CSJ Patriot League Power Rankings, Week 6

 

Here is the College Sports Journal’s Patriot League Power Rankings for the week of 10/11/2016. (Last week’s ranking in parenthesis.)

1. (1) Lehigh 4-2, 1-0

This week: Lehigh 45, Colgate 31

Down 17-7 at the close of the first half, the Mountain Hawks didn’t panic. QB Nick Shafnisky would find WR Gatlin Casey for one of his four touchdowns on the afternoon – three which were touchdown tosses from Shafnisky, the other a 93 yard kickoff return for touchdown – to cut the deficit to 3 at halftime. In the second half, Lehigh rode that momentum to their fourth straight victory – and also put them in the drivers’ seat for the Patriot League championship.

Next up: Saturday vs. Georgetown, 2:00pm

2. (2) Fordham 3-2, 1-0

This week: Fordham 58, Lafayette 34

It’s rare enough that a running back outgains the opposing quarterback’s passing yardage, but when you had the type of record-shattering day that Chase Edmonds had (359 yards), and that the opposing QB Blake Searfoss had quite a decent day in his own right (325 yards), it’s especially amazing. Edmonds’ performance proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Rams remain just as legitimate a Patriot League title contender as the Mountain Hawks.

Next up: Saturday vs. Yale, 1:00pm

3. (7) Bucknell 2-3, 1-0

This week: Bucknell 21, Holy Cross 20

This week: The powerful rushing attack or RB Joey DiFloria and RB Chad Freshnock proved to be too much for the Crusaders late in the game, as the Bison would rally from a 20-7 deficit and do just enough to come out on top of Holy Cross 21-20 in a critical Patriot League contest. The defense would also stop Holy Cross on two straight possessions late in the game to seal the victory.

Next up: Saturday vs. Colgate, 1:00pm

4. (5) Georgetown 3-2, 0-0

This week: Princeton 31, Georgetown 17

Despite blocking an early field goal and returning it for a quick 7-0 lead on the Tigers, Georgetown would then give up three straight touchdowns and would never trail again in a 31-17 win. QB Clay Norris, making his first career start, finished 13-of-26 for 106 yards.

Next up: Saturday vs. Lehigh, 2:00pm

5. (4) Holy Cross 2-4, 1-1

This week: Bucknell 21, Holy Cross 20

Up 20-6 on the Bison, the Crusaders couldn’t hang on as Bucknell would rally and upset Holy Cross 21-20 in a tough loss at home. When the game was on the line, Holy Cross couldn’t get some tough yards it needed, especially during a drive that ended on a missed 42 yard FG try by Zane Wasp.

Next up: Saturday vs. Harvard, 1:00pm

6. (3) Colgate 1-4, 0-1

This week: Lehigh 45, Colgate 31

They came to Murray Goodman with the stain of their loss to Cornell behind them, and then jumped to a 17-7 lead, but ultimately couldn’t stop Lehigh’s big-play combinations on offense when they needed to the most. The 93 yard kickoff return they yielded to Lehigh WR Gatlin Casey could have been the back-breaker. Now, they’ll need to run the table and hope Lehigh stubs their toe twice to get back into the title picture.

Next up: Saturday at Bucknell, 1:o0pm

7. (6) Lafayette 1-5, 0-2

This week: Fordham 58, Lafayette 34

For a quarter, the Leopards actually hung with the Rams – they were down only 20-17. But then Fordham RB Chase Edmonds really started to get going, scoring twice on a 19 yard and 74 yard run to go up 41-20 at half. It doesn’t look like it will get any easier this week vs. Army, either.

Next up: Saturday at Army-West Point, 12:00pm