BRONX, N.Y. - Senior tailback Ross Scheuerman rushed for a Lafayette record 304 yards and three touchdowns, as the Leopards took down Lehigh, 27-7, in the 150th meeting of college football's most-played rivalry. The sellout crowd of 48,256 was the second largest attendance for a college football game at Yankee Stadium.
Scheuerman's MVP showing was the top rushing performance in the FCS this season. Lafayette out-gained Lehigh 500-232, including 309-151 in rushing yards and 191-81 in passing yards.
Senior QB Zach Zweizig started and played in his first game since Sept. 2013, completing 13-of-23 for 166 yards and a touchdown. Matt Smalley led the defense with nine total tackles and a sack, while Chris Brockman finished with two sacks for the Leopards.
Scheuerman carried the ball eight times for 39 yards on the Leopards' (5-6, 3-3) opening drive, but Lehigh's defense made the stop on 4th-and-1 to end the drive. The Mountain Hawks first play from scrimmage went for 30 yards down to the Lafayette 40-yard line. A sack by James Coscia stopped the Lehigh threat, forcing a punt.
With less than five minutes to go in the first quarter, Zweizig converted on 3rd-and-7, scampering the required seven yards for a Leopard first down. Three plays later, he found a wide open Scheuerman for a 27-yard reception down to the one-yard line. The next play, Scheuerman ran straight up the middle for the game's first score.
The Leopard defense forced a Lehigh (3-8, 2-4) three and out as Lafayette took over at its own 24-yard line after the punt. Zweizig completed four passes to four different receivers on the drive, including a 28-yard pass to Justin Adams to the Lehigh one-yard line with 12:30 to play in the second quarter. Once again, Scheuerman capped the drive with a one-yard plunge to put the Leopards ahead, 14-0.
After the Lafayette defense forced another Lehigh punt, Scheuerman broke off career-long 79-yard run down the Lafayette sideline on the second play of the drive for his third touchdown of the first half. The Leopards held a 21-0 lead with 7:31 left as Scheuerman rushed for 209 yards on 25 carries in the opening 30 minutes of play.
Lehigh received the ball to start the second half, but a Smalley, followed by a pass breakup by Brockman forced a Mountain Hawk punt with 12 minutes to play in the third quarter.
After the Leopards' first possession of the second half stalled, Lehigh got the ball back on a punt. The Hawks' Christopher Leigh broke free for a 70-yard TD carry to trim the Lafayette lead to 21-7 at the 2:36 mark of the third quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Smalley returned the ball 59 yards to Lehigh's 34-yard line. After the drive stalled at Lehigh's 15-yard line, Ryan Gralish came on for a 33-yard field goal, but his kick was no good and Lehigh took over at its own 20 yard line early in the fourth quarter.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Lehigh drove the ball inside the Lafayette 30. The Mountain Hawks went for it on 4th-and-9 and freshman linebacker Brandon Bryant came up with a sack to give the ball back to the Leopards.
On the ensuing drive, Scheuerman rushed the ball nine times to push the ball to the Lehigh 23-yard line. The drive stalled, but head coach Frank Tavani went for it on 4th-and-21 from Lehigh's 23-yard line. Zweizig found Matt Mrazek in the back corner of the end zone to seal the victory for the Leopards, 27-7.
Notes:
Scheuerman's 45 carries were one short of a Lafayette record, held by Erik Marsh in 1992 vs. Lehigh.
Zweizig made his first start since Sept. 21 vs. Penn. Quarterbacks Drew Reed and Blake Searfoss both missed the game with foot injuries.
Scheuerman eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in his career, totaling 1,191 yards on the season.
Scheuerman is now third in career rushing yards (3,504) and fourth in career touchdowns (31) in Lafayette history.
