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Patriot League Season Over

The Patriot League's football season is officially over in the I-AA playoffs this weekend. Lafayette and Colgate fell to a pair of great I-AA football teams in New Hampshire and Appalachian State.

I had the honor of watching most of both of these games on TV this weekend. The Colgate game, unfortunately, was over reasonably early. When I saw New Hampshire KR David Boyle return a punt for a TD, I thought that Colgate may be in for a long day, but that obscured a pretty good defensive effort in the first quarter, stuffing the Wildcats on three out of four possessions. Unfortunately, despite freshman RB Jordan Scott's eye-popping 205 yard 3 TD performance, it wasn't enough. Colgate just didn't have the high-powered offense to stay with the hyper-charged offenses of Top 25 I-AA teams, and it showed. With Scott, Colgate has lots to look forward to next year, and Lehigh will have a tough time stopping them.

For the second year in a row, Lafayette almost pulled off the upset of the century. For the first half, coach Tavani and the Leopard assistant coaches showed what Lehigh fans know all too well - these guys are sharp. After dominating time of possession on their way to a 17-10 halftime lead, Lafayette battled throughout the 3rd quarter to keep the score knotted at 20-20. Lafayette played their game brilliantly - spreading the ball, doing a good job stuffing App St. on third down, and benefitting immensely by Mountaineer turnovers. Senior QB Pat Davis and junior RB Jonathan Hurt played brilliantly, picking up where they left off against Lehigh.

Tavani then called an incredibly gutsy onside kick recovered by senior LB Blake Costanzo, which was then overturned by an incredibly questionable offsides call. After the kickoff, the Mountaineers responded with a sense of urgency, driving the length of the field to go ahead by 27-20. After responding with a FG and having a chance to score, Davis was drilled from behind, fumbling the ball, with the Mountaineers recovering. Going in for the kill, senior QB (and Payton award nominee) Richie Williams lofted a perfect pass to WR Daniel Bettis to seal the deal. Lafayette's offense and defense battled until the very end, but at the end of the game you could tell they couldn't overcome an 11 point deficit with 2 minutes to play. Even so, Davis, battered and shaken, battled until the very last play.

Lafayette really held the banner of the Patriot League very high today. App St. may very well be going to the I-AA championship game, but Lafayette for the second year in a row went down to one of the toughest places to play in I-AA and gave them a better game than nationally-ranked Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern. You can't help but think "what if the refs weren't so gutless taking the onsides kick away from Lafayette"? and what might have been.

I haven't forgotten recapping the Lehigh season, postseason awards, etc. I will be starting that process later this week. Congratulations to Lafayette, though. They deserve high honors for what they were able to accomplish in Boone, NC last Saturday.

Comments

Anonymous said…
It's really "sweet" that you are trying to be fair and balanced, but I'm sorry, I can't give Luckette credit for squat. It's like asking a Red Sox fan to give the Yankees their props. Can't be done.
Anonymous said…
Yea i agree, i cant give them credit. But look at their style of play. They play not to get blowout and not to blowout other teams. They play like the Washington Redskins. They will keep every game close. Beat Richmond 7-0, beat gtown 12-7. So i think that game being as close as it was, was only beacuse of lafayette's style of play. They werent going to win that game just wanted to keep it close.
Anonymous said…
If that makes you LU fans feel any better, than fine. Ridiculous, but fine. We knew we werent going to win so we told Hurt to fumble and Davis to throw an INT. Makes alot of sense. It's called good defense and just enough offense boys. You saw it first hand. :)
Anonymous said…
I'm confused how you can play a game close but only for the purpose of keeping it close, not to win.
Sour grapes all over the place.
You people who comment in here really should take a lesson from Chuck and learn that it is ok to have pride in your league.
I mean, the Lehigh game wouldn't mean anything if you weren't bitter and spiteful but you have to admit that Lafayette played alot better than anyone expected them to and that says alot about the LEAGUE!!!!
And we all can agree that Colgate sucks.
Anonymous said…
Yeah, I only wish I could be as classy as Lafayette fans are. Give me an F-ing break. The website is called "Lehigh Football Nation" not "Let's praise everybody in the Patriot League". I can almost respect Colgate. At least their fans aren't a bunch of fat slob ex-jock wannabees. I thought I was visiting "Animal House" walking past the Lafayette tailgaters.
Anonymous said…
As I always suspected, Lehigh fans are so delusional that they think their team is bigger than the whole league.
Anonymous said…
I can give them credit, but why are the officials "gutless" for flagging offsides on the kickoff? I didn't see it, but sure, they could have been 100% incorrect.

But an offsides flag there seems like a "gutsy" call to me, not a "gutless" one.
Anonymous said…
Lafayette used smoke and mirrors all year. They are a disgrace to the league athletically and academically. What a shame that their so called fans can spout off from their trailers for another year. DAMN SHAME
Anonymous said…
Then you've obviously have never stepped foot on a football field. You win games with Jimmys and Joes, not X's and O's. Smoke and mirrors? What an idiot.
Anonymous said…
Chuck, it's too bad your classy site is gets brought down by a few bitter and classless Lehigh fans.
Anonymous said…
I think that the games won for Lafayette are not with Jimmies and Joes, but with Ace's and Gary's
Anonymous said…
"Lafayette used smoke and mirrors all year. They are a disgrace to the league athletically and academically. What a shame that their so called fans can spout off from their trailers for another year. DAMN SHAME"

What a moron! I realize that it is your jaded opinion that Lafayette sucks in sports but if you check US News (which you obviously didn't because you wouldn't understand how to check a source) you would see that Lafayette is tied with Bucknell as the 27th best Liberal arts schools in the country.
For reference:
Colgate 15
HolyX: 32
Georgetown, Lehigh and Fordham are all ranked in with the universities:
Georgetown: 23
Lehigh: 32
Forham: 68

Think before you type, before you put more things on the internet that prove your foolishness.
Anonymous said…
geez i hate to piss you off! you're so sensitive! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

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