On Saturday, Sept. 5, the heart of the hilltop came alive as Georgetown football (0-1, 0-1 Patriot League) faced the No. 10 Lehigh University Mountain Hawks (2-0, 2-0 Patriot League). Although the start of football season is a cause for excitement, the Hoyas’ debut was not the triumphant beginning that fans in the stands hoped for. The Mountain Hawk’s slow and steady offense proved too versatile for the Hoya defense to control, and the Hawks escaped with a 45-14 victory over the Hoyas.
As the ball came to the Hoyas off the opening kickoff, it was clear that something in the offensive machine had gone awry. The offensive line followed messy tracks downfield, resulting in a disconnect between the Hoya linemen and backfield. This lack of cohesion continued to hold the Hoyas back for the rest of the game. After a short four-play drive ending in a Georgetown punt, the Mountain Hawks marched down the field into the end zone with eight minutes left in the first quarter. Fans would come to recognize this short touchdown drive pattern as the Hoya’s kryptonite over the next three long quarters.
Escaping the first quarter seven to zero, Hoya sophomore quarterback Jack Johnson led the opening drive of the second quarter with a short rush and an incomplete pass. This was the second four-play failed drive of the game for the Hoyas, and it was beginning to reflect in the attitude of the crowd. The student section grew rowdy, inspiring the Hoyas to put the pedal to the metal in an effort to get this game back on track.
As Georgetown picked up speed less than a minute into the second quarter, Hoya junior cornerback Michael Bonsu recovered a bobbled fumble and followed all the way through the Mountain Hawks’ back line for a touchdown. As Bonsu secured the first Hoya points of the game, the crowd went ballistic.
Unfortunately, the Hoyas could not keep their momentum as the Mountain Hawks’ offensive machine revved up and gave Georgetown a run for their money. The inch-by-inch, three yards and a cloud of dust playstyle of Lehigh slowly crushed every stand the Hoya defense tried to make. With two more scores and a field goal bringing the contest to 24-7, the Mountain Hawks relentlessly drove the ball up and down the field in an almost hypnotic manner.
As soon as the Hoyas defense appeared close to putting a stop to Lehigh, the Mountain Hawks would pull the ball wide to the sidelines for easy yards in open territory. Sophomore linebacker Brian Allen heroically led the Hoya defense with his 14 total tackles on the day, but ultimately a few standout defensive efforts weren’t enough to stop the Mountain Hawks from ending the first half in the lead with a score of 24-7.
After halftime, the Hoyas desperately tried to claw their way out of the deficit, but the Mountain Hawks’ defense had other plans. Georgetown’s offensive line had trouble picking up rushers at times leading to three sacks allowed throughout the game. Smart and tactical pressure from Lehigh played a key role in shutting down the Georgetown passing and rushing game. The Hoyas could not seem to find a familiar tempo, and the dysfunction continued into the fourth quarter, but not before Hawks’ senior running back Luke Yoder posted his third and final rushing touchdown of the day.
Georgetown ultimately did not find a solution for their defensive shortcomings in the fourth quarter, letting another two Lehigh touchdowns through. However, the final fifteen minutes were not all for naught. Georgetown’s Johnson dropped an absolutely picturesque four-yard pass to junior receiver Johnathan Alexander to secure one final sweet note for the songs they will sing about this wonderful college football Saturday.
With a weaker-than-desired debut, the Hoyas now look forward to their next matchup out on the open road against the Richmond Spiders in Virginia on Sept. 19 at 3:30 p.m. EST. Fans will have to wait and see if head coach Rob Sgarlata can make the tune-ups necessary during the bye week to restore the Georgetown football team to smooth, polished, hard-hitting form.
