Defense Delivers for Mountain Hawks In Dominating 43-6 Win Over Georgetown

WASHINGTON, DC – It’s tempting to look at the box score in Lehigh’s (5-3, 2-1 Patriot League) comprehensive 43-6 win over Georgetown (5-4, 2-2 Patriot League) and marvel at the Mountain Hawk’s superlatives on offense in the victory.

For sure, there were big runs and four rushing touchdowns by QB Hayden Johnson, RB Aaron Crossley an a couple by RB Jaden Green. Along with RB Luke Yoder, QB Dante Perri and QB Matt Machalik, the Mountain Hawks would rack up 310 yards on the ground – prior to Saturday, Lehigh’s last 300-yard rushing game was a 306-yard effort at Fordham in 2017.

And for sure, it was a really good offensive performance overall by the Brown and White.

But that wouldn’t tell the whole story of a game that was deadlocked 0-0 in the first quarter and a stellar effort by the Lehigh defense to stop Georgetown on their first two drives – and set up their first score.

After a three-and-out on Lehigh’s first possession, Georgetown embarked on an eight play, 48 yard drive that saw the Hoyas do a lot of what they did in wins versus Lafayette and Bucknell – carve out some solid runs and convert a big 3rd down to move the sticks. They’d get all the way to the Lehigh 26 with a 4th and 1 to go – and a swarming horde of Mountain Hawks stopped the drive short and forced a turnover on downs.

In the middle of the pile was LB Mike DeNucci.

Lehigh’s next offensive drive ended up a turnover on downs. Once again, Georgetown would move the ball against Lehigh’s defense, converting some big 3rd downs as they had been. On a 4th and 5, Georgetown QB Dylan Lauter would spend two seconds, possibly three, dropping back to pass in the shotgun – but DeNucci was already there, the Hoya linemen helplessly trying to stop him, cashing in an 11 yard sack. Another turnover on downs.

Another Lehigh offensive three-and-out, and a couple of plays later, DB Nick Peltekian reaches up and nabs an interception and runs it back. He gets to the about the 15 yard line and then sees – you guessed it – DeNucci kind of pick him up and try to push him over the goal line in a move that needs to be seen to be believed. He and his teammates got Peltekian all the way to the 1 yard line, setting up Johnson’s first touchdown on the afternoon – and giving Lehigh a lead they would never relinquish.

The defense set the momentum, and the momentum carried.

The score led to the defense holding Georgetown to a three-and-out, and on the next drive QB Hayden Johnson ran 34 yards into Georgetown territory, setting up the first of two touchdowns by Jaden Green.

Another Hoya offensive drive held to a three-and-out, and on the next Lehigh drive Green would take a handoff and ran for a 57-yard score to give the Mountain Hawks a 21-0 lead. “Nobody ever touched him!” Matt Kerr said on the radio call.

The momentum didn’t stop there.

PK Nick Garrido would nail a short field goal to make it 24-0 and early in the second half, DB Jordan Adderley would catch a tipped ball and – just – outrun the defender for a spectacular 62 yard pick six. “I was thinking ‘Thank you, Jesus,’ as there was green grass in front of me,” he told Connor Brown after the game.

It was a great performance for this Lehigh team at a very good time. Their victory here ensures more meaningful football in November for Lehigh as the Mountain Hawks sit at 2-1 in Patriot League play and very much alive for at least a share of the Patriot League title and a possible FCS Playoff appearance. Next week Lehigh faces Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass, who is 3-0 in the Patriot League and will be coming off a bye week. Georgetown has a bye week next week.

Full Box Score

LU: Johnson,Hayden (75), Green,Jaden (88), Humphrey,Mason (31)
GU: Lauter,Danny (189), Cox,Bryce (77), Kibble,Jimmy (47)
Attendance: 3799

Chuck Burton

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: