The formula that Lehigh football used to win the Patriot League championship and reach the second round of the NCAA FCS playoffs last year has continued this season.
The formula is basically to run the football well and play stingy defense.
On Saturday night at Bucknell, the formula was effective again as the Mountain Hawks, ranked No. 10 in both national FCS polls, scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to build a 38-10 and then used the defense to hold on for a 41-24 win.
The win put Lehigh at 2-0 in the Patriot League and gave them their first four-game winning streak since 2019 and their first 4-0 start to a season since 2013. It also avenged an overtime loss to Bucknell last year at Goodman Stadium, Lehigh’s lone league loss in 2024.
The Mountain Hawks ran for 326 yards and had 494 yards overall. Junior Luke Yoder rushed for a career-high 174 yards and a touchdown and sophomore Jaden Green scored three times.
The Lehigh defense set the tone immediately when sophomore Mekhai Smith intercepted Bucknell’s Ralph Rucker IV on the first play from scrimmage. Smith’s third interception of the season led to a field goal by Notre Dame-Green Pond product Nick Garrido to make it 3-0.
After a three-and-out on Bucknell’s second possession, Lehigh went 55 yards on five plays and extended the lead to 10-0 on Green’s 12-yard run,
The Mountain Hawks then put together one of their best drives of the season, going 98 yards on 11 plays and getting a one-yard run by Yoder to make it 17-3.
Rucker’s 5-yard TD run got Bucknell within 17-10 at halftime, but a 23-yard TD run by Green capped Lehigh’s first drive of the second half to make it 24-10.
Sophomore quarterback Hayden Johnson hit Green for a six-yard touchdown to put Lehigh up 31-10, and Johnson hit Mason Humphrey for a 17-yard score to extend the lead to 38-10.
Rucker threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes to get Bucknell (2-2, 0-1) within 38-24, but the Mountain Hawks recovered a pair of onside kicks after the Bison scores, and Garrido’s 23-yard field goal capped the scoring. Garrido finished with a career-high 11 points.
Green finished with 127 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, and got a third score on a reception.
Johnson completed 16-of-20 for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Geoffrey Jamiel was again his favorite target, making eight catches for 102 yards.
The Mountain Hawks sacked Rucker six times, with fifth-year player Dillon Sheehan getting 2.5 sacks.
Lehigh returns home to play Ivy League foe Penn at noon Saturday. The Quakers opened their season Saturday with a 24-21 win over Stonehill.
