Bucknell University
Fordham
Bucknell Football Holds Off Fordham in Homecoming Thriller, 21-20
11/6/2004 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 6, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - In front of a crowd of 5,842 fans on Homecoming Weekend at Christy Mathewson- Memorial Stadium, Bucknell quarterback Daris Wilson ran for 106 yards two touchdowns and passed for another score as the Bison defeated Fordham 21-20 in a Patriot League football game Saturday afternoon.
Bucknell clung to the one-point lead late fourth quarter when the Rams put together a nine-play, 29-yard drive that ended with a 35-yard missed field goal by Micah Clukey with just 2:23 left on the clock. Clukey's kick fell short after a bounced snap. Wilson's 39-yard run on third-and-two helped the Bison run out the clock to hold on for their fifth victory of the season. They improved to 5-4, 3-2 in the Patriot League. Fordham fell to 5-4, 2-2 in conference play.
In a game that had already featured two lead changes, Bucknell took the lead for good with 12:07 remaining in the contest when Wilson, who completed 8 of 14 passes for 121 yards, found a diving Mike Cangelosi at the right side of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown strike to give the Bison the 21-20 advantage.
Wilson, who tallied his second straight 100-yard rushing effort, scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns with 5:28 left in the first quarter when he scampered in from four yards to give the Bison a 7-3 lead. He followed that with a one-yard dive early in the second quarter.
Heading into halftime the Bison held a 14-10 advantage, but Fordham took a 17-14 lead when quarterback Derric Daniels found Steve Porco all alone down the left sideline for a 31-yard touchdown pass. Daniels finished the game with two touchdown passes, both to Porco, and was 15 of 31 for 179 yards and one interception.
The Rams extended their lead to 20-14 after Clukey, who was 2 of 4 on field goals, connected on his second of the game, a 27-yard kick, early in the fourth quarter. Just 2:40 after that Wilson found Cangelosi for the game-winning score.
Freshman fullback Josh DeStefano ran for a career-high 100 yards and also caught three passes for a team-high 46 yards. It was the first time two Bison rushed for 100 yards in the same game since Raphael Darrington and Wilson accomplished the feat last September against Cornell. As a team, Bucknell rushed for 268 yards, while Fordham totaled just 153.
On a fairly even stat sheet, the Bison outgained the Rams 389-354 and won the time of possession battle, 31:37-28:23.
James Prydatko led Fordham with 93 rushing yards on just eight carries, while Jamaal Hunte ran 15 times for 51 yards. Porco finished with four catches for 63 yards and the two TDs.
On the defensive side of the ball sophomore Dorian Petersen led the way for Bucknell, recording a career-high 11 tackles. Corey Mayo and Sean Conover each tallied seven tackles and four tackles for loss. Each also registered a half-sack.
Bucknell will close out its home schedule next Saturday, Nov. 6, when it hosts defending Patriot League champion Colgate. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium.
