Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh*
Bucknell Football Falls 38-7 at Lehigh
10/21/2006 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 21, 2006
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Sedale Threatt completed 14 of 19 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a pair of scores to lead Lehigh to a 38-7 victory over Bucknell in Patriot League action Saturday afternoon at Goodman Stadium. The Bison fell to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in the league, while Lehigh improved to 3-4, 2-0 with its ninth straight victory over Bucknell.
Freshman quarterback Marcello Trigg rushed for 91 yards and also threw a touchdown pass in the second quarter. The Bison ran for 250 yards as a team, but Lehigh scored on its first six full possessions of the game to end Bucknell's two-game road winning streak. The Bison have now alternated wins and losses through eight games this season.
Marques Thompson rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown for Lehigh, which outgained the Bison 368-318 on the day.
Bucknell came into the game ranked eighth in the country in fewest turnovers with only six in its first seven games, but the Bison turned it over three times against the Mountain Hawks' stout defense and also had a key roughing the punter penalty to keep a Lehigh scoring drive going.
Lehigh produced two short touchdown runs from Threatt and a 25-yard field goal from Jason Leo on its first three possessions to take a 17-0 lead.
The Bison made three first downs and drove into Lehigh territory on the game's opening possession but were stopped short on a fourth-down run. Lehigh took over at its own 31 and drove the field in 12 plays, capped by a 1-yard sneak from Threatt.
A.J. Kizekai dropped a pitch at his own 34 on Bucknell's next possession and the Mountain Hawks turned the miscue into another touchdown. On third-and-goal from the 4-yard line, Threatt dropped back to pass but could not find a receiver, so he scrambled toward the goal line and just stretched the ball across for a 14-0 lead with 13:19 left in the second quarter.
Leo's field goal made it 17-0 with 2:37 left in the half.
On the ensuing kickoff Jason Davis was swarmed at the 10-yard line, and when faced with a third-and-14 deep in its own territory later in the drive, the Bison seemed content to run out the clock. But Trigg scrambled for 19 yards and a first down, giving them new life. A first-down pass to Richard Simpson moved the ball across midfield, and after two more first downs, Trigg hit Simpson on a post pattern for a 22-yard touchdown pass with only five seconds left in the half.
Lehigh pulled away in the third quarter, scoring on both of its possessions in the period. The Mountain Hawks took the second-half kickoff and drove 70 yards for a touchdown. The key play came on third-and-inches at the Bucknell 20, when fullback Greg Fay fumbled on the handoff exchange. But Threatt picked the ball off the ground and dove forward for the first down. On the very next play Thompson ran 19 yards for a touchdown to give Lehigh a 24-7 lead.
Later in the quarter Bucknell forced Lehigh to punt for the first time all day deep in its own territory, but a roughing the punter penalty gave the Mountain Hawks a first down, keeping the drive alive. With 24 seconds left in the period, Threatt tossed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Sekou Yansane, despite a deflection from cornerback David Frisbey. The 13-play, 80-yard drive, and an extra-point from Leo that bounced off the left upright and through, made it 31-7.
Brennan Thomas intercepted Trigg's pass on the first play of Bucknell's next drive, and one play later Threatt tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Mike Fitzgerald for a 38-7 lead.
Trigg's career-high 91 rushing yards included a personal-best 46-yard run in the fourth quarter. Fullbacks Josh DeStefano and Kevin Mullen combined 87 rushing yards. Trigg also completed 5 of 12 passes for 68 yards. Simpson's touchdown reception was the second of his career.
Bucknell returns home next Saturday afternoon for a Parents' Weekend clash with Patriot League rival Fordham. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
