Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lafayette *
Bison Fall To Lafayette, 35-17
11/8/2003 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 8, 2003
EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette junior tailback Joe McCourt rushed 34 times for a career-high 209 yards and scored a career-best four touchdowns as the Leopards defeated Bucknell, 35-17, on Senior Day at Fisher Field.
The Bison, playing their seventh and final road game of the season, fell to 5-5 overall and 3-2 in the Patriot League. With Colgate remaining unbeaten in league play with a 17-10 win over Lehigh, Bucknell's title hopes officially came to an end, however the Bison remain in a third-place tie with Fordham in the league standings.
After forcing Bucknell to punt on its opening possession, Lafayette (4-5, 1-4) drove 67 yards in 10 plays with McCourt scoring from two yards out. Marko Glavic was 4-of-5 passing for 56 yards on the drive.
Following a Leopard punt, Bucknell's Ryan Korn connected on a 35-yard field goal to get the Bison on the board with 7:35 left in the first half.
The Leopards bumped the lead to 14-3 on McCourt's second score of the half, a two-yard run, just 1:49 before halftime. McCourt accounted for 64 of the 65 yards on the drive (57 rushing, seven receiving).
The Leopard defense forced a three-and-out on Bucknell's next possession and three Glavic completions moved the ball to the Bucknell 23 in the final minute. Mike Beatrice's 45-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the half came up short, and the Leopards took an 11-point lead into the locker room.
The second half began with three turnovers in the first four plays. Dante Ross intercepted Glavic's deep pass along the left sideline on the first play, but a bad pitch by Bucknell quarterback Daris Wilson was recovered by John-Frank Stubits two plays later. On Lafayette's next play, McCourt fumbled the ball back to Bucknell, with Kevin Ransome (12 tackles) recovering.
Bucknell again failed to capitalize on a Lafayette miscue and had to punt after three plays. Another Bison mistake this time proved fatal. A bad snap sailed over punter Ryan Berry's head, setting the Leopards up at the Bucknell 5-yard line. Two plays later, Glavic found David Nelson for a 2-yard scoring pass, the first touchdown of Nelson's career. Beatrice's third PAT made the score 21-3 with 12:32 left in the third quarter.
Bucknell answered with an eight-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Nisan Trotter. Korn's point-after was wide left, leaving the score 21-9 with 9:03 left in the third.
The Leopards put the game out of reach on the next possession, grinding out 61 yards in 12 plays and taking 5:24 off the clock. McCourt's third touchdown, a 2-yard run, and Beatrice's PAT pushed the lead to 28-9.
Pinned at the five-yard line by a Bucknell punt on the ensuing possession, McCourt ripped off a 54-yard run to key a six-play, 95-yard drive that resulted in his fourth touchdown with 13:47 left.
Bucknell's Cole Ciesnolevicz, who made his first start of the season, tossed a 43-yard touchdown pass to Frank Lazio with 2:22 left, then hit Albert Marquardt with the two-point conversion to provide the final margin.
Glavic completed 16-of-23 passes for 203 yards for Lafayette. His favorite target was John Weyrauch, who caught five balls for a game-high 86 yards.
Ciesnolevicz completed 8-of-14 passes for 146 yards. Wilson came off the bench in the second half to completed 7-of-9 for 91 yards. Nine different Bison caught at least one pass.
Bucknell hosts Lehigh next Saturday, while Lafayette visits Holy Cross.
