Lehigh Football Nation

It's hard to say that this was a "back against the wall" sort of win when you're only in Week Three of the season, but you got the impression that maybe, just maybe, this Lehigh team of 2010 learned how to win this Saturday. Folks might concentrate on a rough half offensively.  Junior QB Chris Lum struggling mightily in the first half - 3 for 11 - despite a foot injury that would force him out of the second half.  A blown coverage that led to a picture perfect pass from Princeton QB Tommy Wornham  to WR Trey Peacock made what could have been a dominating defensive Mountain Hawk first half into, instead a slender 1 point lead at halftime.  There was fierce punishment from both Princeton's and Lehigh's defenses: which led to not a few players getting sidelined. But with sophomore QB Michael Colvin at the helm and the quintessential bend-but-don't-break defense, Lehigh slowly, surely extinguished the Tiger threat.  Banged up, in front of a Princeton t...

For those who are interested - below the flip are my selection of picks tomorrow's Patriot League football games being played. For my picks of the rest of the week, click here to visit the College Sporting News and read: "Speaking of Reasons...", where I pick the Sports Network Top 25. Last weekend, I went an awful 2-4 in an awful week for the Patriot League in general.  Fittingly, the two games I picked correctly - picking Lehigh to lose to Villanova , and Bucknell to lose to Marist - .were Patriot League losses.  I couldn't even get the only Patriot League victory - a Fordham win over Rhode Island - correct.  That puts my record on the year at 6-6. You already know my Prnceton/Lehigh prediction: let's see the rest. (more)

(Photo Credit: Princeton Athletics) Who are these Mystery Men , anyway? You used to pretty much know exactly what you were getting from the Princeton Tigers when Roger Hughes was the head guy.  You had a multiple 3-4 defense.  An athletic QB that would, for the most part, dink and dunk and use a balanced attack to grind out the clock and advance the football. Now, with Hughes terminated after the 2009 season, new head coach Bob Surace brings in a whole lot of "new" and "mystery" to the Tigers.  Don't expect Blue Raja, Shoveler, or Invisible Boy to be suiting up for the Tigers - but expect a whole lot of difference from the team that beat Lehigh 17-14 at Murray Goodman last year.   (more)

This week's LFN Players of the Week Go To: Offense:  Junior WR Jake Drwal   (9 catches, 72 yards) Defense:  Junior LB Mike Groome   (8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble) Special Teams:  Junior P Alex Smith   (7 punts, 44.1 yard average, longest punt 52 yards) Underclassman:  Sophomore WR Ryan Spadola   (8 catches, 88 yards, led Lehigh in receiving yardage for second straight week) Congratulations to the winners!

(Photo Credit: Jane Therese/The Morning Call) With apologies to Prince , you have to believe that Georgetown, fresh off their 28-24 upset over Lafayette, have at least thought about putting that classic song in their iPods. The upset victory gave them only the second time the Hoyas sat atop the Patriot League standings - something they did for only one week in 2005, when they beat Bucknell 16-13 to start the year.  Their reign only lasted one week, however, when they were spanked 48-6 by Holy Cross the following week - and never sat atop the Patriot League standings until this week. How did they pull off their first 2-0 start since Prince 's favorite year, 1999, when they were a part of the non-scholarship MAAC?   (more)

(Photo Credit: Donna Fisher / The Morning Call) Senior OL Will Rackley didn't look too happy in this picture in the Morning Call, taken during the 35-0 loss to Villanova at home this past Saturday. The consensus was that Villanova looked like a team that were a real chance to repeat as CAA champions and national champions, too.  However, the sting was softened somewhat by the fact that the matchup between Rackley and Villanova OL Ben Ijalana attracted not a few NFL scouts to Murray Goodman this weekend.   (more)

Before I get to the serious, serious business of this Sunday's "Word", I just have to pat myself on the back a little.  I never dreamed that I could possibly link together football, Lehigh, the Patriot League and the end of fashion week all in one "Word", but it appears that I was successful. The sound of me cheering my own cleverness, however, is about the only sound you'll be hearing from fans at Lehigh, Colgate, Holy Cross and Lafayette this Sunday - the four teams picked to be Patriot League title contenders by almost everyone but the most rabid of Bucknell and Georgetown fans. The dismal performance by the Mountain Hawks, Crusaders, Leopards and Raiders shows so clearly a new expanse between the top teams of the Football Championship Subdivision and the Patriot League this year.  A "gap".   (more)