Villanova Ends Lehigh's Undefeated Season in Second Round of FCS Playoffs
- Billy Bauer
- Dec 7, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 15, 2025
It was a beautiful day for football in Bethlehem, PA as nearly 9,000 fans packed Goodman Stadium to watch Lehigh battle Villanova in the second round of the FCS playoffs. Unfortunately for the Mountain Hawks, their perfect season ended largely due to two costly fumbles- including one in the final minutes as Lehigh was moving in for a potential game-tying touchdown.
Lehigh opened strong, forcing a three-and-out and then driving the length of the field before being stopped just short for 6. Patriot League rushing leader Luke Yoder battled an early injury and later committed his first fumble of the season in the second quarter. In a defensive slugfest that went to halftime 0-0, those missed opportunities loomed large. Still, Yoder finished with over 7 yards per carry and 80 rushing yards.
Villanova broke through in the third, Lehigh answered to tie it 7-7, and both defenses tightened as the game moved into the fourth. Trailing 14-7 late, Hayden Johnson guided Lehigh on a determined final drive into the red zone, but was stripped on a QB run up the middle near the 15-yard line, ending the comeback.
A heartbreaking finish to a remarkable season, and give Villanova credit for forcing the biggest turnover of the game at the biggest moment. But all is not lost for Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks return a core of established starters, including QB Hayden Johnson and Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year RB Luke Yoder. In fact, Lehigh brings back over 80% of its 90-plus roster, setting the stage for another deep run in 2026. With Villanova joining the Patriot League next season, Lehigh certainly will have that game circled on the schedule.
