THE RFC MYC: Patriot League (FCS)

Patriot League (FCS)

Overview: There was a changing of the guard in the Patriot League in 2023, as the Lafayette Leopards leaped their way to the conference championship after finishing at 5-1 in league play, while also finishing the regular season at 9-2 overall. It was a five-win improvement from 2022 when the Leopards finished at 4-7.

The "Game Of The Year" in the Patriot League was played on October 21. That was when Lafayette knocked off then four-time defending champion Holy Cross 38-35 on the road. Although both teams finished league play at 5-1, it was the Leopards that earned the nod for the FCS playoffs automatic bid thanks to the win over the Crusaders. 

In the FCS playoffs, the Leopards gave the now FBS-bound University of Delaware Blue Hens all they could handle, before losing 36-34 in the first round. Lafayette finished the 2023 season at 9-3 overall after losing to Delaware.

Moving ahead to 2024, Lafayette will go into the upcoming season hoping to defend their first Patriot League title since 2013, as well as go for their second-straight nine-win season. Before 2023, the last time the Leopards finished a season with at least nine wins came in 1981, when Lafayette also finished at 9-2. 

As for Holy Cross, the Crusaders will start over under new head coach Dan Curran. Curran replaces Bob Chesney, who stepped down at the end of last season to become the head coach at James Madison. Holy Cross finished their 2023 campaign at 7-5 overall, falling short of advancing to postseason play after winning four straight Patriot League championships. 

Finally, as for the future, the Patriot League will gain one new football-playing member, as the University of Richmond Spiders will move there after spending almost two decades as a member of the CAA. The addition of Richmond will give the conference eight schools by the start of the 2025 season. 

2024 Schedules (Teams are listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to find the schedules)

NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, the team still needs to submit its schedule for the 2024 season. When the team's schedule becomes available, the link (s) will appear in each blog post. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and more.

Final 2023 Patriot League Football Standings

Bucknell

Colgate

Fordham

Georgetown (D.C.)

Holy Cross

Lafayette

Lehigh

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