Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Wilson's Record-Setting Day Helps Bucknell Football Rally For 42-27 Win over Holy Cross
10/30/2004 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 30, 2004
WORCESTER, Mass. - Quarterback Daris Wilson rushed for 252 yards and five touchdowns to lead Bucknell to a come-from-behind 42-27 victory over Holy Cross at soggy Fitton Field on Saturday. Wilson smashed his own Bucknell and Patriot League records for rushing yards by a quarterback, and he became the first Bucknell player in 33 years to score five touchdowns in a game.
Bucknell snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 4-4 overall, 2-2 in the Patriot League. Holy Cross fell to 1-7, 0-4.
The Bison outgained Holy Cross 445-322, with 413 of those yards coming on the ground. Wilson passed only three times, completing two for 32 yards.
John O'Neil completed 22 of 39 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns for Holy Cross. Steven Silva carried 19 times for 69 yards and a touchdown and also caught six passes for 49 yards.
Wilson scored on runs of 1, 3, 10, 15 and 8 yards, the last three coming in succession after the Bison fell behind 27-21 late in the third quarter. He became the first Bison player since Mitch Farbstein in 1971 to record five scores in a game. Wilson's 252-yard rushing total is the second-highest in school history, behind only Jabu Powell's 282-yard performance against Cornell in 2000. Wilson previously set the school and league marks for rushing yards by a quarterback with 199 in a win at Fordham last season.
Turnovers, which have hurt the Bison all season, proved to be an Achilles heel again in the first half, as Holy Cross parlayed three fumbles into 10 points. The Crusaders enjoyed a 13-minute edge in time of possession and took a 20-14 halftime lead, despite Bucknell marching smoothly down the field on the two possessions in which it didn't turn the ball over.
Bucknell took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 74 yards in 14 plays, capped by Wison's 3-yard TD run. Center Joel Hoffer pounced on Kenny Davis' fumble at the Holy Cross 3 just one play before the score.
Long kickoff returns benefited both teams as they traded touchdowns later in the third quarter. First, Silva's 69-yard return to the Bison 14 led to a 13-yard TD pass from O'Neil to Bob Turkovich. But moments later up-back Andrew Decker, a starting defensive end, fielded a bouncing kick, broke a tackle and rumbled along the right sideline all the way to the Holy Cross 13-yard line. Two plays later Wilson scored from the 10 to give the Bison the lead for good at 28-27 with 5:41 left in the third quarter.
Bucknell's defense, which did not stop Holy Cross until Corey Mayo blocked a field goal on the last play of the first half, stiffened in the second half. The Bison outscored Holy Cross 28-7 in the second half and held the Crusaders to only 103 total yards in the final 30 minutes. They turned two defensive stands into fourth-quarter touchdowns - both runs by Wilson.
Things were much different in the opening minutes, however, as Bucknell ran only two offensive plays in the first 11 minutes of the game and fell behind 10-0. Mike DeSantis kicked a 25-yard field goal on the Crusaders' first possession of the day. Wilson ran 22 yards on Bucknell's very first play but fumbled on the second, and 11 plays later Silva scored on a 2-yard run.
A good kickoff return by Dante Ross and a 23-yard reception from Josh DeStefano set up Wilson's 1-yard run with 1:14 left in the first quarter to make it 10-7. But after Corey Mayo's sack forced a punt, Frank Lazio fumbled near the left sideline, leading to a DeSantis 34-yard field goal with 8:19 left in the second quarter.
Bucknell took the lead for the first time at 14-13 on Peter Kaufman's 8-yard scoring run with 5:55 to play in the half. Holy Cross answered 3:42 later on O'Neil's 22-yard touchdown pass to Sean Gruber.
Nisan Trotter then coughed up the football on the ensuing kickoff, but the Bison averted further damage when Sean Conover sacked O'Neil for an 8-yard loss on third-and-goal, and Mayo blocked DeSantis' 35-yard field goal attempt to close the half.
Bucknell became the first road team to win a game in the series since 1998, when the Bison won here 30-14.
Bucknell returns home next Saturday to face Fordham. The Homecoming Day kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
