Yoder breaks all-time Lehigh rushing yards record, helping Lehigh defeat Bucknell 31-30

Lehigh defeated Bucknell by a score of 31-30 at Goodman Stadium, bouncing back after two consecutive losses. 

The Mountain Hawks (7-2) held off the Bison (1-8) with a record-breaking day from senior running back Luke Yoder. With 3:05 left in the game, Yoder broke free for an 11-yard touchdown, a run that gave him sole possession of Lehigh’s career rushing yards record, and tying Lehigh’s career rushing touchdowns record. 

Yoder finished the game with 183 rushing yards, his second-highest single-game total ever. He added two touchdowns on to his resume, bringing him to an FCS-leading 16 on the season. 

First-year quarterback Patrick Coan replaced sophomore Derek Morgan at halftime for Lehigh, and he ended with 46 passing yards, to go along with his first career passing touchdown. 

The Bison, who have struggled this season, kept the game close until the final play. 

With 2 seconds remaining, first-year Bucknell quarterback Emmett Dowling found senior receiver Sam Milligan to bring the Bison within one point, but failed to convert the two-point conversion that would have given them the lead. 

Dowling finished with 318 passing yards, a career-high. He added a passing touchdown, his second of the year, and an interception, his third. 

The Lehigh defense –ranked #24 in total defense coming into this game– have surrendered 72 combined points over their last two games. Hoping to get back on track, they began the game by forcing a Buckell punt. 

After a three-and-out on their opening drive, the Bison lobbed a 28-yard touchdown pass on a trick play. Senior wide receiver Sam Milligan received the handoff, and fired downfield to junior wide receiver Jackson Nowinski, who hauled in the pass to bring Bucknell out to an early 7-0 lead. 

On the subsequent drive, senior running back Luke Yoder continued his dominant 2026 campaign, tallying 57 rushing yards before punching in a one-yard touchdown to even the score. This was Yoder’s 15th rushing touchdown of the season, which leads all of NCAA FCS. 

The Mountain Hawk defense supported their offense on the Bison’s next possession, forcing a three-and-out on a drive that saw Bucknell tally -1 total yards. This was the first of 6 consecutive punts from both teams, keeping the score knotted at 7 until sophomore Jack Sullivan ended a 71-yard Bucknell drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to bring the score to 14-7.

The Bison led the Mountain Hawks 14-7 as the teams went into halftime. 

After receiving the kickoff after the half, Lehigh punted the ball away following a sack of sophomore quarterback Derek Morgan. On Bucknell’s next drive, first-year linebacker Josh Lenart intercepted Bucknell’s first-year quarterback Emmett Dowling, to gain the first interception of his college career.

Lehigh used a quarterback change following the turnover, replacing Morgan with first-year quarterback Patrick Coan. Coan completed his first career pass on a 7-yard completion to junior wide receiver Nick Palumbo. 

First-year running back Aidan Mayfield recorded his second career touchdown for Lehigh, three plays later. The   4-yard run tied the score at 14 with 6:58 left in the third quarter. 

Bucknell responded on their next drive, converting a fourth-and-two to set themselves up within the Lehigh 25-yard line. The Bison offense was stopped after the conversion, and settled for a 30-yard field goal that broke the tie, bringing the score to 20-17. 

Coan led Lehigh by recording his first career touchdown pass, a 30-yard pass to junior wide receiver Matt D’Avino. His touchdown reception was D’Avino’s first of the season, and gave the Mountain Hawks a 21-17 lead. 

The two teams continued to trade blows, with Bucknell marching down the field in response, and Milligan adding a rushing touchdown to go along with his passing touchdown from earlier. With 7:11 left in the game, Bucknell took a 24-21 lead. 

Yoder ripped back-to-back rushes of 24 and 14 yards, setting Lehigh up in Bucknell territory. At the Bison’s 18-yard line, the Lehigh offense converted a 4th-and-1 with 4:26 left, keeping their hopes of taking the lead alive. 

With 3:05 left in the game, Yoder rushed to the left for an 11-yard touchdown, breaking Dom Bragalone’s all-time Lehigh rushing yards record and tying his all-time Lehigh rushing touchdowns record. This record-breaking touchdown gave Lehigh a 28-24 lead in the final minutes of the game.

As Bucknell looked to take the lead back, the Lehigh defense forced their offense into a 4th-and-3 conversion attempt at their own 33-yard line. Senior defensive lineman Jadin Nelson sacked Bucknell’s Dowling, giving the Mountain Hawks the ball deep in Bison territory. 

The Bison forced a 33-yard field goal from junior kicker Connor Poole, which extended the Lehigh lead to 31-24. 

The Bison did not go quietly, as they had the ball with 1:47 with a chance to put together a game-tying touchdown drive. Dowling led the Bucknell offense, gaining 3 first downs as they marched into Lehigh territory. On 4th-and-4 from the Lehigh 25-yard-line, Bucknell converted, bringing their offense to the Lehigh 19-yard line with 7 seconds remaining. 

With 2 seconds remaining, Dowling found wide receiver Milligan to bring the score to 31-30. 

The Bucknell offense stayed on the field, opting to go for the 2-point conversion. On the attempt, Dowling rolled to his left under pressure and lofted a pass to the back of the endzone that fell incomplete. 

Bucknell attempted an onside kick, and Lehigh recovered as the clock ran out. 

The Mountain Hawks will return to action at Goodman Stadium on November 7th as they host Colgate.