Lafayette, Lehigh remain optimistic about the future

Lehigh hasn’t had a winning football season since 2016.

Lafayette hasn’t had a winning season since 2009.

No matter what happens over the next two weeks, those seasonal losing streaks will continue.

But with the 158th edition of college football’s mostplayed rivalry now a week away, there is a sense of optimism mixed with the reality of a combined 4-14 record for the Lehigh Valley’s two Division I football programs.

Lehigh hosts Colgate and Lafayette travels to Fordham on Saturday trying to build some momentum entering next week’s spectacle at the Leopards’ Fisher Stadium.

For the Mountain Hawks, generating positive vibes is a greater challenge since they are on a seven-game losing streak. At best, Lehigh can match last year’s 3-8 record.

It’s a little easier to feel good on College Hill because under first-year coach John Troxell the Leopards have already matched last year’s 3-win total and still have a shot at winning five games in a season for the first time since 2014. Plus, a winning record in the Patriot League is also possible.

Both programs are disappointed in this year’s results and are nowhere near where they want to be, but both teams also are optimistic about the future and believe a turnaround is not far away.

“You always ask yourself, where are we as a program and I know where we were a year ago and where we are today and I also know where we’re going to be in a year and in two years,” Troxell said. “That’s why each game we play right now is important because it’s building the culture and the expectation within the program.”

Troxell said his seniors have done a good job of understanding the importance of each game.

“They’re going to go out and play as hard as they can regardless of looking at the scoreboard,” Troxell said. “They know we’re going to get better as a team and they want to lay that foundation.”

Troxell had spent the last 16 years at Franklin & Marshall and one of the things he likes about Lafayette in his return to College Hill is the leadership.

“One of the best parts of this place right now is the leadership of President [Nicole] Hurd and Sherryta Freeman, our athletic director,” Troxell said. “Their vision is to build a championship culture. We say it every day. We’re climbing the hill. We may not be at the top yet, but we’re going to get there.”

Lehigh is also trying to gain a foothold on its climb up the mountain.

The current stretch of five consecutive losing seasons is the program’s longest skid since a 9-year stretch of nonwinning seasons from 1962-70.

While discontentment has been expressed from alumni and fans, the players themselves haven’t given up. There have been a lot of factors that went into the current downslide, some outside their control, but they are determined to stop the fall.

“We’ve come up short a lot and it’s been frustrating here and there,” said freshman defensive lineman TJ Burke. “But we’ve stuck together really tight and have a really good brotherhood here. We’ve all supported each other through the ups and downs and we’re just going to keep trying and get these two wins over the next two weeks. We’ve just got to keep working.”

Sophomore running back Gaige Garcia, who comes from the renowned Southern Columbia PIAA high school program, echoed Burke’s comments.

“Once we start winning it’s going to become human nature to keep it going and do everything you can to win,” Garcia said. “We’re doing everything we can here to win, but it’s a matter of getting over that hump. Once we do that and get in the win column it will make a big difference.”

Here’s a look at this week’s Lafayette and Lehigh matchups:

Lafayette (3-6, 2-2) at Fordham (7-2, 3-1)

When/where: 1 p.m. Saturday at Coffey Field, New York, New York.

TV/streaming: ESPN+ Storylines: The Rams are ranked No. 18 in one national poll and No. 23 in another and still have a shot at an FCS playoff berth. They average 49.8 points and 404.8 passing yards per game and their lone losses were to Ohio University 59-52 and Holy Cross 53-52. After winning at Colgate last week, the Leopards are looking for their first two-game winning streak since taking three straight late in the 2019 season. Lafayette will rely on a defense that ranks first in the Patriot League in yards allowed (312.2) and rushing (111.7). Players to watch: Fordham has the best passing offense in FCS football thanks to senior QB Tim DeMorat. He leads the country with 3,635 passing yards. Senior WR Fostis Kokosioulis is second in the nation in receiving yards (993) and is among the nation’s leaders with 10 TD catches. Grad student Ryan Greenhagen, a former Patriot League defensive player of the year, has 7 tackles for loss including 4.5 sacks. Lafayette was led at Colgate by senior RB Jaden Sutton and freshman Jamar Curtis, who ran for 83 and 77 yards respectively. Sophomore QB Ah-Shaun Davis was 13-for20 passing for 140 yards and a TD.

What to expect: Lafayette’s defense slowed down a potent Holy Cross offense in a 24-21 loss on Oct. 22 and is capable of doing the same thing to high-flying Fordham. However, quality special teams and a clock-controlling offense will be essential for the Leopards to have a shot at a surprise.

Keith Groller’s prediction: Fordham 31-20

Colgate (3-6, 2-2) at Lehigh (1-8, 1-3)

When/where: Noon at Goodman Stadium, Bethlehem TV/radio/streaming: ESPN+, Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM, 1230 AM and LVFoxSports.com. Storylines: Lehigh is desperately trying to snap a 7-game losing streak and build momentum entering its trip to Lafayette next week. Colgate, which features Marian Catholic graduate Stan Dakosty, is making its first visit to Lehigh since 2018. The 2005 Colgate grad and the son of Marian’s coaching legend of the same name, Dakosty is in his second season in charge of the Raiders. Parkland graduates Andrew Khalife and Ja-Lon Perkins are among the numerous Pennsylvania players on the Colgate roster. Colgate had won two in a row before losing to Lafayette 21-16 last week.

Players to watch: Colgate’s Michael Brescia has run for 622 yards and 11 TDs and passed for 1,077 yards and three scores. Lehigh junior linebacker Mike DeNucci ranks in the top 10 in the FCS in total tackles (5.7 per game) and tackles for loss (1.7). Firstyear wide receiver Geoffrey Jamiel leads Lehigh with 42 receptions for 479 yards. LU quarterback Dante Perri has thrown for 1,446 yards and 9 TDs, but has 8 interceptions. What to expect: A much more competitive game than last year’s 30-3 Colgate win in Hamilton, New York. Lehigh’s defense will keep it in the game and it’s a matter of the offense capitalizing on opportunities in the red zone. This is Lehigh’s last chance to get a home win and the seniors want to have one last good memory of Goodman Stadium.

Lehigh 24-21