Lehigh Football Nation

(Photo Credit: Jim Middlekauff/The Express-Times) When you talk to senior LB Mike Groome , you know you're going to get straightforward answers. Groome's straightforward talking style extends to the football field, where the Byram, NJ native jumped into a defensive starting role with both feet to have one of the best defensive statistical seasons in recent memory: 131 tackles, including 73 solo tackles and seven tackles for loss. The senior linebacker who wasn't even anointed the starting linebacker in preseason camp last year ended up being a big reason for Lehigh's turnaround in 2010. And in 2011, as defensive captain, he hopes to maintain the high bar he and his teammates set with last year's spectacular season. (more)

(Photo Credit: Lehigh Valley Live) It's that time of year again. This week, Lehigh announced their season ticket plans for the 2011 season, as well as their release schedule for chairback season tickets, mini plans, and individual tickets. It's the only way to guarantee a good view of crunching hits like this one at Murray Goodman Stadium - and the only way for alums to guarantee a seat at the 147th edition of "The Rivalry", to be played at Murray Goodman stadium. (more)

You probably didn't notice it this week - heck, I didn't - but Lehigh posted their game times for the 2011 season. All six home games will have a 12:30 kickoff time. No word, though, as to when the parking lots open and when they'll be open to pre-game tailgating. (more)

Though I had figured it out already through various releases, this week Lehigh formally announced their 2011 football schedule , confirming what many had already known: this fall will feature a slate filled with challenging teams. It's a non-conference schedule featuring three great home games: one against a perennial FCS playoff team, another against a perennial FCS Top 25 team, and a game against an Ivy League team that consistently seems to be a challenging, thrilling game. The 2011 football season features a schedule with a lot of close road trips as well - easily allowing fans to catch every game, home or away. (more)

Over at College Sporting News , one of my (many) side projects has been to compile the entire schedule for the 2011 football season.  As a part of this, of course, is the Patriot League football schedule. While every Patriot League schedule is unannounced so far by the league office and the member schools, I've been able to piece together the schedule at the CSN web site . The picture it paints is nothing short of fascinating - and it might even offer an insight as to the visions the football schools of the Patriot League has for themselves. (more)

While nothing can be definitively be said to be honestly and truly set in stone in terms of the 2011 and 2012 football schedules until the vote on allowing football scholarships comes to pass this week, the 2011 football schedule is rumored to be nearly complete and the 2012 schedule is rumored to be a work in progress. As long as affiliate members Fordham and Georgetown do not budge from the schedules, there's some exciting times ahead next year - including visits from two Top 25 programs to Murray Goodman next year. And for 2012... what if Lehigh were able to schedule an away game against... Rutgers? (more)

Some fans of Eastern universities complain about boring schedules, especially in September. Lehigh's schedule is anything but boring, though, in 2010. It's time for Lehigh fans to mentally wrap our heads around the following truth: the Mountain Hawks' home opener is against none other than the defending FCS National Champions. Lehigh has already opened their season ticket plans for 2010, and soon will make some individual games available for purchase. But aside from the obvious buzz around the game versus "that school in Easton", what could be the biggest out-of-conference game in recent memory will be on September 11th when Lehigh plays their home opener versus Villanova. (more)