• Lehigh is 112-48-1 (.695) all-time against Patriot League opponents. Georgetown is the only PL team it has never lost to.
• Georgetown DL Alec May is within 4.5 sacks of the PL record for a career.
• Lehigh (0-2 PL) has not lost three straight PL games since 1997.
• This will be the only league game not telecast for Lehigh. Excepting Georgetown, all league games are telecast as part of the online-only network.

As rivalries go, there hasn't been much of one between Georgetown and Lehigh in the Patriot League era. The Engineers have won 13 straight games by an average of 28 points and excepting a pair of recent games at Georgetown, most haven't been close. But is this year different?

It's certainly different in the standings: the Engineers enter November without a conference win and are on pace for its fewest wins in a season since 1992. Six new assistant coaches and a significant changeover on defense has left Lehigh vulnerable against teams with offensive firepower, having given up 28 or more points in all six of its losses to date.

The question is raised: can a Georgetown offense which averages 12 points per game put enough on the scoreboard to make this a competitive game?

Georgetown fans are used to seeing veteran quarterbacks in the backfield for Lehigh, but the 2014 game will be an exception. Scholarship sophomore Nick Shafniski has been effective in a short-yardage passing offense but the Engineers lack a deep threat in the receiver corps to drive its offense. Senior Josh Parris (37-377-3) is the leading target in a mid-range passing game which should be familiar to Georgetown fans who have seen the Hoyas' offensive approach. In the backfield, RB Rich Sodeke (96-548-4) has teamed with Shafniski (112-354-6) to take advantage of a veteran Lehigh offensive line to put points on the board--their 10 combined touchdowns on the ground is twice that of the entire Georgetown team (five).

In contrast to the media blackout of Georgetown football in the Washington area, much has been written in the Lehigh Valley press over the state of the LU defense, which has given up 28 points or more in six of seven games this season. It's not a particularly young lineup (eight upperclassmen) and not one with visible gaps on talent. But having been chosen second in the PL poll and staring at a winless league record heading into November, the results have caused its share of concern. A closer look at its opponents might provide a better perspective.

The Engineers have played seven opponents, three of which rank in the top 10 in passing offense, two which rank in the top 10 in rushing. It has opened against the top two offensive teams in the PL in Fordham and Bucknell, and its only non-conference game against a team with lesser stats, Cornell, was a decisive 31-14 win. Even with its own defensive strengths, it would be difficult to imagine Georgetown doing any better with a schedule which included James Madison, New Hampshire, Fordham, and Bucknell.

Georgetown's offense has made little progress this season and this may be a game where Lehigh's defense is comparable to its competition. Senior DT Tim Newton will anchor a Lehigh defensive line that will key on a Georgetown running game that was improved against Bucknell but still ranks last in the league. The Engineers are frequent occupants at the top of the PL stats in sacks but have not been as effective to date in 2014, so its ability to put pressure on Kyle Nolan will be worth watching. Given that Lehigh can score (averaging 28 points per game), any consistent defensive effort against the league's weakest offense (12.8 ppg) figures to keep the Engineers ahead most of the afternoon.

Some additional keys to the game:

1. Third Down Conversion: The Engineers are a woeful 4-22 in two PL games converting on third down. Lehigh should do somewhat better in this one, but their gains on second down figure to be just as, if not more, important, when short yardage options become more plentiful. Defensively, Lehigh allows 55% of third downs, something Georgetown must take advantage of.
2. The Long Ball: Georgetown showed glimpses of airing out the ball against Bucknell, but offensive coordinator Michael Neuberger's offense remains focused on short yardage gains. If Kyle Nolan can get the protection, will the offensive game plan adjust?
3. Watch the Skies: Last week's game with Bucknell was played before a sold out crowd, sunshine and 74 degrees. Expect none of the three Saturday, where the weather forecast predicts 51 degrees and a steady rain, something the Hoyas have not had to deal with in a number of years. This figures to favor a defensive struggle, one which further limits a Georgetown offense from establishing control.

Most of Lehigh's 13 straight wins over Georgetown have followed a similar approach: staking a big early lead and grinding out the second half. When Georgetown has been competitive, particularly in the 2010 and 2012 games at home, have involved good play early and the ability to stay competitive late. it's the best hope for the Hoyas to capture a rare win in this series, where the impact of scholarships will inevitably make the future prospects against the Engineers even more daunting in the years to come.