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

Chuck has been writing about Lehigh football since the dawn of the internet, or perhaps it only seems like it. He’s executive editor of the College Sports Journal and has also written a book, The Rivalry: How Two Schools Started the Most Played College Football Series.
Reach him at: this email or click below: