Bucknell University
St Marys Ca
Bucknell Football Stifles St. Mary's, 38-6
9/29/2001 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 29, 2001
Box Score?|? Notes?|? Photo Gallery
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Jess Brinson rushed for two touchdowns and Bucknell's defense bottled up Division I-AA's top rushing team, as the Bison routed St. Mary's (Calif.) 38-6 before a Parents' Weekend crowd of 7,827 at Christy-Mathewson Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The Bison, playing at home for the first time in 2001, won their second straight and improved to 2-1. St. Mary's saw its two-game winning streak snapped and fell to 2-2.
The Gaels entered the contest leading the nation in rushing at 426.7 yards per game but managed only 108 on 48 carries (2.3 yards per carry) on Saturday. St. Mary's also committed five turnovers, leading to 21 Bucknell points, and the Gaels were held without a touchdown for the first time in 23 games.
A pair of short field goals from Eziquiel Arevalo staked the Gaels to a 6-0 second-quarter lead, but Bucknell rallied with 38 unanswered points. Jabu Powell's 7-yard touchdown run and Chris Lundberg's extra point with 2:20 remaining in the first half gave the Bison the lead for the first time.
In the final minute of the opening half, St. Mary's quarterback Gus Papanikolas fumbled after being sacked by Joe Massey, Eric Storm recovered for Bucknell, and four plays later Bison QB Todd Wenrich dove in from two yards out for a 14-6 lead with 15 seconds remaining.
Bison wide receiver Jim Horan made a diving grab for a 10-yard touchdown late in the third quarter, and Brinson's touchdown runs of 8 and 15 yards in the fourth provided insurance for Bucknell, which is now 7-0 in home openers under head coach Tom Gadd.
After completing only one of his first nine passes, Wenrich finished 13 of 30 for 198 yards and one interception. Papanikolas, the first of three St. Mary's quarterbacks, was just 3 of 10 for 79 yards and an interception.
St. Mary's struggled in the red zone in the opening half, twice settling for field goals after driving inside the 6-yard line and fumbling an option pitch at the Bucknell 13. Virgil Rush, Eric Storm, Anthony Lewis and Juan Morales all recovered fumbles for the Bison, while defensive tackle Gary Carruthers stuffed a screen pass for his first career interception.
Bucknell limited St. Mary's to only 92 total yards in the second half and out-gained the Gaels 357-223 on the day. Powell led all rushers with 66 yards on 21 carries, his first sub-100-yard game of the season. Brinson added 52 yards on 11 totes. Fullback Clint Wilson led the visitors with 46 yards on 16 rushes.
The game was the first on Mathewson Stadium's new FieldTurf. Norm Garrity '63 and his wife Mary Lou '64, who donated the funds for the turf, were honored in a special pre-game ceremony.
Bucknell hosts Towson in its Patriot League opener next Saturday, while St. Mary's hosts UC-Davis.
