Six different players found the endzone for the football team in an offensive clinic against Colgate University on Saturday, claiming an explosive 59-42 victory at Fisher Stadium. With the win, the Leopards have surpassed their win total from 2024 and landed No. 25 in the FCS Coaches Poll.
Junior running back Kente Edwards cashed in multiple touchdowns for the fifth time this season, scoring three while managing a career-high 260 yards on the ground.
“I’m just glad to be back out there with my teammates and just come away with the win,” he said.
Edwards churned out 69 of those yards on the Leopards’ (5-0 Patriot League, 7-3 overall) opening possession to push the ball down the Raiders’ (2-3 Patriot League, 4-6 overall) throat. Senior quarterback Dean DeNobile connected with junior tight end Ethan Hosak in the flat for a three-yard touchdown to strike first.
The Maroon and White relied on Edwards to march down the field again two drives later, who scored from 29 yards out to make it a 14-0 game.
“It’s absolutely amazing to see what they’ve done so far all season,” Edwards said about the Leopards’ offensive line. “Seeing those holes always open up, it’s a great feeling.”
Colgate pulled through to tie the game at the start of the second quarter, using a 34-yard passing touchdown and taking advantage of a DeNobile interception to drive 25 yards and make it 14-all.
Junior wide receiver Carson Persing crafted a response to the Raiders’ run, beating his defender on a double move to find an open lane to the endzone. The 29-yard touchdown capped off a nine-play, 75-yard drive to take back the lead. Five minutes later, however, Colgate clapped back to tie the contest at 21.
The Leopards scored 17 points in the final four minutes of the first half to pull away. DeNobile connected on another long ball, this time finding freshman wide receiver Zane Woolridge on a 39-yard touchdown.
Colgate approached midfield on its next possession, but junior defensive back Avery Jones disguised his coverage underneath to produce the interception and returned it to the Raiders’ 34-yard line. Five plays later, Edwards bulldozed in from six yards to extend the lead.
Jones, who switched from wide receiver this offseason, was “praying all week” for his first collegiate interception.
“We gave him a different look, thinking we were in man and then dropping back into zone,” Jones said. “I’ve been telling my teammates all week I was due for one.”
The Raiders looked to reverse the damage in the waning moments of the quarter, but were met with the same fate as Jones picked the quarterback off again to set up junior kicker Jack Simonetta with a career-long 49-yard field goal as time expired, setting the halftime tally at 38-21.
“Second one more came down to film study,” Jones said. “We knew what they were going to do route-wise.”
Each team scored three touchdowns in the second half as the Leopards held onto their lead.
DeNobile passed for his fourth score of the day in the third quarter, finding sophomore wide receiver Mason Kuehner on a 19-yard back shoulder fade. Edwards completed his hat trick in the fourth, breaking one tackle before going 49 yards untouched for the score. Junior wide receiver Shaun Purvy capped off the fireworks with a 26-yard touchdown from junior quarterback Daniel Lipovski.
Edwards’ performance snagged him his fifth Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week nod of 2025. Simonetta’s career-long and perfect eight-for-eight on extra points also garnered him Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
The Leopards will travel to Richmond University (3-3 Patriot League, 6-4 overall) on Saturday, facing off as Patriot League opponents for the first time.
“We’ve gotta be physical at the point of attack,” Jones said. “They have some pretty big backs, so stopping the run is going to be crucial.”