’26 Patriot League Football Preview: Holy Cross

Predicted Order of Finish: 7th

After enjoying so many consecutive seasons as Patriot League champions and co-champions, Holy Cross crashed to a 3-9 record last season, but their record really doesn’t tell the whole story – for example, they led most of the way against Rhode Island, only falling 9-7 after a late 41 yard FG by Ram PK Garth White and getting stopped at the URI 48 on the final minute.

(Rhode Island made the FCS Playoffs last season, one of four Playoff teams on Holy Cross’ schedule – they also played New Hampshire, a bubble team, and Northern Illinois, an FBS school.)

In 2025, Holy Cross had a monster defense that kept them in games and very nearly singlehandedly carried them to victory over Rhode Island, but they struggled on offense. Against Lehigh, Holy Cross kept things close for a half, but the Mountain Hawks defense held Holy Cross to 20 total rushing yards and 215 total yards passing in what ended up as a 38-3 romp. In that game, QB Dominc Campanile, .Holy Cross’ third-string QB going into the season, had a fine day passing, but didn’t score a touchdown and was sacked four times.

RB Jayden Clervereaux (762 yards rushing, 5 TDs) led the Crusaders in rushing last season, and he, along with WR Max Mosey (490 yards), and their lead tackler, LB Cam Santee (110 tackles, 14 TFL), also left via the transfer portal. Added up, it makes for a lot of production to replace – but also head coach Dan Curran was not shy about hitting the portal to get Patriot League student-athletes either.

As mentioned, injuries at quarterback plagued the Crusaders last year, and a “wild at heart” newcomer from the University of Pittsburgh came to fall camp competing for the position, QB David Lynch,  He’ll compete with QB Cal Swanson and QB Dominic Campanile, both of whom saw time last season.  The battle at QB is “expected to go on up until the first game,” Curran said on the Patriot League’s preseason football show.

OL Cam Nolan returns as one of four starters on the offensive line, and made the preseason all-Patriot League team as well as STATS Perform and FCS Football Central’s preseason all-American teams as well. He will be the corenerstone around which Holy Cross will attempt to rebuild. Most of the offense, with the possible exception of WR Ty Curran, might look very different from last season.

On defense, DL Caro Crocetti (48 tackles, 8 sacks) returns on what looks like could be a remade defensive line.  LB Adam Due (47 tackles, 5 TFL) also returns, as well as DB Chiz Onwuzurigbo (31 tackles, 1 INT, 4 pass breakups).  With all the uncertainty on offense, the defense, the Crusaders’ big strength last season, seems like they will be stacked again this year and have a solid core with transfer additions, though the defensive line might look quite different.

Special teams hurt the Crusaders last year in key situations, but the specialists themselves (P Ethan Moss, PK Owen Sarceno) return and should see improvement. They also will see brand new return men as WR Max Mosey graduated and WR Alijah Cason transferred to be closer to home – another big question mark that won’t be answered until the game notes in Week One.

Can coach Curran assemble all the new pieces together quickly enough and effectively enough to get back into the Patriot League title conversation?

Fearless Prediction: Holy Cross’ dream scenario is winning their first two games against nationally-ranked Lehigh and up-and-coming Colgate before playing Miami (OH) and top-ranked Yale in consecutive weeks. But the schedule does them no favors once again with five (!) road games in their first seven, and they will need to find their feet fast with two tough early conference games. A great early run could see them as a dark horse for the title. If they lose their first two games, it could be another under-.500 year in store.