Patriot League Pick 'Em - Week 7

[DFW HOYA]

Georgetown (3-2, 0-0) at Lafayette (3-2, 1-0), 12:30 pm, LSN/ESPN+
Fordham (0-6, 0-1) at Holy Cross (2-4, 1-0), 1:00 pm, ESPN+
Bucknell (3-2, 1-0) at Pennsylvania (1-2), 1:00 pm, ESPN+

[bonarae]

Laffy
HC
Penn (toss-up)

[The Cats]

Georgetown (3-2, 0-0) at Lafayette (3-2, 1-0), 12:30 pm, LSN/ESPN+
Fordham (0-6, 0-1) at Holy Cross (2-4, 1-0), 1:00 pm, ESPN+
Bucknell (3-2, 1-0) at Pennsylvania (1-2), 1:00 pm, ESPN+

[Remise]

This should be a good week for the Raiders.

[Wolffan]

Laffy- Could be close…got my doubts about Laffy this year.
HC- A blowout in Worcester?
UPenn- Who knows

[Lehigh Football Nation]

GTown at Lafayette is clearly the Game of the Week this week. Such a great win for Georgetown two weeks ago vs. Columbia. Question is, is Georgetown's W against the Lions and Lafayette's L against the Lions meaningful. However Massey's composite rankings don't think much of it. Lafayette is ranked 54th, Georgetown 86th.

A Hoya win blows open the entire Patriot League race and puts Lafayette on notice. A Leopard win re-establishes the power structure of the league and makes Lafayette sit pretty with their next conference game in two weeks vs. Holy Cross - at home, with two conference wins in hand.

This year, for better or worse, the Patriot League looks like a one bid league, even if someone goes 6-1 the rest of the way. Despite having 4 teams over .500, 2-4 Holy Cross (51) can at best go 8-4/7-5 (wining the league 6-0) or 7-5/6-6 (with a conference loss 5-1). That's not an at-large resume that will be good enough. Similarly, an 8-3 or worse Lafayette with 1 conference loss seem tied to Monmouth's rise and fall, as it's likely to be their best win (and best win of the league OOC). Obviously if Lafayette runs the table at 9-2 (not ruling that out) they will win the autobid.

I just feel like that Georgetown game will be really close. They are not 30 Massey Composite points below Lafayette.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Lafayette
Holy Cross
Penn

[pardfan]

Lafayette
HC
Penn

Lafayette's greatest living player, Erik Marsh, and the '94 team will be in attendance. Inspired LC in a close one.

[crusader11]

A Leopard win re-establishes the power structure of the league and makes Lafayette sit pretty with their next conference game in two weeks vs. Holy Cross - at home, with two conference wins in hand.



October 26 in Easton does look to be the early "game of the year" in the PL. Assuming HC beats Fordham at home and Lafayette beats Georgetown at home this weekend, both teams will be 2-0 in the league heading into this game. The winner of this game certainly has the inside track for the league crown. Holy Cross has two of their final three PL contests at home (Bucknell and Lehigh). Lafayette is on the road for their final three.

[Wolffan]

We can see from the rankings (and our own eyes) that this is not a strong PL year. At all.

HC played well versus tough OOC opponents (despite losing) and had zero difficulty with Colgate. IMHO that makes them the favorite at this point.

Amongst the rest it is a toss up. If Laffy steamrolls Georgetown by four TDs or HC is in a close game with Fordham I’ll change my tune.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

We can see from the rankings (and our own eyes) that this is not a strong PL year. At all.

HC played well versus tough OOC opponents (despite losing) and had zero difficulty with Colgate. IMHO that makes them the favorite at this point.

Amongst the rest it is a toss up. If Laffy steamrolls Georgetown by four TDs or HC is in a close game with Fordham I’ll change my tune.

I think much depends on Monmouth's and Columbia's trajectories. If Monmouth makes a run at the CAA title and is a playoff consideration, I think Lafayette's W against them is meaningful. If Columbia is in the conversation for the Ivy League title, that would help, too (for an at-large consideration, to be clear). However if both sink to their preseason predictions that's not great for Lafayette or the league. I agree that HC's "close losses" won't help them this year. If they didn't last year, when they should have, hard to imagine the committee doing anything different this year, and that Yale loss is looking worse already.

Bucknell, GTown, Lehigh don't have the rep or pull to get in with a close record, and Colgate and Fordham (technically) can't get win without winning the league, thanks to their records.

[crusader11]

I think much depends on Monmouth's and Columbia's trajectories. If Monmouth makes a run at the CAA title and is a playoff consideration, I think Lafayette's W against them is meaningful. If Columbia is in the conversation for the Ivy League title, that would help, too (for an at-large consideration, to be clear). However if both sink to their preseason predictions that's not great for Lafayette or the league. I agree that HC's "close losses" won't help them this year. If they didn't last year, when they should have, hard to imagine the committee doing anything different this year, and that Yale loss is looking worse already.

I think the ship has sailed for any at-large bid out of the PL.

Best chance, as you allude to, is for Lafayette to stumble once in the PL and finish with a record of 9-3. Maybe they'd be in discussions for an at-large, but their OOC slate is just so damn weak (Marist, SHU, Stonehill) that this puts them on the wrong side. Only way they'd get in, IMO, is for Monmouth to be a playoff team and Columbia to win the Ivy.

[DFW HOYA]

Bucknell, GTown, Lehigh don't have the rep or pull to get in with a close record, and Colgate and Fordham (technically) can't get win without winning the league, thanks to their records.

Georgetown in 2011 had an 8-3 record and was not even remotely in the discussion for an at-large. I think people there were resigned to the fact that it will never be considered for an at-large bid as it stands now.

[crusader11]

Georgetown in 2011 had an 8-3 record and was not even remotely in the discussion for an at-large. I think people there were resigned to the fact that it will never be considered for an at-large bid as it stands now.

Nor should they have been in the discussion.

Not true that they'll never be considered. Play some good teams, win some good games, get in the mix.

In 2011, Georgetown beat 4-7 Davidson, 4-7 Marist, 4-7 Wagner, and 5-6 Howard in the OOC. Their best win was against 6-5 Holy Cross.

[crusader11]

Was looking at PL v. Ivy this year -- the PL is 3-5 to date.

Four games left. Barring a sweep, it's another season won by the Ivy.

Bucknell at Penn
HC at Harvard
Lehigh at Yale
Bucknell v. Cornell

[ngineer]

Was looking at PL v. Ivy this year -- the PL is 3-5 to date.

Four games left. Barring a sweep, it's another season won by the Ivy.

Bucknell at Penn
HC at Harvard
Lehigh at Yale
Bucknell v. Cornell

At present, I can see the PL winning three of those: HC, Lehigh and Bucknell v. Cornell. All toss-ups to me.

[ngineer]

My picks for the week:

If this game were in DC, I'd be tempted to go with an 'upset special', but I don 't see the 'pards losing at home after their bye. Laffy 31 Hoyas 24

Fordham showed some moxie against Laughyette, but I don't see enough to stop there 'saders. Also in Wuhstah. HC 32 FU 17

Bucknell has some weapons, but Penn is looking strong early on, despite their record. Quackers 27 Bucky 20

[DFW HOYA]

Not true that they'll never be considered. Play some good teams, win some good games, get in the mix.


They will never be considered because they will never have a strength of schedule that registers interest at the committee level.

Who can they legitimately play in Weeks 1-3? FBS teams won't play them. CAA teams are all playing "up" or are already in conference play. MEAC teams are playing guarantee or "classic" games. Big Sky and MVFC teams certainly aren't coming east. Who is paying their guarantee to travel to the Southland or OVC? They don't have a brand in football that will attract quality opponents, and Brown is the only Ivy that has scheduled them after this season.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Lafayette 34 Georgetown 23: Hoyas battle but the Pards are too strong over the course of 60 minutes...
Holy Cross 35 Fordham 17: Fordham had their chances to beat HC in the past and failed, the Rams are destined for 0-7....wow....
Penn 38 Bucknell 27: Bucknell football has definitely seen an infusion of talent, even so Penn is simply better....

For a program like Lehigh who has, let's be honest, sucked recently, the double bye creates a very unique dynamic in the middle of the season that should be leveraged in an advantageous way. The Bucknell loss was brutal but I am almost expect them to beat Yale and kick some butt the rest of the year. They're healthy and should be extremely motivated/prepared.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

They will never be considered because they will never have a strength of schedule that registers interest at the committee level.

Who can they legitimately play in Weeks 1-3? FBS teams won't play them. CAA teams are all playing "up" or are already in conference play. MEAC teams are playing guarantee or "classic" games. Big Sky and MVFC teams certainly aren't coming east. Who is paying their guarantee to travel to the Southland or OVC? They don't have a brand in football that will attract quality opponents, and Brown is the only Ivy that has scheduled them after this season.

In a way this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. As FCS becomes a league of the Columbia and upper Mississippi rivers, Eastern football's slow disintegration means in order to have "schedule strength" to compete for a playoff bid, out of conference you now need to play Villanova, Richmond, William and Mary... or one of a dwindling number of Eastern FBS teams that need to play P4 teams to have any sort of chance at a season.

The CAA is clearly not what it once was, and with Richmond leaving, even less so. It's a bloated conference with an increasing amount of dead weight. For decades teams like Delaware, Villanova, JMU and UNH (and to a lesser extent William & Mary) carried the conference's reputation despite the fact that most of the conference were middling teams that could not win the Patriot League. Now UNH has fallen back somewhat, Delaware and JMU are gone and Nova and W&M carry the torch for the league (and to a lesser extent Richmond). When Richmond goes, it's hard to picture Towson, William & Mary and Villanova carrying the load for the entire bloated conference for long. Bottom line, it's clearly on the decline.

The Ivy League was once a provider of some schedule heft, but their forced reclassification in the 1980s has put them in a self-imposed limbo since about 1986 that serves nobody. Army and Navy are still good - very good so far this year - but Army in the AAC means practically fewer opportunities for FCS schools going forward (and let's not forget they joined the AAC in order to stay relevant nationally). The list continues - UMass and UConn have traded great FCS football for irrelevant FBS football in a misguided effort to save basketball. (This is also the path Delaware has chosen, a path they will end up deeply regretting, IMO). Temple is, well, Temple, and doesn't seem like their football program will get much bigger or prolific than it is now. Rutgers won the lottery because of Jim Delany's inability to read a map, but they seem hell bent on scheduling MEAC schools that have no chance to beat them instead of real challenges like Villanova or even Holy Cross.

In terms of the rest of FCS, the aforementioned MEAC is a niche product that is edging away, not towards, the FCS playoffs. The NEC is a playoff conference, of course, but they face the same issues as the Patriot League in finding opponents, and they've never had as successful a football in their midst as Holy Cross the last five years. Marist, Sacred Heart and Merrimack round out the list, and none of them at the moment look like teams that will sniff the playoffs any time soon.

What this means is that teams now need to look further and further west for OOC games that matter with ranked FCS teams or FBS teams. The further decline of the CAA and the dwindling number of FBS opportunities dictate it. Teams in Virginia won't really feel it that much with possible bus trips to SoCon, trad ACC foes, JMU, maybe even Liberty, but in the Northeast the pain is real.

[Wolffan]

It’s normal for PL to be a one-big League and this year is no exception.

We also don’t have a strong (relative to FCS writ large) team this year (in the mode of HC over the last five years). Nor is there a compelling PL player making waves outside the PL.

But it can still be interesting to watch the scramble for the auto-bid. As I noted before and forgetting OOC W-L records, it looks to me that HC is the strongest PL team this year. We’ll see.

[Pards Rule]

So Lehigh has a two week bye? when has any Patriot team had that? What happened? Did a team they were supposed to play back out and they couldnt replace?

[kdinva]

So Lehigh has a two week bye? when has any Patriot team had that? What happened? Did a team they were supposed to play back out and they couldnt replace?

curious, but from Lehigh's webpage: The Bucknell game will be followed by two consecutive bye weeks, a scheduling anomaly created when the Army game moved from its original Oct. 12 date to Aug. 30.

It was an 11-game sked all along

[Lehigh Football Nation]

It’s normal for PL to be a one-bid League and this year is no exception.

Why is that "normal"? It's normal because the Patriot League has scheduled traditional rivals (i.e. Ivy League schools) more than CAA schools and FBS schools (a scarce scheduling resource). That means the Patriot League has tied itself to the national reputation of the Ivy League (which has been poor, because they haven't been developing it and haven't exposed their champion to the FCS Playoffs, which would enhance it immensely) and whatever individual CAA teams will provide.

"Normal" might shift somewhat when Richmond joins the league. "Normal" might shift a ton if William&Mary and Villanova decide to join, too.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Lafayette 31, Georgetown 28 - A blocked punt or kick here could change the course of the Patriot League, but ultimately I think Georgetown's rush defense isn't enough to slow down Lafayette's rushing attack enough. For the Hoyas to win they need to jump up on the Leopards early. They might.

Holy Cross 55, Fordham 13 - I think this could get ugly fast.

Penn 31, Bucknell 27 - This has the potential to be a real show-me game for the rest of the league for Bucknell. They're confident, opportunistic, and they have the best return game in the Patriot League, which gives them a realistic chance.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

curious, but from Lehigh's webpage: The Bucknell game will be followed by two consecutive bye weeks, a scheduling anomaly created when the Army game moved from its original Oct. 12 date to Aug. 30.

It was an 11-game sked all along

Which I never had a problem with. Army, Princeton, Yale, LIU, and Wagner was the perfect combo of challenge and winnable games for a program trying to get back on track. No need to add the 6th OOC game just for the sake of it when the rare midseason "camp" was available to them. Now the question is, how will the team respond? I genuinely believe if they can clean up the mistakes the talent is there to run the table/get to a 7-4 record at least.....

[Pards Rule]

curious, but from Lehigh's webpage: The Bucknell game will be followed by two consecutive bye weeks, a scheduling anomaly created when the Army game moved from its original Oct. 12 date to Aug. 30.

It was an 11-game sked all along

ok thx. That was the answer then

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The one sub-D-I local Lehigh could have potentially played with a bye week in the right place was Del Val. I think there might have been more groundswell if the team was someone who could credibly claim somewhat of a following or a historic tie with Lehigh (like Moravian or Muhlenberg), but Del Val probably wasn't going to move the needle just for the sake of a 12th game.

[DFW HOYA]

I think there might have been more groundswell if the team was someone who could credibly claim somewhat of a following or a historic tie with Lehigh (like Moravian or Muhlenberg), but Del Val probably wasn't going to move the needle just for the sake of a 12th game.

I had forgot this was a 12 game season, since Georgetown always schedules 11, for reasons previously described. They'll have a second bye week in November.

[Pards Rule]

Which I never had a problem with. Army, Princeton, Yale, LIU, and Wagner was the perfect combo of challenge and winnable games for a program trying to get back on track. No need to add the 6th OOC game just for the sake of it when the rare midseason "camp" was available to them. Now the question is, how will the team respond? I genuinely believe if they can clean up the mistakes the talent is there to run the table/get to a 7-4 record at least.....

Yo Owl...just ordered my Lehigh tickets (3) yesterday. $91.00, base of $28.75 apiece

[crusader11]

Montes no longer on the Fordham team.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Yo Owl...just ordered my Lehigh tickets (3) yesterday. $91.00, base of $28.75 apiece

I'll be there! This will be my first LU/LC game since 2016!

Beautiful day for a game on College Hill today. I'm hoping next Saturday is just as nice (relatively speaking) as I would like to venture to the Yale Bowl. Although, based on Google Maps a key road that connects I-84 to New Haven is closed? Why there is not a 4 lane road that connects the state's largest city with 84 is beyond me. I was considering heading to Morgantown for K-State vs WVU but a 7:30 start means I'm not getting home until Sunday afternoon.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Hoyas put together a nice drive, have first and goal but end up settling for a FG

Georgetown 3 Lafayette 0 4:31 1Q

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I expected more out of Lafayette's offense. They're moving the ball some but have nothing to show for it so far....

[IslandPard]

I think LC has one starter remaining on the OL. All other's injured. The defense has always been suspect. We will not win the league.

[Sader87]

HC off to a sort of scuffling stahht....windy Fitton has hurt O, helped FU FG kicking....6-0 Rams after 1

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Georgetown 10 Lafayette 0 Half

I had it on as background noise as I got some work done so my perspective is compromised. That said, Lafayette's offense is a mess. Kudos to the Hoyas but their defense is not THIS good. Lafayette should be able to grind out 20 points imo...

[DFW HOYA]

Georgetown 10 Lafayette 0 Half

I had it on as background noise as I got some work done so my perspective is compromised. That said, Lafayette's offense is a mess. Kudos to the Hoyas but their defense is now THIS good. Lafayette should be able to grind out 20 points imo...

Closer game than the score suggests. Georgetown's late touchdown drive was extended when a Lafayette bench player touched a pass appeared to be going out of bounds.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Closer game than the score suggests. Georgetown's late touchdown drive was extended when a Lafayette bench player touched a pass appeared to be going out of bounds.

Hoyas 186 Total Yards
Leopards 92 Total Yards

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Penn 10 Bucknell 7 14:00 3Q

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

TD Hoyas! Wow!

Georgetown 17 Lafayette 0 7: 45 3Q

[Pards Rule]

This is dismal...DeNobile has a abysmal 21% completion rate. Im sorry dont see them winning. Glad I bet under 50.5

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Penn 31 Bucknell 10 1:09 3Q

[Pards Rule]

This is first crisis point of Troxells tenure

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

This is first crisis point of Troxells tenure

They need points on this drive; about 11:30 left in 4Q. Still time but it's running out....

[Pards Rule]

DeNobile 4 for 24 excluding the 40 yard completion to Steward. So 17% exluding big Steward pass. I submit his worst game as a Leopard

[Pards Rule]

ok we lose to Georgetown. At this point i submit vs Lehigh a toss up

[Sader87]

FU-HC 13 all 4 left in 3rd

[crusader11]

If you can believe it, Georgetown is now 8-6 vs. Lafayette since 2010.

[RusskyHoya]

Posting for the first time in years just to say that, as much as Georgetown football is an amateur hour, Bush League operation, the Lafayette play-by-play and color guy were an absolute embarrassment today. I'm not even talking about begging for a flag on 75% of the plays, there were repeated mistatements of what the rules of the game are, to the point of joking about it. I can't believe one of these jokers was a coach for Lafayette for a decade.

[crusader11]

Posting for the first time in years just to say that, as much as Georgetown football is an amateur hour, Bush League operation, the Lafayette play-by-play and color guy were an absolute embarrassment today. I'm not even talking about begging for a flag on 75% of the plays, there were repeated mistatements of what the rules of the game are, to the point of joking about it. I can't believe one of these jokers was a coach for Lafayette for a decade.

Gary Laubach, the play by play guy, is particularly obnoxious. On probably half of Lafayette pass plays, he'll say when the ball is in the air something to the effect of: "The defender draped all over the Lafayette receiver."

- - - Updated - - -

Congrats on the big win, Russky. Georgetown right in the mix!

[Wolffan]

With the whole league down (some teams more than others) except possibly Georgetown, there is no reason the usual Georgetown team can’t win the title.
HC wins a 19-16 squeaker vs (now 0-7) Fordham.

[RusskyHoya]

Congrats on the big win, Russky. Georgetown right in the mix!

Hah thank you, thank you. Gotta take the moments of triumph where you can get them when you're a fan of a program that exists as a kind of football purgatory, a quantum superposition of D-I and D-III. Nice to be talked about as something other than a doormat for a change.

First Patriot League shutout is definitely one to remember!

[Pards Rule]

Montes no longer on the Fordham team.

What the hell happened there

[The Boogie Down]

Came to congratulate HC on yet another come from behind "Iron Major" Cup win, but sticking around to read up on Georgetown's win. Do the Hoyas have the inside track here?

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Gary Laubach, the play by play guy, is particularly obnoxious. On probably half of Lafayette pass plays, he'll say when the ball is in the air something to the effect of: "The defender draped all over the Lafayette receiver."

- - - Updated - - -

Congrats on the big win, Russky. Georgetown right in the mix!

Isn't the one guy a former basketball coach at Lafayette?

[crusader11]

Isn't the one guy a former basketball coach at Lafayette?

That's John Leone. He does sideline for football, and color for basketball.

The color for football is a former player and assistant for Lafayette foootball (I think). Name escapes me.

[Pards Rule]

We lost but wtf with Ref Todd Boyd? The first Gtown TD was short from end zone cameras. He called it TD. Somehow it was upheld>

[DFW HOYA]

That's John Leone. He does sideline for football, and color for basketball.

The color for football is a former player and assistant for Lafayette foootball (I think). Name escapes me.

Mike Joseph.

[RusskyHoya]

Mike Joseph.

Next to Laubach, Mike Joseph ’88 serves as the color commentator for football and the sideline reporter for basketball. Joseph returned to Lafayette as a football analyst following his collegiate playing career, when he set the still-standing Lafayette record for career interceptions. Additionally, Joseph served as a defensive back coach and a special teams coordinator for Lafayette from 1991 to 2000 and was the position coach for John Troxell, the team’s current head coach.

[crusader11]

Next to Laubach, Mike Joseph ’88 serves as the color commentator for football and the sideline reporter for basketball. Joseph returned to Lafayette as a football analyst following his collegiate playing career, when he set the still-standing Lafayette record for career interceptions. Additionally, Joseph served as a defensive back coach and a special teams coordinator for Lafayette from 1991 to 2000 and was the position coach for John Troxell, the team’s current head coach.

They’re big time homers, but the broadcasts are the best in the PL. Reliably good cameras and quality, at least.

[RusskyHoya]

They’re big time homers, but the broadcasts are the best in the PL. Reliably good cameras and quality, at least.

Definitely better than the Verizon FiOS1 broadcast 🤣

[Sader87]

What has happened to Laffy? Shut out at home by GTown???

[fillfittonfield]

A few thoughts on this weekend and the season so far:

1) Congrats to the Hoyas on the big W on the road. They’ve been playing good ball, with the win vs Columbia being their best win on the season so far IMHO. Despite the enthusiasm around their season thus far, I think this team will fade away down the stretch as depth will be an issue. Might win 2 of their last 5 (which would earn them a respectable 6-5 season). This team isn’t the team that went 9-3 back in 2011 (is that year correct?).

2) Surprised with Bucknell this season. They aren’t the pushover we all remember. Winning on the road at Lehigh was nice…wish they could have upset the Quakers today.

3) With Fordham and Conlin, I think it’s not a matter of “if” but rather a question of “when.” Based on their past history, I think they wait until a few hours after the last game and announce the move.

4) Wide open race for the PL…even though Laffy was stunned today, I wouldn’t sleep on them. I think they are still the favorites (with HC a close second).

[ngineer]

With our bye today, I was ‘away’ with family activities, and stunned by the Hoya win at Fisher. A shutout no less. Then see that Crusaders struggled with Fordham. This could well be a free-for -all down to wire with Rivalry #160 determining the champ. Get the tie-breaking rules dusted off!
I am looking forward to traveling to the Yale Bowl next Saturday and see how the MHawks come out of the two week bye. Weather looking good in New Haven.

[Franks Tanks]

What has happened to Laffy? Shut out at home by GTown???

I was there, and not sure. Basically our offense could do nothing right. The good news for us, is that nobody else in the league is any good either.

Other than Lafayette of course, I’m rooting for Bucknell to somehow win the league for the 1st time in 29 years.

[DFW HOYA]

What has happened to Laffy? Shut out at home by GTown???

Dean Denobile entered the game averaging 70% on completions. Saturday, he was 10-38 with four INTs.

[CHIP72]

What has happened to Laffy? Shut out at home by GTown???

I didn't see or follow the game (I attended the D2 East Stroudsburg/Bloomsburg game), but I was asking the same thing every time I checked the score.

I do think the Leopards overachieved last year; they played in a lot of close games that almost entirely went their way.

[KnightoftheRedFlash]

Lafayette's QB went 10-for-38 for 4 INTs.

Ouch.

[Pards Rule]

With our bye today, I was ‘away’ with family activities, and stunned by the Hoya win at Fisher. A shutout no less. Then see that Crusaders struggled with Fordham. This could well be a free-for -all down to wire with Rivalry #160 determining the champ. Get the tie-breaking rules dusted off!
I am looking forward to traveling to the Yale Bowl next Saturday and see how the MHawks come out of the two week bye. Weather looking good in New Haven.

I posted on LC football socail media during game that I think at this point Lehigh game is tossup! I just ordered tickets on Friday.

- - - Updated - - -


Lafayette's QB went 10-for-38 for 4 INTs.

Ouch.

Worst game as a Pard...easily

- - - Updated - - -


Lafayette's QB went 10-for-38 for 4 INTs.

Ouch.

Worst game as a Pard...easily

[Wolffan]

I didn't see or follow the game (I attended the D2 East Stroudsburg/Bloomsburg game), but I was asking the same thing every time I checked the score.

I do think the Leopards overachieved last year; they played in a lot of close games that almost entirely went their way.Completely agree regarding Lafayette and see them as one of several weak teams scrambling for the PL championship this year. (Their strongest win last year, by far, was a 3-point squeaker at Holy Cross that saw a compromised (shoulder/arm) Sluka run for 335 yards…and lose.)

[Franks Tanks]

Completely agree regarding Lafayette and see them as one of several weak teams scrambling for the PL championship this year. (Their strongest win last year, by far, was a 3-point squeaker at Holy Cross that saw a compromised (shoulder/arm) Sluka run for 335 yards…and lose.)

Cross fans are still crying about that game. Lafayette was in control/ in the lead for the entirety of the game. It was a great individual effort by Sluka.

It’s fair to say the 23 Leopards overachieved, but in no way were they lucky or “won a bunch of close games”. Only Sacred Heart, Princeton and Cross were real squeakers, with Princeton in particular being one that could’ve have easily gone the other way. In two of Lafayette’s losses in Delaware and Colgate, the Leopards squandered big leads.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Cross fans are still crying about that game. Lafayette was in control/ in the lead for the entirety of the game. It was a great individual effort by Sluka.

It’s fair to say the 23 Leopards overachieved, but in no way were they lucky or “won a bunch of close games”. Only Sacred Heart, Princeton and Cross were real squeakers, with Princeton in particular being one that could’ve have easily gone the other way. In two of Lafayette’s losses in Delaware and Colgate, the Leopards squandered big leads.

Lafayette 2023 was a legit team. Was pretty clear as early as the Duke game that they were going to be a force to be reckoned with, even for a highly touted pre-season Top 5 Holy Cross team. Not to mention, we were on notice after having almost been victim of a colossal upset in Easton the following year. 'Pards did not "get lucky" by any means in Worcester.

[crusader11]

Lafayette 2023 was a legit team. Was pretty clear as early as the Duke game that they were going to be a force to be reckoned with, even for a highly touted pre-season Top 5 Holy Cross team. Not to mention, we were on notice after having almost been victim of a colossal upset in Easton the following year. 'Pards did not "get lucky" by any means in Worcester.

Agree with this. They were much better that day. HC was lucky to have had a chance at the end, IMO.

[pardfan]

Holy Cross, Bucknell, Lehigh, Colgate. Hard to believe but I have no confidence in the Leopards winning any of those games. I'm already concerned about next three years where our Ivy foes are Princeton (by '27 it will be 24 of last 36 years on PU schedule) and Columbia. I thought we were building a foundation! Getting shutout could be a signal the halcyon days are over. Man, that was quick.

[Wolffan]

Originally Posted by Wolffan https://www.anygivensaturday.com/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (https://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?p=3214246#post3214246)
Completely agree regarding Lafayette and see them as one of several weak teams scrambling for the PL championship this year. (Their strongest win last year, by far, was a 3-point squeaker at Holy Cross that saw a compromised (shoulder/arm) Sluka run for 335 yards…and lose.)


Cross fans are still crying about that game. Lafayette was in control/ in the lead for the entirety of the game. It was a great individual effort by Sluka.

It’s fair to say the 23 Leopards overachieved, but in no way were they lucky or “won a bunch of close games”. Only Sacred Heart, Princeton and Cross were real squeakers, with Princeton in particular being one that could’ve have easily gone the other way. In two of Lafayette’s losses in Delaware and Colgate, the Leopards squandered big leads. I was watching the HC game and wondering if Laffy (and fans) realized Sluka really couldn't throw. I thought it was obvious. (I don't know if we can say Laffy got 'lucky' with the Sluka injury or if "thems the breaks" as they say). Sluka sat the the next two games.

Laffy was the PL co-champ last year with Holy Cross. It is no surprise HC is currently diminished (given all the NFL/FBS graduation departures) but Laffy's apparent decline (3-3) is somewhat mysterious. Perhaps they overachieved or were a bit lucky or at least got a few breaks last year enroute to their 9-3 record and co-championship.

[Sader87]

I think I saw somewhere that the Pard O-Line is all banged up....could explain their slow start.

[Franks Tanks]

Originally Posted by Wolffan https://www.anygivensaturday.com/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (https://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?p=3214246#post3214246)
Completely agree regarding Lafayette and see them as one of several weak teams scrambling for the PL championship this year. (Their strongest win last year, by far, was a 3-point squeaker at Holy Cross that saw a compromised (shoulder/arm) Sluka run for 335 yards…and lose.)

I was watching the HC game and wondering if Laffy (and fans) realized Sluka really couldn't throw. I thought it was obvious. (I don't know if we can say Laffy got 'lucky' with the Sluka injury or if "thems the breaks" as they say). Sluka sat the the next two games.

Laffy was the PL co-champ last year with Holy Cross. It is no surprise HC is currently diminished (given all the NFL/FBS graduation departures) but Laffy's apparent decline (3-3) is somewhat mysterious. Perhaps they overachieved or were a bit lucky or at least got a few breaks last year enroute to their 9-3 record and co-championship.

Perhaps we lost a bunch of key players, just like Holy Cross. Several very veteran linebackers and many stud linemen. Their impact was larger than many of us anticipated. We also have a bunch of injuries on the Oline, but as you say those are the breaks. If Lafayette had any “luck” last year, it was just remaining relatively free of major injuries in 23.

We all realized Sluka couldn’t throw, which is very similar to the rest of the games he played in😘 that I’ve seen.

[Southsider]

That's John Leone. He does sideline for football, and color for basketball.

The color for football is a former player and assistant for Lafayette foootball (I think). Name escapes me.


Jim Joseph. And yes, every play was a penalty on G-Town. They are brutal homers.

[Fordham]

Montes no longer on the Fordham team.

Is that true? Hadn’t heard that and no one mentioned on the Fordham board

[ngineer]

Perhaps we lost a bunch of key players, just like Holy Cross. Several very veteran linebackers and many stud linemen. Their impact was larger than many of us anticipated. We also have a bunch of injuries on the Oline, but as you say those are the breaks. If Lafayette had any “luck” last year, it was just remaining relatively free of major injuries in 23.

We all realized Sluka couldn’t throw, which is very similar to the rest of the games he played in that I’ve seen.

That's the nature of the Beast we call football. And, in the PL, depth is always an issue with our teams. We did not have one game last year when the OL was the same from week to week. Laffy was a very legitimate team last year as evidenced in the Delaware game. This could be year with a co-champs each with two losses.

[crusader11]

Is that true? Hadn’t heard that and no one mentioned on the Fordham board

Reliable source told me he quit. Maybe trying to preserve a year of eligibility?

Is still listed on the roster. Removing him would likely force Conlin to answer questions he doesn’t want to answer.

[Pards Rule]

I didn't see or follow the game (I attended the D2 East Stroudsburg/Bloomsburg game), but I was asking the same thing every time I checked the score.

I do think the Leopards overachieved last year; they played in a lot of close games that almost entirely went their way.

Yes they won a lot of close games last year AND they snuck up on teams.

[Pards Rule]

Lafayette 2023 was a legit team. Was pretty clear as early as the Duke game that they were going to be a force to be reckoned with, even for a highly touted pre-season Top 5 Holy Cross team. Not to mention, we were on notice after having almost been victim of a colossal upset in Easton the following year. 'Pards did not "get lucky" by any means in Worcester.

Agreed 100%. BTW you meant to post a colossal upset in Easton the PREVIOUS year (2022)

[Pards Rule]

Reliable source told me he quit. Maybe trying to preserve a year of eligibility?

Is still listed on the roster. Removing him would likely force Conlin to answer questions he doesn’t want to answer.


Prob to preserve but doesnt that exhaust in a given season after X many games? What is the X?

[Franks Tanks]

Prob to preserve but doesnt that exhaust in a given season after X many games? What is the X?

You can play 3 games and still redshirt.

He had a redshirt at New Mexico. I believe he was banged up, and with the team doing poorly, I’d guess he wanted to explore a medical redshirt. I’m assuming Conlin wanted him to play when medically cleared, and he did not. Hard to fault Conlin, he’s coaching for his job and for most of the history of college football, kids played when they were able. I’m just speculating but seems like a reasonable scenario.

[Wolffan]

You can play 3 games and still redshirt.

He had a redshirt at New Mexico. I believe he was banged up, and with the team doing poorly, I’d guess he wanted to explore a medical redshirt. I’m assuming Conlin wanted him to play when medically cleared, and he did not. Hard to fault Conlin, he’s coaching for his job and for most of the history of college football, kids played when they were able. I’m just speculating but seems like a reasonable scenario.

You can play 4 regular season games and still redshirt.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Agreed 100%. BTW you meant to post a colossal upset in Easton the PREVIOUS year (2022)

Yes.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I was wondering if Montes was trying the old grayshirt trick, which is to "take a semester off" and take no classes/not be enrolled at the school in fall 2024, re-renroll in January 2025, be a senior, play next year and graduate in January 2025. This is how every Ivy League school has gotten around the redshirt rule from time to time.