Same Big Three

[ngineer]

Despite all the talk of parity in the Patriot, it now appears to be 'business as usual' with Lehigh, Lafayette and Colgate going to be slugging it out, again.
Yes, there may be an upset or two along the way, but at this stage the only shuffling may be who's making up the middle of the pack. Of course, HC comes calling this coming Saturday to Goodman, and they certainly appear much improved, so I'm knocking on wood. Any thoughts?

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Despite all the talk of parity in the Patriot, it now appears to be 'business as usual' with Lehigh, Lafayette and Colgate going to be slugging it out, again.
Yes, there may be an upset or two along the way, but at this stage the only shuffling may be who's making up the middle of the pack. Of course, HC comes calling this coming Saturday to Goodman, and they certainly appear much improved, so I'm knocking on wood. Any thoughts?

1. Lehigh- Have out performed the rest of the league by a decent margin through the OOC schedule. Saturday should set the tone until Colgate.
2. Colgate- The game in Hamilton is starting to gain that luster back. Colgate scares me because you know they have talent, coaching and an uncanny homefield advantage.
3. Holy Cross- This weeks win against Yale was more impressive than their moral victories against Harvard and Delaware. We'll know a lot more about them this Saturday when they visit Lehigh.
4. Lafayette-They seem like they've sleep walked through their first 4 games. Their D is good but they are struggling mightly on offense. They should have another lay-up this week against against Columbia before Harvard.
5. Gtown- Their D has played decent in a couple games but also got lit up back against Brown and Holy Cross. Progress is not measured in moral victories, they need to beat a team that's going to finish atleast 6-5.
6. Fordham- I have no idea why or how they're winless.
7. Bucknell- If Fordham had played their schedule up to this point i think the rams would have more than 1 win. You can't rely on one guy to win more than a couple games. Bucknell needs to figure this out.

[Pard94]

1. Lehigh- Have out performed the rest of the league by a decent margin through the OOC schedule. Saturday should set the tone until Colgate.
2. Colgate- The game in Hamilton is starting to gain that luster back. Colgate scares me because you know they have talent, coaching and an uncanny homefield advantage.
3. Holy Cross- This weeks win against Yale was more impressive than their moral victories against Harvard and Delaware. We'll know a lot more about them this Saturday when they visit Lehigh.
4. Lafayette-They seem like they've sleep walked through their first 4 games. Their D is good but they are struggling mightly on offense. They should have another lay-up this week against against Columbia before Harvard.
5. Gtown- Their D has played decent in a couple games but also got lit up back against Brown and Holy Cross. Progress is not measured in moral victories, they need to beat a team that's going to finish atleast 6-5.
6. Fordham- I have no idea why or how they're winless.
7. Bucknell- If Fordham had played their schedule up to this point i think the rams would have more than 1 win. You can't rely on one guy to win more than a couple games. Bucknell needs to figure this out.


I can't help but think Lafayette's problems on offense stem, not so much from the loss of Joe at TB, rather, the siginifcant change they have had on the OL. I know it takes a lot for the OL to get to the point of running like a well oiled machine. That being said, with Heffner guiding the process, I think it will come. My hope is that when it does come it will be a dramatic improvement. We have to get better on O if we are going to challenge Lehigh and do anything at all in the postseason. Our D on the other hand would appear to be tops in the league. That's good cause they're carrying us!

[89Hen]

Despite all the talk of parity in the Patriot, it now appears to be 'business as usual' with Lehigh, Lafayette and Colgate going to be slugging it out, again.
I wouldn't sell HC short. I think they are your #2 team in the PL right now.

[colgate13]

1. Lehigh - clear #1 right now. No PL games yet to speak of.
2. Holy Cross - agree with Hen. They've got the right balance on offense and defense and have played some tough games to get good experience. I'm also not forgetting the fact that they have Colgate and Lafayette at home.
3. Lafayette - They have done what it takes to win 2 PL games, so that counts for something. They just have to find that spark.
4. Colgate - Thank goodness there is still life left in this team. They could easily jump from #4 to #2 (or #1) based on having Lehigh at home... but they have Lafayette and HC on the road and no PL wins. We're too hot/cold right now to think we can be consistent for the remaining games. I hope so, but I'm just hoping the right team shows up against Princeton on Saturday.
5. G'Town - They can play when they want to. I swear I'm scratching my head over their blowouts and their close games.
6. Fordham- although winless, they will upset somebody listed above this year.
7. Bucknell - thank goodness they beat Marist. Looking at their future schedule, I don't know if they will be favored to win another game this year.

[LBPop]

5. G'Town - They can play when they want to. I swear I'm scratching my head over their blowouts and their close games.


Me too, and I can't afford to lose any more hair. :p :o :(

I'll bet if you asked the players from Lafayette (and if they would put their pride aside for a moment), they would tell you that the talent level on the field last Saturday was quite even. Just like everyone else, I have opinions, but some very bright people spend all week watching tapes in DC and trying to figure it out. I'm just sitting in the stands without instant replay, so what do I know? :confused:

[89Hen]

BTW Pop, didn't I tell you the boys had a good shot against LC?

[LBPop]

BTW Pop, didn't I tell you the boys had a good shot against LC?

Yes you did and I was hoping that I would have to eat some Blue Crow, but the Hoya offense just couldn't get out of its own way. I think these guys may have something to say about this year's PL champion. Of course they won't contend, but they might jump up and surprise somebody. When you can play defense and stay within one score, you have a "puncher's" chance.

[ngineer]

I said last year that G'town has some players and weren't far away from getting into the mix of the PL. As long as the defense does it's job you're going to stay close, the the O hasa to get some mojo going or the D will wear out.

[Lafalumni29]

I believe the league is a toss up at this moment. Top 3 - Right now HC seems to be the only team that is in stride at the moment. Lehigh had a good win this wkend but are not immune to slip ups (ala VMI). LC as well has all the tools but needs to find its stride.
To add to 94's assessment of LC........I think their schedule up the this point was alot tougher than originally anticipated. Marist turned out not to be the Marist of old. Richmond was the most talented team we will see this year and are winning games. Princeton will be in the upper half of the IVY this year and had the best o-line we'll see this year. We would have won that game had Tavani pulled Maurer earlier. Cant comment on the G-Town win b/c i havent heard much.
If this league becomes a jumble with any of the top 3-4 teams getting upset we may very well not get an at-large bid.

[hawkineer]

Richmond was the most talented team we will see this year and are winning games.
It is very arguable that Richmond is NOT the most talented team that LC will see this year. Harvard and Lehigh, and probably Colgate and maybe even Princeton, have more overall talent than Richmond. I watched some of the Richmond - LC game on TV. Both teams either had excellent defenses or mediocre offenses. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Richmond is 1-3 and has Villanova, Delaware, Hofstra and JMU in the next 4 weeks. My guess, UR will be 2-6 at best after this stretch. It is unlikely that they'll be winning many games.

[LUHawker]

It is very arguable that Richmond is NOT the most talented team that LC will see this year. Harvard and Lehigh, and probably Colgate and maybe even Princeton, have more overall talent than Richmond. I watched some of the Richmond - LC game on TV. Both teams either had excellent defenses or mediocre offenses. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Richmond is 1-3 and has Villanova, Delaware, Hofstra and JMU in the next 4 weeks. My guess, UR will be 2-6 at best after this stretch. It is unlikely that they'll be winning many games.

I tend to agree that Lafayette will see more talented teams than Richmond. Lehigh and Harvard for sure; Colgate and Princeton maybe's and I think the jury is still out on HC.

[Lafalumni29]

It is very arguable that Richmond is NOT the most talented team that LC will see this year. Harvard and Lehigh, and probably Colgate and maybe even Princeton, have more overall talent than Richmond. I watched some of the Richmond - LC game on TV. Both teams either had excellent defenses or mediocre offenses. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Richmond is 1-3 and has Villanova, Delaware, Hofstra and JMU in the next 4 weeks. My guess, UR will be 2-6 at best after this stretch. It is unlikely that they'll be winning many games.
Ok, maybe I made that statement a bit prematurely and didnt clarify. LOL. But lets not judge Richmond by their record. Their losses to UMASS, LC and I-A Vanderbilt does not classify them as a bad team.
What I should have said is man for man they had the size and speed that LC will not see this year unless they make it to the playoffs. I was at the game. RU's offense had yet to be defined which turned out to be the difference. They were big and fast at EVERY position. I dont know much about Harvard but I was at LC/LU last year. So unless LU is transfer U like Delaware, their speed and size is not like Richmond's. Now dont take that as not being a better "team" than Richmond. Surely Harvard, LU's and Princeton's scheme and discipline is better than Richmond's. At this level, mistake's and coaching are the difference in games.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Anyone who thinks Lafayette is not the #2, or maybe even the #1, team in the PL is fooling themselves. Princeton, first of all, is a good team. I saw Lafayette play Princeton, and the only reason they lost the game was the fact that Maurer (and a host of other players) were banged up. I don't read too much into the 7-0 Richmond and 12-7 Georgetown scores - Lafayette's strength is their great defense and they play a conservative offensive game that scores just enough points to beat you. Lehigh/Lafayette, while a ways away, is already shaping up to be a matchup between the PL team with the best defense vs. the PL team with the most explosive offense. Leh/Laf will very likely be for the PL championship. Right now, Lafayette is still neck-in-neck with Lehigh in my mind.

Holy Cross is much-improved and will not be an easy out for Lehigh this week. Their defense is better than most people realize, and they have talent on both sides of the ball. This week is probably Holy Cross' Super Bowl, and Gilmore will probably have his troops playing like it. Question is, will it be enough?

Colgate is definitely still in the mix, but they have to get some consistency together, especially on offense. Two games in the next three will tell us a lot about the Raiders: Colgate/Princeton this week (in Princeton) and Colgate/Holy Cross (in Worcester). Win those two, and Colgate will be looking very interesting versus Lehigh and Lafayette.

[Pard94]

Anyone who thinks Lafayette is not the #2, or maybe even the #1, team in the PL is fooling themselves. Princeton, first of all, is a good team. I saw Lafayette play Princeton, and the only reason they lost the game was the fact that Maurer (and a host of other players) were banged up. I don't read too much into the 7-0 Richmond and 12-7 Georgetown scores - Lafayette's strength is their great defense and they play a conservative offensive game that scores just enough points to beat you. Lehigh/Lafayette, while a ways away, is already shaping up to be a matchup between the PL team with the best defense vs. the PL team with the most explosive offense. Leh/Laf will very likely be for the PL championship. Right now, Lafayette is still neck-in-neck with Lehigh in my mind.

Holy Cross is much-improved and will not be an easy out for Lehigh this week. Their defense is better than most people realize, and they have talent on both sides of the ball. This week is probably Holy Cross' Super Bowl, and Gilmore will probably have his troops playing like it. Question is, will it be enough?

Colgate is definitely still in the mix, but they have to get some consistency together, especially on offense. Two games in the next three will tell us a lot about the Raiders: Colgate/Princeton this week (in Princeton) and Colgate/Holy Cross (in Worcester). Win those two, and Colgate will be looking very interesting versus Lehigh and Lafayette.

I've always liked you Lehigh Football Nation.