Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Cornell
Bucknell Football Drops 38-14 Decision at Cornell
9/15/2007 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 15, 2007
ITHACA, N.Y. - Luke Siwula scored three rushing touchdowns and Nathan Ford completed 31 of 45 passes for 288 yards to lead Cornell to a 38-14 victory over Bucknell Saturday night at Schoellkopf Field. Bucknell fell to 1-2 on the season and has now experienced a two-game losing streak for the first time since the end of the 2005 season.
Cornell avenged a 20-5 loss at Bucknell last season, and the home team has now won the last eight games in the series.
The Bison were held to 240 total yards, 152 on the ground, while Cornell executed its short passing attack to the tune of 453 total yards. The Big Red produced 29 first downs to 15 for Bucknell and held nearly an eight-minute advantage in time of possession.
A.J. Kizekai led the Bison with 50 rushing yards, while Marcello Trigg completed 6 of 16 passes for 53 yards under considerable pressure. Siwula carried 21 times for 81 yards for Cornell, while Ford scored twice on quarterback sneaks.
Cornell broke open a 10-point game at the half by scoring two touchdowns before the Bison even ran an offensive play. The Big Red took the opening kickoff of the second half and methodically drove 57 yards in eight plays, capped by a Siwula 3-yard touchdown run. Ford was 5-for-5 for 45 yards on the drive.
Nolan Applegate fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, and Cornell recovered at the Bucknell 34. Nine plays later, Ford dove in from the 1-yard line on a quarterback sneak, and the Big Red had a commanding 31-7 lead.
Bucknell's turnover problems continued when Anthony Sabo stripped Rashod Bumpers on the second play of the next drive. The Bison temporarily averted further damage, though, when freshman defensive back Ahkiel White picked off his first career pass.
Cornell added to its lead 2:56 into the fourth quarter when Siwula scored his third touchdown of the night from a yard out. A Ford-to-Alex Spooner pass on third-and-15 moved gave the Big Red first-and-goal at the 1.
Bucknell tacked on a late touchdown when Terrance Wilson hit Josh Lee on a 35-yard scoring pass with 1:45 to play. It was Wilson's first career TD pass.
Short touchdown runs from Siwula and Ford just over four minutes apart in the first quarter staked Cornell to a 14-0 lead. Siwula's 2-yard TD dive at the 6:58 mark was set up by a pass interference penalty on a third-and-17 play, followed by a 21-yard pass from Ford to Shane Kilcoyne to the 2-yard line.
Kilcoyne also positioned the Big Red near the goal line on their second score of the night. His 19-yard run to the 1 was followed by Ford's quarterback sneak.
Bucknell answered back at the 12:36 mark of the second quarter, when Corin Erby scored untouched from the 3 to make it 14-7. Another pass interference call, this one on Cornell near the goal line, kept the drive going, and after a false start on the Bison, Trigg scrambled out of the pocket to the 3-yard line. One play later, Erby scored his third touchdown of the season.
After a good red-zone stand from the Bison defense, Peter Zell kicked a 27-yard field goal with 9:04 left in the half to put Cornell ahead 17-7. In the final 2:27 of the half, the two teams traded missed field goals, with Will Carney slipping one just wide right from 46 yards and Zell hitting the left upright from 38 with 0:52 left.
Ford completed 17 of 26 passes for 168 yards in the first half, when Cornell outgained Bucknell 252-139.
The Bison return to action next Saturday at home, taking on Richmond at 1 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
