Lehigh University Athletics
Saturday, September 5
Washington, D.C.
12:30 PM
Lehigh University
at
Georgetown
Photo by: Justin Lafleur
Mountain Hawks Back on the Road Saturday at Georgetown
9/1/2026 1:15:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – No. 10 Lehigh is back on the road for the second straight week as the Mountain Hawks will play a second consecutive Patriot League opponent in Georgetown, Saturday at Cooper Field. The Mountain Hawks rode a fast start to a 35-10 season-opening win at Holy Cross with Lehigh scoring touchdowns on its first three possessions and never looking back. Senior running back Luke Yoder rushed for 130 yards and three touchdowns, while junior quarterback Hayden Johnson set the tone with a 65-yard touchdown rush on the fourth play from scrimmage. Defensively, the Mountain Hawks allowed just 10 points and took the ball away three times. Georgetown's season opener against Lafayette was declared a no contest after a lengthy lightning delay so the Hoyas will officially open their 2026 campaign against the Mountain Hawks.
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A fast start that saw Lehigh race to a 21-0 lead just over 12 minutes into the contest keyed Lehigh's opening day win at Holy Cross. The Mountain Hawks scored 21 points in the opening quarter for the first time since doing so in a 49-13 home win over Wagner on Sept. 7., 2024. Lehigh scored touchdowns on its first three possessions for the first time since Oct. 1, 2016 when the Mountain Hawks built a 21-7 first quarter lead on the way to a 63-35 win at Yale. Hayden Johnson's 65-yard touchdown run on the fourth play from scrimmage marked the first time Lehigh scored a touchdown on the first drive of its season opener since 2014, when Brandon Yosha scored on a one-yard rush in a 31-28 loss to James Madison.
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Statistically, Lehigh's defense ranked among the best in the FCS in 2025, with the Mountain Hawks leading the nation in rushing defense, ranking second in scoring defense and ranking fourth in total defense. What might have been overlooked is that the Mountain Hawks also led the FCS in red zone defense, allowing scores just 64.5 percent of the time inside their 20-yard line. That trend continued in the opening win at Holy Cross, as the Crusaders were only able to score on two out of four red zone opportunities. Holy Cross had three red zone chances in the second quarter alone, but Lehigh was able to limit the Crusaders to a field goal. Junior Ignatious Williams broke up a pass on fourth down to thwart one drive, while a forced fumble by junior Cole Hughes, recovered by sophomore Aidan Williams, stymied another.
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Lehigh is opening its season with three consecutive Patriot League games for the first time (not counting the Spring 2021 season that only featured three league games). Excluding that Spring 2021 campaign, this will be the fourth time Lehigh opens its season with back-to-back league games. The last time it happened was in 2003, when Lehigh opened with back-to-back home wins over Holy Cross and Fordham. Lehigh also opened with two league games in 1986 (Holy Cross and Colgate) and 1997 (Fordham and Towson).
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Lehigh's season-opening victory at Holy Cross made head coach Rich Nagy the 16th of Lehigh's 31 head football coaches to win in his debut and the first since Pete Lembo in 2001. Nagy was also the first Lehigh coach to debut with a Patriot League game since Lembo's Mountain Hawks defeated Georgetown 41-14.
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Georgetown will try again at opening its season. The Hoyas led Lafayette 13-7 at halftime in their scheduled opener on Aug. 27 but after a lengthy lightning delay, the game was declared a no contest. Hassan Mahasin had a 96-yard kickoff return touchdown to put Georgetown ahead before play was halted after 30 minutes. Georgetown was 6-6 overall and 3-4 in the Patriot League in 2025. Defensive lineman Chigozie Oge-Evans represented the Hoyas on the Preseason All-Patriot League team. Senior Jacob Holtschlag started the Lafayette game at quarterback. West Virginia transfer Clay Ash took over as the primary running back. Safety Braylon Wise is the top returning tackler for the Hoyas.
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Lehigh and Georgetown meet for the 31st time with the Mountain Hawks leading the series 23-7. Georgetown's double-overtime win in 2018 snapped a 17-game Lehigh winning streak in the series. The Brown and White met the Hoyas for the first time in 1901 and the teams did not meet between 1926 and 2001.
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Lehigh is 22-2 against Georgetown since the Hoyas joined the Patriot League in 2001, and the Mountain Hawks have outscored the Hoyas by an average of 34.6-13.5 in those games. The Mountain Hawks are 11-1 against Georgetown both at Goodman Stadium and in Washington, D.C. The Hoyas' lone win in Washington came in double overtime in 2018. Lehigh won 17 straight games over Georgetown from 2001-2017 and had three shutouts during that streak (2002, 2007, 2009). Last year's shutout victory over Georgetown was Lehigh's first shutout over anyone since blanking the Hoyas in 2009.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after 12:30 p.m. from Cooper Field in Washington, D.C. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with audio coverage on FOX Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFOXSports.com beginning at 11:30 a.m.
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Lehigh will play its third consecutive Patriot League game as the Mountain Hawks welcome newcomer William & Mary to Goodman Stadium for 610 Day, presented by JFR Salvage. It will be the first meeting between the Mountain Hawks and Tribe since 1992. Game time is set for 2 p.m. on Sept. 12.
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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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A fast start that saw Lehigh race to a 21-0 lead just over 12 minutes into the contest keyed Lehigh's opening day win at Holy Cross. The Mountain Hawks scored 21 points in the opening quarter for the first time since doing so in a 49-13 home win over Wagner on Sept. 7., 2024. Lehigh scored touchdowns on its first three possessions for the first time since Oct. 1, 2016 when the Mountain Hawks built a 21-7 first quarter lead on the way to a 63-35 win at Yale. Hayden Johnson's 65-yard touchdown run on the fourth play from scrimmage marked the first time Lehigh scored a touchdown on the first drive of its season opener since 2014, when Brandon Yosha scored on a one-yard rush in a 31-28 loss to James Madison.
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Statistically, Lehigh's defense ranked among the best in the FCS in 2025, with the Mountain Hawks leading the nation in rushing defense, ranking second in scoring defense and ranking fourth in total defense. What might have been overlooked is that the Mountain Hawks also led the FCS in red zone defense, allowing scores just 64.5 percent of the time inside their 20-yard line. That trend continued in the opening win at Holy Cross, as the Crusaders were only able to score on two out of four red zone opportunities. Holy Cross had three red zone chances in the second quarter alone, but Lehigh was able to limit the Crusaders to a field goal. Junior Ignatious Williams broke up a pass on fourth down to thwart one drive, while a forced fumble by junior Cole Hughes, recovered by sophomore Aidan Williams, stymied another.
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Lehigh is opening its season with three consecutive Patriot League games for the first time (not counting the Spring 2021 season that only featured three league games). Excluding that Spring 2021 campaign, this will be the fourth time Lehigh opens its season with back-to-back league games. The last time it happened was in 2003, when Lehigh opened with back-to-back home wins over Holy Cross and Fordham. Lehigh also opened with two league games in 1986 (Holy Cross and Colgate) and 1997 (Fordham and Towson).
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Lehigh's season-opening victory at Holy Cross made head coach Rich Nagy the 16th of Lehigh's 31 head football coaches to win in his debut and the first since Pete Lembo in 2001. Nagy was also the first Lehigh coach to debut with a Patriot League game since Lembo's Mountain Hawks defeated Georgetown 41-14.
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Georgetown will try again at opening its season. The Hoyas led Lafayette 13-7 at halftime in their scheduled opener on Aug. 27 but after a lengthy lightning delay, the game was declared a no contest. Hassan Mahasin had a 96-yard kickoff return touchdown to put Georgetown ahead before play was halted after 30 minutes. Georgetown was 6-6 overall and 3-4 in the Patriot League in 2025. Defensive lineman Chigozie Oge-Evans represented the Hoyas on the Preseason All-Patriot League team. Senior Jacob Holtschlag started the Lafayette game at quarterback. West Virginia transfer Clay Ash took over as the primary running back. Safety Braylon Wise is the top returning tackler for the Hoyas.
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Lehigh and Georgetown meet for the 31st time with the Mountain Hawks leading the series 23-7. Georgetown's double-overtime win in 2018 snapped a 17-game Lehigh winning streak in the series. The Brown and White met the Hoyas for the first time in 1901 and the teams did not meet between 1926 and 2001.
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Lehigh is 22-2 against Georgetown since the Hoyas joined the Patriot League in 2001, and the Mountain Hawks have outscored the Hoyas by an average of 34.6-13.5 in those games. The Mountain Hawks are 11-1 against Georgetown both at Goodman Stadium and in Washington, D.C. The Hoyas' lone win in Washington came in double overtime in 2018. Lehigh won 17 straight games over Georgetown from 2001-2017 and had three shutouts during that streak (2002, 2007, 2009). Last year's shutout victory over Georgetown was Lehigh's first shutout over anyone since blanking the Hoyas in 2009.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after 12:30 p.m. from Cooper Field in Washington, D.C. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with audio coverage on FOX Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFOXSports.com beginning at 11:30 a.m.
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Lehigh will play its third consecutive Patriot League game as the Mountain Hawks welcome newcomer William & Mary to Goodman Stadium for 610 Day, presented by JFR Salvage. It will be the first meeting between the Mountain Hawks and Tribe since 1992. Game time is set for 2 p.m. on Sept. 12.
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| Date: | September 5, 2026 |
| Opponent: | Georgetown Hoyas |
| Kickoff: | 12:32 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Cooper Field/3,750/FieldTurf |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. |
| Lehigh's record: | 1-0 overall, 1-0 Patriot League |
| Georgetown's record: | 0-0 overall, 0-0 Patriot League |
| Series: | Lehigh leads 23-7 |
| Video: | ESPN+ |
| Radio: | Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFoxSports.com with Tom Fallon, Steve Lomangino and Connor Brown beginning at 11:30 a.m. |
| Key Stats: | •The Mountain Hawks scored touchdowns on their first three possessions last week at Holy Cross, marking the first time Lehigh accomplished that feat since Oct. 1, 2016 when the Mountain Hawks did so in a 63-35 win at Yale. •Lehigh has outscored Georgetown by an average margin of 34.6-13.5 in 24 meetings since the Hoyas joined the Patriot League in 2001. The Mountain Hawks have won 22 of the 24 games. |
Follow Lehigh Football on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.Â
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