Lehigh Football Nation

This year, I had the good fortune to attend my 23rd  "Rivalry", the most-played  rivalry in college football with 147 meetings. And as a Lehigh fan, I was immensely pleased with the outcome. And yet, I cannot recall a stranger edition of this game in my experience. To the seniors who played in this historic game, it was a shining moment in their football season - something they had wanted to do since they came to Lehigh in the first place. But I don't think anybody thought it would go down like this.

(Photo Credit: Liz Rohde/The Daily Item, via the Morning Call) Senior QB Chris Lum and senior DE Ben Flizack didn't just run away with a 30-6 victory on Saturday - they also ran away with Patriot League Players of the Week awards, too .  For Lum, it was his fourth time being honored by the League, while it was the first time for FLizack. Lum's command performance (30-for-37, 368 yards passing, 30 yards rushing, 4 TDs, 1 interception) earned him a co-Offensive Player of the Week award from the Sports Network as well, making him the only player to be honored twice by the organization. Their awards capped off a bunch of happy recaps - and a bit of gnashing of teeth from Lehigh fans and media folks that were stuck on I-80 on their way to Lewisburg - of their fifth win of the season.

All this week, there was all the talk of the surprising 4-1 Bison. How fantastic senior DE Josh Eden was, how great senior DT Robert De La Rosa was, and how this Bucknell defense created a boatload of turnovers that could keep them in any game. Lehigh's defensive took that as a challenge, and made a resounding statement at Christy Matthewson-Memorial Stadium in Lewisburg, PA this weekend. On Bucknell's first offensive play from scrimmage, senior DE Ben Flizack would sack Bucknell sophomore QB Brandon Wesley for a big loss - one of twelve tackles for loss, and one of ten sacks, on the afternoon.  It would be the start of a stifling performance that would lead to a comfortable 30-6 victory by Lehigh over the Bison.  (more)