Lehigh Football Nation

You couldn't ask for a better game to go into next week's Lehigh/Lafayette game. A playoff game. Lehigh/Lafayette next week will be for all the marbles - the I-AA playoff bid is on the line. The winner will definitely be in; the loser will definitely be out. With Colgate's surprising win over Holy Cross up in Hamilton, the Lehigh/Lafayette game once again will be for all the marbles next week. Like 2004, Lehigh has already clinched a share of the Patriot League title by thrashing Fordham today, but have to beat Lafayette to gain sole possession of the title and a I-AA playoff bid. For sure, a game like today is how you want to go into the biggest game of the year. RB Marques "Mud" Thompson had 3 TDs, while QB Sedale Threatt added 3 passing TDs of his own. Over 400 yards of total offense, and CB Brannan Thomas added two interceptions to make the outcome not in doubt. In a way, it was a nice "blast from the past" to see Lehigh manhandle an opponent an...

The rout is on. It is looking like Lehigh/Lafayette is going to be for all the marbles next weekend, although technically we have clinched a share of the Patriot League title this weekend. I anticipate backup QB Mike Probst to come in soon and get the rest of the seniors some playing time. G Pete Morelli will also probably get some throw before all is said and done - as a TE. I'll check in later. As this gme is out of reach from the Rams, I'm going to take care of some things. In other games, Lafayette is handling Georgetown, while Holy Cross has just went up 21-8. Correction: Colgate just got a TD to cut the deficit to 21-15 with 6:15 left in the 3rd.

Not perfect, but certainly perfect enough so far. CB Brannan Thomas, with two huge interceptions (one which directly led to a FG), is playing like a senior on senior day with a fantastic game, when RB Marques Thompson executed perfectly on a little option pitch (along with some great blocking) to punch it in for a 24-7 lead. At the end of the half, Fordham converted two 4th down conversions and drove inside Lehigh's 10, but with no timeouts and a bad snap, time ran out on them before the half. A lucky break for Lehigh, but it shouldn't overshadow a great half in a lot of other ways. I'm feeling good about Lehigh/Lafayette next week being for all the marbles.

Lehigh looks good. Aside from a couple plays in the first half (and a flukey TD pass that hit two Lehigh defenders, and bounced into the receiver's hands), Lehigh has been dominating on offense, defense, and special teams so far. The two TD drives were brutally effective, mixing both the run and the pass. One TD came off the option, as Threatt pitched to RB Marques "Mud" Thompson as he scooted into the endzone, and the other was a play-action toss to FB Greg Fay for a nice TD. Lehigh's defense, aside from the opening drive for the TD, has been great, getting two 3-and-outs. Looking good early.

I know about 99% of the time I only talk about I-AA football, but what do you think these two people would be talking about in college today? Somehow I think it wouldn't be the LaSalle/St. Peter's game last night, but the shocking upset of #3 Louisville by #15 Rutgers. I watched the game with a proud Rutgers alum - that would be my wife - and it was without a doubt the best I-A game I've ever seen. You couldn't make it up. Falling behind 25-7 in the first half, giving up free points on "Hey, they're Rutgers " sort of errors that would deep-six games before they even begun, and staying about one TD away from watching HGTV or Grey's Anatomy . But the Scarlet Knights simply wouldn't quit "chopping wood", getting a quick strike before halftime. It was remarkable to watch: Louisville's QB Brohm slowly, methodically, melting down, while Rutgers working, and slowly beleiving, that they could do it, getting a TD, a 2-point conversion, and the...

Are we really in November already? It feels like just weeks ago that Lehigh had lost to Yale, losing 26-20 in OT, giving the Mountain Hawks their fourth regular-season loss on the year (the first time that's happened since 1997). Frustration had built up to a boiling level - we were beat every which way statistically in that game, and for the fourth time we fell-from-ahead to lose. It was an open question as to whether this Lehigh team had what it took to win the league. Since then, with two weeks to go in this season, Lehigh has successfully survived every test put before them. Bucknell? Survived. Holy Cross? Survived. Colgate? Survived. Each week we've gotten better and we're feeling the Lehigh pride swelling up again. You can sense this isn't the same team that suited up versus Yale. This is a hard-working team that is coming together. Right now we're headed to the top of the world. We're in control of our own destiny, and every cliche in the worl...

I'm sitting here looking at this Morning Call photo and wondering: Was this shot against a green screen? Seriously, it's a nice action shot of Sedale, and I just wish I had the same photo editing program that they did. Today or tomorrow my I-AA.org piece should be released, complete with pictures and the full deal on the game. But I will do my press roundup and give out my game balls before I do that. On offense, the game ball is going to the guy in the picture, junior QB Sedale Threatt . He may give himself a tough time for a few missed passes, but I sure won't with a 10-for-17 day with 185 yards passing, 75 yards rushing and 2 TDs. Like last year versus Colgate, Threatt got the job done and gave their defense fits. Sedale, you got a well-deserved game ball. You look at the defensive statistics and see senior NT Erik Rakus , who is this week's defensive game ball winner for the second straight week. Four tackles? Granted, he had two tackles for loss and an interc...

Lehigh ain't won anything yet, but as we're coming down to the wire in this 2006 I-AA season, I thought it best to tell you, dear Reader, a little about the I-AA playoffs, how they work, and who's got the inside track for playoff bids. Every year it's confusing, but after you read this tidbit the smoke should clear to some extent. First, who gets in? On November 19th, the NCAA will announce the playoff field for the playoffs. Sixteen teams will be in the field - eight of whom will be automatic conference qualifiers (the Patriot League, Gateway, Atlantic 10, Southern Conference, Southland, Big Sky, Ohio Valley, and Mid-Eastern Athletic). The other eight will be at-large selection determined by the NCAA I-AA football committee, comprised of athletic directors of I-AA member schools. All schools are eligible for selection as an at-large team, as long as: 1. Their conference allows postseason play (the Ivy League does not). 2. That the team does not have scheduling conflict...

We did end up winning this week's game versus Colgate 23-15. But we came dastardly close to not "finishing" an opponent. It was enough against Colgate, but it was troubling enough to make it this Sunday's word. I suppose I should be focusing on all the positives of the game instead. Holding sophomore RB sensation Jordan Scott to 83 yards of total offense, for example. Two more great interceptions - and winning the turnover battle. Winning the battle of special teams. NT Erik Rakus making life absolutely miserable for Colgate. QB Sedale Threatt, rushing for 75 yards and 2 TDs. Getting 4.3 yards per carry rushing. And, most importantly, staying up by two scores or more during most of the game. These things are all fine achievements, including the most important one - we won the game. But on offense and defense, we clearly let Colgate hang around far too long. We didn't "finish" them. Up 14-0 at half, we let Kenny Parker get free and nearly get ...