2025 playoff prognostications

[97spiderfan]

10 years ago, we were beating conference rival JMU at their home field on ESPN College Game Day. Now we are watching them go to the FBS college football playoffs with transfers from our program, while we finished 3-4 in the Patriot league. How times have changed.

I think about this often, just the complete opposite trajectories of our respective programs. Obviously, JMU as a much larger, state school had the alumni base and finances to make this happen. We don't, but we could still make ourselves a top flight FCS school.

What JMU also has is an unquestioned commitment to field the absolutely best football program that they can. And they are bought in 100% from the BOT, to their President, alumni, and fanbase, working in sync to make that happen. That is how you go from a CAA school to playing in the FBS college playoffs.

Likewise, UR has not anything close to a commitment to field the best football program. We have no alignment from our BOT, President, AD, and alumni/fanbase. Hell, the former 3 barely even want to attempt to speak the alumni/fanbase.

This is why we are now in the Patriot League losing to teams like Bucknell and JMU gets to play Oregon this weekend in the FBS playoffs.

 

[whampas]

I think about this often, just the complete opposite trajectories of our respective programs. Obviously, JMU as a much larger, state school had the alumni base and finances to make this happen. We don't, but we could still make ourselves a top flight FCS school.

What JMU also has is an unquestioned commitment to field the absolutely best football program that they can. And they are bought in 100% from the BOT, to their President, alumni, and fanbase, working in sync to make that happen. That is how you go from a CAA school to playing in the FBS college playoffs.

Likewise, UR has not anything close to a commitment to field the best football program. We have no alignment from our BOT, President, AD, and alumni/fanbase. Hell, the former 3 barely even want to attempt to speak the alumni/fanbase.

This is why we are now in the Patriot League losing to teams like Bucknell and JMU gets to play Oregon this weekend in the FBS playoffs.

Administration at Richmond picked basketball but Mooney is no Chesney. And though I'm actually happy for JMU, they don't belong and will probably be forever used as an example of why group of 5 don't belong. But maybe they'll shock the world. JMU north is the number 1 seed.

 

[LU808]

Coach Cahill is the total package. Hoping he will remain at Lehigh and maintain the level of quality he has built there. Attended our game there this year and loved the stadium, surrounding area with a great downtown for food and drinks and most importantly a solid fan base that welcomed us as new competitors. I am now excited about our move to the Patriot League and know in this NIL environment we are in the best place for our football program. I was totally against this move but now see that I was wrong and our administration got it right.

Lehigh University Murray H. Goodman '48 Dean of Athletics Jeremy Gibson has announced that Vandergrift Family Head Football Coach Kevin Cahill has agreed to a multi-year contract extension.

Cahill recently completed his third season leading the Mountain Hawks, earning the 2025 Eddie Robinson Award winner as the National FCS Coach of the Year. In just three years, Cahill has overseen the resurgence of Lehigh football, turning a 2-9 program into a 9-4 Patriot League champion in just his second season; and then guiding the Mountain Hawks to a record-setting 12-1 campaign in 2025.

Under Cahill's leadership, Lehigh has now won back-to-back Patriot League titles, giving the Mountain Hawks a league-best 14 football championships. Lehigh reached the second round of the FCS playoffs in consecutive years, with the 2024 squad winning at Richmond for the program's first playoff win since 2011, and this year's squad earning the No. 5 seed in the FCS playoffs, as nearly 9,000 fans packed Goodman Stadium Saturday for Lehigh's first home playoff game in 21 years.

In three seasons, Cahill has established The Nest at Lehigh and successfully built a student athlete-led program that focuses on "process" over "outcome" while reestablishing a championship culture that has made Lehigh the most successful program in Patriot League football.

"In addition to all that Kevin has done to build a successful football program on the field, what has impressed me most is that Kevin is so clearly an educator and mentor," said Lehigh University President Joseph J. Helble '82. "He has become a deeply connected member of the campus community, helping all students feel a part of Lehigh and connected to Lehigh Athletics. This extension and Kevin's continuing commitment to our student-athletes is wonderful not just for Lehigh football, but equally for Lehigh University."

"What Kevin has accomplished in his first three seasons at Lehigh is remarkable, culminating in an undefeated regular season and the well-deserved honor of the Eddie Robinson Award," Gibson said. "He has restored Lehigh football's winning tradition, delivering our first playoff victory since 2011 and giving our community a historic home playoff atmosphere this past weekend. Beyond the competitive success his teams have experienced, Kevin is an outstanding educator who values Lehigh's mission of developing true scholar-athletes. I look forward to working with him and his outstanding staff build upon this incredible momentum."

"I want to acknowledge President Joseph Helble and thank Dean of Athletics Jeremy Gibson for providing this special opportunity," Cahill said. "The strength of our program lies in the direct alignment between the vision for Lehigh football and the vision for Lehigh University. This alignment is key to our future success. I am deeply thankful to have the chance to continue growing and advancing Lehigh football."

YES - WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE FOUND A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH AND AN ADMINSTRATION WILLING TO REWARD SUCCESS.

Cahill was recognized as Patriot League Coach of the Year, the ECAC Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award in 2024. This year, with Lehigh posting a 12-0 regular season, its sixth undefeated regular season all-time, Cahill was named Region 1 Coach of the Year by the AFCA and was honored for leading the newly-rebranded Dick Biddle Patriot League Coaching Staff of the Year.

Last week, Cahill was announced as the recipient of the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the top head coach in the FCS. He became the second Lehigh head coach to win the Eddie Robinson Award, joining Pete Lembo, who received the award in 2001.

Lehigh recently announced the endowment of its football head coaching position. A commitment made through the lead gift from Andy '79 and Marybeth Vandergrift for $2.5 million will support the head coach and be formally named the Vandergrift Family Head Football Coach.

In his first three seasons, Cahill has mentored 27 All-Patriot League selections, including the league's Offensive Player of the Year (Luke Yoder) and Defensive Player of the Year (Tyler Ochojski) in 2025.

Lehigh's 12 victories in 2025 match the program record for wins in a season, shared with the 1977, 1998 and 2000 squads, while its 12-game winning streak ties the longest in-season winning streak in school history. The Mountain Hawks have won 17 consecutive regular season games dating back to the 2024 season, the longest active streak in the FCS.

 

[Gallipoli]

But he didn't win the one that counted.

 

[72Spider]

I think about this often, just the complete opposite trajectories of our respective programs. Obviously, JMU as a much larger, state school had the alumni base and finances to make this happen. We don't, but we could still make ourselves a top flight FCS school.

What JMU also has is an unquestioned commitment to field the absolutely best football program that they can. And they are bought in 100% from the BOT, to their President, alumni, and fanbase, working in sync to make that happen. That is how you go from a CAA school to playing in the FBS college playoffs.

Likewise, UR has not anything close to a commitment to field the best football program. We have no alignment from our BOT, President, AD, and alumni/fanbase. Hell, the former 3 barely even want to attempt to speak the alumni/fanbase.

This is why we are now in the Patriot League losing to teams like Bucknell and JMU gets to play Oregon this weekend in the FBS playoffs.

True. Their university did make that commitment but on the backs of the students. Over four years the students (through their student loans) will pay over $10,000 just to support the athletics program. JMU has no endowment to speak of, and their donations from alums is rather small, and relies pretty much on tuition and fees.

 

[RichmondNative]

True. Their university did make that commitment but on the backs of the students. Over four years the students (through their student loans) will pay over $10,000 just to support the athletics program. JMU has no endowment to speak of, and their donations from alums is rather small, and relies pretty much on tuition and fees.

The use of student fees to pay for athletics is an abuse in my opinion. How that practice ever got approved would be an interesting story.

 

[ncspiderfan]

Coach Cahill is the total package. Hoping he will remain at Lehigh and maintain the level of quality he has built there. Attended our game there this year and loved the stadium, surrounding area with a great downtown for food and drinks and most importantly a solid fan base that welcomed us as new competitors. I am now excited about our move to the Patriot League and know in this NIL environment we are in the best place for our football program. I was totally against this move but now see that I was wrong and our administration got it right.

That bitter pill I swallowed was tough going down but it did make me agree with you about the move now that the dust seems to have settled.
CAA still has some good programs but hoping you might get to play them versus knowing you are playing the best in conference every year should get team more prepared come playoff time.

Let's hope the transfer bug gets stepped on and we can begin to hold the players the coaches are finding. I am curious what kind of moves happen in portal coming to the Spiders roster. The change from taking 18-19 HS recruits down to 14 this year might well be a change in Huesman's style. I seem to remember him saying in past he wanted to build via redshirting and development. If he is going to lose a year or two of weight room development and experience, maybe he has decided to at least get it back via portal. Time will tell.