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I have been writing my blog for almost seven years and the last time I wrote about a Lafayette football team being in first place in the Patriot League was way back in 2013. They won the championship that year. It was their last.
In fact, since that championship season, Lafayette has gone 11-22 in the League and has not had a League-winning record since. And after an 0-7 start to this season, it would be safe to say no one expected they would put themselves in a position to win the Patriot League championship.
But that is exactly where they are. They are 3-1 in the League, the same record as Holy Cross. This past weekend, the Leopards beat Holy Cross by a 23-20 score. Thus, they now hold the tiebreaker should both teams end with the same PL record.
Lafayette has two games remaining – Colgate and Lehigh. Win both and Lafayette is the champion. However, there is a sports adjective to describe the upcoming game with the Raiders of Colgate – it is called a “trap game”. This game is the absolute definition of that term:
“A trap game in college football is loosely defined as a game against a lesser opponent that is sandwiched between or directly before a ‘big-time’ game such as against a rival or highly ranked opponent.”
The only shot to a championship for Lafayette started this past week by playing the team that was in first place – Holy Cross. Therefore, that was the epitome of a “big game”. After Colgate, comes the 155th game between Lafayette and Lehigh. That game is ALWAYS on the minds of both teams. After all, it is college football’s most played rivalry. Lehigh has won the last four games, so I suppose it is just human nature to constantly be thinking about your arch rival. There is a countdown clock in the Lafayette locker room that starts the first day of practice denoting when the Lafayette-Lehigh game will begin.
Now you see why Colgate becomes a possible “trap game” – a huge win last week; an even bigger game next week. The problem here is the term “lesser opponent”. You see, Colgate also started 0-7 this year. They were chosen to win the Patriot League before the season started. In fact, their quarterback was chosen as the pre-season PL offensive player of the year. They seem to finally be playing at the level most felt they would, having won three of their last four games. And they have won four straight over Lafayette by a combined scoring total of 138-36; 72-0 the last two years.
Kickoff for the “trap game” is 12:30PM this coming Saturday at Lafayette. Let’s hope the Leopards are not thinking about the game in Bethlehem the following week.
No matter, it is fun to write once again – Lafayette is atop the Patriot League in the football standings. It has been a long time!
ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
- With sports betting now legal in many states, it is interesting to see how an NFL weekend outcome affects the payouts. It is estimated that 90% of all bets placed on the Chiefs–Titans game were placed on the Chiefs. The Titans won the game 35-32 after the Chiefs’ tying field goal was blocked with no time left. It was estimated the bookies won $10 million on the outcome. With all the upsets on Sunday, it was a good day to be a legal bookie. One bettor in New Jersey, however, put $440,000 on the Titans to win. That same person also bet $440,000 on Tampa Bay and $420,000 on the Browns. Both those bets were winners, too. Oh, my!
- And lest you think the NFL reigns when it comes to betting, more money was bet on LSU–Alabama than any NFL game. Alabama was a 2-1 favorite to win the game so most fans put their money on LSU. LSU won 46-41 in a thriller. LSU and Ohio State are now 2-1 favorites to win the national championship.
- It does not appear Saquon Barkley is fully recovered from his high ankle sprain. In the last two games, he has gained a total of 29 yards, with just one yard coming on 13 carries this past week against the Jets.
- If NBA basketball is beginning to show up on your radar, please note that after a 5-0 start, the 76ers lost three in a row. Ben Simmons is banged up and Joel Embiid was suspended. Right now, they are barely one of the top 10 teams in the league.
- District XI championships will be decided this week on RCN-TV. Friday night features Parkland taking on Nazareth for the 6A championship. Nazareth last won a District title in 2011 and Parkland won the next six straight before Freedom won last year. On Saturday, at 7:00pm it’s the 4A final with Central Catholic traveling to Northern Lehigh to take on Pottsville. Saturday afternoon at 12:30pm, Lafayette entertains Colgate on RCN-TV. See the blog.
GARY’S GUESSES (LAST WEEK – 5-8) (YEAR-TO-DATE) – 98-48-1 (67%)
