Lehigh football secured its sixth straight victory and took down the Yale Bulldogs 31-13 today at Lehigh’s Goodman Stadium.
This is the Mountain Hawk’s first win over Yale since 2016 and their first home victory against the Bulldogs since 2011.
“It feels good to continue to win in Goodman,” Coach Kevin Cahill said. “That’s been a focus of ours since preseason, to find a way to win in Goodman, and these guys have done a great job.”
Sophomore quarterback Hayden Johnson led the charge and threw for 174 passing yards. Junior running back Luke Yoder collected two touchdowns, 108 rushing yards and three receptions.
Yale’s sophomore quarterback Dante Reno tallied 247 yards, while their senior linebacker Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye dominated for the defense with 13 tackles.
Following the kickoff, Johnson struggled to place the ball in the hands of senior wide receiver Geoffrey Jamiel and junior wide receiver Mason Humphrey.
“The receivers and quarterbacks are always sitting next to each other when we go to the sidelines,” Humphrey said. “We watch the film, and we just make sure we’re all on the same page. (Johnson) gives us certain things he wants us to do, and we just go out and execute.”
Four minutes in, Johnson connected with Humphrey for 27 yards and a 7-0 early lead.
As the clock dwindled to three minutes, Johnson threw down the middle to Yoder for 24 yards, adding to the Mountain Hawks’ lead of 14-0.
The second quarter remained scoreless until there were 49 seconds left, when Yale’s Reno connected with senior wide receiver Nico Brown to close out the first half and shrink the lead to 14-7.
Yale took possession in the second half, but could not complete their sequence as junior defensive back Davis Rice intercepted Yale’s pass intended for Brown.
With the turnover bringing Lehigh back on offense, Johnson threw to Humphrey and ran for 59 yards but was forced out by Yale senior defensive back Joshua Tarver.
Yoder capitalized on the advance, rushing 25 yards into the endzone, adding six points and a completed kick to Lehigh’s score, bringing it to 21-7.
The Mountain Hawks drove three plays for 86 yards in only 1 minute, 30 seconds.
“Physicality is our number one thing and then everything else will open up after that, whether it’s taking those deep shots or throwing those quick game balls,” Yoder said.
Yale responded on their possession, rushing 75 yards in eight plays, resulting in a pass completion to Brown for a touchdown. The kick was not completed by the Bulldogs’ senior kicker Nick Conforti, bringing the score to 21-13.
With five minutes left in the third quarter, Johnson completed a left pass to sophomore running back Jaden Green, with a 21-yard advance for the Mountain Hawks. Green ran for 68 yards during Lehigh’s four-and-a-half minute possession.
Lehigh closed out the third quarter with a field goal attempt from senior kicker Nick Garrido to add three points to the lead, 24-13.
Three minutes into the fourth quarter on Yale’s possession, the Mountain Hawks capitalized on their momentum as junior defensive back Aidan Singleton intercepted Reno’s pass.
The two teams traded blows throughout the quarter until Singleton forced an incomplete pass from Reno intended for sophomore wide receiver Jaxton Santiago, with seven minutes on the clock.
A minute passed when Reno rushed down the middle for a loss of two yards and fumbled. Senior linebacker Tyler Ochojski recovered the ball, allowing Lehigh’s offense to take the field once more.
During the Mountain Hawks’ four minute possession, they carried momentum and advanced the ball to Yale’s 9-yard line. Johnson rushed the final nine yards into the endzone for another touchdown.
With Garrido’s completed kick, Lehigh set the final score in stone, 31-13.
“The defense did a great job of taking away the ball and putting it back over to the offense,” Cahill said. “The offense did a great job with scoring a couple big plays, but also closing the game out in the fourth quarter.”
The Bulldogs attempted to drive but were unable due to senior defensive line Matt Spatny’s stop and turnover.
Yale’s Santiago finished the game with 85 recording yards and seven receptions.
“They’re putting a lot of work in, and they’re driving the ship right now,” Cahill said. “It’s fun to be a passenger.”
Lehigh will seek to continue its undefeated streak when they face Columbia University on Sat. Oct. 11 in New York City.
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