The dream’s not dead, but it’s hanging by a thread.

After a tough 10-7 loss to Lehigh last weekend, there’s a three-way tie atop the Patriot League with two weeks left, but the Crusaders are going to need some breaks to go their way if they want to claim a share of a sixth straight league title.

But, before there’s any more playoff talk, at 4-6 overall and 3-1 in the Patriot League, Holy Cross can’t look ahead.

Throughout the year, head coach Dan Curran has preached going 1-0 each week and preparing that way. Now, it’s as true as ever. Bucknell is the only thing anyone in purple has been thinking about this week. A loss would all but end any shot Curran’s crew has of making the FCS postseason even before the team kicks off at Georgetown to end the season next Saturday.

All eyes and thoughts are on figuring out a way to beat Bucknell (5-5, 3-1) in the 2024 Fitton Field season finale.

“Looking to bounce back this week in a big way,” Curran said during his weekly Zoom call with the media. “Obviously, we’re currently in a three-way tie for first. The goal for this group every week has been ‘let’s get better,’ ‘let’s find a way a way to go 1-0.’ It’s going to be a pivotal one this weekend against a Bucknell team that’s playing with some confidence coming off a big win.

“We expect to be at our very best on Saturday. These guys have responded all year long and I expect them to do the same thing again this week as well.”

The question now becomes. is it harder for players to receive and apply that message knowing the Crusaders no longer control their own fate?

“It’s funny, it’s gotten to the point now where we obviously want to be consistent as a staff that we’re reinforcing a consistent message, but it’s at the point now we’re it’s almost on autopilot,” said Curran. “The kids have bought into it, they’ve embraced it. They had a great week of preparation last week, a really physical week of practice. They came out flying, they just weren’t able to execute against a good team well enough to pull that one out.

“But, I fully expect them to have another great week of preparation. They’ve really embraced that. It’s become part of our culture and part of our program’s identity, so…certainly, we’ve got to be consistent with our message, but they’re the ones that are reinforcing it now. It starts in the locker room. Really proud of those guys and their buy-in. I expect to have a really good performance on Saturday against a good Bucknell team.”

Not only is it an important day, but it’ll be the last time this group of seniors walks out onto Fitton Field.

While Curran hasn’t been with them their whole career, they’ve had quite an impact on him during this transition into the new role.

“There’s no question. I had an impression about what it would be like to coach here and the type of kids you have an opportunity to work with,” he added. “Coming in here, it exceeded my expectations. Just their buy-in and how much they care about one another, how much they care about this place. I think that starts with the older group. Those seniors have done a good job. They weren’t recruited by this staff. They weren’t coached for a majority of their careers by this staff, but their buy-in has been tremendous. Their willingness to be coached up and develop and get better.

“I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done. We’ve still got a lot more football left and I know they know that too. I full expect them to have a great performance as a senior class on Saturday. We want to send them out the right way at Fitton. This is their last opportunity to be on their home field and be at Fitton where they have so many great memories. We want the last one to be a good one.

“It’s certainly a pivotal one for this team and this program,. but it is important for this senior class to go out the right way and I know the whole program is motivated to send them out on a good note.”