Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Duquesne
Bucknell Ushers in Tim Landis Era with 28-21 Win Over Duquesne
8/30/2003 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 30, 2003
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Blamah Sarnor rushed for a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown and Bucknell's opportune defense forced four turnovers, including a fumble recovery at their own 6-yard line in the final minute of a 28-21 victory over Duquesne before 5,762 Saturday night at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
Bucknell's victory marked a successful debut for first-year head coach Tim Landis. The win also snapped a seven-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Niel Loebig completed 26 of 50 passes for 344 yards for the Dukes, but he was intercepted three times by Bison cornerback Joe Glenn. Loebig tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Michel Warfield, who caught seven balls for 130 yards.
In addition to his three interceptions - one shy of the Bucknell record - Glenn also recovered Loebig's fumble at the 6-yard line with 51 seconds remaining. After the Bison failed on a fourth-down try at the Duquesne 28 with 4:33 remaining, Loebig drove the Dukes deep into the red zone. But on fourth-and-three from the 10, Loebig scrambled near the first-down marker but lost control of the ball.
The last of Glenn's trio of interceptions set up Bucknell's winning touchdown. After his 25-yard return to the Duquesne 10, Raphael Darrington rushed up the middle for the go-ahead touchdown on the very next play.
An errant punt snap after Duquesne's opening possession resulted in a safety and a 2-0 Bucknell lead, and freshman kicker Ryan Korn capped Bucknell's opening drive with a 22-yard field goal for a 5-0 lead.
Warfield and Albert Marquardt traded leaping touchdown catches in the second quarter, but both teams missed two-point conversion attempts and the Bison led 11-6. Warfield's second score, a 28-yard catch, and Loren Cooley's two-point conversion with 4:17 left in the half gave Duquesne a 14-11 lead at intermission.
On Bucknell's opening drive of the second half, Korn kicked a 39-yard field goal to knot the game at 14, and Sarnor's 18-yard burst up the middle with 6:11 left in the third gave the Bison a 21-14 edge. Duquesne tied it on Mike Hilliard's 2-yard run in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, capping a 12-play, 91-yard drive. Backup quarterback Ben Palumbo, subbing for an injured Loebig for one play, converted a big fourth-down with a 9-yard completion to Hillard just prior to the tying touchdown.
Duquesne outgained Bucknell 423-349. The Dukes tallied 353 yards though the air, while Bucknell picked up 288 yards on the ground.
In its first contest with new systems on both offense and defense, Bucknell had a relatively clean game with only three penalties and no turnovers. Bison quarterback Daris Wilson rushed for 62 yards on 21 carries and completed 4 of 8 passes for 61 yards and a TD.
Hilliard carried 23 times for 90 yards to lead Duquesne.
Bucknell earned its 15th straight non-conference home win, dating back to 1996, and the Bison improved to 82-35-1 all-time in season openers.
Bucknell travels to Delaware State next Saturday, while Duquesne takes a week off before returning home to face Butler on Sept. 13.
