PatriotFB Notebook (.PDF)

PATRIOT LEAGUE VS. WEEK SIX OPPONENTS
•PATRIOT LEAGUE PLAY: Bucknell and Richmond meet for the fourth time, but the first time as conference foes at noon, Lafayette looks to remain undefeated in League play when they host Fordham at 12:30 p.m.
•Patriot League vs. Ivy League Play Continues: No. 8/9 Lehigh hosts Yale in the first of three meetings between Patriot and Ivy League teams on Saturday. Colgate travels to in-state rival Cornell, looking to break a 51-51-3 series tie, and Holy Cross hosts Harvard, both at 2 p.m. The Patriot and Ivy League meet 12 times this season.
•Richmond welcomes Howard in the third meeting between the two programs at 2 p.m. The Spiders won both previous matchups, with the most recent a 38-14 win over the Bison in 2021.
•Georgetown welcomes Morgan State in the second meeting between the two programs. The Hoyas will look to even the series after dropping the first game in 2021. 
 
FORDHAM’S JAMES CONWAY AND LEHIGH RECEIVE STATS PERFORM FCS NATIONAL HONORS IN CONSECUTIVE WEEKS
*Fordham Gr. LB James Conway was named the Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week after recording 19 tackles to lead the Rams to a 26-21 win over Holy Cross for the Ram-Crusader Cup. Conway became the fifth FCS player since 2000 to eclipse 500 total tackles.
 
*Lehigh was named the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week when honors after downing Bucknell, 41-24, in Week Four. The Mountain Hawks rushed for 323 yards, behind 100-yard performances from Jr. RB Luke Yoder (174) and So. RB Jaden Green (127), the first time Lehigh has had two 100-yard rushers in a game since RB Dom Bragalone and QB Nick Shafnisky accomplished the feat on Oct. 29, 2016. Lehigh’s defense also posted six sacks.
 
2025 Patriot League Football Standings (as of Oct. 1)

School	PL	PL Pct.	Overall	Overall Pct.
No. 8/9 Lehigh	2-0	1.000	5-0	1.000
Lafayette	1-0	1.000	3-2	.600
Colgate	1-0	1.000	1-3	.250
Fordham	1-1	.500	1-4	.200
Bucknell	0-1	.000	3-2	.600
Rv/rv Richmond	0-1	.000	3-2	.600
Georgetown	0-1	.000	2-3	.400
Holy Cross	0-1	.000	0-5	.000

ONLINE SCHEDULE | ONLINE STATS
 
LEHIGH RANKED NO. 8 IN AFCA AND NO. 9 IN STATS PERFORM POLLS; RICHMOND RECEIVING VOTES
The Mountain Hawks climbed one spot in both polls, moving to No. 8 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 9 in the Stats Perform Poll after a 44-30 victory vs. Penn to improve to 5-0. Richmond is receiving votes in both polls after a 13-12 comeback victory against Howard.
 
EIGHT NAMED CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS
Eight Patriot League football student-athletes are among the 178 semifinalists (45 from the FCS) for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented annually to college football’s top scholar-athlete. This is the 36th year the Campbell Trophy, regarded as the “Academic Heisman”, has been awarded to recognize the best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. 
Patriot League Semifinalists
John Ohnegian, Bucknell
Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate
James Conway, Fordham
Jimmy Kibble, Georgetown
Cam Nolan, Holy Cross
Phillip Peiffer, Lafayette
Brycen Edwards, Lehigh
Scott Hummel, Richmond
 
YODER, EDWARDS, GREEN AMONG FCS RUSHING LEADERS
Lehigh’s running backs Luke Yoder (Jr.) and Jaden Green (So.) are first and third in the League and third and 14th in the FCS in rushing yards through five weeks. Yoder rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, while Green carried 14 times for 94 yards in a 44-30 win vs. Penn on Sept. 27. The duo barely missed both topping 100 rushing yards for the second straight game, leading the Mountain Hawks to the fourth-ranked rushing offense (247.6) in the FCS. Lafayette Jr. RB Kente Edwards, a three-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week, was held to 26 yards on five carries, but still ranks fourth in the FCS with 585 rushing yards. He leads the nation with 10 rushing touchdowns. Edwards had three straight weeks with three or more rushing scores.
Rk. Name, School, Rush yds.
1. Chris Mosley, N.C. Central, 607
2. Joshua Dye, Southern Utah, 595
3. Luke Yoder, Lehigh, 586
4. Kente Edwards, Lafayette, 585
14. Jaden Green, Lehigh, 450
 
SAUNDERS, MILLIGAN, JAMIEL AMONG FCS TOP 10
Colgate Sr. WR Treyvhon Saunders still ranks atop the FCS leaders in receiving yards after a bye week. He became the Raiders’ career receptions leader, moving to No. 7 in Patriot League history (223). Saunders has topped 100 receiving yards in his first four games and was the first League receiver since Lehigh’s Troy Pelletier (2015) to post three straight games with double-digit receptions for 100 yards or more. Bucknell Jr. WR Sam Milligan is sixth in the FCS in receiving yards (468) and fourth in receiving touchdowns (5). Lehigh Sr. WR Geoffrey Jamiel has logged consecutive 100-yard receiving performances and is seventh in the FCS with 457 receiving yards.
Rk. Name, School, Rec. Yds.         
1. Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, 591
2. Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island, 566
3. Josh Derry, Monmouth, 535
4. Michael Briscoe, Cal Poly, 492
5. Xayvion Noland, UTRGV, 480
6. Sam Milligan, Bucknell, 468
7. Geoffrey Jamiel, Lehigh, 457
 
FORDHAM’S CONWAY SURPASSES 500 CAREER TOTAL TACKLES
Fordham Sr. LB James Conway recorded 19 tackles in the Rams’ Week Five win over Holy Cross to earn Stats Perform National FCS Defensive Player of the Week honors. The Patriot League career tackles leader is the first League student-athlete to surpass 500 total tackles, becoming just the fifth FCS player since 2000 to eclipse the milestone. He has recorded 75 tackles in five games to lead the FCS with 15.0 tackles per game. He has amassed more than 100 total tackles in three of his four collegiate seasons. He opened the 2025 campaign on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. Conway is 39 tackles behind Illinois State’s Boomer Grigsby for the FCS record.
FCS CAREER TOTAL TACKLE LEADERS (since 2000)                
1. Boomer Grigsby, Illinois State (2001-04), 550
2. Donald Payne, Stetson (2013-16), 526
3. D.J. Smith, App. State (2007-10), 525
4. Scott Lewis, Saint Francis (2007-10), 524
5. James Conway, Fordham (2021-pres.), 511
 
BIG-PLAY BACKS LEADING GROUND GAMES
Three Patriot League RBs are averaging more than 7.0 yards per carry to rank inside the FCS Top 15. Lafayette’s Edwards has scored on touchdown runs of 78, 70 and 51 yards this season, helping the Leopards rank 12th in the FCS with 204.8 rushing yards per game and tied for first with 18 rushing touchdowns. Lehigh’s tandem of Yoder and Green is eighth and 14th, respectively, in yards per carry, helping lead the Mountain Hawks’ explosive run game that averages 6.1 rushing yards per carry, the sixth-best mark in the FCS.  
Rk. Name, School, Yds./Carry
2. Kente Edwards, Lafayette, 8.24
8. Luke Yoder, Lehigh , 7.33
11. Jaden Green, Lehigh, 7.14
 
BRIGGS AND SMITH AMONG FCS INTERCEPTION LEADERS
Georgetown Jr., CB Quincy Briggs and Lehigh So. DB Mekhai Smith have four interceptions apiece to lead the Patriot League and rank tied for fourth in the FCS with 0.80 interceptions per game. Colgate’s Tymir Wynn is tied for 15th in the nation with 0.50 INTs per game. Georgetown and Lehigh are 10th and 19th, respectively, in the FCS in turnovers gained, with nine and eight.
Rk. Name, School, INTs./Gm.
4. Quincy Briggs, Georgetown, 0.80
4. Mekhai Smith, Lehigh, 0.80
15. Tymir Wynn, Colgate, 0.50
 
DENOBILE AND RUCKER IV CONNECTING WITH THEIR TARGETS
Lafayette Sr. QB Dean DeNobile and Bucknell 5th-year QB Ralph Rucker IV are third and fourth, respectively, among current FCS career leaders in completion percentage. DeNobile has completed .659 (479-728) of his pass attempts to rank third in Patriot League history. Rucker has completed .651 (542-832) of his passes to rank sixth in League history. Rucker is also fifth among FCS active leaders in passing efficiency (149.64).
Rk. Name, School, Career Comp. Pct.
1. Michael Nebrich, Fordham (2012-14), 68.79
2. Matt Bassuener, Georgetown (2004-07), 67.62
3. Dean DeNobile, Lafayette (2023-pres.), 65.88
4. Ryan O’Neil, Lafayette (2008-11), 65.60
5. Drew Reed, Lafayette (2013-16), 68.18
6. Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell (2023-pres.), 65.14
 
THREE LEAGUE WRs Among Active Receptions Leaders
Colgate’s Treyvhon Saunders leads all active FCS pass catchers and is seventh in League history with 223 receptions. Saunders is five shy of tying Georgetown’s Joshua Tomas for sixth in League history. Lehigh Sr. WR Geoffrey Jamiel is third among FCS receivers with 188 career receptions, while Lafayette Sr. WR Elijah Steward is seventh with 161.
Rk. Name, School, Receptions
1. Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, 223
3. Geoffrey Jamiel, Lehigh, 188
7. Elijah Steward, Lafayette, 161
 
SPATNY THIRD AMONG FCS CAREER SACKS LEADERS
Lehigh Sr. DL Matt Spatny, the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, is third among active FCS leaders in total sacks with 19.5 into his fourth season in Bethlehem, including 1.0 sack vs. Penn in Week Five. Richmond Jr. DL Camden Byrd is tied for 10th among FCS active leaders with 13.5 sacks. He has 4.5 sacks this season to lead the Patriot League.

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.