The scent of victory cigars and sounds of cheers drifted through Goodman Stadium. Students and alumni donning Lehigh gear bull-rushed the field, celebrating with the team.
A horde of the Lehigh faithful scrambled to one of the goalposts, climbed on top and took it down. They traveled four miles over the South Mountain, through Bethlehem and launched the remains into the Lehigh River. The crowd bellowed Lehigh chants across the community during the journey.
Pure chaos and elation from the home side—with dejected silence on the away side.
As the Lafayette players shuffled out with their families, coach Kevin Cahill proudly lifted the trophy for Lehigh’s share of the Patriot League title, representing a massive turnaround from the previous 2-9 season.
Lehigh (8-3, 5-1 Patriot League) entered the 160th Meeting of the Rivalry against Lafayette (6-6, 2-4 Patriot League) tangled in a win-and-in scenario.
Win—and guarantee a berth in the FCS playoffs and a share of the Patriot League title. Lose—and place your postseason fate in the hands of the Holy Cross and Georgetown.
However, for the Mountain Hawks, the team took care of business, silencing any potential for an uncertain scenario.
In a combined team effort, Lehigh defeated Lafayette 38-14, earning the team’s first Rivalry win since 2021, a share of the Patriot League title and a berth in the upcoming FCS playoffs.
Lehigh fans look on at the Rivalry game at Goodman Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23. A sold-out crowd watched Lehigh defeat Lafayette 38-14 and secure a share of the Patriot League title and an FCS playoff berth. (Griffin Sawyer/B&W Staff)
Building off the momentum from their 45-17 victory over Colgate, the Mountain Hawks dominated the ground game.
Running backs Jaden Green and Luke Yoder and Swiss-army knife quarterback Matt Machalik each ran for 60 yards on the day. The trio accounted for two touchdowns, both in the first and second quarters.
“Knowing we can control the game and the guys in the backfield, they all do a great job,” fifth-year offensive lineman George Padezanin said. “It’s the best backfield I’ve ever played for by a mile.”
Green opened the scoring for Lehigh with a 19-yard touchdown scamper on the opening drive. After Lafayette responded with a Jamar Curtis rushing touchdown, the Mountain Hawks drove right down the field for Machalik to punch in a one-yard score.
The backfield outgained the Leopards 229-112 for rushing yards in the game.
Green led the Mountain Hawks in rushing yards with 70, while Curtis led both teams in rushing yards with 131 yards on the ground and two touchdowns, accounting for all Leopard points.
While the offensive identity churned through the ground game, Lehigh’s receiving corp found the end zone. Late in the second quarter, quarterback Hayden Johnson fired a pass into the end zone to wide receiver Mason Humphrey.
Humphrey high-pointed the ball amidst two defenders to come down with a contested touchdown catch to make the score 21-7.
In the passing game, the Leopards outgained Lehigh 171-115. Lehigh only attempted 13 passes in the game, completing 10 for a touchdown and pick.
The Mountain Hawks scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter, capped off by a Johnson touchdown scramble with one second left in the half. The score gave Lehigh a 28-7 lead at halftime, one they never looked back on.
“Hayden’s a competitor—everything we do he’s competed,” Cahill said. “When you have a guy who’s at the helm like that, you trust him a little bit more.”
First-year quarterback Hayden Johnson makes a pass for Lehigh Football in their game against Lafayette on Saturday, Nov. 23 in Goodman Stadium. Lehigh’s 38-14 win gives them a share of the Patriot League title with Holy Cross. (Griffin Sawyer/B&W Staff)
The Leopards scored on their opening drive of the second half with a Curtis touchdown. However, they failed to make up the ground from the second quarter hole. Lehigh’s defense shut them out for the remainder of the game.
Lafayette outgained the Mountain Hawks in total offense 344-283. Despite this, unlike the goalposts, Lehigh’s defense bent—but didn’t break.
The defense, a year removed from giving up 49 points to the Leopards, proved to be the difference-maker in the game.
The Leopards were unable to turn those yards into sufficient points. Two Lafayette drives stalled deep in the red zone from penalties and turnovers.
After Johnson threw an interception on the Lehigh’s second drive, the Leopards got the ball in Lehigh territory. However, they squandered the starting field position with a false start and sack by T.J. Burke, forcing a punt.
The Leopards then drove the ball to the Lehigh 27-yard line in the second quarter but failed to convert again. Defensive back Aidan Singleton deflected quarterback Dean DeNobile’s pass into the hands of Nick Peltekian for an interception, mitigating any scoring chance.
“Our coaches put us in really good positions all week practice-wise so when we get in that situation, we all know what we’re doing,” defensive back Mason Moore said.
And while Lehigh’s defense spent all game preventing points, they decided to score some of their own.
Late in the fourth quarter, DeNobile fired a pass that Moore undercut. He intercepted the ball, ran behind his blockers and scored a pick-six—the exclamation point.
Moore’s pick-six sent Goodman Stadium into a frenzy and iced the game at 38-14. The team immediately ran to the fans in the first row and celebrated.
“It was a surreal feeling after I hit the end zone,” Moore said.
After a Lafayette turnover on downs, the Mountain Hawks ran out the clock to secure the victory. In a full-circle moment, Dante Perri, the fifth-year quarterback who guided Lehigh’s last win against the Leopards in 2021, took the final snap.
Cahill said the win meant even more outside of the Lehigh program. He said he was proud to give Joe Sterrett, the retiring Dean of Athletics, one last championship during his tenure.
Now, Lehigh has the chance to bring Sterrett an even bigger trophy.
The FCS playoff selection show happens tomorrow at 12:30 p.m., where the Mountain Hawks will learn their seeding and next postseason opponent.
But for now, the team wants to enjoy their victory.
“We took a big, big step in year two to bring Lehigh football back to what Lehigh football should be, and we’re going to enjoy it,” Cahill said.
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