EASTON, Pa. (Interstat) — Luke Yoder rushed for 234 yards and four touchdowns to power Lehigh to a 42-32 victory over rival Lafayette on Saturday at Fisher Stadium, capping a perfect regular season for the Mountain Hawks.

Lehigh, which entered the game as an underdog according to oddsmakers, finished the season 12-0, while Lafayette concluded its year at 8-4.

The game was a tale of two dominant ground attacks. While Yoder gashed the Leopards’ defense, Lafayette’s Kente Edwards was equally prolific, carrying the ball 41 times for 157 yards and three touchdowns. The duel between the star running backs lived up to its billing, but Lehigh’s explosive plays proved to be the difference.

After the teams traded first-quarter touchdowns, Lafayette took a 17-14 lead late in the second quarter on a 21-yard field goal from Jack Simonetta. The Leopards’ defense then intercepted Lehigh quarterback Hayden Johnson in the final minute of the half to preserve the three-point advantage.

The momentum shifted decisively in the third quarter. On the first play from scrimmage after halftime, Yoder broke free for an 80-yard touchdown run, giving Lehigh a lead it would not relinquish.

Lafayette answered with a methodical 15-play, 81-yard drive, capped by Edwards’ third rushing touchdown, to pull within 28-24. Lehigh responded immediately, with Yoder scoring his fourth touchdown on a 3-yard run to conclude the third quarter.

Johnson extended the Lehigh lead early in the fourth quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run, his second rushing score of the day. Johnson finished with 159 yards passing and a touchdown through the air to go with his 64 yards on the ground.

Lafayette mounted a final challenge, with quarterback Dean DeNobile leading a 76-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard Edwards touchdown run. A successful two-point conversion pass from Mason Kuehner brought the Leopards within 35-32 with 7:14 remaining.

Lehigh effectively sealed the game on its ensuing possession, embarking on a 10-play, 77-yard drive that consumed over five minutes of clock. Johnson’s 1-yard plunge with 1:53 left provided the final margin.

DeNobile was efficient in defeat, completing 26 of 37 passes for 275 yards and a touchdown. His top target was Mason Kuehner, who hauled in 11 catches for 99 yards.

The victory extends Lehigh’s winning streak in the most-played rivalry in college football and secures an undefeated season, defying pregame projections that favored the home team.