Patriot League Week 1 What to Know
The league kicks off its 31st season of football this weekend as all six members are in action. The top two teams in the preseason poll, Colgate and Fordham, start with daunting road trips against FBS programs while the rest of the league will battle fellow FCS foes.
Friday September 2nd
Lafayette @ Central Connecticut State 6:00 P.M. New Britain, CT
The Leopards will look to make an early statement as they attempt to rebound from a 1-10 season. Senior QB Drew Reed is expected to start for Lafayette. His experience will hopefully jumpstart an offense that averaged 13.6 points in 2015. Central Connecticut State is coming off a 4-7 season. The Blue Devils were picked 5th in the preseason NEC media poll. This is just the third meeting between the two schools. CCSU won the inaugural game in 1980 and Lafayette exacted revenge in 1981.
Interesting Nugget – Former Lafayette head coach Bill Russo earned his first win on College Hill against Central Connecticut State in the 1981 game.
Colgate @ Syracuse 7:00 P.M. Syracuse, NY
The Raiders open the 2016 season with a short bus ride to face their Central New York rivals. One advantage Colgate should have is experience. The pride of the Chenango Valley return a veteran squad and a head coach entering his third year. Conversely, the Orange will showcase a number of new faces including new head coach Dino Babers. Lately it hasn’t mattered in this series who the Orange trot onto field. Syracuse has outscored Colgate 500-79 in the previous ten meetings.
Interesting Nugget – This will be 67th game between the two schools and the 64th held in Syracuse. The two have not met in Hamilton since 1897.
Saturday September 3rd
Fordham @ Navy 12:00 P.M. Annapolis, MD
Fordham will look to notch their third consecutive FBS victory as they travel to Maryland to take on a proven Navy team. While Navy has a track record of success at college football’s highest level, the Rams enter this game with an arsenal of dangerous weapons on their side. None is more explosive than all everything RB Chase Edmonds. The junior running back already has 49 career touchdowns. This will be second game between these two. Navy won the first contest in 1914.
Interesting Nugget – Navy posted their highest final AP ranking in 2015, 18th, since the Middies finished #2 in 1963 under the command of Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach.
Monmouth @ Lehigh 12:30 P.M. Bethlehem, PA
The Mountain Hawks begin their 133rd season of football against a familiar face from New Jersey. This will be the sixth meeting between the two since 2010. Lehigh owns a 5-1 all-time record but the Hawks from West Long Branch won the last meeting 28-21 in 2014. Lehigh will start the season without 1st team all-league LB Colton Caslow. The defensive leader will miss the game as he continues to recover from a broken hand. The much maligned Lehigh defense will look to slow down R-Sophomore QB Cody Williams and a dangerous group of skill players.
Interesting Nugget – Current Monmouth president Dr. Paul Brown served as the Dean of the college of Business and Economics at Lehigh from 2007-2013.
Davidson @ Georgetown 1:00 P.M. Washington, D.C.
The Hoyas and Wildcats both enter the 2016 campaign looking to build momentum after the two went a combined 6-16 last year. Georgetown will look towards talented senior TE Matt Buckman to get the offense moving while the QB position is settled. This will be the 12th meeting between these two academic stalwarts since 1999. The Hoyas currently own an 8-3 advantage.
Interesting Nugget – Former Colonial/Patriot League founding member Davidson has not posted a Division 1 win since 2012 when they took down Valparaiso 28-27.
Holy Cross @ Morgan State 2:00 P.M. Baltimore, MD
After posting their first winning season since 2011, expectations are high on Mount Saint James. A big reason for the optimism revolves around 4 year starting QB Peter Pujals. The 1st team all-league QB can really cement his place in Crusader lore by returning the PL championship to Worcester. He won’t have to do it alone as dangerous WR Brendan Flaherty provides a serious weapon outside. The Bears will look to improve on offense this year after averaging a modest 18.2 ppg in 2015. Holy Cross won the only prior meeting 29-26 in 2014.
Interesting Nugget – Fred T. Ferrier will be making his debut as the Morgan State head coach after Lee Hull joined the Indianapolis Colts in February.
Bucknell @ Marist 6:00 P.M. Poughkeepsie, NY
The Bison head to the Hudson Valley looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2015 season. Defense figures to once again lead the way for Bucknell which is bad news for a Marist team who struggled to score at times last year. That includes a 17-0 loss to the Bison in Lewisburg 12 months ago. This marks the 12th consecutive year the two have met. Bucknell is 10-1 in the previous 11 meetings.
Interesting Nugget – Bucknell has won five consecutive season openers. Their last loss came against Duquesne in 2010 which was Coach Susan’s debut as the Bison head coach.