Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football Opens Patriot League Play Saturday vs. Georgetown, Free Admission for All Fans
9/29/2009 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 29, 2009
What: Georgetown Hoyas (0-4, 0-2 PL) at Bucknell Bison (2-2, 0-0 PL)
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
When: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009, 1 p.m.
Promotions: Community Day (free admission), Junior Bison Club Party Day, Take a Kid to the Game Day
Internet Video: Bison Vision 
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: SportsJuice.com
Live Statistics: GameTracker 
Game Notes 
Other Links:
With a Victory over Georgetown, Bucknell Would ...
- ... extend its home winning streak to four games, its longest since 2001.
- ... win its Patriot League opener for the second consecutive year and the fourth time overall under Tim Landis.
- ... snap a four-game road losing streak.
- ... post its first winning streak since claiming three in a row spanning the final game of 2007 and the first two of 2008.
- ... start a season 3-2 for the fifth time in seven years under Tim Landis.
- ... help Tim Landis move into sole possession of seventh place on the program's all-time wins list
- ... defeat the Hoyas in back-to-back years for the first time since 2003-2004.
- ... improve to 2-5 over its last seven Patriot League home contests.
About the Game
Bucknell and Georgetown were picked sixth and seventh, respectively, in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. The Bison have opened up the campaign with a 2-2 mark, while the Hoyas are winless through four games. Bucknell will be opening its Patriot League schedule against Georgetown for the second consecutive year, and for the fourth time in the last six years. The Hoyas already have two Patriot League games under their belt, having lost to Holy Cross (20-7) and Lafayette (28-3). Both Bucknell and Georgetown have struggled to score this year as the Bison rank 80th nationally in scoring offense at 17.8 points per game, while the Hoyas are averaging 7.8 points per contest, placing them 115th nationally out of 118 teams. The 11 points Georgetown scored against Howard last Saturday marked a season-high figure.
Bucknell vs. Georgetown Series Notes
- Bucknell leads 11-9-1.
- Three of the last four meetings have been decided by exactly three points.
- The two teams have alternated wins over the last five meetings.
- The road team has won each of the last five meetings.
- There was a 61-year gap between games from 1939 to 2000.
- Georgetown has served as Bucknell's Patriot League opener four of the last six years (2004, 2005, 2008, 2009).
Last Time vs. Georgetown
Bucknell 27, Georgetown 24 (Oct. 18, 2008 - Washington, D.C.)
- In his first start of the season, Andrew Lair rushed for a career-high 122 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown on the second play of the game.
- Marcello Trigg, who moved into 10th place in Bucknell history in passing yards (2,859), alternated at quarterback with Andrew Lair.
- A.J. Kizekai jumped over Ken Jenkins and into fifth place on Bucknell's career all-purpose yardage list (3,479).
- Bucknell posted three scoring drives of less than two minutes and improved to 3-0 when leading after three quarters. - Marcello Trigg threw for a career-high two touchdowns for the seventh time in his career and Shaun Pasternak caught two touchdown passes for the third time in his career.
Inside the Marist Box Score
- Marist dominated the time of possession, 41:24-18:36.
- Marist missed three kicks (two field goals, one extra point) in the game.
- Marist recovered an onside kick with 47 seconds remaining and moved to within field goal range, but Jason Myers missed a 28-yard field goal as time expired.
- Bucknell won its third consecutive home game.
- The score was tied at 7-7 for more than 30 minutes before 19 points were scored in the final quarter.
- Marist gave Bucknell 110 yards on 10 penalties, just 58 yards less than the Bison accumulated in total offense.
- Bucknell WR Shaun Pasternak made his season debut, but did not make a catch.
- Bucknell posted at least six tackles for loss for the fourth consecutive game.
- Marist had 21 first downs compared to nine for Bucknell.
- Bucknell recorded two rushing touchdowns in a game for the first time since Oct. 25, 2008 vs. Colgate
- Marcello Trigg saw his streak of 12 consecutive games he had played in with a touchdown pass come to an end.
- C.J. Hopson played the first three quarters at quarterback for Bucknell. Marcello Trigg was under center during the fourth quarter.
- Bucknell's 168 yards of total offense were its fewest since 2007 and the third-fewest since Tim Landis took over as head coach prior to the 2003 season.
- Greg Jones and Sean Rafferty recorded interceptions. All seven of the Bison's interceptions this year have come at home.
- Joseph Francis made his first career start and tied for third on the team with nine tackles.
- Greg Jones registered 11 tackles, marking the fifth consecutive home game he has recorded double-figure tackles.
- Michael Tonge blocked two kicks (field goal, extra point).
A Homestand?
Saturday's contest against Georgetown marks the second of two straight home games for Bucknell. It is the first time the Bison have played at home in consecutive weeks since Oct. 20 and Oct. 27 in 2007.
Going for Four in a Row
While Bucknell has lost four straight road games dating back to last year, it is riding a three-game home winning streak. The Bison will be going for their fourth home win in a row Saturday, a feat they haven't accomplished since 2001.
Patriot League Openers
Bucknell is 13-10 all-time in Patriot League openers. The Bison are 3-3 under seventh-year head coach Tim Landis and snapped a three-game losing streak with a 27-24 victory at Georgetown last year. This is the fourth time in the last six years the Bison have opened their Patriot League slate opposite the Hoyas.
Tackles for Jones
Senior LB Greg Jones has been on a roll of late. Since last year's Georgetown game (Oct. 18), Jones has posted six double-figure tackle outings and has 107 stops during the 10-game stretch. Jones has been especially impressive at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, piling up five consecutive double-figure tackle outings at home.
Alternating Wins and Losses, Again
Two years ago Bucknell alternated wins and losses the entire season, never posting a winning streak or enduring a losing streak. The Bison have started the 2009 campaign off by alternating results over their first four contests. Prior to 2007, the last time Bucknell had alternated wins and losses over the first four games of a season was 1989.
Narrow Margins of Victories
Bucknell has won seven games over the last two seasons and most have been close. The last seven Bison wins have come by a combined 23 points, an average of just over three points per game.
Recent Success in Close Games
Four of Bucknell's last five games dating back to last year's season finale against Fordham had been decided by a total of 12 points. The Bison are 3-1 in those close games and are 9-4 in contests decided by less than a touchdown over the last four years. All five of their victories in 2008 were by six points or less.
Games Decided by Seven Points or Less
2003-2005: 15 (5-10 record)
2006-2009: 13 (9-4 record)
Tonge Gets the Block
Against Marist, sophomore DL Michael Tonge blocked a potential game-tying extra point off the foot of Jason Myers with 48 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. It was the first blocked extra point by the Bison since 2005 when Jacob Burney got his hand on a kick at Stony Brook. The miss also ended a streak of 94 consecutive extra points by Bucknell opponents, dating back to the 2007 Stony Brook contest. Tonge had already blocked a field goal earlier in the game.
Marist Letdown
Bucknell defeated Marist 17-16 last Saturday, marking the fifth consecutive year it has defeated the Red Foxes. The Bison have yet to win their game immediately following Marist, going 0-4 in those contests and losing them by an average margin of 18.5 points.
Alone on PL Schedule
Saturday's Bucknell-Georgetown matchup is the only Patriot League game being played this week. The other five league teams will all be in action against non-league foes.
Close Patriot League Games Last Week
Bucknell defeated Marist by one point last week (17-16), but it was not the only close contest involving a Patriot League team. In fact, the five games in which Patriot League teams played last week were decided by a total of 18 points for an average margin of a miniscule 3.6 points.
Strong Defense
While Bucknell's defense was on the field for more than 40 minutes last week against Marist, it limited the Red Foxes to 16 points. It marked the fewest points for a Bison opponent since Robert Morris tallied 14 in a 17-14 Bucknell win last September. Over the last 28 games, dating back to 2006, the Bison have held opponents under 20 points five times.
Time of Possession
Marist possessed the football for 41:24 last Saturday, marking the first time a Bison opponent registered at least 40 minutes in time of possession since Lafayette in 2007. The last Bucknell opponent to control the ball for a longer time was Holy Cross, also in 2007, which held onto the ball for 41:37. The back-to-back Holy Cross and Lafayette contests as well as Saturday's win at Marist mark the only time since Tim Landis took over as head coach in 2003 that opponents have had the ball for at least 40 minutes.
Low Yardage
Bucknell's offense has failed to record 200 yards of total offense twice in the last three games. In Tim Landis' seven years at the helm of the Bison they have failed to reach 200 yards eight times. The 168 yards against Marist marked the third-fewest yards for Bucknell since Landis took over in 2003.
Bucknell's Lowest Total Offense (since 2003)
1. Penn (2005) 103 (L, 53-7)
2. Lafayette (2007) 156 (L, 34-7)
3. Marist (2009) 168 (W, 17-16)
Landis Now in Seventh Place on Wins List
Bucknell seventh-year head coach Tim Landis picked up his 30th win at the helm of the Bison last week against Marist and is now tied with A.E. Humphreys for seventh place on Bucknell's all-time wins list. Landis is now seven victories behind Bob Odell, who ranks sixth with 37 wins.
Kizekai Among National Leaders
Bucknell senior RB A.J. Kizekai ranks among the active NCAA FCS leaders in a number of career categories.
Kizekai's Rank Among Active FCS Players
Yards Per Play: 1st (11.46)
Kickoff Return Yards: 2nd (2,470)
Yards Per Game: 3rd (151.7)
All-Purpose Yards: 4th (5,006)
Kickoff Returns: 4th (96)
Kickoff Return Yards Per Game: 6th (74.8)
Moving Up Patriot League Lists
A.J. Kizekai has 640 all-purpose yards through four games this season. He ranks 15th in the nation in all-purpose yards per game and recently moved into second place on Bucknell's career list with 5,006. That figure places him eighth in Patriot League history and ranks him fourth among active FCS players.
Bison in the Backfield
Bucknell has registered 28 tackles for loss and 10 sacks this season. The Bison have recorded at least six tackles for loss in each of the season's first four games, their longest streak since accomplishing the same feat over the first four games of the 2001 campaign. Additionally, the 28 tackles for loss is the most in any four-game stretch since the 2004 campaign. Bucknell has also tallied at least one sack in each game, the first time it has done that in four consecutive contests since the first six outings of 2007.
Return of Rushing Game
Bucknell, which averaged 173 yards rushing per game as recently as two years ago, is currently averaging just 104.2 yards per game on the ground. The Bison, though, ended a streak against Marist by recording a pair of rushing touchdowns. It was the first time since last Oct. 25 against Colgate Bucknell was able to score twice on the ground. A.J. Kizekai and Marcello Trigg were the two Bison to cross the goal line. It was the ninth career rushing TD for Kizekai and the 15th of Trigg's career.
Up Next
Bucknell will head back on the road next Saturday for its final non-league game at Penn. The Bison and Quakers will be facing each other for the first time since 2006. Kickoff at Penn's Franklin Field is slated for 1 p.m. Bucknell is 3-10 against Ivy League opponents since 2003 and has lost four straight to the Quakers.
