Lehigh Football Nation

The halftime score read: Georgetown 7, Lehigh 6. And head coach Andy Coen , as you might guess, was none too pleased with his team. All week, he had told his team to focus on Georgetown. To not overlook them on the way to playing "that school in Easton". To not think about rings. To not settle for a share of the Patriot League championship. To be hungry. And yet, there it was. Georgetown 7, Lehigh 6, going into half. A Georgetown team that was different from the other Georgetown teams challenged Lehigh almost the entire way. But ultimately the Mountain Hawks wrestled the game away from the Hoyas and got the 24-7 win they wanted - and removed the "co-" from the Patriot League championship. It would be a celebration to remember - because this was no coast of a win over the Hoyas. Not by a long shot. (more)

I suppose it's natural to think this way. I know, I know. Georgetown is much improved. Lehigh cannot fall asleep against the Hoyas - they have come so far, and can't get stopped now. All that is true. But if you haven't at least mulled the possibility of Lehigh hosting a game in the playoffs - should they win this weekend, of course - you either don't know how the playoffs work or you had better check your pulse. Should Lehigh win this weekend, what other results might be friendly to a potential first-round matchup at Murrray Goodman? We'll look at them below the flip. (more)

(Photo Credit: Georgetown Athletics) "Georgetown - with a combined 5-38 record since head coach Kevin Kelly took over the program in 2006 is now sitting atop the Patriot League with a 3-1 record and a 2-0 record in Patriot League play, thanks to their defensive-minded 17-7 victory over Holy Cross this weekend," I wrote in the last weekend in September . What a difference a month makes. The Hoyas' extremely promising 3-1 start in September turned into a winless October - and a 3-6 record. The whispers that "this Hoya team is different" were silenced, as Georgetown returned to what they had done an awful lot in the last nine years - lose football games. But for the Hoyas, a good part of their frustration this season could be overturned if they manage to beat Lehigh. It won't just be for pride, or even just the Hoyas' tiny senior football class - they could also stay alive in the race for their first-ever playoff appearance, too. (more)

After this week's big win over Holy Cross, the LFN Players of the Week awards go to: Offense: Junior QB Chris Lum (21/33 passing, 212 yards, 8 rushes for 64 yards, not including a 10 yard TD run called back due to penalty, 3 TDs) Defense: Senior LB Al Pierce (6 tcakles, 2 tackles for loss including one very loud sack) and senior SS Casey Eldemire (3 tackles, 2 pass break-ups, 1 forced and recovered fumble) Special Teams: Senior PK Tom Randazza (4/4 on extra points, 22 yd FG, 44 yd FG, 6 booming kickoffs, including 1 touchback) and senior KR/DB John "Prez" Kennedy (111 yards in kickoff returns, including a 64 yarder and not including a 30 yard return called back on a penalty; 1 pass break-up) Underclassman: Sophomore WR Ryan Spadola (8 catches, 87 yards) Tempting to rename the "Underclassman award" to the "Ryan Spadola" award.  Congratulations to the winners!

Contrary to popular belief, I am not employed in any capacity by the Patriot League or Lehigh Athletics, though sometimes it must seem like I am. But there were two Patriot League championships clinched by teams from Lehigh this weekend, not just the the co-championship clinch by the Mountain Hawk football team this weekend at Fitton Field in Worcester. A surprising turn of events in the Patriot League women's soccer tournament meant No. 3 seeded Lehigh, after upsetting top-seeded Army 1-0 Sunday afternoon , won the Patriot League championship and got to their first-ever NCAA tournament. It caps off an extraordinary year for Lehigh Athletics in general - most of whom play this weekend, too. (more)

It's not often that I have to lead my "Last Look" blog posting with a scoreboard shot  from my cell phone, but there were no other real good pictures of the game at Fitton Field this weekend from Holy Cross or Lehigh, so I had to settle for my own Plan B. I've gone away from taking photographs of the games - something I used to do - but I forgot that sometimes, at away games, it's crucial.  I didn't even bring a camera to Fitton this weekend - all I had was my phone that was decidedly not very smart. Fortunately, when it came to print recaps this weekend, the game was much, much better covered by the Morning Call and the Worcester Telegram-Gazette . (more)

(Graphic Credit: CollegExperience.Net) It was a fantastic weekend for Lehigh all around, for the players, coaches, fans, and even their "fearless cheerleader", as I was called on the Lehigh Sports Forum this weekend . The 7-2 record looks great. The 3-0 conference record looks even better. The offense is putting up points, the defense shutting down Patriot League opponents. Confidence is there. Parts of the game that had been trouble spots in September are now becoming assets. Things are looking pretty good. But junior QB Chris Lum had a quote in the postgame this weekend that is crucial for Lehigh to remember this coming weekend. Simply, that Lehigh needed to stay "hungry". They absolutely do. (more)