Some thoughts following Fordham's 59-38 win over Georgetown Saturday:
1. Looking Back: The final was not unexpected. Yes, the early first quarter lead by the Hoyas proved surprising, but Fordham is a good team and good teams adjust. Unfortunately, Georgetown did not.
The Hoyas were likely to get points on the Rams' defense, because, well, everyone has this season. Fordham is weak in the middle of its secondary and Georgetown picked at this all game. The Hoyas' 38 points was the most it has scored against any PL opponent in 11 years, but it was never going to be enough against a Fordham team averaging a nation's best 51.8.
That's a direct result of Fordham QB Tim DeMorat, who is going to be playing pro football next season. DeMorat has the size and temperament to be a very effective player at the next level because he reads the field of play very well and mixes up his targets. Six different receivers shared 21 completions last week, and if the idea of 21 receptions for 348 yards scares you a little, it should.
Strange as it sounds, the game wasn't won in the air but on the ground. Fordham outgained Georgetown 277-82, and it was even more pronounced when you review it on a quarter by quarter basis:
Fordham:
1st quarter: 19 yards
2nd quarter: 138 yards
3rd quarter: 51 yards
4th quarter: 74 yards
Georgetown:
1st quarter: 45 yards
2nd quarter: 2 yards
3rd quarter: 10 yards
4th quarter: 15 yards
Fordham entered the game allowing 187.5 yards a game and Georgetown got 82. The Hoyas' lack of rushing production has been a two decades long story in the PL and GU now averages 63.7 yards per game in its last four.
2. Looking Ahead: Those rushing numbers will be challenging again on Saturday, as Penn arrives to Cooper Field holding opponents to just 2.4 yards a carry and 79.0 yards per game. Its September 24 game with Lafayette is as close a comparison as we can see to a PL team right now: the Quakers held the Leopards to one net yard rushing and a -50 in sacks and tackles for loss.
Penn (3-0) is off to its best start since its undefeated season of 2003, and that starts with defense. The Quakers rank second nationally in total defense, fifth in rushing, and eighth in passing. It's the best unit that Penn defensive coordinator (and former Georgetown coach) Bob Benson has had in his seven seasons at Franklin Field and it's a tall order for a Georgetown rushing offense that has gone backwards since its easy win over Marist.
3. Scholarship Blues: For reasons explained in depth on these pages, Georgetown's lack of scholarship support from the University is a direct factor in its annual records. But how have other PL teams fared since scholarships were introduced to the league? Here are the numbers in league play since 2014:
Colgate 32-13
Fordham 30-16
Holy Cross 28-17
Lehigh 26-20
Lafayette 18-28
Bucknell 16-30
Georgetown 9-35
If that's not bad enough, how about the last four seasons:
Holy Cross 13-1
Fordham 9-7
Lehigh 9-7
Colgate 8-7
Lafayette 7-9
Bucknell 5-11
Georgetown 2-12
4. Around The PL: Four games this week, with decided favorites in each.
Monmouth 35, Lehigh 7: The seat warms for Tom Gilmore as the Engineers (1-4) were taken out early and never recovered. Fewer than 3,000 at Goodman Stadium was not a good sign, either. This week: A home game with Fordham (4-1) does not look promising.
Cornell 34, Colgate 31: An upset of sorts given how the Big Red have trended in recent seasons. Cornell scored the final ten points of the game, including a field goal with 1:55 remaining to earn the win, sending the Red Raiders to 1-4. This week: idle.
Holy Cross 30, Harvard 21: The Crusaders (5-0) earned its first win in Cambridge in 19 years behind 300 passing yards and 63 rushing yards from Matthew Sluka. The Crimson were held to just seven points after halftime. This week: home versus Bucknell.
Lafayette 24, Bucknell 14: Just 1,370 in Lewisburg for this one, where the Leopards' A.T. Ntantang shut down the Bison (0-5) with an 80- yard interception returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. This week : Lafayette (2-3) hosts undefeated Princeton, while winless Bucknell, averaging 10.2 points per game, must play Holy Cross at its annual Polar Park game.
