Saturday, November 5
12:30 PM
Lehigh University
vs
Bucknell
Lehigh looks to clinch league title as Bucknell visits on Military Appreciation Day
11/1/2016 10:32:00 AM | Football
Game Notes | Tickets | Video | Audio | Live Stats
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Riding a seven game winning streak, No. 24/21 Lehigh hosts Bucknell on Military Appreciation Day Saturday at Goodman Stadium. The Mountain Hawks are coming off a dominant 58-37 win over Fordham and can clinch their 11th Patriot League championship and the league's automatic bit to the FCS playoffs with a victory over the Bison. Lehigh rolled up 632 yards of offense against Fordham, including 349 on the ground as the Mountain Hawks built a 51-9 lead midway through the third quarter. Sophomore Dom Bragalone had a second straight career day, rushing for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Bucknell returns to league play after dropping a 49-28 final at No. 9 Charleston Southern.
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For most of the season, Lehigh's highly regarded passing game has garnered plenty of attention, but over the last two weeks the Mountain Hawks' running game has stepped up. After rushing for 222 yards at Holy Cross, the Mountain Hawks gained 349 yards on the ground against Fordham, the most rushing yards for a Lehigh team in the Andy Coen era. Dominick Bragalone and Nick Shafnisky both rushed for more than 100 yards as six of Lehigh's eight touchdowns came via the ground. Prior to the Fordham game, Lehigh's last 300-yard rushing day was on October 27, 2007 when the Mountain Hawks rushed for 307 in a 45-0 win over Georgetown. The last time Lehigh had two 100-yard rushers in one game was Oct. 23, 1999, when Ronald Jean (107) and Jamal Burcher (124) accomplished the feat in a 62-8 win over Holy Cross.
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Junior defensive end Tyler Cavenas enjoyed the finest day of his Lehigh career, racking up a career-best nine tackles and three sacks in the Mountain Hawks' win over Fordham. A three-year contributor on the defensive line, Cavenas opened his junior campaign with a nine-tackle effort against Monmouth but didn't record his first career sack until the Holy Cross game. Cavenas entered this season with just 43 tackles and three tackles for loss. He became the first Mountain Hawk to record three sacks in a game since Matt Cohen accomplished the feat against Georgetown in 2009.
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Lehigh's offense was so dominant against Fordham that sophomore Ed Mish was only needed for kickoffs and placements. The Mountain Hawks scored points on their first eight drives and only failed to score on three of their final four drives, turning the ball over on downs twice and kneeling to run out the clock at the end of the game. Prior to the Fordham game, the last time Lehigh did not punt was on Nov. 13, 1999 in a 48-27 win at Bucknell.
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For the fifth time since the start of the 2010 season, the Mountain Hawks will take the field knowing a victory will give them the Patriot League championship and the league's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. The Mountain Hawks are 2-2 in the four previous "championship" games but won the only game of the four in which their opponents could not clinch the league title with a victory.
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Saturday's game will be the final regular season home game for Lehigh's 17-player senior class. Lehigh's class of 2017 is 24-18 thus far in its career and 12-7 over the last four seasons at Goodman Stadium. The Mountain Hawks have won their final home game seven times in Andy Coen's first 10 seasons.
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Bucknell enters the month of November still alive in the Patriot League title chase, but the Bison will need to win out and get some help to accomplish that feat. The Bison are 2-1 in the league with wins over Holy Cross and Lafayette and a loss to Colgate.
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Last weekend Bucknell traveled to South Carolina where the Bison fell to nationally ranked Charleston Southern 49-28 in a game that only had a seven point margin midway through the third quarter.
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Bucknell boasts the Patriot League's top defense, one that allows just 372.6 yards per game. Ben Richard leads the Bison with 73 tackles, while Connor Golden is coming off a two-interception game at Charleston Southern. The Bison average just 331.1 yards of offense per game and have had to utilize three different quarterbacks this season because of injuries. R.J. Nitti is the returning starter, who has appeared in just four of Bucknell's eight games. Will Carter is Bucknell's top receiver and has given Lehigh trouble in the past. Bucknell features a strong running game led by Joey DeFloria, who has 801 yards and seven touchdowns, and freshman Chad Freshnock, who has reached the end zone six times.
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Lehigh has played Bucknell more times than any Patriot League opponent other than rival Lafayette. The Mountain Hawks and Bison meet for the 80th time with Lehigh holding a 45-31 advantage (there have also been three ties). Bucknell followed a 15-game Lehigh winning streak in the series with consecutive wins in 2013 and 2014.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after 12:30 from Goodman Stadium. Tickets for the game are still available, and may be purchased in one of three ways: by visiting the Lehigh ticket office located in Stabler Arena, by calling (610) 7LU-GAME, or on-line anytime at LehighTickets.com.
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Lehigh will have its bye next weekend and will wrap-up the regular season on Nov. 19 when the Mountain Hawks visit Lafayette in the 152nd meeting of college football's most-played rivalry. The Mountain Hawks will be looking for their second straight win over the Leopards and their seventh in the last nine years. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. from Fisher Stadium in Easton, Pa.
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Riding a seven game winning streak, No. 24/21 Lehigh hosts Bucknell on Military Appreciation Day Saturday at Goodman Stadium. The Mountain Hawks are coming off a dominant 58-37 win over Fordham and can clinch their 11th Patriot League championship and the league's automatic bit to the FCS playoffs with a victory over the Bison. Lehigh rolled up 632 yards of offense against Fordham, including 349 on the ground as the Mountain Hawks built a 51-9 lead midway through the third quarter. Sophomore Dom Bragalone had a second straight career day, rushing for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Bucknell returns to league play after dropping a 49-28 final at No. 9 Charleston Southern.
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For most of the season, Lehigh's highly regarded passing game has garnered plenty of attention, but over the last two weeks the Mountain Hawks' running game has stepped up. After rushing for 222 yards at Holy Cross, the Mountain Hawks gained 349 yards on the ground against Fordham, the most rushing yards for a Lehigh team in the Andy Coen era. Dominick Bragalone and Nick Shafnisky both rushed for more than 100 yards as six of Lehigh's eight touchdowns came via the ground. Prior to the Fordham game, Lehigh's last 300-yard rushing day was on October 27, 2007 when the Mountain Hawks rushed for 307 in a 45-0 win over Georgetown. The last time Lehigh had two 100-yard rushers in one game was Oct. 23, 1999, when Ronald Jean (107) and Jamal Burcher (124) accomplished the feat in a 62-8 win over Holy Cross.
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Junior defensive end Tyler Cavenas enjoyed the finest day of his Lehigh career, racking up a career-best nine tackles and three sacks in the Mountain Hawks' win over Fordham. A three-year contributor on the defensive line, Cavenas opened his junior campaign with a nine-tackle effort against Monmouth but didn't record his first career sack until the Holy Cross game. Cavenas entered this season with just 43 tackles and three tackles for loss. He became the first Mountain Hawk to record three sacks in a game since Matt Cohen accomplished the feat against Georgetown in 2009.
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Lehigh's offense was so dominant against Fordham that sophomore Ed Mish was only needed for kickoffs and placements. The Mountain Hawks scored points on their first eight drives and only failed to score on three of their final four drives, turning the ball over on downs twice and kneeling to run out the clock at the end of the game. Prior to the Fordham game, the last time Lehigh did not punt was on Nov. 13, 1999 in a 48-27 win at Bucknell.
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For the fifth time since the start of the 2010 season, the Mountain Hawks will take the field knowing a victory will give them the Patriot League championship and the league's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. The Mountain Hawks are 2-2 in the four previous "championship" games but won the only game of the four in which their opponents could not clinch the league title with a victory.
Â
Saturday's game will be the final regular season home game for Lehigh's 17-player senior class. Lehigh's class of 2017 is 24-18 thus far in its career and 12-7 over the last four seasons at Goodman Stadium. The Mountain Hawks have won their final home game seven times in Andy Coen's first 10 seasons.
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Bucknell enters the month of November still alive in the Patriot League title chase, but the Bison will need to win out and get some help to accomplish that feat. The Bison are 2-1 in the league with wins over Holy Cross and Lafayette and a loss to Colgate.
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Last weekend Bucknell traveled to South Carolina where the Bison fell to nationally ranked Charleston Southern 49-28 in a game that only had a seven point margin midway through the third quarter.
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Bucknell boasts the Patriot League's top defense, one that allows just 372.6 yards per game. Ben Richard leads the Bison with 73 tackles, while Connor Golden is coming off a two-interception game at Charleston Southern. The Bison average just 331.1 yards of offense per game and have had to utilize three different quarterbacks this season because of injuries. R.J. Nitti is the returning starter, who has appeared in just four of Bucknell's eight games. Will Carter is Bucknell's top receiver and has given Lehigh trouble in the past. Bucknell features a strong running game led by Joey DeFloria, who has 801 yards and seven touchdowns, and freshman Chad Freshnock, who has reached the end zone six times.
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Lehigh has played Bucknell more times than any Patriot League opponent other than rival Lafayette. The Mountain Hawks and Bison meet for the 80th time with Lehigh holding a 45-31 advantage (there have also been three ties). Bucknell followed a 15-game Lehigh winning streak in the series with consecutive wins in 2013 and 2014.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after 12:30 from Goodman Stadium. Tickets for the game are still available, and may be purchased in one of three ways: by visiting the Lehigh ticket office located in Stabler Arena, by calling (610) 7LU-GAME, or on-line anytime at LehighTickets.com.
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Lehigh will have its bye next weekend and will wrap-up the regular season on Nov. 19 when the Mountain Hawks visit Lafayette in the 152nd meeting of college football's most-played rivalry. The Mountain Hawks will be looking for their second straight win over the Leopards and their seventh in the last nine years. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. from Fisher Stadium in Easton, Pa.
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| Date: | November 5, 2016 |
| Opponent: | Bucknell Bison |
| Kickoff: | 12:37 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Goodman Stadium/16,000/Natural Grass |
| Location: | Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Tickets: | Tickets can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME or online at LehighTickets.com |
| Lehigh's record: | 7-2 overall, 4-0 Patriot League |
| Bucknell's record: | 3-5 overall, 2-1 Patriot League |
| Series: | Lehigh leads 45-31-3 |
| Television | None |
| Radio | ESPN Radio of the Lehigh Valley (1160, 1230 and 1320-AM) with Matt Kerr, Lance Haynes '94, and Matt Markus |
| Internet Broadcast: | Video on the Patriot League Network (PatriotLeague.TV) – Campus Insiders Exclusive Audio at ESPNLV.com |
| Key Stats: | •Lehigh is averaging 562.4 yards of offense and 48.3 points per game in its current seven-game winning streak. •Lehigh leads the nation in completion percentage (.704) and total first downs (235). •Lehigh's 349 rushing yards versus Fordham were its most in the Andy Coen era. |
| Behind Enemy Lines: | http://www.bucknellbison.com   |
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