Bucknell… the road team has now won the last six meetings in the Lehigh-Bucknell series… Garrido's 11 points are a new single-game high… Lehigh won the turnover battle for the second consecutive game… Hughes made his first career start for the Mountain Hawks… senior safety Nick Peltekian made his season debut… Lehigh's 323 rushing yards are its most in 28 games under Kevin Cahill… the Mountain Hawks last rushed for 300 yards in a game last year at Georgetown (310)… first-year Anthony Feaster debuted with two receptions for 19 yards… Lehigh paired its gold helmets with white jerseys and pants.
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Team Stats
LEH 3, BUC 0
LEH - Garrido,Nick 24 yd field goal 7 plays, 28 yards, TOP 03:04
LEH 10, BUC 0
LEH - Green,Jaden 12 yd run (Garrido,Nick kick), 5 plays, 55 yards, TOP 02:37
LEH 10, BUC 3
BUC - Schearer,Matt 29 yd field goal 6 plays, 73 yards, TOP 03:08
LEH 17, BUC 3
LEH - Yoder,Luke 1 yd run (Garrido,Nick kick), 11 plays, 98 yards, TOP 05:11
LEH 17, BUC 10
BUC - Rucker IV,Ralph 5 yd run (Schearer,Matt kick), 12 plays, 85 yards, TOP 05:39
LEH 24, BUC 10
LEH - Green,Jaden 23 yd run (Garrido,Nick kick), 4 plays, 65 yards, TOP 03:06
LEH 31, BUC 10
LEH - Green,Jaden 6 yd pass from Johnson,Hayden (Garrido,Nick kick) 4 plays, 30 yards, TOP 02:14
LEH 38, BUC 10
LEH - Humphrey,Mason 17 yd pass from Johnson,Hayden (Garrido,Nick kick) 7 plays, 60 yards, TOP 04:01
LEH 38, BUC 17
BUC - Anderson,Nate 10 yd pass from Rucker IV,Ralph (Schearer,Matt kick) 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:48
LEH 38, BUC 24
BUC - Cadden,TJ 3 yd pass from Rucker IV,Ralph (Schearer,Matt kick) 11 plays, 86 yards, TOP 03:38
LEH 41, BUC 24
LEH - Garrido,Nick 23 yd field goal 9 plays, 39 yards, TOP 04:19
