Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football Hosts Colgate Saturday on Homecoming
10/21/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 21, 2008
What: Bucknell (4-2, 1-0 PL) vs. Colgate (5-2, 1-0 PL)
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
When: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008, 1 p.m.
Internet Video: Bison Vision
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: SportsJuice.com
Live Statistics: GameTracker
Game Notes
- Promotions: Homecoming, Hall of Fame Induction, Bison Land Inflatables
- Bucknell Football Luncheon
- Bucknell Photo Store
With a Victory over Colgate, Bucknell Would ...
- ... win its first two Patriot League home games for the first time since 2003.
- ... surpass its Patriot League win total from all of 2007.
- ... help Tim Landis move past Pete Reynolds and into sole possession of eighth place on the program's win list (28).
- ... post its second two-game winning streak of the season after not winning two consecutive games in the same season since 2004 entering 2008.
- ... defeat the Raiders in Lewisburg for the third straight time.
- ... earn five wins by the end of October for the second time in the last seven years.
- ... pull to within one win of guaranteeing a .500 record.
About the Game
Bucknell and Colgate are 40 percent of the group of five teams tied at the top of the Patriot League standings with matching 1-0 conference records. The Patriot League standings should start to spread out now that all teams are into league play. Six of the seven teams will be playing conference games Saturday. Bucknell has had a knack for winning the close game this year. A six-point victory over Duquesne in the season opener is the largest margin of victory for the Bison, who have outscored their opponents by 16 points in their four victories. Colgate enters its first league contest in nearly a month riding a four-game winning streak. The Raiders, who are listed third nationally in rushing, have scored at least 27 points in each of those victories. While Bucknell's Marcello Trigg has been near the top of the nation in passing efficiency all season, Colgate's Jordan Scott leads the nation in rushing with more than 161 yards per game. He was averaging 186 yards per game, but managed just 41 yards last week against Cornell before leaving with an injury. Nate Eachus filled in for Scott and registered 241 yards on 37 carries.
Bucknell vs. Colgate Series Notes
- Colgate leads 40-16.
- The two teams have alternated wins over the last five meetings.
- The last three games have been decided by a total of 13 points.
- The road team has not won since Colgate defeated Bucknell 13-10 in overtime in 2002.
- First meeting was in 1894.
- Seven of the last nine games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
Last Time vs. Colgate
Colgate 28, Bucknell 24 (Oct. 6, 2007 - Hamilton, N.Y.)
Jordan Scott capped a 45-carry, 270-yard day by scoring the game-winning touchdown with 31 seconds to play, helping host Colgate to a wild 28-24 victory over a game Bucknell team on Homecoming Day at Andy Kerr Stadium. Bucknell's A.J. Kizekai scored a career-high three touchdowns in the game, each coming in different ways in the first half. Kizekai scored on a 5-yard rush, a 92-yard kickoff return and a 19-yard reception. He had 251 all-purpose yards in the game, nine shy of his career high.
Georgetown Game Recap
Bucknell 27, Georgetown 24 (Oct. 18, 2008 - Washington, D.C.)
Marcello Trigg completed 13 of 20 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score as Bucknell posted a come-from-behind 27-24 victory at Georgetown last Saturday. Andrew Lair rushed for a career-high 122 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown scamper on the second play of the game, as he rotated at quarterback with Trigg throughout the contest. Like Bucknell, Georgetown rotated quarterbacks regularly with Keerome Lawrence and James Brady both taking snaps. Lawrence keyed the Hoya offense with touchdown runs of 39 yards and 37 yards in the first half.
Inside the Georgetown Box Score
- Marcello Trigg moved into 10th place on Bucknell's career passing yards list (2,859).
- Greg Jones led the Bison with a season-high 10 tackles, the second time in his career he reached double figures.
- A.J. Kizekai jumped over Ken Jenkins and into fifth place on Bucknell's career all-purpose yardage list (3,479).
- Andrew Lair ran for a career-high 122 yards in his first start of the season.
- Andrew Lair ran 58 yards for a touchdown on the second play. It was the longest run from scrimmage by a Patriot League player in 2008.
- Bucknell had three scoring drives of less than two minutes.
- Marcello Trigg threw for a career-high two touchdowns for the seventh time in his career.
- Shaun Pasternak caught two touchdown passes for the third time in his career.
- Bucknell improved to 3-0 when leading after three quarters.
Five-Way Tie
Bucknell and Colgate enter Saturday's contest tied atop the Patriot League standings with Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh. At least two of the five teams part of the tie will end the weekend with one loss since Lehigh and Holy Cross play Saturday afternoon in Worcester, Mass.
Homecoming Games
Saturday marks Homecoming at Bucknell. The Bison are 41-38-5 all-time on Homecoming and they have posted a 9-3 record over the last 12 years despite carrying a two-game losing streak into Saturday's contest.
All-Purpose A.J.
One game after piling up 235 all-purpose yards, A.J. Kizekai totaled 190 against Georgetown to jump over Ken Jenkins and into fifth place on the program's career list. Kizekai now has 3,479 all-purpose yards in his career and is second in the Patriot League this year with 953. He has had more than 100 all-purpose yards in five of six games in 2008.
Offense Strong at Home
Bucknell is averaging 33.0 points and 383.3 yards per game in its three home games this season. The Bison have not averaged more than 30 points per game at home for a full season since 2001.
Patriot League Openers
With its win over Georgetown last Saturday, Bucknell improved to 13-10 all-time in Patriot League openers. The Bison are 3-3 under sixth-year head coach Tim Landis and snapped a three-game losing streak with the come-from-behind victory over the Hoyas.
Breakout Games for Lair
Senior QB Andrew Lair had 170 career rushing yards entering Bucknell's last home game against Hofstra. In the last two games he has piled up 200 yards on the ground, including a career-high 122 last Saturday at Georgetown. It was the most rushing yards by a Bucknell quarterback since Dante Ross accumulated 268 yards on the ground against Marist in 2005.
Game Captains
In a change from recent years, Bucknell did not name team captains in the preseason. Instead, the Bison will elect captains on a game-by-game basis. Four players will serve in the captain role this Saturday against Colgate. Junior LB Greg Jones and junior LB Casey Williams will be making their second consecutive appearances as captains, while junior QB Marcello Trigg will be a captain for a third time this season and junior OL James Phelan will be a captain for the first time.
Pasternak Receiving Headlines
Sophomore WR Shaun Pasternak is putting up numbers that have not been seen at Bucknell in a long time. He is the first Bison with three 100-yard receiving games in the same season since current Iowa assistant coach Lester Erb had four in 1989. Pasternak is second in the Patriot League, and 15th nationally, in receiving yards per game (95.0). He ranks tied for 23rd nationally in receptions per game (6.0) and is tied for second in the Patriot League in that category. Pasternak's 36 receptions this season are the most by a Bison since Jim Horan hauled in 45 catches in 2002.
Most Receiving Yards under Head Coach Tim Landis
1. Albert Marquardt - 682 (2003)
2. Shaun Pasternak - 570 (2008)
Special Teams Tackles
Two-time team captain Casey Williams ranks 10th on the Bison with 19 tackles this season, but paces the squad with 10 special teams tackles. The junior also has two tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks despite not starting a game this year.
Special Teams Tackles
1. Casey Williams - 10
2. Brigham Farrand - 7
3. Tyler Anderson - 5
Travis Nissley - 5
Landis Moving up Pair of Lists
Sixth-year Bucknell head coach Tim Landis has increased his victory total as the Bison coach to 27 thanks to the 4-2 start to the season. He is just one win shy of taking sole possession of eighth place on the program's all-time list. Additionally, the 44-year-old coach will be on the sidelines for his 63rd game at Bucknell on Saturday. That will tie him with Bob Odell for seventh in program annals. Bucknell's head coaching position is named after Bob Odell.
Career Wins at Bucknell
7. Al Humphreys - 30
8. Pete Reynolds - 27
Tim Landis - 27
Career Games at Bucknell
6. Lou Maranzana - 64
7. Bob Odell - 63
8. Tim Landis - 62
Among the National Leaders
Four different Bison are among the national leaders in a particular individual statistical category this year, and none are members of the senior class. QB Marcello Trigg, WR Shaun Pasternak, LB Sam Nana-Sinkam, and RB A.J. Kizekai all show up in the national rankings.
Bucknell Players in Top 25 of Individual National Statistics
Marcello Trigg - 5th in passing efficiency (172.2)
Sam Nana-Sinkam - t-19th in tackles per game (10.3)
Shaun Pasternak - 15th in receiving yards per game (95.0)
- t-23rd in receptions per game (6.0)
A.J. Kizekai - 18th in all-purpose yards (158.8)
Punt Returns
Bucknell (112) and Colgate (117) rank near the bottom of the FCS in punt returns. The Bison are averaging 3.5 yards per return, while the Raiders average 2.1. Last year Bucknell ranked 25th nationally with an average of better than 11 yards per return. The Bison have already had 10 punt returns this year after totaling 13 all of 2007.
Busy Day for Kizekai
This past Saturday against Georgetown, was the busiest game of A.J. Kizekai's Bison career. The junior carried the ball a career-high 16 times and caught a career-high five passes. His previous highs were 13 rushes and four receptions.
Yardage Comparisons
Bucknell is sure to surpass its 2007 highs in various individual categories well before the end of the 2008 season. Below are the 2007 team leaders in a number of statistical lists and the current leader with this year just past the half way point.
Category 2007 Leader 2008 Leader
Rushing: A.J. Kizekai (432) A.J. Kizekai (313)
Passing: Marcello Trigg (1,130) Marcello Trigg (1,112)
Receiving: A.J. Kizekai (363) Shaun Pasternak (570)
Scoring: Will Carney (51) Shaun Pasternak (38)
Total Offense: Marcello Trigg (1,253) Marcello Trigg (1,156)
Success on the Road
Bucknell improved to 3-0 on the road this season with its 27-24 victory at Georgetown last Saturday. It is the eighth time in program history, and the first time since 1997, the Bison have opened their road slate undefeated through three games. Dating back to the final game of the 2007 campaign Bucknell has won four straight road contests, marking the first time it has done that since 1997.
Up Next
Bucknell heads back on the road for its longest trip of the season as it travels to Worcester, Mass., next Saturday to play Holy Cross. The Bison have lost three straight to the Crusaders by nearly 20 points per game. Kickoff for the contest is slated for 12:30 p.m.
