Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Stony Brook
Stony Brook Trips Bucknell on Late Field Goal, 21-18
9/10/2005 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 10, 2005
STONY BROOK, N.Y. - Freshman Matt Weeks kicked an 18-yard field goal with four seconds remaining to lift Stony Brook to a 21-18 victory over Bucknell, spoiling the Bison's valiant comeback effort Saturday night at LaValle Stadium.
The Seawolves, who had earlier failed to convert three point-after attempts and had a 23-yard field-goal attempt blocked, switched to backup kicker Weeks to cap a winning 15-play, 70-yard drive.
Ryan Korn's 23-yard field goal with 7:20 to play tied the game at 18-all, completing a Bison rally from an 11-point halftime deficit. After the tying boot, Stony Brook took over at its own 29 and converted three big third downs en route to the winning field goal.
For Bucknell (0-2), it was a second-straight heartbreaking loss, following last week's 19-16 overtime setback to Georgetown. Stony Brook's win in its season opener was also the 100th career victory for head coach Sam Kornhauser.
Also for the second straight week the Bison suffered an injury to their starting quarterback. Mahdi Woodard became the first freshman to start at quarterback for Bucknell in 13 years, and he performed well until being knocked out by a hard hit late in the first half. Sophomore Ryan Ahern went the rest of the way and also played well, leading the team in rushing with 73 yards on 16 carries. Woodard ran for 34 yards on 14 totes and also completed 2 of 7 passes for 37 yards.
Rod Williams rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a TD pass for the Seawolves. First-time starter Joe Dudash completed 19 of 28 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown.
Stony Brook scored on its first two possessions of the night, the first set up by a 58-yard screen pass from Dudash to Joe Tarasiewicz on the game's very first play. After a Bison penalty, Williams scored on a 19-yard run. Bucknell punted, then Dudash connected with Williams on a 19-yard scoring pass to make it a 12-0 lead.
Jacob Burney blocked the extra point after the first touchdown, and a bad snap foiled the Seawolves' second PAT attempt.
Bucknell used a little trickery to set up its first score of the day, as holder Andrew Guadagno connected with Sean Conover, normally a defensive end, on a fake field goal pass to the Stony Brook 3-yard line. Two plays later Woodard broke the plane from a yard out to make it 12-7 with 2:15 left in the opening quarter.
Inside six minutes left in the first half, Bucknell's Peter Kaufman fumbled at his own 19, setting up Williams' third score of the half. Dudash was tackled shy of the goal line on the two-point conversion try, leaving the score 18-7.
The Bison pieced together a solid drive near the end of the half, moving inside the Stony Brook 20. But Woodard took a shot to the head while being tackled near the Bucknell sideline with 1:41 left. Ahern replaced Woodard at quarterback, but on his second play Kaufman dropped an option pitch, stalling the drive at the 14-yard line.
Dante Ross, who was all over the field for the Bison, gave his team a jolt with a 54-yard return to the Stony Brook 26 on the opening kickoff of the second half. Six straight rushes by Ahern brought Bucknell to the shadow of the end zone, and big defensive tackle Ryan Walsh plowed in from the 2. Ahern hooked up with Josh DeStefano on the 2-point conversion to bring Bucknell within 18-15.
David Frisbey's first career interception set up the tying score in the fourth quarter. Four different ballcarriers pushed Bucknell to the Stony Brook 6, and Korn converted the short field goal to knot the game at 18.
Ross led the Bison with 10 tackles, blocked a field goal and totaled 102 return yards.
Stony Brook outgained Bucknell 375-279. The Bison collected 205 yards on the ground.
The Bison return to action next Saturday at Cornell at 1 p.m.
