Chris Lum was recognized Thursday as one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the most outstanding player in the Football Championship Subdivision. On Saturday, the Lehigh quarterback looks to lead his team past Towson and into the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.
Lehigh (10-1) visits Towson (9-2) on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ESPN3, ESPN Gameplan) for a second round matchup. Both teams received byes in the first round.
Lum will be looking to extend a historic season. Through 11 games, the quarterback has completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,739 yards and 31 touchdowns. He has already established school records for yards and completions, and will be looking to break a tie for the school single-season touchdown passes on Saturday.
Lum passed for 300 or more yards in each of the first seven games of the season, and he has tied a Patriot League record with eight games of 300 yards passing or more. He tied a school record by throwing six touchdown passes during Lehigh's lone loss -- an overtime loss to New Hampshire -- and threw for 413 yards in an October win against Fordham.
Towson won just one game last season, but became the second Colonial Athletic Association team to go from worst to first in the conference. The Tigers have already beaten six nationally-ranked opponents.