Lehigh football stays perfect: 38–3 demolition of Holy Cross pushes Mountain Hawks to 10–0

Lehigh turned Senior Day into a statement. Behind a downhill rushing avalanche and a trio of explosive touchdown strikes, the Mountain Hawks crushed Holy Cross 38–3 at Goodman Stadium to move to 10–0 (5–0 Patriot League). The defense smothered, the ground game chewed up chunks, and the scoreboard told the rest: a contender hitting November with championship-caliber balance.

How Lehigh seized control early—and never let go

The blueprint was simple and ruthless: win first down, win the trenches, and force the Crusaders into obvious passing situations. Lehigh landed its first haymaker with a 29-yard TD pass midway through the opening quarter, then answered Holy Cross’s lone field goal with a 42-yard touchdown run minutes before halftime. Out of the break, the Hawks stacked points in bunches—field goal, 45-yard TD pass, 1-yard plunge, and an 11-yard scoring strike on the first snap of the fourth—turning a methodical lead into a runaway.

Key sequence: a 10-point burst inside two minutes of the third quarter that flipped game state from comfortable to out of reach. From there, the defense pinned its ears back and squeezed the clock.

The numbers behind the beatdown

• Total yards: Lehigh 518, Holy Cross 215

• Rushing yards: Lehigh 344 on 45 attempts (7.6 per carry)

• First downs: Lehigh 23, Holy Cross 9

• Time of possession: Lehigh 32:04

Backfield dominance: The Hawks’ feature back ripped off 142 yards and two touchdowns, including that 42-yard dagger before halftime. The quarterback added chunk gains on keepers and scrambles, and a second ball-carrier crossed the 80-yard mark as the line consistently won at the point of attack.

Efficient strikes through the air: The passing game needed only eight completions to produce three touchdowns, with explosives of 29 and 45 yards highlighting a vertical element that punished overcommitted run fits.

Red-zone ruthlessness: Five second-half possessions produced 24 points, a clinic in sequencing—run-run shot, quick-hitter off play-action, and goal-to-go power.

Defense: three and out, then lights out

Lehigh’s defense throttled Holy Cross to 3 points and under 200 yards of offense for most of the day, finishing with:

• 9 total first downs allowed

• 0.7 yards per rush conceded

• Multiple drive-killing sacks and negative plays that buried the visitors behind the chains

The front seven set the tone with penetration on early downs, allowing the secondary to sit on intermediate routes and contest windows. When the Crusaders did find a rhythm, situational stops—third-and-mediums and fringe field-goal territory—stiffened to preserve the rout.

Why this win matters in the Patriot League race

At 10–0 and 5–0 in league play, Lehigh retains clear control of the conference picture with road tests still to come. The manner of victory also matters in November: a trench-driven offense travels, and a defense that erases the run game shortens Saturdays. Stack those traits with explosive play capability, and the formula is built for postseason football.

Three indicators that translate beyond today:

1. Run-game floor: When you can line up and average 7+ per carry, weather, whistle, and venue matter less.

2. Explosive balance: Defenses that load the box pay immediately—today via touchdowns of 29 and 45 yards.

3. Situational mastery: Third-down defense and red-zone efficiency separated Lehigh when the game could have lingered.

What’s next for Lehigh football

The undefeated run enters its tightrope phase. With a road stretch and the rivalry game looming later this month, margins will compress and scouting reports will key even harder on Lehigh’s rushing staples. Expect counters: motion to out-leverage the edge, constraint plays off the power looks, and continued selective deep shots to keep safeties honest.

Watch list for the closing weeks

• Early-down success rate on offense: If Lehigh stays ahead of schedule, the full playbook remains live.

• Explosive rushes (10+ yards): The best tell that the line and backs are still dictating terms.

• Third-and-medium defense: Opponents chasing the game will live here; stops fuel separation.

• Ball security and penalties: November titles are often lost on hidden yards, not highlight plays.

However the next chapters unfold, Saturday delivered clarity. Lehigh football isn’t just unbeaten—it’s imposing its preferred game script, week after week, with a profile that scales to tougher environments. On a day meant to honor veterans in the program, the Mountain Hawks put together their most complete performance yet and kept perfection intact.