Week Four Thoughts

 

Some thoughts following Brown's 46-0 win over Georgetown Saturday:

1. The U-Word: 

"We did not do the things you need to do to earn the result we set out to accomplish. I give Coach Perry and his staff credit. They outplayed us in all three phases. We have a great opportunity to review this game and learn from the experience as we take the next step in the 2025 journey. I love this group of players and coaches and I am looking forward to this upcoming week." - Rob Sgarlata

The words you didn't hear? "We were unprepared."

Put aside Georgetown's generally poor record in long bus rides beyond New York (a combined 1-12-0 all time in Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, with its last win in Massachusetts in  2013), or Brown's well promoted 100th Anniversary of Brown Stadium fete, despite drawing just 3,949, or even its traditional woes versus any Ivy opponents: the Hoyas looked unprepared right from the start and it continued for the next 60 minutes on the field. 

Brown opened up last year's game with an 87- yard touchdown pass, a clear slap at Georgetown's secondary preparation. This year? A 36 yard pass. What, did GU think they wouldn't do it again? 

When I was a kid, there was an armed robbery at a Safeway up the street, which cleaned the place out and was the talk of the neighborhood. The police investigated it carefully and went back to work. The next morning, the same robbers returned at the same time and cleaned it out again! Aside from the fact that the next day, half of the Richardson, TX police force was waiting in the parking lot, the thieves were never caught, but that's a testimony to utter confidence to pull the same job 24 hours later.

Brown was a confident team. Georgetown was not. The two kickoff fumbles, eight sacks from an good but not great Brown d-line, the unnecessary penalties which extended two Brown drives into the end zone, missed tackles, even five players standing and failing to stop a runner before he took off for the end zone, all communicated to the viewer that the Hoyas were not ready for this game. This was not a game played in stormy conditions or a hostile crowd. This team was flat and the coaches didn't prepare them.

The unexplained absence of Danny Lauter probably didn't help things, but when a team has 32 yards passing at the half, having not made a single attempt to its all-PL wide receiver, that raises questions, especially versus a team ranked last in the Ivy League in defense. From its opening drive, the Hoyas had no first downs in the first half until the second to last play of the  frost half. 

Maybe Dez Thomas was thrown in to the lineup under short notice. Maybe the offensive line was banged up. Maybe the play calling went out the window down 14-0, it doesn't matter. It was a poor effort throughout and did little to assuage those that, once again, thought that Georgetown carried some momentum out of its generous scheduling of Davidson and Wagner.  Instead, against a 3-7 Brown team from 2024 in its first game of the 2025 season, perhaps headed to another three or four win season, it was more of the same.

The next two weeks continue to offer opportunity, but once PL play begins, there are no easy opportunities. 

2. Some Other Rankings: Late last night, the US News college rankings debuted for 2025-26. Ten schools with an FCS football team were ranked in the top 40 universities nationally, but only two outside the Ivy League: Georgetown and UC-Davis. 

That's still a very good place to be, and should be more of a plus in recruiting, though it hasn't been a driving force that it might be at, say, UC-Davis, coming off an 11-3 season last fall and ranked #9 nationally this week.

How did the other Patriot League schools (now and in 2026) fare?

National Universities:

#46: Lehigh

#51: William & Mary

#57: Villanova

#97: Fordham

Liberal Arts Colleges:

#22: Colgate, Richmond

#22: Richmond

#27: Holy Cross

#30: Bucknell, Lafayette

3. Around The PL:

Lafayette 38, Columbia 14: After three weeks on the road, Lafayette returned to Fisher Stadium with a convincing 38-14 win before a crowd of 4,206 or a rare Friday night game in Easton. As was the case with many PL games this week, the first half score was reasonably close (Lafayette 17-14) before the Leopards pulled away in the second half.  The Lions were held to just 91 yards on the ground and allowed 51 carries for 232 yards.

Yale 28, Holy Cross 10: After three games where the Crusaders fell maddingly short at game's end, such was not the case in New Haven, where Yale opened its season with a decisive win before 4,469 at the Yale Bowl.  From a 7-0 score at the half, Yale scored 21 unanswered points behind 127 yards and there touchdowns from RB Josh Pitzenberger.

Holy Cross is off to its first 0-4 start since 2012.

Colgate 44, Fordham 21: Another 0-4 team, Fordham, meets the Crusaders this week. Its 44-21 loss in Hamilton before 2,581 saw the Rams stay close through two quarters at 23-21, but the  Red Raiders owned the second half en route to 547 yards total offense and holding Fordham to just 101 yards after halftime.

Lehigh 41, Bucknell 24: The Engineers continued their winning ways thanks to 21 unanswered points after halftime before 3,143 in Lewisburg. Despite 291 yards in the air from Bucknell QB Ralph Rucker, Lehigh owned the ground game with 323 yards, an average of 7.9 yards per carry.

Richmond 38, VMI 14: A crowd of 7,244 at Robins Stadium saw the Spiders hold the Keydets to just 34 yards on the ground, while UR's 541 total yards nearly doubled that of its in-state opponent. Jamaal Brown led all rushers with 153 yards on 14 carries while Andrew King rushed for three touchdowns in seven carries for 100 yards.

This week's games are all on ESPN+:

Penn at Lehigh, 12 noon

Georgetown at Columbia, 12 noon

Holy Cross at Fordham , 1:00

Howard at Richmond, 2:00

Princeton at Lafayette, 3:30

St. Francis at Bucknell, 6:00

NFL: "Back In Old DC"

 

The Washington D.C. City Council has finalized the move of the NFL's Washington Commanders to a $3.7 billion facility on the present site of RFK Stadium.

In an 11-2 vote that survived some last minute amendments posed from a handful of council members, the Council's decision gives the team the green light to begin construction once the RFK facility is demolished, with a scheduled opening date of September 2030. 

It is with great pride that I can say we are officially bringing our Commanders home and turning 180 acres of land on the banks of the Anacostia, on the monumental axis, into jobs and opportunity for DC residents" said Mayor Muriel Bowser, less than two years after a similar move helped keep NBA and NHL teams at Capital One Arena. 

"The city's contribution to the project includes $500 million for stadium infrastructure, more than $350 million for parking garages, and $202 million for utilities and a transit study," wrote the Washington Post. "The city will also finance a sportsplex that will be run by the Department of Parks and Recreation and include an indoor track and other space for youth sports. And the city will raise and dedicate funding for transit improvements, including a possible expansion of the Stadium-Armory Metro station or a new station entirely."

The modern NFL stadium is not about eight home games a year, it's about hosting events for the rest of the year. The proposed 65,000 seat indoor stadium opens Washington to major events such as the Super Bowl, political conventions, college football playoffs, NCAA Regionals and the Final Four, NBA All-Star games, UFC fights, Wrestlemania, and other such events, but also to events closely related in the community. This also offers some long range opportunities for Georgetown, even if present day attendance for men's basketball, football, and soccer seem a world removed.

Georgetown's 1989 basketball game versus LSU at the Louisiana Superdome, a single game event broadcast nationwide on CBS, remains the largest crowd ever to witness a Georgetown sports event, with a paid attendance of 66,144. What about 2030 and beyond? A doubleheader with nationally prominent teams or a matchup with a top ranked team may seem distant to a program which has not posted a sellout at Capital One Arena in 12 years, but opportunities await in a showplace facility. Similarly, opportunities in soccer, lacrosse, or even football (which holds the distinction of the last scheduled sporting event at RFK Stadium in a 2017 game) wouldn't sell out the building but could be an interesting promotional and recruiting opportunity.

Howard? 

Villanova?

Navy?

For now, anyway, put that aside. Whether you call them the Commanders or still call them the Redskins, the NFL is headed to the District for the first time in nearly 30 years, and that's a big deal.

Week Three Thoughts

 

Some thoughts following Lafayette's 42-37 win over Georgetown Saturday:

1. Week Three. Another 2-0 start, another 2-1 finish.

In a game that was not quite as close as the score would indicate, Lafayette won the game on the strength of the one skill position that Georgetown has been unable to overcome in recruiting: the running back. 

In an league that has produced the likes of Chase Edmonds,  Jordan Scott, Nate Eachus, and Joe McCourt, there are no Georgetown running backs in the PL Top 10 career marks. Or Top 20. Or Top 30.

Georgetown has not had a rusher gain 2,000 yards over a career since Joe Todisco in the MAAC era. Of the 13 rushing categories listed in the PL record book, not a single Georgetown rusher of the last 25 years is listed in any of them. In a passing era, it's easy to look at quarterbacks and receivers as the foundations of an offense. But football is still driven on the ground, and Lafayette had a back that Georgetown did not.

Kente Edwards isn't Chase Edmonds but he didn't need to be against a young Georgetown defense. Edwards' 19 carries for 255 yards shredded the Hoyas and with it, offered a view to what other PL teams with talented run offenses may be able to replicate against the Hoyas. 

Georgetown's defense needs to acclimate itself to stopping the run game--not at the expense of a pass defense, but as a first line of defense.  The likes of Luke Yoder (Lehigh), Tariq Thomas (Bucknell) and Jayden Clerveaux (Holy Cross) figure to test it early and often. Georgetown enters week three last in the PL in rushing defense, and it needs to be addressed.

2. End Of An Era? As noted on the front page, a four year series with Brown was cut short to accommodate Patriot League expansion, and both the Brown and Columbia series appears to end after this season. Georgetown has played an Ivy team consecutively since the 2005 season. Does this come to an end in 2025?

The Ivy scheduling model was the brainchild of former head coach Bob Benson, which saw the opportunity to schedule "up" with the promise of academic peers being a popular choice . Playing Yale or Penn was preferable to Duquesne and St. Peter's for recruiting, for alumni, and presumably for fans.

In the intervening years, it's been a mixed bag. Hoya fans haven't been get excited to "play the schools in the fight song" and Ivy fans view Georgetown on the football with about as much fervor as Georgetown basketball fans view UMBC. There's little anecdotal evidence that Ivy League games provide a bump in attendance, largely because of distance. Holy Cross can schedule four different Ivy schools whose fans are within an hour and a half from Worcester, while only one Ivy school (Penn) is within 200 miles of the Nation's Capital.  Beyond the local alumni clubs, few traveled from Hanover or Ithaca for a game in Washington; in no small part, because there was never a rivalry to begin with.

The records haven't helped, either. Since 2003, Georgetown is a competitive 6-7 against Columbia and Cornell and a combined 2-24 versus everyone else, including 0-11 versus Harvard and Yale. These schools got a significant head start on the art of non-scholarship recruiting and it showed. Some of these games were great fun, and some were akin to getting one's teeth pulled.. a show of hands if you were at the Harvard game at RFK Stadium in 2017.

Collectively, Georgetown isn't the Ninth Ivy and it's unclear which of the Ancient Eight will engage in any long term series with GU when the Patriot League goes to nine league games in 2026.  Georgetown doesn't share its future schedules, so it's to be determined whether the Hoyas will see the likes of Yale or the University of New Haven down the road. Let's take the opportunity to enjoy the next two weeks for what they are, and maybe get a win along the way.

3. Attendance...What Gives? Distance precludes me from figuring out what is going on with attendance, but after two games Georgetown's average has dropped a staggering 61% from the first two games last season.

OK, the first game featured an approaching thunderstorm, but Saturday's game was warm and sunny. Just 1,132 showed up, the second smallest turnout at Cooper Field  and the third smallest since leaving Kehoe Field. 

So what happened?

A call on social media to Hoya Blue for answers went unanswered (as did Hoya Gray, who may be no better organized at this point of the school year) but it may be as simple as a truism that seems incomprehensible in an age of constant communication: students didn't know much about it. In an age where "sleep is for the weak" and students are determined to do as much as they can, a thee hour sports break is not going to draw interest unless there is something "there".  What's there?

Cooper Field is better than its spartan predecessor, sure, but that's a very low bar. There are no pre-game or in-game promotions, the pep band shows little pep, and student seating is an afterthought. No video board, no halftime events, nothing to see across the field. Other sports fare little better: on a campus of well over 5,000 resident undergraduates, volleyball averages 238 a game, women's soccer  429, and men's soccer 1,260, but almost a third of the season total comes from one game versus Duke. Its last two games drew 625 and 529, respectively. Add in Georgetown's traditionally poor job at marketing to local alumni, and it's a harbinger of what is to come for basketball season.

But how did the Hoyas draw 3,975 for Davidson last year?

(You got me.)

4. Around The PL:

Lehigh 35, Duquesne 21: With a minute to halftime, this was a tie game, but a late touchdown to close the first half and a touchdown drive on the opening possession of the third quarter led thee Engineers to the 35-21 win before 1,703 at Rooney Athletic Field in Pittsburgh.  Lehigh quarterback Hayden Johnson was 17 of 24 for 335 yards and there touchdowns but it was Lehigh's defense stepped up, holding the Dukes to two third down conversions in 10 attempts.

Rhode Island 9, Holy Cross 7:  With three losses by a combined seven points, the Crusaders are the best 0-3 team in the East, but one to which an at-large playoff bid will be largely out of its reach.  This week, a late field goal and a defensive stop near midfield led Rhode Island to the 9-7 win before 14,127 at Fitton Field. The Crusaders crossed the URI 40 just twice all afternoon, as neither team  could maintain consistency against their respective defenses. In the end, it came down to the field goal: URI hit there, HC missed one.

Bucknell 35, VMI 28: Ralph Ricker continued his aerial assault for the Bison, throwing for five touchdowns before 2,058 at Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium. The teams combined for 767 yards in the air as Bucknell never trailed but could not shake the visiting Keydets.

Stony Brook 41, Fordham 18: The defensive woes of the Rams continued this weekend, giving up 28 unanswered points in the second half for a 41-18 loss before 5,79 at LaValle Stadium. From a 13-10  score midway in the third, the Seawolves scored on pass plays of 15, 19, and 93 yards, capped off by a 52 yard interception returned for the score.

North Carolina 41, Richmond 6:  The Tar Heels got up early and cruised to the 41-6 win before 50,500 at Kenan Stadium, holding the visiting Spiders to 199 total yards. A pair of field goals in the final 90 seconds of each half amounted for the six points from UR on the afternoon.

Syracuse 66, Colgate 24: In their 69th all-time meeting, the Orangemen poured it on for the 66-24 win before 37,372 at JMA Dome. The Orangemen put up 447 yards in the air and six passing touchdowns, leading 38-3 at the half. It was the 18th consecutive win in the series for Syracuse since the 1950 season, a series last played in Hamilton in 1897, but Syracuse leads just 33-31-5 overall.

Friday, September 19:

Columbia at Lafayette, 6:00

Saturday, September 20:

Holy Cross at Yale, 12 noon

Georgetown at Brown, 12 noon

Fordham at Colgate, 1:00

VMI at Richmond, 2:00

Lehigh at Bucknell, 6:00

Week Two Thoughts

 Some thoughts following Georgetown's 31-20 win over Wagner Saturday:

1. Climbing The Ladder: Yes, Wagner was a step above Davidson, and yes, Lafayette will be a step above Wagner. That said, there were a number of positives coming out of this game.

The Georgetown offensive line continues to be unsung heroes after the second week of the season. Down two starters in Losini Maka and Josh Sauwickie after week one, players stepped up and did what they had to do: open holes for the run and protecting the quarterback. The line has allowed only one sack in its first two games (tied for sixth nationally) and that has given Danny Lauter the time not to rush into his progressions and throw the wayward pass that was more common than it ought to have been last season. 

The line has been prominent in the output from the backfield. Savion Hart averaged 5.3 yards a carry in the Wagner game, Bryce Cox was just under three yards a carry. Both will be tested Saturday against a Lafayette defense allowing just 2.92 yards per carry, but Cox rushed for an average of 3.89  yards per carry last season versus the Leopards, and his size may be to Georgetown's advantage in this one.  The line has also allowed, for the second consecutive week, for Dez Thomas to be a problem to defenses. His 67  yard run was not only vital for the outcome of Saturday's game, but it shows how a mobile quarterback and an offensive line in tandem can open opportunities for big gains. Thomas literally ran through the middle of the Wagner line, but having a capable line was vital.

Georgetown's biggest enemy for its offensive line is injury. It won't say what the severity of the injuries are to Maka and Sauwickie, and patchwork lines will eventually fail as the season progresses. This game proved a positive one for a group that will be called upon each and every week to drive the Hoyas forward.

2. Turning Points: There are usually four or five plays in any college football that are determinative, whether the result of an offensive play, a special teams decision, or a defensive stop. Nick Dunneman's punt return was one, Dez Thomas' run was another. None may have been as important, however, as the first play coming out of the rain delay.

Down seven, Wagner had drove to the Georgetown 23 and faced a third and eight when the game was halted. The Seahawks had enjoyed considerable success on the ground all day, as evidenced by three drives of 13 plays or more and three backs averaging four or more yards per carry. A Wagner first down extends a drive that likely ties the score with under five minutes remaining, and BC transfer RB Andre Hines was a touch stop all afternoon. However, John Caramanico's stop of Hines to a one yard gain forced a field goal and Georgetown responded with a touchdown on the next drive to put the game out of reach.

Obviously, this isn't a turning point if Georgetown is down three touchdowns, but it's a credit to the coaches to focus on Hines in the break to limit Wagner from the red zone.

3. Kicking Matters. What was going to be a few thoughts bemoaning a missed extra point  (the third in two games) has taken a back seat to something perhaps more important: the power of the kickoff.

Of 12 Wagner drives, six started at the 25, including touchbacks on every kick after a Georgetown score. The Hoyas rank sixth nationally after two weeks in number of kickoff touchbacks (6), and for a team that can sometimes struggle to manage defensive field position, that's a positive sign.  

Between games at Kansas and Georgetown, Wagner has returned just one kickoff to date this season for 15 yards, while Lafayette has returned eight kicks for 140 yards through two games, a 17.5 yard per kick average.

4. Attendance Questions: Was it the weather, the opponent, or just a lack of interest? Saturday's attendance of 1,276 was the lowest for a game at Cooper Field in eight years. 

While Wagner doesn't have a base of support in the Washington area, it drew better in its 2012 and 2014 appearances to Multi-Sport Field (averaging 2,064).

It is a tried and true statement: Georgetown does not promote football very well among students and local alumni. Dark clouds can lead some students away, but it's more than that. Georgetown promoted a Friday night soccer game versus Duke that drew over 2,000, mostly students, and most of those same fans took a pass on Wagner. With no schedule conflicts Saturday, there needs to be better turnout, but you can't get turnout without program awareness, and there is far too little of it.

What say you, Hoya Blue?

5. Around the PL:

Lehigh 28, Sacred Heart 10: The Engineers are at the top of the standings and showed it Saturday, outgaining the visiting Pioneers 423-177 for a 28-10 win before 3,168 at Goodman Stadium. Luke Yoder led all rushers with 12 carries and 127 yards.

Lafayette 42, Stonehill 26: Kente Edwards rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns as the Leopards led 28-6 at halftime and never looked back before 2,351 at W.B. Mason Stadium. The Leopards averaged nearly eight yards a carry, outgaining the homestanding Skyhawks 319-71.

New Hampshire 19, Holy Cross 16: Another last minute setback for the Crusaders, allowing the homestanding Wildcats a game winning field goal as time expired, 19-16, before 6,509 at Wildcat Stadium.  After HC missed a 34 yard field goal with 1:40 left, the Wildcats drove 45 yards in nine plays for the winning score.

Bucknell 34, Marist 23: In a game that probably shouldn't have been this close, the Bison never trailed but could not put the Red Foxes away, winning 34-23 before 1,923 at Tenney Stadium. Ralph Rucker threw for 236 yards for the Bison but need two fourth quarter touchdowns to ensure the win.

Villanova 24, Colgate 17: In a closely fought game, neither team scored in the fourth quarter as Villanova opened its season with a 24-17 win before 4,151 at Villanova Stadium. All five drives in the fourth quarter ended in punts, as neither side could move beyond midfield.

Monmouth 48, Fordham 28: Another rough night for the Fordham defense, as Monmouth QB Derek Robertson threw for six touchdowns, including the final TD with under five minutes left in a game out of reach. The Rams managed just 39 yards on the ground.

Richmond 14, Wofford 10: Despite an advantage on both sides of the ball, the Spiders had to battle to steer past Wofford, 14-10, before 2,765 at Wofford's Gibbs Stadium. The teams combined for 16 punts, in a defensive battle where UR scored late in the third for the win.. 

This week's games:

Friday, September 12:

Colgate at Syracuse, 7:00 (ACCNX)

Saturday, September 13:

Lehigh at Duquesne, 1:00 (NEC Front Row)

Lafayette at Georgetown, 1:00 (ESPN+)

Rhode Island at Holy Cross, 2:00 (ESPN+)

Richmond at North Carolina, 3:30 (ACCN)

VMI at Bucknell, 3:30 (ESPN+)

Fordham at Stony Brook, 3:30 (ESPN+)

Week One Thoughts

 

Some thoughts following Georgetown's 51-14 win over Davidson:

1. An Opening Thought: I do not gamble on anything, but found it bizarre that a published line in Las Vegas, posted at BetMGM.com, listed Georgetown as a 2.5 point favorite in this game, despite a new staff at Davidson and GU coming off a 24 point win against Davidson last season. Nothing in this game was going to come down to less than a field goal, and one hopes that anyone who set such a line is either an AI bot or someone who still has a job Monday morning. All that said...

2. Perspective: Excepting some lapses in the kicking game,  Saturday's effort versus the Wildcats was a complete success across the board. Of ten Georgetown drives, exclusive of plays to end the first and second half, the Hoyas scored on eight of them and punted on the other two--no turnovers, no fourth down stalls. Three red zone appearances, three scores.  

This was a first week tune-up, nothing more or less. Davidson is neither Richmond, Lehigh, or Holy Cross. It's not even Morgan State. Of the 10 prior Georgetown wins versus the Wildcats in this series, nine ended up losing seasons for Georgetown, and not a sign of things to come. Both teams have learning opportunities coming out of the game, and that's what this game was: a learning opportunity.

Offensively, Georgetown took advantage of an opponent literally playing its first game together, and a Savion Hart touchdown on the second play was evidence of same. Davidson returned no defensive starters from the 2024 finale versus Valparaiso and this allowed GU to take advantage of matchups which set the tone from the opening drive. The Hoyas may not get many opportunities to rush 40 or more carries in a game the rest of the  season, but it opens the door for offensive coordinator Rob Spence to get more options in the playbook for Savion Hart and Bryce Cox, and not just on first downs. 

Defensively, Davidson's offense is the equivalent of changing four tires on a car while it is still running down the road. The move from a  triple-option offense to a traditional package is going to be difficult in the best of times and the Wildcats did not have the experience with both the players and the new coaches with which it could run and pass effectively. An example of same: Mari Adams, the nation's 13th leading runner by total yards in 2024, had just five carries in the game,  for 15 yards.  

With the exception of Quincy Briggs falling down on a pass play that earned Davidson its first score,  the Wildcats were held to a net of 274 yards in the game and had just one red zone appearance all afternoon. Better yet: Georgetown held Davidson to 4 for 15 on third down and made three fourth down stops in the game. Freshman Brian Allen made a strong debut in the secondary, tying the game high six tackles alongside veterans Giancarlo Rufo and Cody Pham.

Georgetown's special teams have some learning ahead of it. Two missed extra points and two kickoffs going out of bounds were underwhelming by PK Thomas Anderson and while not material to the outcome, are areas for attention.

In sum, the game was a win on both sides of the ball, but Davidson is also the weakest team on the 2025 schedule. In a schedule that is capable in September, challenging in October, and close to prohibitive in November, it's a win to take, but not one to dwell on.

3. Quarterback: Georgetown's use of a second quarterback that wasn't there to run the clock out was unexpected, and  an opportunity that this game provided.

Most years, the Sgarlata era picks one QB and rides them to the bitter end. Perhaps Sgarlata doesn't want to revisit the drama around changing QB's in the Kevin Kelly era, or unnecessarily rely on underclassmen to run the offense.  Regardless, the strategic use of Dez Thomas in this game was a smart move and one which Georgetown would do well to use going forward.

Thomas is a senior who has seen little action since transferring in from Trinity (TX) in 2022. His ability in this game to be mobile and to stretch out the Davidson defense was something that a stationary QB like Danny Lauter lacks. As with more than a few Georgetown quarterbacks of the past, Lauter tends to lock himself in the pocket and try to thread the pass, which gives mid-field defenses options to overplay and leave Lauter to send passes  low rather than risk interceptions. Thomas was more agile in this regard and while admittedly Davidson had little or no game film to even prepare for this contingency, gave Georgetown a capable second option in the backfield that it has not employed in years.

Dez Thomas is not running the wildcat, which defenses have largely driven out of the college and pro game because it screams "quarterback keeper". Instead, he offers GU the RPO opportunity and not simply rely on Lauter to throw his way out of a larger defensive line. Thomas was 6-7 for 126 yards and rushed nine times for 45 yards.

Whether this was a on-off against a inexperienced Davidson defense or a strategic opportunity we'll see down the road is still to be determined. For this game, it was the right move and it made both quarterbacks better as a result.

4. About Those Seahawks: Wagner arrives to Cooper Field following a 46-7 loss at Kansas in its first ever game against a Big 12 opponent.  Outgained 631-143, the Seahawks gave up touchdowns on four of KU's first six possessions.

Sophomore QB Jack Stevens (13-20, 90 yards) made his first college start Saturday, and will be up for the task against Georgetown. Despite the size differential, Wagner suffered only five sacks in the game and they figure to give Stevens more passing opportunities this week.

Georgetown and Wagner have met five times from 2010 through 2014, with Wagner taking three of five. The 2025 Seahawks are picked fifth in the eight team Northeast, where sixth year head coach Tom Masella, a former head coach at Fordham, is just 9-39 at Grymes Hill.

Georgetown is expected to return the game to Staten Island in 2026, but the addition of Villanova and William & Mary remains a mystery (at least outside of the football office)  in how Sgarlata will rearrange the schedule to accommodate them. The head coach likes visiting New York, of course, but some combination of Davidson, Wagner, or Columbia must give way for the Wildcats and the Tribe next season. For its part, Wagner has four non-conference games already committed and may (or may not) add Chicago State if the are ready for the NEC in 2026.  In other words, stay tuned.

5. Around The PL: Some really good games for the Patriot League to open the season, led by the early season showdown between Lehigh and Richmond.

Lehigh 21, Richmond 14: In a game which figures to involve the top teams in the 2025 race, the Engineers came back from an early deficit to prevail  21-14 before 4,463 at Goodman Stadium. Lehigh defense was tough all afternoon, holding the Spiders to just three punts and an interception after halftime. Overall, the Spiders were held to just 68 rushing yards on the afternoon.

Northern Illinois 19, Holy Cross 17? Are Lehigh and Richmond the teams to beat? Holy Cross says "Not so fast." A fourth down stop with 1:56 to play preserved a 19-17 NIU win before 10,569 at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, IL.  A strong defensive effort by the Crusaders held NIU to  just 287 total yards while the HC passing game outgained the Huskies 155-109. NIU won the battle in the trenches, and that final drive was evidence of it.

Air Force 49, Bucknell 13: The PL continues to make improvements in these FBS games, although this score doesn't reflect it. This was a 14-7 game a the half until the Falcons scored four consecutive touchdowns after halftime. Bucknell QB Ralph Rucker was held to 126 yards, and just 36 after halftime. A crowd of 30,207 at Falcon Stadium saw the Falcons soar to the 49-13 win in its 19th consecutive opening week victory.

Boston College 66, Fordham 10. The Rams played close for a quarter but the bottom dropped out after halftime before 41,221 at Alumni Stadium. From a 7-3 score midway in the first quarter, and 21-3 at halftime, the Eagles scored 28 unanswered points to open the second half.  The Rams were outgained 555-168 and managed just 27 yards rushing on 16 carries.

This week's games (all times Eastern):

Sacred Heart (1-0) at Lehigh (1-0), 1:00 pm

Bucknell (0-1) at Marist (1-0), 1:00

Lafayette (0-1) at Stonehill (0-1), 1:00

Wagner (0-1) at Georgetown (1-0), 1:00

Richmond (0-1) at Wofford (0-1), 6:00

Colgate (0-1) at Villanova (0-0), 6:00

Holy Cross (0-1) at New Hampshire (1-0), 6:00

The 2025 Schedule

The 2025 season has arrived.

A veteran team of 28 seniors and fifth year grads makes this one of the deepest Georgetown teams in years, but time is not on the seniors' side. For Georgetown to show progress, it has to win on the road. The Hoyas' Ivy League struggles are described below, but excepting Bucknell and Lafayette, GU has won just one road game in league play in the past six seasons. With four of its even PL games at home this season, there's a legitimate opportunity to build equity against the like of Lafayette and Fordham and steal a win from Colgate. However, without a better road record, it won't get far in a league which is suddenly getting good, and even better next season.

Here's a brief look at Georgetown's 2025 opponents.

Davidson (6-5 in 2024)

August 30, Davidson Stadium

A new look Davidson club welcomes Georgetown to its first visit to the college's spacious new stadium completed in 2024. It's also a new era following the departure of Scott Abell to Rice at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

In seven seasons, Abell had seven winning records, including Davidson's first post season appearances since the 1969 Tangerine Bowl with FCS playoff appearances from 2020 through 2022.  Abell's run-heavy option offense will give way to a more traditional look under new coach Saj Thakkar, arriving after two seasons at Division II Bentley.

As such, it's a major rebuild at Davidson and one which Georgetown should be able to control, particularly on offense, where the Hoyas put up a season high 46 points on the Wildcats in last season's opener. The Wildcats had no defensive players named to the pre-season All-Pioneer team and is picked for an eight place finish.

Despite a combined record of 47-28 under Abell, Davidson defeated only one Division I opponent out of conference: Georgetown, in 2019. 

Wagner (4-8)

September 6, Cooper Field

For only the third time in 19 years,  Marist is not on the Georgetown schedule, a possible casualty of the addition of Richmond to the schedules going forward. In its place is Wagner, a Northeast Conference team last seen at the Hilltop in Rob Sgarlata's debut as head coach, a 21-3 Wagner win.

The Seahawks were picked fifth in the 2025 NEC poll, but that's faint praise given that one team below them is dropping to Division III after this season (St. Francis) and two are not yet eligible for the FCS playoffs (Mercyhurst, Stonehill). Seven of its nine pre-season All-NEC offensive and defensive selections were on defense, where Wagner was second in the conference in total defense, with senior LB Jordan Johnson (51 tackles, two sacks)  as its on-field leader. 

The Seahawks carry an astounding 11 quarterbacks on its 2025 roster, one of which will have the unenviable task of opening the season at Kansas. 

Lafayette (6-6)

September 20, Cooper Field

Georgetown's first major test of the season follows a week later versus Lafayette. 

Unlike most PL opponents, the Hoyas have played even with Lafayette in the Rob Sgarlata era, splitting 10 games with Georgetown winning two of the last three, though Lafayette has won the last two at Cooper Field. 

Lafayette lost a large number of players in the transfer portal, including two time All-Patriot RB Jamar Curtis, but return eight starters on offense, including QB Dean DeNobile and WR Elijah Steward. DeNobile averaged just 170 passing yards per game last season and the Leopards need more points to allow for a defense that will be growing into its role early in the season, with just one returning starter from 2024.

Lafayette will play three consecutive road games to open the season, arriving at Cooper Field after games at Bowling Green and Stonehill.

The "Ivy Swing"

Brown (3-7)

September 20, Brown Stadium

Columbia (7-3)

September 27, Wien Stadium

Rob Sgarlata has (or had) a decision to make: with more games on the schedule going to league matchups going forward, he must either drop the more likely early wins on the schedule (Davidson, Marist) or scale back on Ivy League games. Neither has been announced, but 2025 may be the among the last years where Georgetown is scheduling multiple Ivy League opponents.

It's been two decades since the Ivy scheduling model was initiated, with poor results. Georgetown is a combined 7-34 against Ivy teams, with four of the seven wins coming with Columbia (4-5 overall) and one with Brown (1-5).

The Bears are picked for last in the Ivy this season, but are not the veteran Brown teams of years past. In its thee prior home games versus Georgetown, Brown averaged 38 points per game in comfortable wins, but the 2025 Bears must replace a graduating quarterback and will pivot to more run options as befits a stout offensive line. All-Ivy DB Nick Hudson leads a defense that was last in the Ivy allowing 33.6 points per game, but its season's best was allowing just 14 points against the Hoyas.

If Georgetown is going to take a step forward in 2025, or not, chances are this two week stretch will be evidence if they can. A week later, Georgetown's tenth (and presumably, final) appearance in the current Lou Little Cup series takes place in the home opener at Baker Field, where Columbia will celebrate its first shared Ivy championship in 64 years.

The Lions were a sterling 7-3 last year, but dropped a game to Georgetown last season  at Cooper Field, driven by strong performances from the GU defense and a combined 275 receiving yards from Nicholas Dunneman and Jimmy Kibble. The Lions won't be as accommodating on defense, where it has made significant steps to bolster its secondary.

This game will be an especially difficult test for Georgetown's defense, where Columbia returns an effective run game and will test a younger Georgetown secondary.

Morgan State (6-6)

83rd Homecoming Game

October 4, Cooper Field

Not a traditional opponent by any means, this game is the return match from a 2021 game in Baltimore that drew an embarrassingly low 576 to see the Bears, Georgetown's smallest road crowd in the FCS era. 

Morgan  State finished 6-6 last season but won three of its final four, and is picked for third in the six team MEAC this season. Sophomore RB Jason Collins was named the MEAC pre-season offensive player of the year following a 634 yard freshman season, while LB Erick Hunter was named the  defensive player of the year despite playing only two games last season due to injury. A pre-season first team All-America selection prior to the injury, Hunter had 149 tackles over his first two seasons.

The Bears to be a challenge on defense, where it posted five all-MEAC recipients, but for Georgetown, they must control Collins and win time of possession against a Morgan offense that will chew up yardage on the ground.

With Howard University just three miles east, a series with Georgetown has never been a priority for MEAC schools. This game figures to be the final game with the conference for a while.

Colgate (2-10)

October 18, Cooper Field

Following a bye week, the Hoyas return to Cooper Field to meet Colgate, and don't let the  record from 2024 fool you. Despite its poor finish,  the Red Raiders were second in the PL in offense overall and fourth in PL play, but were last in both categories on defense.  Rushing has long been a hallmark of Colgate's offense and it was in evidence last season, where the Red Raiders averaged nearly eight yards a carry in a 38-28 win over Georgetown at Hamilton, NY. Two key turnovers stalled the Hoyas' hope for a first ever win at Colgate, but, as before, this game comes down to its ability to defend.

Colgate returns its entire starting corps at receiver, with Treyvhon Saunders and Brady Hutchison combining for 1,371 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. Its defense remains a question mark at the start  under new coach Curt Fitzpatrick but, as is common, the Red Raiders will start slow and build as the season progresses. 

Its schedule will include road games at Villanova and Syracuse, as well as a first look at Richmond before traveling to Washington. They will be prepared.

Bucknell (6-6)

October 25, Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium

Ralph Rucker enters his senior season at Bucknell as the PL Offensive Player of the Year, and figures to be the center of attention as these two teams close October with a competitive record between the two.

The Bison are picked fourth in the PL this season on Rucker's shoulders, while returning its entire offensive line gives him the time to build on a 2024 season of over 2,800 passing yards. RB Tariq Thomas (166-783, 4 TD) will give Rucker options on the ground, where the Bison were last in the league in rushing.

Bucknell is replacing out its entire defensive line from lat season, as graduations and transfers promise a new look for a defense that allowed a PL-worst 424 yards per game in league play. Without mode significant strides on defense, Rucker is racing for honors but the Bison cannot reach a top three finish, and a setback to Georgetown in week 9 could be fatal.

"The Grind"

Lehigh (9-4)

November 1, Goodman Stadium

Richmond (10-3)

November 8, Cooper Field

Fordham (2-10)

November 15, Cooper Field

Holy Cross (6-6)

November 22, Fenway Park

Attrition takes its annual toll on the PL's lone nonscholarship team, and the numbers entering November are grim: since 2014, Georgetown is a combined 3-24 in the month of November, with two of the thee wins coming over Bucknell. Georgetown won't be favored in any of its final four games, playing the top three teams in the league during this stretch.

Lehigh returned to the top of the PL standings for the first time since 2017 last season, and returns a veteran offensive line giving quarterbacks Hayden Johnson and Matt Machalik ample opportunities to drive an offense that was second in the PL behind Bucknell and led the league in rushing. Rush defense is a weak point for Georgetown teams in November, no more evident in 2024 where it allowed the Engineers 310 yards in a 43-6 loss. 

The arrival of Richmond to the PL is an early herald to what the league will expect when two other CAA schools, Villanova and William and Mary, follow in 2026. The Spiders will open the season with Lehigh in an early test of the top two PL teams, but the Spiders' ability to replace key offensive losses form the transfer portal may determine whether they enter week 10 as the hunted, or the hunters, for the PL title. 

Either way, Richmond has too much firepower for the Hoyas. This is a CAA-level recruiting class which has won 68 percent of its games since 2021, and where opponents like Virginia and North Carolina give the Spiders valuable experience for late season games like this. Georgetown was outscored by a combined 97-10 in a pair of games versus Richmond during its FCS championship run in 2008 and 2009, and while this is not a championship team in 2025, UR is going to be a difficult 60 minutes at Cooper Field.

The home finale on November 15 features a Fordham team that won only two games last season, yet routed the Hoyas 31-3 late last season in New York. Georgetown ran out of gas in the possession game: collecting three points in five possessions inside the Fordham 30 while the Rams collected 24 points in five drives inside the Georgetown 30.

The Rams have some major holes to fill on offense, as QB C.J. Montes left for Kent State and OL Ryan Joyce headed to Old Dominion, with new names across the offensive line. Inexperience in August will lead to experience in November, and that's a tall order for a Georgetown team which is often on its third two-deep by week 11.

The season concludes not in Worcester, but Boston, where Georgetown makes its return to Fenway Park for the first time in 85 years --a showplace game versus a supremely confident Holy Cross squad. The Crusaders have won nine straight in the series, with its last three by an average margin of 30 points. Each of those there were the last weekend of the season, where HC was playing for a playoff berth and Georgetown was just trying to finish up.

If the Hoyas can build depth during the first half of the season and not fall prey to injuries and the season-long attrition game, it can make a game of it by week 13 at Fenway--if the old trends prevail, it will be a fun game to watch with a predictable outcome.

Five Questions: The Defense

 

Some questions on defense heading into the 2025 season:

1. How Does Georgetown Rebuild The Secondary? It's the leading story leading into the 2025 season for Georgetown, as the Hoyas lost three of four starters in a secondary that led the PL in interceptions and was second overall in pass defense. 

The losses are most apparent at safety, where juniors Bijay Boldin (seven games as a reserve, 14 tackles) and Rayden Waweru (six games, five tackles) has the most returning experience among a group of three sophomores and four juniors--no freshmen, no seniors. Six of the seven saw limited action last season but this inexperience figures to be tested early--if not with Davidson, then with Lafayette, where QB Dean DeNobile returns following 2,417 passing yards last season. 

Expect some bumps in the road all season, but if this group can be ready for the grueling November part of the schedule, the Hoyas could hold its own in the passing game.

2.. Is This Cooper Blomstrom's Year? The junior lineman isn't the biggest or the fastest in the league, but he is continuing to grow into one of the PL's top defensive players. 

Blomstrom returned to the Hilltop this spring after a brief sojourn in the transfer portal, receiving offers from Temple, Toledo, UTEP, and Western Michigan among others.  A 2024 season which saw him gain 56 tackles (32 solo), 12.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks is bound to raise interest, and the pieces are in place for him to exceed those numbers in 2025. This was a major jump up for him from 2023, and the changes in the defensive line give Blomstrom an opportunity to step forward once again, making a case to be the best Georgetown lineman since Khristian Tate. 

To do so, he'll need to support a line that suffered against run offenses, giving up  13 TD's in league play and an average of 5.3 yards per carry, also a league high. Georgetown's ability to limit yards per carry has been a struggle for years but it figures to be more of a factor as run-heavy teams like Richmond (24 rushing TD's in 2024) await.

3. Is Rufo Ready? The growth in LB Giancarlo Rufo over the past two season has been steady and impressive, and with the graduation of David Ealey, it's Rufo that steps to the forefront of the defense.

Rufo led the team with 91 tackles last season, with a high of 16 against Lehigh. with a pair of late game plays to earn Georgetown wins over Columbia and Bucknell. Georgetown's 4-2-5 defensive set put pressure on the linebackers last season and they responded, and Rufo's leadership among a returning group that includes junior Cody Pham (11 games, 11 tackles), senior Patrick Turner (nine games, 15 tackles), and senior Naiteitei Mose (four games, three tackles) will be vital.

4. Can Georgetown Control Third Down? Georgetown fared well last season in holding opponents on third down, and was second to Holy Cross at 33 percent in league play. Are the pieces in place to continue this in 2025? 

At the start, it may be a learning curve. The early season games should provide good experience in third down situations but a truer test follows in back to back games at Brown and Columbia, where the aforementioned teams were a combined 15 of 33 on third down last season but 4 of 4 in the red zone.

5. Can The Defense Endure The Grind? The 2025 schedule steps up nearly every week and November will be among Georgetown's toughest four game stretch in two decades.  The Hoyas visibly ran out of gas to end the 2024 season and its depth must be ready to avoid a similar fate in 2025, particularly on defense, where the Hoyas led the PL in time of possession (32:15) but the offense struggled to make use of the opportunity. In 2025, the offense will carry the experience factor, but the defense still makes it work.