Jan. 19, 2007

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - The first three home night games in school history highlight the 2007 Lafayette football schedule, which will open on the earliest date in the program's 126 seasons.

The three-time defending Patriot League champion Leopards will kick off their their 81st year at Fisher Stadium under the lights at 6 p.m. on Sept. 1 against Marist. Home games against Ivy League champion Princeton (Sept. 22) and Columbia (Oct. 6) will also be played at 6 p.m. The final three games of the six-game home slate will start at 1 p.m.

The rest of the non-conference schedule includes trips to Penn (Sept. 15) and Harvard (Oct. 13). Game times for road contests will be announced as they become available.

The installation of lights was one of the key facets of Lafayette's $23 million transformation to Fisher Stadium prior to the 2006 season. The project also included new spectator seating, a state-of-the-art FieldTurf playing surface, a press box, and a 19-by-35 foot video matrix board.

Additionally, the completion of the Bourger Varsity Football House will enclose Lafayette's football facility and move all football operations on campus, including locker rooms, strength and conditioning and sports medicine areas, coaches offices and team meeting rooms.

Lafayette will open its Patriot League championship defense on Sept. 8 at Georgetown, and resume conference play on Oct. 20 against Fordham in the first of three straight home league contests. The Leopards will also host Colgate on Oct. 27 and Bucknell on Nov. 3.

A trip to Holy Cross on Nov. 10 precedes the 143rd meeting between Lafayette and Lehigh, which will be played on Nov. 17 in Bethlehem. That game has decided at least a share of the Patriot League championship in each of the last three years, with Lafayette claiming its third straight championship by virtue of its 49-27 win over the Mountain Hawks last season.

The Leopards are looking for their fourth straight Patriot League championship in 2007, a feat that has been achieved just once since the conference began play under the Colonial League banner in 1986. Lehigh (1998-2001) is the only league member to claim four straight championships and make four consecutive appearances in the NCAA Playoffs.

2007 Lafayette Football Schedule
Sept. 1	MARIST	        6:00 p.m.
Sept. 8	at Georgetown*	TBA
Sept. 15 at Penn	TBA
Sept. 22 PRINCETON	6:00 p.m.
Sept. 29 Open
Oct. 6	COLUMBIA	6:00 p.m.
Oct. 13	at Harvard	TBA
Oct. 20	FORDHAM*	1:00 p.m.
Oct. 27	COLGATE*	1:00 p.m.
Nov. 3	BUCKNELL*	1:00 p.m.
Nov. 10	at Holy Cross*	TBA
Nov. 17	at Lehigh*	TBA