Colgate-Harvard Showdown Headlines Pivotal Week 5 in the Patriot League

The fall has a way of creeping up on you like Colgate’s stifling league-leading defense. Or maybe Richmond’s league-leading sack attack. By any measure, it’s hard to believe Saturday will mark the midway point of the season for seven of ten Patriot League teams (with Bucknell on their bye week and pending a replay of the Georgetown-Lafayette Week 0 “no contest”).

The highlight of the weekend is #23 Colgate on the road at #21 Harvard under the lights in Allston, an exciting, ranked Patriot-Ivy showdown between two of the top defenses in the nation (and possibly two future playoff opponents). As non-league contests start to wrap up, Georgetown-Cornell and Villanova-Morgan State round out Saturday’s non-league matchups, a trio of league dates should shake out some of the league logjam at the middle of the pack (four teams with one win).

The Holy Cross-William & Mary game, the first Crusader-Tribe matchup since Holy Cross’s undefeated 1987 season, should be the most compelling of the three, with both teams trying to get to .500 in the league and back in league championship contention. Fordham has the biggest opportunity for an upset as the Rams travel to Bethlehem for a big game with #6 Lehigh. And don’t forget about #24 Richmond, quietly tied for first place with Lehigh and Colgate and looking to improve to 3-0 at Lafayette. Let’s dive in.

Saturday, October 3

#6 Lehigh Mountain Hawks (5-0, 3-0 Patriot) vs. Fordham Rams (1-4, 1-1 Patriot) Goodman Stadium, Bethlehem, PA12:00pm

All-time series: 38th meeting (27-10 Lehigh)

Last matchup: October 25, 2025 (27-6 Lehigh)

TV: ESPN+ (Marco Socci, Lance Haynes)

Fordham head coach Joe Conlin would really like to rediscover the magic his team had two weeks ago in Williamsburg when the Rams obliterated William & Mary, only to fall victim to Stony Brook at home last weekend. The secret ingredient was simple: a running game. If Fordham has any chance against the Mountain Hawks, who are looking to improve to win their 23rd consecutive regular season game, they will have break through Lehigh’s top-6 FCS rushing defense (yielding just 88 yards per game).

Frankly, I just don’t see that magic rekindling on Saturday, especially if Lehigh’s overpowering rushing game (267 yards per game) led by RB Luke Yoder (128.5 yards, 2.2 TDs per game) is in the zone. Although the Mountain Hawks will be without starting QB Hayden Johnson for another week (and potentially the entire season, per the (Allentown) Morning Call), first-year head coach Rich Nagy will again rely on sophomore signal caller Derek Morgan to manage Lehigh’s potent offensive attack and overwhelm Fordham’s porous defense.

Georgetown Hoyas (0-3, 0-2 Patriot) vs. Cornell Big Red (1-1, 1-0 Ivy) Cooper Field, Washington, D.C. 12:30pm

All-time series: 5th meeting (Tied 2-2)

Last matchup: October 5, 2019 (14-8 Georgetown)

TV: ESPN+/Monumental Sports 2 (Jeremy Huber, Nick Alfieri)

Can Georgetown catch a break? Ask a Hoya fan and you’ll probably see chin hit chest along with a big sigh. It has been anything but smooth sailing for Rob Sgarlata’s team after two consecutive losses by a field goal, including last week’s 20-17 overtime loss to Columbia on the Hilltop.

Homecoming offers Georgetown another crack at their first victory of the season as the Hoyas welcome Cornell to Cooper Field on Saturday. Cornell is coming off of a major upset at home against Yale last weekend, 38-25, a game in which the Bulldogs were without injured starting QB Dante Reno (whose dad, former Yale head coach Tony Reno, sadly passed away this week at the age of 52).

The Hoyas have to hope this contest turns into a defensive dog fight, pun intended, as Georgetown ranks 104th in the FCS in scoring offense (17.3 points per game) and 115th in total offense (258.7 yards per game). They may be in luck, with Cornell ranking 116th in total offense (258 yards per game) to begin the season, with senior QB Garrett Bass-Sulpizio doing more with his legs than his arm through two games. If the Hoyas can find any semblance of offense from junior QB Jack Johnson, they may be able to get that elusive first win.

Lafayette Leopards (1-3, 0-1 Patriot) vs. #24 Richmond Spiders (4-1, 3-0 Patriot) Fisher Stadium, Easton, PA 12:30pm

All-time series: 5th meeting (4-0 Lafayette)

Last matchup: October 15, 2025 (35-28 Lafayette)

TV: ESPN+/Lafayette Sports Network (Gary Laubach, Mike Joseph)

Is it me or is Richmond flying under the radar as a Patriot League contender? The Spiders haven’t exactly been blowing teams away; absent the Bucknell blowout to begin the season, all three of their wins since have come by 7 points or fewer, including last week’s massive 13-9 triumph over Furman.

Head coach Russ Huesman has not been shy to say that his team has been hit hard by injuries, but his team continues to find ways to be on the right side of the scoreboard at the final gun. If the Spiders want to nab their first win ever in Easton, their hopes largely rest on the Richmond Sack Exchange, 19 total sacks (3rd in the FCS), led by DLs Camden Byrd and Daniel Sellers with 5.5 quarterback takedowns apiece.

Lafayette is coming off of another tough defensive letdown against Holy Cross, which saw the Leopards surrender 38 points to a Crusader team that was previously averaging 14 points per contest. Head coach John Troxell will once again hand the offensive keys to senior QB Dan Lipovski who had a career day last Saturday (21-39, 306 yards, 4 TDs), connecting with junior WR Mason Kuehner 10 times for 153 yards and 3 TDs.

Richmond wants to get out to an early lead and avoid another close game against a hungry Lafayette squad that wants to emerge from the Patriot League basement.

Villanova Wildcats (2-3, 1-2 Patriot) vs. Morgan State Bears (3-1, 0-0 MEAC) Villanova Stadium, Villanova, PA 1:00pm

All-time series: 2nd meeting (1-0 Villanova)

Last matchup: October 25, 2014 (48-28 Villanova)

TV: ESPN+ (David Szczepanski, Steve Pinone)

What to make of Villanova so far? Picked to finish first in the all-new 10-team Patriot League and (controversially) getting back QB Pat McQuade, the Wildcats were supposed to be a big feline in a small zoo. But after the first game of the season, a 35-32 shootout against William & Mary, Villanova’s offense has been relatively anemic by their standards.

Last week, McQuade and the Villanova offense needed all 60 minutes to put just 20 points on the board against a weak Long Island defense. In their last four games, Nova has averaged just over 15 points per game, including 21 points in their loss to Colgate last weekend.

Fortunately, the Wildcats welcome a Morgan State team to the Main Line that is on par with LIU in terms of a weak defense (101st in the FCS, yielding 441.2 yards per game), albeit a defensive stat sheet weighed down by a lopsided 70-7 loss to FBS Arizona State in Week 1. McQuaide and RB Ja’Briel Mace need to get going early if Villanova want to avoid their fourth loss of the young season.

The Bears are well rested, coming into Saturday’s game after their bye and a convincing 41-26 Battle of Greater Baltimore win over a Towson team they had not beaten in 17 previous contests. Leading Morgan State’s offense is former Maryland Terrapin QB Cameron Edge, who has 7 TD passes to just 1 INT to start the season, garnering MEAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after the Towson game.

Villanova will also have to contend with human joystick RB Keith Jenkins Jr. who had a 95-yard kickoff return TD and 213 all-purpose yards against the Tigers; Jenkins Jr. leads the MEAC with 27 yards per return. The Wildcats should benefit from homefield advantage in this one, but it’s up to McQuaide to step up and lead the way.

William & Mary Tribe (2-3, 1-2 Patriot) vs. Holy Cross Crusaders (1-4, 1-2 Patriot) Zable Stadium, Williamsburg, V 3:30pm

All-time series: 3rd meeting (2-0 Holy Cross)

Last matchup: November 14, 1987 (40-7 Holy Cross)

TV: ESPN+ (Jay Colley, Shawn Knight)

Arguably the most important league game of the week for both teams? Easy: William & Mary-Holy Cross. Saturday afternoon’s showdown in the colonial capital of Virginia will catapult one team to league relevancy with a win and bury another team near the depths of standings with a third league loss.

The Crusaders are flying high into Williamsburg, their first visit to the Peninsula since Gordie Lockbaum was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist for the Cross in 1986-1987, after dispatching Lafayette last Saturday for their first win of the season. Junior QB David Lynch, the reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week, will look to keep the offense rolling against a Tribe defense that ranks among the worst defenses in the FCS (118th overall in the FCS, yielding nearly 500 yards per game, including the worst rushing defense in the FCS (282.2 yards given up per game).

Mike London’s Tribe have hit a rough patch, losing three straight, including a stunning 52-27 loss to previously winless Fordham at home two weeks ago. QB Winston Watkins is the most efficient passer in the Patriot League and should be able to spread the ball around to freshman phenom WR Kylil Johnson and Co. against a highly susceptible Crusader defensive secondary. But if the Tribe cannot stop the Crusader rushing game, led by sophomore RB Joseph Williams (66 carries, 266 yards, 2 TDs), the Cross could be looking at a second-consecutive road win before a much-needed bye.

#23 Colgate Raiders (4-1, 3-0 Patriot) @ #21 Harvard Crimson (2-0, 1-0 Ivy) Harvard Stadium, Boston, MA 7:00pm

All-time series: 10th meeting (5-4 Harvard)

Last matchup: October 2, 1999 (24-21 Colgate)

TV: ESPN+ (Alex Vispoli, Tim Murphy)

So far, Colgate has passed every test this fall. Win three of three Patriot League matchups, including a ranked win over Villanova on the road? Check. Handle in-state rival Cornell handily? Check. Play an FBS team in Central Michigan tough on the road? Check.

The Raiders have done it all with the fifth-ranked defense in the nation (258.6 yards and 13 points given up per game) and a steady offensive attack led by QB Jake Stearney and WR Matt Fogler; leading RB Danny Shaban continues to recover from what appears to be an ankle injury.

But Harvard represents a test of tests. Harvard Stadium is traditionally a house of horrors for Patriot League opponents, who are 6-22 at The Stadium since 2000. The Crimson will be playing their home opener under the lights. Harvard has won 24 consecutive home openers dating back to 2001, and is 22-3 when playing under the lights on Soldiers Field Road.

Starting the season 2-0, including last week’s 14-10 squeaker under the lights at Brown, Harvard is primed for another run at a 4th consecutive Ivy League crown and 2nd consecutive playoff berth. Andrew Aurich’s Crimson are led on offense by largely untested sophomore QB Charlie Smith, who has completed over 72 percent of his passes through two games.

Harvard’s third-ranked defense has been the Crimson’s calling card thus far, holding New Hampshire and Brown to an average of 224.5 yards and a stingy 8.5 points per game (best in the FCS). Reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week DB Xaden Benson (3 INTs vs. Brown, leads the FCS with 4 total) will look to build on his side of the ball’s impressive start to 2026.

Interestingly, Harvard is launching halftime fireworks show (Boston and Cambridge have strict Puritan noise ordinances) but expect the real fireworks to be between the lines on the banks of the Charles River Saturday night.