2021 Holy Cross Crusaders football team

American college football season

2021 Holy Cross Crusaders football

Patriot League champion
NCAA Division I Second Round, L 16–21 vs. Villanova
Conference	Patriot League
Ranking
STATS	No. 19
FCS Coaches	No. 22
Record	10–3 (6–0 Patriot)
Head coach	Bob Chesney (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	Justin Roper (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Scott James (4th season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Fitton Field
Seasons← 2020 2022 →

2021 Patriot League football standings
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
No. 19 Holy Cross $^	6	–	0	10	–	3
Colgate	5	–	1	5	–	6
Fordham	4	–	2	6	–	5
Lehigh	3	–	3	3	–	8
Lafayette	2	–	4	3	–	8
Georgetown	1	–	5	2	–	8
Bucknell	0	–	6	1	–	10

$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2021 Holy Cross Crusaders football team represented the College of the Holy Cross as a member of the Patriot League during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Bob Chesney, Holy Cross compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 6–0 in conference play, winning the Patriot League title. The Crusaders advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where they beat Sacred Heart in the first round before losing to Villanova in the second round. They played their home games at Fitton Field in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 4	12:00 p.m.	at UConn*		Rentschler Field East Hartford, CT	CBSSN	W 38–28	18,782
September 11	2:00 p.m.	Merrimack*	No. 24	Fitton Field Worcester, MA	ESPN+	L 21–35	8,211
September 18	12:00 p.m.	at Yale*		Yale Bowl New Haven, CT	ESPN+	W 20–17	3,987
September 25	1:00 p.m.	at No. 20 Monmouth*		Kessler Stadium West Long Branch, NJ	ESPN+	W 45–15	4,235
October 2	1:30 p.m.	Harvard*		Fitton Field Worcester, MA	Spectrum News 1	L 13–38	10,023
October 16	1:30 p.m.	Georgetown		Fitton Field Worcester, MA	ESPN+	W 48–14	4,518
October 23	5:00 p.m.	Colgate		Polar Park Worcester, MA	Spectrum News 1	W 42–10	9,508
October 30	12:00 p.m.	at Lehigh		Goodman Stadium Bethlehem, PA	ESPN+	W 31–12	3,211
November 6	12:30 p.m.	Lafayette		Fitton Field Worcester, MA	ESPN+	W 35–10	6,514
November 13	1:00 p.m.	at Fordham		Coffey Field Bronx, NY	ESPN+	W 52–24	3,265
November 20	1:00 p.m.	at Bucknell		Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA		W 45–6	864
November 27	12:00 p.m.	Sacred Heart*	No. 24	Fitton Field Worcester, MA (FCS Playoffs First Round)	ESPN+	W 13–10	4,163
December 3	7:00 p.m.	at No. 6 Villanova*	No. 24	Villanova Stadium Philadelphia, PA (FCS Playoffs Second Round)	ESPN+	L 16–21	5,109
*Non-conference game Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Rankings

Further information: 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings

Ranking movements
**Legend:** ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below
	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Final
STATS	RV	24	RV	—	RV	—	—	—	RV	—	RV	RV	24	19
FCS Coaches	RV	RV	—	RV	24т	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	24	22

Game summaries

At UConn

See also: 2021 UConn Huskies football team Holy Cross Crusaders at UConn Huskies – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Crusaders	7	17	7	7	38
Huskies	14	7	7	0	28

at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Connecticut

Date: September 4
Game time: 12:00 p.m.
Game weather: Sunny, 79 °F (26 °C)
Game attendance: 18,782
Referee: Jeff Pruitt
TV announcers (CBSSN): Ed Cohen (play-by-play), Ross Tucker (color), and Tina Cervasio (sideline)
Box score, Recap

Game information
First quarter HC – Matthew Sluka 6-yard run (Derek Ng kick), 10:36. Crusaders 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:21. CONN – Keelan Marion 50-yard pass from Jack Zergiotis (Joe McFadden kick), 4:23. Tied 7–7. Drive: 2 plays, 61 yards, 0:29. CONN – Jack Zergiotis 1-yard run (Joe McFadden kick), 2:22. Huskies 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 2 yards, 1:13. Second quarter HC – Jason Modak 29-yard interception return (Derek Ng kick), 14:44. Tied 14–14. HC – Ayir Asante 24-yard pass from Matthew Sluka (Derek Ng kick), 6:54. Crusaders 21–14. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 1:47. CONN – Keelan Marion 3-yard pass from Jack Zergiotis (Joe McFadden kick), 2:57. Tied 21–21. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 3:57. HC – Derek Ng 30-yard field goal, 0:03. Crusaders 24–21. Drive: 11 plays, 62 yards, 2:54. Third quarter HC – Tyler Purdy 3-yard pass from Matthew Sluka (Derek Ng kick), 6:43. Crusaders 31–21. Drive: 6 plays, 47 yards, 2:39. CONN – Jayce Medlock 8-yard pass from Jack Zergiotis (Joe McFadden kick), 3:18. Crusaders 31–28. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 3:25. Fourth quarter HC – Tyler Purdy 14-yard run (Derek Ng kick), 8:19. Crusaders 38–28. Drive: 4 plays, 98 yards, 2:06.

Game information

First quarter

HC – Matthew Sluka 6-yard run (Derek Ng kick), 10:36. Crusaders 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:21.
CONN – Keelan Marion 50-yard pass from Jack Zergiotis (Joe McFadden kick), 4:23. Tied 7–7. Drive: 2 plays, 61 yards, 0:29.
CONN – Jack Zergiotis 1-yard run (Joe McFadden kick), 2:22. Huskies 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 2 yards, 1:13.

Second quarter

HC – Jason Modak 29-yard interception return (Derek Ng kick), 14:44. Tied 14–14.
HC – Ayir Asante 24-yard pass from Matthew Sluka (Derek Ng kick), 6:54. Crusaders 21–14. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 1:47.
CONN – Keelan Marion 3-yard pass from Jack Zergiotis (Joe McFadden kick), 2:57. Tied 21–21. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 3:57.
HC – Derek Ng 30-yard field goal, 0:03. Crusaders 24–21. Drive: 11 plays, 62 yards, 2:54.

Third quarter

HC – Tyler Purdy 3-yard pass from Matthew Sluka (Derek Ng kick), 6:43. Crusaders 31–21. Drive: 6 plays, 47 yards, 2:39.
CONN – Jayce Medlock 8-yard pass from Jack Zergiotis (Joe McFadden kick), 3:18. Crusaders 31–28. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 3:25.

Fourth quarter

HC – Tyler Purdy 14-yard run (Derek Ng kick), 8:19. Crusaders 38–28. Drive: 4 plays, 98 yards, 2:06.

Statistics	HC	CONN
First downs	19	18
Total yards	363	262
Rushing yards	226	88
Passing yards	137	174
Turnovers	1	4
Time of possession	33:13	26:47

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Holy Cross	Passing	Matthew Sluka	9/16, 140 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Matthew Sluka	14 rushes, 112 yards, TD
	Receiving	Jalen Coker	4 receptions, 75 yards
UConn	Passing	Jack Zergiotis	17/41, 174 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
	Rushing	Kevin Mensah	21 rushes, 66 yards
	Receiving	Keelan Marion	3 receptions, 60 yards, 2 TD

This was the Crusaders' first win over an FBS opponent since 2002.

References

"2021 Holy Cross Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved March 15, 2021.

v t e Holy Cross Crusaders football
Venues	Worcester College Grounds (1896–1902) Worcester Oval (1897–1902) Fitton Field (1903–present)
Bowls & rivalries	1946 Orange Bowl Boston College Fordham: Ram–Crusader Cup Sacred Cod Trophy
Culture & lore	The Crusader "Chu! Chu! Rah! Rah!" Holy Cross Goodtime Marching Band 2021 Patriot League Football Championship Game
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Patriot League football champions
Holy Cross (1986) Holy Cross (1987) Lafayette (1988) Holy Cross (1989) Holy Cross (1990) Holy Cross (1991) Lafayette (1992) Lehigh (1993) Lafayette (1994) Lehigh (1995) Bucknell (1996) Colgate (1997) Lehigh (1998) Colgate & Lehigh (1999) Lehigh (2000) Lehigh (2001) Colgate & Fordham (2002) Colgate (2003) Lafayette & Lehigh (2004) Colgate & Lafayette (2005) Lafayette & Lehigh (2006) Fordham (2007) Colgate (2008) Holy Cross (2009) Lehigh (2010) Lehigh (2011) Colgate (2012) Lafayette (2013) Fordham (2014) Colgate (2015) Lehigh (2016) Colgate & Lehigh (2017) Colgate (2018) Holy Cross (2019) Holy Cross (2020) Holy Cross (2021) Holy Cross (2022) Holy Cross & Lafayette (2023) Holy Cross & Lehigh (2024)

Patriot League football champions

Holy Cross (1986)
Holy Cross (1987)
Lafayette (1988)
Holy Cross (1989)
Holy Cross (1990)
Holy Cross (1991)
Lafayette (1992)
Lehigh (1993)
Lafayette (1994)
Lehigh (1995)
Bucknell (1996)
Colgate (1997)
Lehigh (1998)
Colgate & Lehigh (1999)
Lehigh (2000)
Lehigh (2001)
Colgate & Fordham (2002)
Colgate (2003)
Lafayette & Lehigh (2004)
Colgate & Lafayette (2005)
Lafayette & Lehigh (2006)
Fordham (2007)
Colgate (2008)
Holy Cross (2009)
Lehigh (2010)
Lehigh (2011)
Colgate (2012)
Lafayette (2013)
Fordham (2014)
Colgate (2015)
Lehigh (2016)
Colgate & Lehigh (2017)
Colgate (2018)
Holy Cross (2019)
Holy Cross (2020)
Holy Cross (2021)
Holy Cross (2022)
Holy Cross & Lafayette (2023)
Holy Cross & Lehigh (2024)

v t e 2021 NCAA Division I FCS playoff participants
Davidson East Tennessee State Eastern Washington Florida A&M Holy Cross Incarnate Word James Madison Kennesaw State Missouri State Montana Montana State North Dakota State Northern Iowa Sacramento State Sacred Heart Sam Houston South Dakota South Dakota State Southeastern Louisiana Southern Illinois Stephen F. Austin UC Davis UT Martin Villanova
Champion – North Dakota State

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