Lehigh football started off their season with a 35-10 victory over the Holy Cross Crusaders in Worcester, MA, marking this game their first win under head coach Richard Nagy.
The Mountain Hawks (1-0) opened their 2026 campaign with a commanding offensive display against the Crusaders (0-1), extending their all-time record over Holy Cross to 22-19-1.
Junior quarterback Hayden Johnson tallied 117 passing yards to go along with 81 rushing yards and 2 total touchdowns.
Senior running back and 2025 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Luke Yoder picked up where he left off last year with 130 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.
Defensive backs, fifth-year Nick Peltekian and junior Luke Denny recorded interceptions, as senior defensive lineman Andrew Sharga forced a fumble that was recovered by sophomore linebacker Aidan Williams.
Lehigh came out of the tunnel with a purpose, as its fourth play of the game resulted in a 65-yard touchdown run from Johnson.
With the score standing at 7-0, Lehigh’s defense forced a Holy Cross punt after three plays.
To end the first quarter, Yoder capped off a nine-play, 61-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run to extend the Mountain Hawks’ lead to 14-0.
After another stop by the Lehigh defense, Yoder converted a third-and-15 by breaking through the Crusader defense for a 33-yard touchdown to bring the score to 21-0.
The next score didn’t come until there were seven minutes and five seconds left on the clock in the second quarter, with sophomore Holy Cross kicker Owen Saraceno converting a 26-yard field goal to cut into the Mountain Hawks’ lead.
The Crusaders began to build momentum after forcing two straight Lehigh punts, and completing a 32-yard catch down the left sideline from sophomore wide receiver Lincoln Fisher.
That momentum quickly came to a halt, however, as defensive-lineman Andrew Sharga forced a fumble from first-year Crusaders quarterback Liam Zelman, halting a 72 yard drive at the Lehigh five-yard line.
Lehigh ran out the clock until halftime, riding a 21-3 advantage into the break.
The Mountain Hawk’s defense remained strong in the third quarter, forcing a Holy Cross punt after a five-play drive.
Lehigh offense took advantage of its strong defensive showing, with Johnson firing off a 14-yard touchdown pass that was hauled in by his old high school teammate, junior wide receiver Nick Palumbo to extend the lead to 28-3.
Holy Cross answered right back, generating a 13 play, 82-yard drive that led to a 15-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback David Lynch to sophomore tight end Drae Tyme to bring the score to 28-10.
Defensive back Nick Peltekian set the Mountain Hawk offense up in field position, intercepting a pass from Holy Cross’s Lynch and returning it 22 yards to the Crusaders’ 10-yard line.
Yoder capitalized on that field position, breaking through for a six-yard touchdown run down the left sideline to bring the Lehigh lead to 35-10.
Lehigh was able to ride out their lead through the fourth quarter to end the game with a win.
Following their first win of the season, the Mountain Hawks will travel to Georgetown University on Sep. 5 to continue Patriot League play.
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