WORCESTER – Holy Cross earned a share of an unprecedented fifth straight Patriot League championship with a 31-10 FCS Rivalry Weekend victory over Georgetown on Saturday at Fitton Field.
The Crusaders completed at 7-4 total and 5-1 within the league to seize their eleventh title in program historical past, however the win over Georgetown didn’t safe an automated berth to the FCS playoffs.
Lafayette completed 8-2 and 5-1 with a win over Lehigh to clinch their share of the crown. The Leopards beat Holy Cross 38-35 through the common season and had been awarded the PL’s assured berth by the primary tiebreaker.
“To win our final game at Fitton Field was a huge accomplishment for this program,” mentioned fifth-year linebacker Jacob Dobbs. “Five in a row is extraordinarily onerous and no person has ever executed it in Patriot League historical past so we’re part of historical past.
“It is not the way we wanted it. But at the end of the day, we are going to be grateful for these kinds of moments in life.”
Holy Cross entered the sport ranked No. 25 with 24 groups awarded berths within the FCS playoffs by automated and at-large bids. The FCS choice committee will launch its playoff bracket on Sunday and the Crusaders are relying on energy of schedule to get an at-large bid from the sector of groups with seven wins.
Two of Holy Cross’ highway losses had been towards FBS opponents and each had been by three factors. Holy Cross fell to Boston College 31-28, a Power-5 convention program from the ACC, and at Army 17-14. Army is one in all 4 unbiased applications. The Crusaders’ different non-league loss was to Ivy League co-champion Harvard, which completed the season at 8-2.
“I think there has been enough that we have done and we are one of the only teams to play two FBS opponents,” mentioned Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney. “We got here shut and all people else we performed was a champion or within the championship recreation of their leagues.
“I hope that counts for something but time will tell. Does the committee look at us and say they played two FBS’s and lost by three points to those guys?”
Holy Cross rolled up 463 yards on offense on 62 performs with 340 gained within the floor. Senior quarterback Matt Sluka led the best way with 161 yards on 27 carries with two touchdowns whereas tailback Tyler Purdy added 106 on eight rushes. Sluka accomplished 7-of-14 for 123 yards and a landing.
Holy Cross went up 3-0 on a 21-yard area objective Luis Palenzuela on the finish of an 11-play, 61-yard, drive with 5:56 to play. The massive play was 37-yard connection from Sluka to senior extensive receiver Jalen Coker.
Holy Cross went up 10-0 on a six-play, 88-yard drive, that was arrange by a 50-yard run by Purdy to the Hoyas’ three. Sluka scored a keeper on the primary play of the second quarter, his eighth speeding landing of the season.
Georgetown obtained on the board with a 31-yard area objective by Patrick Ryan, however the Crusaders countered with a 16-yard landing cross from Sluka to Coker that made it 17-3 with 5:49 to play within the half. Sluka punched it in from the 5 with 33 seconds to play to place the Crusaders up 24-3 on the break. Holy Cross recorded 281 yards of offense within the half.
“To end it on a win was a humbling experience and the best way I could have written it out,” mentioned Sluka. “It is out of our hands at this point, so I’m going to spend some time with the guys and enjoy the moment and get ready for next week.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com