FROM THE MORNING CALL
DES MOINES, Iowa — —
Lehigh's football team started fast and — after a rough patch — finished with authority Saturday night at Drake.
The Mountain Hawks scored on their first two possessions and built a 21-0 halftime lead, but needed a late flourish to finish off the host Bulldogs, 28-14, in the season opener for both teams.
Senior tailback Jay Campbell, who didn't score a touchdown all last season, tallied three for Lehigh which made sure it avoided any resemblance to last season's 0-4 start.
After the Mountain Hawks' defense got a three-and-out on Drake's first possession, Lehigh went 69 yards and got on the board via Campbell's 2-yard scoring run.
The Patriot League members then went 80 yards the next time it had the ball and Campball capped it off with a 3-yard TD run.
Lehigh, which has now won six straight season openers on the road, stretched the advantage to 21-0 on junior quarterback Chris Lum's 23-yard touchdown pass to Jim Thorpe graduate Craig Zurn with 10:40 left in the first half.
But Drake rallied with touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters and had a chance to get even closer after Lehigh failed to cover the ball on a kickoff return in the fourth period.
The Bulldogs had a first down on the Mountain Hawks 22, but Lehigh's 305-pound senior nose guard David Brown came up with a sack on fourth down to end the threat.
Lehigh took over at its 24 with 6:40 remaining and put together its best drive of the second half to get the clinching score.
It came on Campbell's 29-yard burst with 4:10 left.
Lehigh then got a turnover on Drake's next possession and was to run out the clock over the final 2:19.
Lum, who was named the starter at quarterback after a heated battle throughout the spring and summer, showed why he won the job in the first half when he completed 16 of 23 passes for 217 yards. Lehigh held a 277-37 yards in offense in the first half.
Things turned around after intermission, however, and penalties proved especially costly for the Mountain Hawks, who were flagged for 110 yards overall — 90 in the second half.
Lehigh will play its home opener on Sept. 11 against defending Football Championship Subdivision champ Villanova.
The Wildcats were ranked No. 1 in the country in FCS polls before losing its season opener to Temple 31-24 on Friday night.
http://www.mcall.com/sports/college/mc-lehigh-drake-football-0904-20100904,0,3058265.story
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