2022 Football Coverage
From HoyaSaxa.com game recaps. Links to other contemporary coverage may be out of date.Q2 - 10:00 | 7-3 GU Q3 - 12:24 | 27-6 GU Game statistics:
GEORGETOWN MARIST
First downs 26 10
Rushed-yards 54-224 18-48
Passing yards 176 162
Sacked-yards lost 0-0 1-6
Passes 21-25-0 16-31-3
Punts 1-39.0 5-25.4
Fumbles-lost 3-2 1-0
Penalties-yards 2-25 7-45
Time of possession 38:09 21:51
Game #2: Lehigh (Sep. 10)
Defensive lapses, penalties and fourth down miscues combined to spoil the 2022 home opener Saturday in a 21-19 loss to Lehigh at Cooper Field.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
The Hoyas opened strong in its opening drives, taking a 10-0 lead midway thorough the second quarter and holding the Engineers to just four fist downs over its first three series. Lehigh roared back on consecutive possessions, led by a 70 yard run by Zaythan Hill and a 38 yard pass play to Jack DiPietro that resulted in touchdowns with Lehigh taking a 14-10 lead with 1:14 to halftime. Georgetown advanced to the Lehigh nine but in a game where Georgetown could not convert in the red zone, it settled for a field goal to close to 14-13 at the half.The Engineers exploited Georgetown for a third touchdown to open the second half, 21-13, but the game was very much an opportunity lost by the Hoyas. In its first drive of the second half, GU advanced to the Lehigh eight and failed on fourth down. On its second drive, it advanced to the Lehigh 20 and was failed on fourth down at the Lehigh 20, without a point between them. The Hoyas closed to 21-19 on a 12 play, 80 yard drive with 1:09 to play, but rolling out the less than mobile Pierce Holley on a two point conversion attempt was an easy out for the Lehigh defense to end the game. Holley was 35-45 for 277 yards, averaging less than eight yards a pass against a Lehigh secondary which was exposed a week ago by Villanova. The Hoyas outgained the Engineers 422-306 but gave up 70 yards in penalties, including three personal fouls at crucial points of the game.
LEHIGH GEORGETOWN
First downs 15 29
Rushed-yards 30-158 32-113
Passing yards 138 309
Sacked-yards lost 1-7 3-11
Passes 13-19-1 36-47-0
Punts 4-40.5 4-33.5
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 5-50 8-70
Time of possession 26:26 33:34
Game #3: Monmouth (Sep. 17)
Three touchdowns by running back Owen Wright paced the Monmouth Hawks in a 45-6 win over Georgetown Saturday at Kessler Stadium.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
Despite two losses to open the season, the Hawks were never challenged in this game, scoring on three of its first four drives to open each half. On its first series, Monmouth QB Tony Muskett moved the Hawks quickly down the field, completing five of six passes into the red zone, where Wright scored on a one yard run, 7-0. Following a Georgetown punt, the Hawks went 83 yards in eight plays, with a 48 yard pass from Muskett to WR Ugo Obasi to the GU 14 and a three yard Wright run on a first and goal from the three, 14-0.Georgetown QB Pierce Holley started strong in the game, and connected on a pair of long pass plays to Joshua Tomas and Dorrian Moultrie to the Monmouth 10. But ion what has been a problem over the last two weeks, the Hoyas could not close the deal. Three plays from the ten provided a net of negative-on yard, adn the Hoyas settled for a field goal, 14-3. After holding Monmouth to its first punt of the afternoon, special teams stung the Hoyas. A there and out by the Georgetown offense resulted in a nine yard punt by Davis Walker to the Georgetown 28, which set up Monmouth for its third touchdown of the half, 21-3, while GU added a field goal on its next possession, 21-6. Georgetown managed just three first downs and 68 yards in the second half, as the Hawks scored on nearly every possession after halftime, save a missed field goal that caromed off the goal post at the 3:24 mark of the third quarter. Monmouth opened the second half with a bang, as RB Jaden Shirden shredded the GU defense for a 67 yard touchdown run, 28-6.
The Hawks scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter following Georgetown turnovers. On Georgetown's second play of the fourth quarter, Moultrie fumbled at the GU 35, which was converted in a six play drive, 37-6. Four minutes later, Holley was intercepted at his 36, which the Hawks again took to the end zone in a six play drive. From a 7 for 9 start, Pierce Holley finisher 21 for 38 for 191 yards. Joshua Stakely's 57 yards led all Hoyas in the backfield, while the Hawks put up 202 yards on the ground, 67 of which came from Jaden Shirden's long run. Monmouth averaged over six yards per play and averaged 54 yards per punt, giving the Hoyas little in the way of field position. "I thought we played a fairly dominant second half and really sealed the game," aid Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan, who moved to 3-0 all-time against Georgetown in the game. "On the defensive side we came up with two turnovers and gave the ball to the offense who was able to turn those possessions into scores." One statistic showed up big on the chart: third down conversion, where GU was 3 for 14 on third downs. "Last week hurt a lot, we couldn't get off the field on third down and that was our emphasis this week," said Monmouth safety Tyrese Wilson. "Early in the game, we had chances to keep ourselves in the game," said Georgetown coach Rob Sgarlata, adding that the game was "a great learning experience with a lot of guys getting playing time and that will play dividends down the road." Game statistics:
GEORGETOWN MONMOUTH
First downs 18 23
Rushed-yards 28-60 39-202
Passing yards 191 264
Sacked-yards lost 3-14 1-11
Return yards 12 2
Passes 21-39-1 21-32-0
Punts 7-26.7 4-54.0
Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties-yards 2-15 9-90
Time of possession 26:37 33:23
Game #4: Columbia (Sep. 24)
Columbia's Bryson Canty caught eight passes for 139 yards in a 42-6 win over Georgetown at Cooper Field Saturday.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
Some early mistakes by the Lions could not be converted by the Hoyas. In its first series, QB Joe Green threw an interception at the Georgetown 37, but the Hoyas punted it back 1:07 later. On its next series, a missed field goal gave the Hoyas some new hope, but Pierce Holley threw the first of his three interceptions, each of which resulted in points on Columbia's next series. On the following possession, the Lions marched 55 yards in 14 plays for a field goal, 3-0.This was still a three point game entering the final two minutes of the first half but it collapsed soon thereafter. After a Georgetown punt to Columbia's 11, the Lions went 89 yards to take a 10-0 lead with 59 seconds to halftime. On the Hoyas' next series, ostensibly to run out the clock, Holley was picked off at the Georgetown 17, setting up a field goal as time expired, 13-0. Columbia opened the second half with a 13 play, 71 yard drive to take a 20-0 lead. A career best 70 yard kickoff return by Dorrian Moultrie set up the Hoyas deep in Columbia territory, but it took a fourth and goal at the 18 for Holley to find Asante Das for the score. The extra point was blocked and the score was 20-6. The Lions entered the fourth quarter unopposed, scoring the final 22 points of the game. A seven play, 71 yard drive opened the fourth quarter with a one yard run, 27-6. Georgetown's next series stalled early, but a 47 yard punt backed the Lions to its 14, where the Lions advanced to the GU 40 before RB Malcolm Terry tore through the Georgetown line for a 40 yard touchdown run, 34-6. On its next drive, Holley led the Hoyas to the Columbia seven, but gave up a 93 yard interception return, 42-6. Joshua Tomas led all Georgetown receivers with 118 yards, followed by 71 from Cameron Crayton. Pierce Holley's 54 passing attempts, third most in school history, were mitigated by Georgetown's inability to run the ball, netting zero yards in 14 attempts, its fewest since 2018 and the fewest rushing yards at any home game in 21 years. "We're winning games, which makes us happy, but we also realize that we are capable of playing even better," said Columbia coach Al Bagnoli, whose 31-31 record as Columbia head coach marks the first Columbia coach with more than 10 career games to have a .500 record since Lou Little in 1954. "Holding Georgetown to zero yards rushing speaks volumes to our down seven and their ability to control the line of scrimmage." Columbia QB Joe Green finished 23-33 for 263 yards and two touchdowns, with five different receivers picking up yardage, led by Canty's eight receptions, seven after halftime. The Lions converted 14 of 18 third down opportunities in its fourth win over Georgetown in its last five games since 2016. "Obviously, not the result that we wanted but I thought our guys played and battled hard, especially coming out of the half and scoring when we did," sid Georgetown coach Rob Sgarlata, now 3-4 all-time versus Columbia. "We made some mistakes in all three phases, which you cannot do against a good team like Columbia but was impressed with how our receiving corps played from top to bottom." Georgetown goes on the road next week against Fordham (3-1), who lost a wild game at Ohio, 59-52. Fordham quarterback Tim DeMorat, who leads the nation in passing, was 27 of 35 for 503 yards and passed for six touchdowns. Senior WR Fotis Kokosioulis set a single-game Fordham receiving record with 320 yards in the game. Game statistics:
COLUMBIA GEORGETOWN
First downs 30 18
Rushed-yards 48-206 14-0
Passing yards 263 317
Sacked-yards lost 2-5 2-14
Passes 23-34-1 30-54-3
Punts 1-9.0 3-37.0
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 5-30 7-71
Time of possession 35:55 24:05
Game #5: Fordham (Oct. 1)
Leading 21-7 in the second quarter, the Georgetown Hoyas gave up 31 straight points as the Fordham Rams pulled away in a 59-38 win before 4,417 in the Bronx Saturday afternoon.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
The Hoyas needed a strong opening to the game and got it. QB Pierce Holley was six for six in a 12 play, 77 yards that not only resulted in the first Georgetown score of the game, but took almost half of the first quarter, accounting for 20 percent of the team's time of possession for the afternoon. Successfully converting a fourth and one at the Fordham 23, Holley found Dorrian Moultrie with a four yard pass two plays later for the opening score, 7-0.Soft defensive coverage over the middle was an issue for both teams in this game and it formed the basis for Fordham's opening drive, a six play, 71 yard effort keyed by a 31 yard pass to WR MJ Wright over the middle and a subsequent 23 yard pass to RB Trey Sneed to tie the score just two minutes later. Holley and the Hoyas answered with a four play, 81 yard drive that saw two long pass plays of 37 and 42 yards, the latter for the touchdown. Two plays into its next drive, Fordham misplayed the center snap and VeRon Garrison recovered the fumble, setting up the Hoyas for a three play drive, 21-7, at the end of the first quarter. a number that must have caught the collective attention of the rest of the Patriot League. Holley finished his best quarter as a Hoya 10 for 11 and 153 yards. Fordham answered with an eight play, 73 yard drive to close to 21-+14 early in the second which held the scoreboard at bay through much of the second quarter. A Fordham drive to the Georgetown end zone was spoiled by a Rams' fumble in the end zone, but the Hoyas could not maintain possession and punted it back with 5:24 remaining. Thus began a lighting round from DeMorat that knocked the Hoyas off the scoreboard. The Rams led not by the pass but the run, where RB Julius Loughbridge chewed up the Georgetown line for 53 yards on two carries, tying the score on a 12 yard run at the 3:26 mark. The Hoyas went three plays and no yards on its next series, punting back to the Rams at the 2:15 mark. DeMorat went back to the air in a three play drive of just 1:04, with a 46 yard pass to WR Dequece Carter and a 14 yard touchdown pass to WR Fotis Kokosioulis, 28-21. The Fordham announce team cautioned that Georgetown need to protect the ball and that is exactly what did not happen. On a second and six with under a minute remaining, Holley's pass was deflected and picked off by Marc Pretto, handing a gift to the high flying Fordham offense. In a five play, 35 second drive drive that never saw second down, DeMorat found Carter for an eight yard pass and the Rams, down 14 at the end of the first quarter, took a 14 point lead into the break. Two stats were evident all day and foretold the finish: DeMorat was not pressured by the Georgetown defense and the Hoyas gave up 85 yards in penalties--together, this was a recipe for a rout. The Rams opened the third marching 57 yards to the GU 12, but settled for a short field goal, 38-21, matched by GU on an 13 play drive that ended at the Fordham 11, 38-24. DeMorat needed only five plays on the ground to extended the mark to 45-24 late in the third. A short kick and a penalty set up the Hoyas near midfield late in the third quarter. Holley was back in the air, completing six of nine passes and a 16 yard pass to Joshua Tomas to closer to 45-31. The gap was short lived, as Demorat need only six plays in return, taking off on a fourth and one at the GU 27 to run 27 yards for the score, 52-21. The Hoyas had two drives remaining in the game, one which stalled at midfield with ten minutes to play, th second piloted by reserve QB Tyler Knoop, with a 28 yard pass to WR Brock Biestek to set up a seven yard run by Knoop for GU's last score, 59-38. The margin of the game ties back to that five minute stretch of the second quarter when teh RFams outscored the Hoyas 21-0. Fordham QB Tim DeMorat ended the game 21 of 35 for 348 yards, four passing touchdowns and a fifth on the ground. Fordham never punted in the game, the first time this has happened to a Georgetown defense since a September 1, 2007 game versus Stony Brook. Pierce Holley finished the game 27 of 41 for 322 yards and four touchdowns, but the Hoyas were thoroughly overwhelmed on the ground. Sneed and Loughbridge combined for 224 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries, while the Hoyas managed just 82 yards as a team on its 26 attempts. The 59 points was the most given up by Georgetown since the 2002 season, as Fordham is 15-1 at home over Georgetown since 1975 and 27-4 overall during that same period. Game statistics:
GEORGETOWN FORDHAM
First downs 24 33
Rushed-yards 26-82 38-277
Passing yards 395 348
Sacked-yards lost 2-16 1-5
Return yards 0 0
Passes 31-48-2 21-35-0
Punts 3-38.0 0-0.0
Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-2
Penalties-yards 7-85 3-25
Time of possession 34:03 25:57
Game #6: Pennsylvania (Oct. 8)
Five consecutive possessions for touchdowns in the second half led the Pennsylvania Quakers to a 59-28 win over the Georgetown Hoyas at the 80th Homecoming Game.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
In a game with plenty of twists and turns, special teams anchored some of the key moments of the game. The Quakers opened the game with a 43 yard return into Georgetown territory, one of seven possessions where Penn began the game beyond midfield. A seven play drive set up Penn's first score, a 37 yard field goal.Georgetown had a strong start the previous week versus Fordham but its opening possessions with Penn were anything but. On the third play of its first drive, QB Pierce Holley was picked off at the GU 30, setting up the Quakers for a six play drive which resulted in a pass from Aidan Sayin to WR Malone Howley, 10-0. More trouble soon followed. On his first carry of the possession, RB Herman Moultrie fumbled at the GU 26 and the Quakers cashed in with a 26 yard pass from Sayin to TE Justin Cayenne, 17-0, with fewer than seven minutes gone in the first quarter. Georgetown settled down with an eight play, 82 yard drive. Holley was five for five in the drive, connecting twice with WR Joshua Tomas before splitting the Penn secondary with a 42 yard pass to WR Jimmy Kibble to the Penn 20. The Hoyas faced third down just once in the drive, and didn't need one on second a goal where RB Joshua Stakely drove the middle for the Hoyas' first score, 17-7. For a fourth consecutive possession, the Hoyas could not stop the Quakers on defense. Giving up what would be a crucial first half time out, the Hoyas allowed Penn an 18 yard pass play on third and ten to enter GU territory, and Sayin completed three consecutive passes to the GU 12. On the first play of the second quarter, Sayin found WR Sterling Stokes for the score, 24-7. Punting has been a problem for Georgetown this season, and the troubles returned for Davis walker, with a 23 yard kick that set up the Quakers at midfield on its next possession. Driving to the GU 22, Sayin was picked off by Wedner Cadet, who returned the ball 42 yards to the Penn 38. The Hoyas needed only five plays to respond, with a 14 yard pass to Dorrian Moultrie to rally to 24-14. After halting the Quakers for their only punt of the afternoon, a critical drive played out the end of the second quarter. Taking over its 14 with under four minutes remaining, Holley led the Hoyas in an 85 yard drive, with an 18 yard pass on fourth and eight at the Penn 15 with 35 seconds to play. Two timeouts followed over the next 22 seconds as GU advanced inside the Penn one, setting up a play with 13 seconds and no time outs left, having exhausted one in the first quarter when the defense was not ready. No field goal was chosen. It was all or nothing. Despite Holley having a good day in the passing game, with five receptions in the drive and 17 for 22 overall, the call from upstairs was anything but certain: a quarterback sneak. Holley didn't have the footing and stumbled forward, but ever so short. Time ran out on the half, 24-14. The Hoyas needed a boost to open the second half but no one expected what followed. At the six, freshman Mason Gudger returned the kick down the west sidelines for 94 yards, fourth longest in school history, and GU was suddenly back 24-21.
The Quakers opened its second half much like the first: a seven play, 65 yard drive with 46 yards on the ground by RB Trey Flowers and a one yard Flowers run to move to 31-21. A Georgetown there and out begat another painful punt, just 24 yards, and the Quakers needed just nine plays, including a 15 yard pass on forth and three at the GU 17, to set up a two yard score, 38-21. With the Hoyas fading, lightning struck twice. Gudger shocked the Cooper Field audience with an 89 yard kickoff return, 38-28, becoming only the first player in the PL since 2004 to have done so.
Did Gudger's heroics stop the Penn Express? Not even close. A 41 yard kickoff return of its own set up the Quakers for a three play drive, with Flowers cutting through the GU secondary for 38 yards and a 45-28 lead. A three and out by a battered Hoyas offense gave way to Penn's fourth touchdown drive of the quarter, with Sayin's fourth TD pass, 52-28, which saw Georgetown LB Ibri Harrell taken out of the game with an ankle injury. A 13 play drive to the Penn three was Georgetown's last serious possession, followed by a 12 play drive that Penn used to eat up most of the remaining fourth quarter and close out the scoring. Pierce Holley finished 25 of 34 for 245 yards, and was 8 for 12 after halftime. It wasn't enough in part due to Georgetown's flat-lined run game, with a net of 21 yards on 26 carries. Penn quarterback Aidan Sayin was 21 of 34 for 221 yards and four touchdowns, while RB Trey Flowers led the Quakers' running game with a season high 149 yards and two touchdowns. Penn was 11 for 18 on third down conversions and a perfect 4-4 on fourth down. "We got off to a tough start but I was proud of how we responded and came back to make it a one-score game in the third quarter," said Georgetown coach Rob Sgarlata in post game remarks. This is the fourth consecutive Homecoming loss at Georgetown, the first such four game streak in the 79 prior Homecoming games dating to 1925. More visible, perhaps, are the points surrendered. The 59 points allowed to Penn is the most points given up by any Georgetown team at home since 1905 and Georgetown has now allowed 205 points over its last four games, the most in any four game stretch in school history. "We are going to take the bye week to regroup as we prepare for Colgate and make sure we are ready for the second half of the season," said Sgarlata. That preparation must take a hard look at the defense. Game statistics:
PENN GEORGETOWN
First downs 21 16
Rushed-yards 40-187 19-21
Passing yards 274 245
Sacked-yards lost 1-4 4-26
Passes 22-35-0 25-34-1
Punts 1-33.0 3-27.3
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-1
Penalties-yards 4-32 10-65
Time of possession 32:11 27:48
Game #7: Colgate (Oct. 22)
Despite a career receiving day for Joshua Tomas and not a single punt on the afternoon, the Georgetown Hoyas' offense was no match for its failing defense, as Colgate took a 34-24 win before 4,883 at Andy Kerr Stadium on Saturday.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
Georgetown had nine penalties in this game -- one was right from the start. Holding the Red Raiders to a third and seven on its first drive, an offside call extended the Colgate drive and they then went to work, competing a 12 play drive to the Georgetown six which resulted in a 24 yard field goal, 3-0. The Colgate defense was banged up entering the game and the Hoyas took advantage all day: Pierce Holley marched the Hoyas 14 plays to the Colgate 10, but settled for a tying field goal, 3-3. It was as close as Georgetown would be this afternoon.Neither team punted in the first half; in fact, Georgetown did not attempt a single punt in this game and Colgate punted once in their last full series of the game. Ball control kept both teams with limited possessions in the first half: combined, the teams managed just five possessions between them by the break. On Colgate's next series, the Red Raiders rushed nine times in a ten play, 73 yard drive, with QB Michael Brescia rushing seven yards for the score, 10-3. Georgetown marched right back to the Colgate 23, but failed on a fourth down and two that was the football equivalent of Colgate breaking Georgetown's serve. From this point, Colgate controlled the flow of the game. Brescia rushed for 120 yards in the first half, 43 of which led a 14 play, seven minute drive which Brescia punched in from 13 yards out, 17-3. On Georgetown's next series, Holley rallied the Hoyas on a ten play drive in just 1:11, bringing the Hoyas to the Colgate 11 with one second remaining in the half. Choosing a short field goal over a touchdown throw that had eluded them in games with Lehigh and Columbia, the safer option was no less successful: kicker Richard Abood sliced the kick and the Hoyas went into halftime down 17-3. The missed scoring opportunity lingered in a second half where the Hoyas put up some of its best efforts of the game. Holley opened the third quarter with a ten play drive, completing five passes and converting on a critical fourth and six at the Colgate 23 that set up a 12 yard pass to Cameron Crayton, 17-10. After Colgate's Jaedon Henry returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards to the GU 13, the Hoyas caught a break when the Colgate drive stalled and the Red Raiders added a field goal, 20-10. Holley looked to turn the corner for the Hoyas in an impressive four play, 75 yard drive, led by a 40 yard pass to Joshua Tomas and capped by a 12 yard touchdown pass to Cam Pygatt to close to 20-17 with 5:26 in the third quarter. But Georgetown hadn't stopped Colgate yet, and that missed kick to end the first half was still hanging out there. The defense needed a stop, any stop, over its next two possessions and simply did not meet the challenge. Brescia rushed three times for 42 yards in a nine play, 75 yard drive, with two rushes up the middle for the final 19 yards to extend the lead back to ten, 27-17. Passes of 35 and 28 yards by Holley kept the Hoyas driving on its next possession early in the fourth, 27-24, but in the next series Brescia tore through the line for four consecutive runs for 25 yards before Jaedon Henry went 40 yards for the score, 34-24. The Hoyas' offense, which had scored on three consecutive possessions after halftime, finally gave way on a strip-sack fumble with eight minutes to play and and an interception late in the game, which otherwise sealed the win for Colgate. For the game, Holley threw for 358 yards, 10 yards short of his career high. Tomas caught 11 receptions for 156 yards, a career best. Defensively, however, the Hoyas were ineffective at every turn. Colgate QB Michael Brescia rushed for 173 of the Red Raiders' 331 yards on the ground, as Colgate converted on 10 of 14 third down opportunities. It's the fifth consecutive game GU has given up more than 30 points on defense, now averaging a stunning 47 points allowed per game in its last five. Georgetown's loss is the 18th in 19 meetings versus Colgate since 2002 and confirmed another losing season for the Hoyas, now 1-6 with four games remaining, and a combined 3-14 over the last two seasons. As usual, head coach Rob Sgarlata focused on the positives in his post-game comments. "Our guys came out and played extremely hard in a game we knew we had to make the most of all of our possessions," he said. "Offensively, Joshua Tomas continued to show why he is the best player in the Patriot League, Pierce Holley played well and Herman Moultrie III and Joshua Stakely ran extremely hard behind our offensive line. We had a couple of bad penalties in critical situations but our guys rebounded with key stops in the second half to keep us in the game. "What it came down to in the fourth quarter was a couple of plays that turned out in their favor in a hard-fought, tough Patriot League football game. We will clean up what we need to this week and come back to face another solid opponent on the road at Lafayette next week." "Our kids have been battling a tough schedule and adversity throughout the year," said Colgate coach Stan Dakosty. "We asked them all week to believe and keep fighting, and that's what they did, and it showed today." Game statistics:
GEORGETOWN COLGATE
First downs 28 22
Rushed-yards 23-94 50-331
Passing yards 358 70
Sacked-yards lost 1-6 1-3
Passes 32-45-1 8-15-0
Punts 0-0.0 1-45.0
Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties-yards 9-75 10-80
Time of possession 26:23 33:38
Game #8: Lafayette (Oct. 29)
Despite an early 17-0 lead, the Georgetown defense held off two Lafayette rallies in a 30-20 win in Easton that ended a six game losing streak for the Hoyas.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
The Hoyas started strong, with QB Pierce Holley completing eight of nine attempts in an efficient 14 play, 77 yard drive, finding Joshua Tomas with a 15 yard pass completion for the early 7-0 lead. By contrast, the Leopards struggled to open the game, with one first down over its first four drives. On its second drive, a three and out at the Lafayette 13, a punt to midfield was called back for a Georgetown offside. In response, the Leopards opted for a fake punt via direct snap at its 18, but the play was stuffed by the Georgetown defensive line and the Hoyas took over in the Lafayette red zone. Despite the short distance, the Hoyas had to work for its second touchdown. The drive was extended via a defensive pass interference call in the end zone, but it still took a fourth and goal run from RB Josh Stakely to complete the score, 14-0. By its fifth drive of the second quarter, the Hoyas ere firmly in control. A nine play, 71 yard drive ended in a field goal, 17-0, and the Hoyas had outgained the Leopards 186 to 16. Lafayette needed something, anything to change momentum and got it when Holley was hit on a third down at the Georgetown 42 and lost the ball, which was recovered by Lafayette LB Marco Olivas and returned to the GU 31 with 2:44 to halftime. In its longest drive of the game to date, the Leopards drove 31 yards in just over two minutes, with a five yard pass from QB Ah-Shaun Davis to WR Elijah Steward to narrow the score to 17-7 at the half. The Hoyas had led 17-0 in last year's game and the Lafayette announcers took note to remind its audience that comebacks were not uncommon in this series. At the break, Georgetown had outgained Lafayette 199 to 45, but the touchdown reenergized the Leopards while Georgetown's offense ground to a halt. The Hoyas gained a total of 10 yards on its first three drives of the third quarter while the Leopards went to work: a 46 yard pass from Davis to WR Chris Casaria helped set up a two yard Jaden Sutton rush that closed to 17-14 early in the third. Two plays proved the difference in this game. On Lafayette's fourth drive of the half, Davis opened the Leopards drive at his 32 with a wide-out pass that was spied by DB Wedner Cadet, returning the ball to the three to set up a Herman Moultrie TD, 24-14.
Three drives later, the Lafayette defense failed to adjust when Holley tested the LC secondary, finding WR Jimmy Kibble for a 46 yard touchdown pass, 30-14.
A change in quarterbacks breathed new life into the homestanding Leopards. An eight play Lafayette drive by backup quarterback Rent Montie, capped by a fourth down desperation pass in the end zone, closed the score to 30-20, whereupon the Hoyas' defense stopped an important two point conversion at the goal line. Two concluding Lafayette drives fell short to end the game. Pierce Holley was 28 of 38 for 250 yards for the game, but the Hoyas managed just 97 total yards in the second half, 46 from the Kibble catch alone. Joshua Tomas led all receivers with 132 yards on 12 receptions. Montie passed for 145 of Lafayette's 219 passing yards in the fourth quarter, while Georgetown's six defensive sacks in the game was a season high. "Our pass defense was much improved," said head coach Rob Sgarlata in post-game remarks. "It was great to grab some momentum coming back home for three games and finishing the season at Georgetown." Each of the Hoyas' final three games of the season will be at Cooper Field, with a non-conference game versus St. Francis this Saturday. Game statistics:
GEORGETOWN LAFAYETTE
First downs 14 12
Rushed-yards 29-46 36-88
Passing yards 250 219
Sacked-yards lost 2-19 6-32
Passes 28-38-0 13-26-1
Punts 6-39.3 7-37.6
Fumbles-lost 1-1 20-0
Penalties-yards 8-67 7-46
Time of possession 31:47 28:13
Game #9: St. Francis (Nov. 5)
The St. Francis Red Flash overcame an early 14-0 deficit to run past Georgetown, 38-24, before a season-low 1,487 at Cooper Field.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
The Hoyas started strong in the first quarter, driving to the Red Flash 25 before falling short on a fourth down pass. On its second drive, QB Pierce Holley threw a 51 yard pass to Joshua Tomas, 7-0. After another drive deep in St. Francis territory failed on fourth down, the Hoyas gave up the possession to St. Francis at its 28. On the second play of the series, DB Wedner Cadet returned an interception 31 yards for the score, 14-0.St. Francis quarterback Cole Doyle, who was the national player of the week against Sacred Heart, was benched by coach Chris Villarrial, giving way to backup Justin Sliworski. After a slow start, Sliworski picked up the pace, with a 40 yard pass to WR Hunter Brown and a a 12 yard pass to RB Elijah Surratt to tie the scored in consecutive possessions. The Hoyas answered with a 59 yard pass to Tomas to go up 21-14 at the half. The Red Flash thoroughly dominated the second half, outgaining the Hoyas 160 to 39 in a third quarter that saw the Red Flash score on all four possessions to lead 38-21 after three quarters. The Hoyas' first two possessions of the half ended in a midfield interception and a fumble at its 35 that clearly showed Joshua Stakely down by contact before he dropped the ball; apparently no one but the officials would confirm it as a fumble. The turnovers added 10 points to the Red Flash total. Georgetown advanced to the St. Francis one early in the fourth, but settled in vain for a field goal. Pierce Holley passed for 240 yards in the first half and only 41 yards thereafter. Joshua Tomas set a season record for completions with 75 and a career mark of 206, breaking previous records set by Chris Murphy in the 1992 season. "Joshua Tomas is the best receiver in the league and maybe at this level," said head coach Rob Sgarlata in post-game comments. "It was great to see his body of work credited with the records that he broke today." SFU's win was its seventh consecutive, a school record. Prior to Chris Villarrial's arrival in 2010, the Red Flash had just three seasons of seven ore more wins in its 100+ year history. With this win, he's now done it three times since. Game statistics:
ST. FRANCIS GEORGETOWN
First downs 21 15
Rushed-yards 40-195 28-11
Passing yards 257 285
Sacked-yards lost 1-4 0-0
Passes 19-27-1 21-40-1
Punts 4-36.8 3-38.3
Fumbles-lost 1-0 3-1
Penalties-yards 4-35 4-39
Time of possession 29:07 30:53
Game #10: Bucknell (Nov. 12) Pierce Holley threw three interceptions as Georgetown squandered an 11 point fourth quarter lead in a 24-21 loss to a 1-8 Bucknell team, its 10th consecutive home loss.
POST-GAME ARTICLES
The Hoyas started strong to open the game, with a season's best 16 play, eight minute drive that dominated the early time of possession. Georgetown converted on three third downs in the drive, the last of which was a tree yard pass from QB Pierce Holley to Dorrian Moultrie, 7-0, the fourth opening drive for points this season. Bucknell stumbled to open the game, but Georgetown could not take advantage. Stuffed on its first series at its 42, the Bison opted to go for it on fourth and one, and lost a yard. The Hoyas' play calling abandoned the run for short passes, which netted the Hoyas five yards in four plays and turned the ball back over to the Bison, none the worse for wear. From there, Bucknell drove eight plays to the Georgetown 20 and connected on a 45 yard field goal to open the second quarter, 7-3. A second lost opportunity followed the Hoyas early in the second. A fifteen play, 71 yard drive mirrored the success of the opening drive, advancing to the Bucknell seven. A two yard loss on first down led offensive coordinator Rob Spence to focus on short passing, which the alert Bucknell defense was quick to respond. A pass to WR Cameron Crayton as broken up on second down, and a third yard pass over the middle in the end zone was picked off by LB Blake Leake and returned 20 yards. Bucknell entered the game with the lowest rated offense in the Patriot League but drove 79 yards over two series to close out the first half, only to fail on fourth down conversions, going 0 for 3 in the first half and settling for a 7-3 deficit at the break. Having held the Bison to 118 yards in the first half, the Georgetown defense held Bucknell for the first of three consecutive punts across the third period, holding Bucknell to just 17 yards. The first of these holds led the Hoyas to a four play, 57 yard drive, with two passes totalling 55 yards to WR Joshua Tomas, the nation's leading receiver, the latter of which was a 33 yard touchdown pass, 14-3. And yet, with all the momentum, the GU special teams whiffed on Bucknell returnee Coleman Bennett, who returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards untouched for a touchdown, 14-10.
Georgetown answered with an 11 play drive to go up 21-10 and after having held the Bison on a three and out, the Hoyas took over at the Bucknell 45 with 3:21 in the third and all the momentum. A six play drive gained 22 yards, but on a 4th and 13 at the Bucknell 35, the spotty Georgetown kicking game offered no alternative but to go on fourth down. Needing 13, Holley threw for 12 with 49 seconds to play. Holley and the offense never saw a first down again. The Bucknell comeback was slow but emerging. An eight play drive stalled at the Georgetown 34, but having learned its lessons on fourth down, the Bison punted to the GU 7. A three and out by the Hoyas returned the Bison to midfield with 10:41 remaining, where an 11 play drive to the Georgetown four closed the lead to 21-13 on a 21 yard field goal. The Hoyas still had this game in hand. Two plays later, Holley threw an interception at midfield. The defense stepped up yet again, with a fourth down stop, giving the ball back to Georgetown with 3:30 to play, still up eight. Three plays gained just seven yards, and Georgetown punted to the BU 16 with under three minutes to play. The succeeding Bucknell drive reached third down just once in nine plays, 84 yards, with Bennett going up the middle for the touchdown with 47 seconds remaining, and converting on a two point conversion. Georgetown nearly lost the ensuing kickoff when Cam Pygatt stumbled at the end zone, but advanced to the five and the Hoyas settled for overtime. The Bison were held to a field goal in their opening possession while Georgetown, acing a third and 16, saw Holley throw into double coverage for the interception and game ender.
As offensive play calling goes, it was one of the poorest of the season down the stretch. The defense did all it could but was a victim of the clock: Bucknell held the ball for 10:39 in the final quarter. The win was just the third for Bucknell in the past two seasons combined and all but assures Georgetown of a winless home record for a second consecutive season. The Hoyas end yet another season of struggle next weekend with Holy Cross (10-0), where the margin of victory could be the difference for a home game for the Crusaders in her upcoming playoffs. Game statistics:
BUCKNELL GEORGETOWN
First downs 18 19
Rushed-yards 37-94 34-96
Passing yards 198 227
Sacks-yards lost 3-14 3-15
Passes 21-33-0 27-40-3
Punts 3-34.7 3-36.7
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 7-55 4-40
Time of possession 28:39 31:29
Game #11: Holy Cross (Nov. 19)
Matthew Sluka threw for 301 yards as the #6 ranked Holy Cross Crusaders scored on its first five drives of the game en route to a 47-10 win over Georgetown, the Hoyas' record setting 12th consecutive home loss.The crusaders scored to open the game on a 10 play, 67 yard drive, 7-0, and followed up with a three play, 74 yard drive to lead 14-0 midway through the first. Georgetown's best drive of the game netted it a touchdown late in the first quarter, converting on three third downs and a fourth to close to 14-7, but the Hoyas had no answer for Sluka, who at one point was 11 for 11 as the Crusaders led 34-10 at the break.Holy Cross scored on the opening play of the third quarter, and watched the clock run out on another overwhelmed season for Georgetown. A rivalry, it is not. Game statistics:
HOLY CROSS GEORGETOWN
First downs 24 18
Rushed-yards 40-262 23-43
Passing yards 306 261
Sacked-yards lost 3-27 2-11
Passes 13-17-0 29-48-0
Punts 2-46.0 4-35.5
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1
Penalties-yards 11-115 7-55
Time of possession 30:07 29:53
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