The Patriot League always seems to have a team that stands out nationally and has the potential to throw a wrench into the FCS playoffs. Colgate had some special years in the first decade of the 2000s and knocked an FCS powerhouse — James Madison — out of the playoffs twice in the past decade.
Lehigh has won playoff games, as has Fordham. In more recent years, Holy Cross ascended to the top of the Patriot League under coach Bob Chesney, who accepted the head coaching job at James Madison during the offseason. Now the torch seems to have been passed on to Lafayette, as the Leopards have built something very special.
That’s one of the great things about the PL – the parity. The teams are generally pretty balanced, and from time to time one will rise up and beat a playoff team that many FCS faithful don’t expect them to beat. Just ask the CAA, the conference that has been the victim most often when matched up with its Northeastern U.S. FCS brethren.
Programs in the Patriot League don’t take a lot of transfers, as will be seen below. They recruit right out of high school, have high academic standards, and their all-conference players don’t just shine on the field, they graduate and go on to big things.
Here’s a look at how we view things happening this year.
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Preseason All-Americans
Lafayette (3) – RB Jamar Curtis (1st Team); OL Ryder Langsdale (2nd Team); DB Saiku White (2nd Team)
Teams Bringing In The Most D1 Transfers
Bucknell — 4 (4 FBS, 0 FCS)
Georgetown — 3 (3 FBS, 0 FCS)
Lehigh — 2 (2 FBS, 0 FCS)
Names To Know
TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Jamar Curtis, Lafayette RB — The Leopards have one of their strongest teams in years and Curtis is a big part of it. The junior was a finalist for last year’s Walter Payton Award, given to the top offensive threat in FCS football – all classes. He was also the team’s kickoff return man as a freshman in 2022. It’s hard to believe he has two years left. He finished last year with 1,460 yards and 15 TDs and added another 2 TDs and 164 yards receiving.
TOP DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Saiku White, Lafayette DB — White, who hails from talent-rich Georgia, became a mainstay for the dangerous Leopards last fall and is expected to be a key part of what looks like a 2024 powerhouse at the Pennsylvania school. The senior strong safety became a team leader and picked up postseason honors, and Draft Scout lists him as one of the top strong safety prospects in the FCS. White finished the 2023 season with 77 tackles, 4 INTs, 8 passes defensed, and 5.5 tackles for loss.
TOP NFL PROSPECT: James Conway, Fordham ILB — Conway may be playing football in New York City for the Rams, but he’s a Nebraska native. It turns out he was the perfect fit for the Patriot League as he set a freshman record at Fordham with 131 tackles in 2021. He comes into 2024 with 386 career tackles – good for third all-time on the school list. The senior had 12 solo tackles with a TFL and a fumble recovery in the Rams’ win over FBS Buffalo. Keep an eye on Lehigh’s Mike DeNucci, too. The inside linebacker had 129 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles last year, and is one of the most highly regarded prospects in the Patriot League, at any position.
HERO Sports’ Predicted Order of Finish
1. Lafayette
2. Fordham
3. Holy Cross
4. Colgate
5. Lehigh
6. Georgetown
7. Bucknell
Lafayette is the clear-cut favorite in 2024, which is a contrast to last year when the Leopards rose up and surprised people – winning the conference and making the FCS playoffs. Last year, Holy Cross was supposed to dominate, but this year the unanimous No. 1 is Lafayette.
So why is the perch so high for the Leopards? One need look no further than the preseason All-Patriot League team the conference put together by vote. The Leopards feature a first-team QB (Soph. Dean DeNobile), RB (Jr. Jamar Curtis), WR (Jr. Eli Steward), and TE (Jr. Dallas Holmes). Couple that offensive firepower with two first-team offensive linemen in Sr. Ryder Langsdale and Brian Baucia and you can already tell that scoring points is going to be something to be expected in Easton, Pa.
The defense has eight starters back and three first-teamers in Soph./DL Jaylon Joseph, Sr./DB A.T. Ntantang, and one of the Patriot League’s top players in Sr./DB Saiku White. Statistically, the Leopards led the league in team defense (23.3 ppg.), while being particularly stingy against the run – posting a Patriot-best 123.1 yards allowed per game, a number that no other team came close to.
The real debate is – who is next? Who is the No. 2 team, preseason-wise? Take your pick, it is either a rising Fordham program or the most consistent team since COVID – Holy Cross.
We are going with Fordham – by a hair. With 3,000-yard passer C.J. Montes back at quarterback, they have a great player to start with under center. Then when you get to the defense, you realize that may actually be the best side of the ball. Standouts Sr./DL Matt Jaworski and Sr./LB James Conway are quite the tandem returning, and they are joined by fellow preseason first-teamers Claudy Robinson and Nahlil Perkins.
Holy Cross will still have its aura of recent success but will have a new coach in place and will certainly be revamping some. Graduation and key transfers will have the Crusaders rebuilding a bit but make no mistake – this is still a serious contender because the players who return to this program aren’t accustomed to losing much.
That is the clear top three, and it is hard to see the next four teams beating any of the top three this year, to be honest. But the exact order of No. 4 through No. 7? That’s a key debate. Georgetown played stingy defense last year and has recruited well for years, Colgate actually knocked off league champions Lafayette, Fordham, and Lehigh to finish strong last year on a three-game win streak, but curiously handed Bucknell its lone Patriot win. Lehigh is rebuilding some, as is Bucknell.
No matter what, this should be an exciting season to see what happens in the Patriot League. Expect the unexpected and enjoy a true form of college football.
