Idaho Vandals host Lehigh in second round of FCS playoffs at Kibbie Dome | Vandals from Idaho

MOSCOW, Idaho – The No. 8 seed Idaho Vandals spent Thanksgiving week preparing for their second-round FCS playoff match – but they didn’t know which team they would face. Now they do.

The Lehigh Mountain Hawks upset No. 9 seed Richmond on the road Saturday afternoon, winning 20-16. The Spiders entered the race as 12.5-point favorites, but Lehigh scored two touchdowns in the final 10 1/2 minutes to secure the comeback victory.

In the win over Richmond, Lehigh quarterback Hayden Johnson went 14 of 18 for 199 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Running back Jaden Green rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, while wide receiver Geoffrey Jamiel had 10 catches for 137 yards and a score.

Lehigh’s defense held Richmond without a touchdown until the fourth quarter, limiting the Spiders to three first-half field goals.

The Mountain Hawks trailed 16-7 early in the fourth after Richmond scored the game’s only touchdown. On the next play from scrimmage, Green broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 16-14 with 10 1/2 minutes left. After forcing a three-pointer, Lehigh took the lead with a 56-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Jamiel.

The Spiders were stopped just short of midfield on their final drive. Richmond nearly caught a break when Lehigh’s Quanye Veney thwarted a punt at its own 14-yard line, but the Mountain Hawks recovered the loose ball and secured the win.

Lehigh received an automatic playoff bid after winning the Patriot League championship. The Mountain Hawks finished the regular season on a five-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents 338-231 in 11 games. Lehigh’s offense and defense both led the Patriot League in scoring and averaged 30.7 points per game while allowing 21 points per game in the regular season.

The no.

If Idaho defeats Lehigh, the Vandals will advance to the quarterfinals and face the winner of No. 1 seed Montana State vs. UT Martin.

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