Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Cornell
Cornell Hands Bucknell Football First Defeat, 21-20
9/20/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 20, 2008
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - Nathan Ford completed 21 of 26 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns and Randy Barbour rushed for 114 yards and a score to lead Cornell to a narrow 21-20 victory over Bucknell Saturday night at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
Cornell, playing its season opener, won in Lewisburg for the first time since 1994 and denied the Bison their first 3-0 start since 1997.
Marcello Trigg completed 19 of 27 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns, both going to Shaun Pasternak, who had a career night with 11 catches for 117 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
Pasternak, who also had a nifty touchdown catch and run negated by a holding penalty in the third quarter, hauled in an 8-yard TD reception with 10:56 left in the fourth quarter to bring Bucknell within 21-20. But Graham Rihn blocked the extra point, keeping Cornell in the lead.
Looking for insurance, the Big Red chewed up more than six minutes off the clock and marched inside the Bucknell 10, but Sam Nana-Sinkam, who had a career-high 18 tackles in the game, intercepted Ford's pass at the goal line and returned it out to the 26.
Bucknell could not take advantage, however, going three-and-out on its next series. The Bison punted the ball back to Cornell with 3:13 to play, and thanks to Barbour's hard running the Big Red ran out the clock. The biggest play came on a third-and-4 from midfield with 1:41 left and Bucknell out of timeouts, when Barbour rumbled 32 yards for a first down. Cornell took a knee three times and walked off with a one-point win.
Bucknell parlayed a big defensive play in to the game's first points, when defensive lineman Todd Rinaldo smothered a screen pass at the Cornell 45 and returned it inside the 10. Ford stripped Rinaldo from behind, but a hustling Will Braaf recovered for the Bison at the Cornell 5. On the very next play, Trigg scampered off right tackle for the touchdown, but Will Carney's extra point was off target and the lead was just 6-0.
Cornell took a 7-6 lead later in the first quarter on Ford's 8-yard touchdown pass to Jesse Baker. Then it was the Big Red's turn to take advantage of a turnover. Early in the second quarter Bison fullback Ryan Smith took a hard hit trying to convert a third-and-1 and coughed up the football at the Cornell 41.
Cornell executed a flea flicker on the very next play, with Ford hitting Baker for 37 yards down to the Bucknell 22. Two plays later Barbour scored from 13 yards out to make it a 14-6 game.
Bucknell responded before halftime however, tying the game on a 14-play, 82-yard drive that was highlighted by A.J. Kizekai's 35-yard catch and run and Trigg's fourth-down conversion at the Cornell 20. Pasternak's third catch of the series was a 5-yarder in the corner of the end zone with 50 seconds left in the half, then Pasternak caught another pass for the two-point conversion, tying the game at 14-all.
Bucknell took the opening kickoff of the second half but went three and out, and Cornell answered with an 8-play, 61-yard scoring drive, capped by Baker's second touchdown grab of the night, an acrobatic grab in the left corner of the end zone on a fade pattern.
The Bison caught a break when Brad Greenway missed a 37-yard field goal in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, and they took advantage when Trigg dropped a 45-yard bomb into the arms of Pasternak at the Cornell 14. Two plays later Trigg hooked up with his favorite target again for an 8-yard scoring strike.
But again the Bison had trouble with the timing on the point-after, and Rihn got a mitt on Carney's kick to keep Cornell in the lead 21-20.
Pasternak became the first Bison receiver to record double-digit catches since Jim Horan had 10 against Lehigh on Nov. 10, 2001. Pasternak's 11 catches were the most since Horan had 12 against Fordham on Oct. 27, 2001.
Cornell outgained Bucknell 394-265. The Bison were held to 46 net rushing yards on 31 attempts. Cornell piled up 187 yards on the ground, with Luke Siwula adding 61 on 15 carries to Barbour's 114. Bryan Walters was the Big Red's top pass-catcher with seven grabs for 63 yards.
Bucknell's three-game winning streak dating back to last season came to an end. The Bison return to action Saturday, Oct. 4, at Marist at 1 p.m.
