Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football Closes Ivy League Homestand Saturday vs. Penn
10/5/2010 8:00:00 AM | Football
What: Penn Quakers (2-1, 1-0 Ivy) at Bucknell Bison (0-4, 0-0 PL)
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
When: Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010, 1 p.m.
Promotions: Junior Bison Club Party Day, Take-A-Kid to the Game Day, Domino's Pizza Crazy Fan Giveaway, Bison Land Inflatables sponsored by West Branch Rent-All
Internet Video: Bison Vision
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: SportsJuice.com
Live Statistics: GameTracker
Game Notes
Other Links:
Offense - Probable Starters
QB 14 Brandon Wesley (Fr., 6-2, 178) - Three-time PL Rookie of the Week
RB 32 Tyler Smith (So., 5-9, 185) - 8 rec. vs. Cornell most by a Bison in more than two years
FB 33 Travis Friend (Fr., 6-2, 230) - Only freshman to start all four games
WR 85 Gabe Skwara (Jr., 6-2, 180) - Receptions of 17, 18, 22 and 31 yards this season
WR 2 Marlon Woods (Sr., 5-8, 166) - 23 catches, 239 yards in career is most among Bison receivers
LT 62 Carson Rohrbaugh (Jr., 6-3, 270) - Made first career start vs. Duquesne after playing on ST last 2 yrs
LG 61 Ian Dal Bello (Jr., 6-1, 280) - 26 consecutive starts
C 75 Jason Vollmar (Sr., 5-11, 265) - Made first start at center vs. Duquesne after playing RT in 2009
RG 59 Anthony Carter (Jr., 6-0, 280) - 26 consecutive starts
RT 76 Josh Phillip (Jr., 6-4, 259) - One of two new starters on OL in 2010 (Rohrbaugh)
TE 42 Nick Gatto (So., 6-2, 225) - Career-long 27-yard rec. vs. Cornell
Defense - Probable Starters
DE 48 Tyler Anderson (Sr., 6-1, 221) - 15 consecutive starts
DT 24 Robert De La Rosa (Jr., 6-2, 275) - Second Team All-Patriot League (2009); ankle injury vs. Marist/Dartmouth
NG 91 Kyle Boline (Sr., 6-2, 260) - Season-high four tackles vs. Cornell
DE 92 Josh Eden (Jr., 6-4, 265) - Tied for PL lead with 6.5 tackles for loss
Sam LB 43 Sean Rafferty (Jr., 6-0, 200) - Averaging six tackles per game at home this year
Mike LB 51 Tim Bolte (Jr., 6-1, 230) - Career- and team-high 7 tackles vs. Cornell
Will LB 57 Travis Nissley (Sr., 5-11, 214) - 2009 Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year
CB 27 Jamal Briggs (Sr., 6-2, 195) - Leads team with 26 tackles after 34 all of 2009
FS 28 Derrick Palmer (Fr., 5-9, 160) - 1st career INT in first career start in place of A. White vs. Dartmouth
SS 35 Rob Gerlach (Sr., 5-11, 200) - Looking for 1st INT of season after three last year
CB 5 Bryce Robertson (Jr., 5-9, 178) - Made three tackles in return to lineup vs. Cornell
With a Victory over Penn, Bucknell Would ...
... snap a four-game losing streak.
... avoid its first three-game home losing streak since 2008.
... snap a five-game losing streak to the Quakers (last win was 1999).
... snap a seven-game losing streak to Ivy League foes.
... avoid its first 0-5 start since 1988.
About the Game
Bucknell will be looking for its first win of 2010 on Saturday, while Penn will be going for its first road victory. The Bison have lost their four games, but three have been by 11 points or less. Bucknell will be wrapping up a three-game homestand against Ivy League foes trying to avoid its first 0-5 start since 1988. The Quakers are coming off a 35-28 overtime victory against Dartmouth. They will be leaving the Philadelphia area for the first time after playing two home games (both wins) and a road contest at Villanova (loss). Defense will be the key in the contest as Penn is ranked sixth nationally in total defense, while Bucknell is 47th. Both squads top their conference in that category.
Bucknell vs. Penn Series Notes
- Penn leads 28-5.
- Eight of the last 10 meetings have been decided by 10 points or less.
- Penn has won five in a row.
- Penn leads 5-2 in Lewisburg.
- Penn won the first 14 games in the series.
Last Time vs. Penn
Penn 21, Bucknell 3 (Oct. 10, 2009 - Philadelphia, Pa.)
- Bucknell failed to score a touchdown for the first time since 2006.
- Bucknell registered at least three interceptions in a road game for the first time since 2005.
- Bucknell was within one score until the final 7:35 of the game.
- Bucknell's defense held its second consecutive opponent under 300 yards of total offense.
Inside the Cornell Box Score
- Brandon Wesley completed 25 of 45 passes for 267 yards, all season highs. No Bison had completed or attempted as many passes since 2001.
- A season-high nine different Bison receivers caught passes.
- DL Josh Eden recorded an interception, forced a fumble and posted one sack.
- Bucknell's defense forced four turnovers (3 fumbles, 1 INT).
- RB Tyler Smith piled up a career-high 216 all-purpose yards (45 run, 48 receiving, 123 kick returns).
- K Drew Orth connected on a career-long 39-yard field goal.
- Bucknell totaled a season-high 372 yards of total offense, outgaining Cornell by nearly 60 yards.
- Bucknell and Cornell were flagged a combined 17 times for 137 yards.
- RB Tyler Smith caught a career-high eight passes, the most by a Bison since 2008.
- QB Brandon Wesley recorded his first career rushing touchdown.
- DL Robert De La Rosa, DB Joseph Francis and DB Derrick Palmer each recovered a fumble for the Bison.
- Both Bucknell (Wesley) and Cornell (Jeff Mathews) started freshman quarterbacks.
- Bucknell did not score on its first six possessions, scored on three in a row, then failed to score on its last five possessions.
- Sophomore TE Terna Ityokumbul made his first career start and caught a pass on Bucknell's first offensive play.
- Bucknell converted 4 of 16 third downs, compared to 5 of 11 for Cornell.
Throwing the Ball
Freshman QB Brandon Wesley completed 25 of 45 passes for 267 yards this past Saturday against Cornell. It marked the most completions and attempts by a Bison quarterback since Todd Wenrich was 36-for-67 for 280 yards in a 2001 loss to Fordham. Wesley's 267 yards marked the most by a Bucknell quarterback since Marcello Trigg threw for 290 in a 2008 season-opening win over Duquesne.
Bucknell QBs with 20+ Completions in a Game (since 2001)
Todd Wenrich - 36-for-67 for 280 yards (at Fordham - 2001)
Todd Wenrich - 25-for-51 for 179 yards (at Kent State - 2001)
Brandon Wesley - 25-for-45 for 267 yards (vs. Cornell - 2010)
Todd Wenrich - 23-for-37 for 234 yards (vs. Holy Cross - 2001)
Cole Ciesnolevicz - 23-for-36 for 288 yards (at Georgetown - 2002)
Todd Wenrich - 22-for-41 for 286 yards (at Columbia - 2001)
Todd Wenrich - 21-for-38 for 228 yards (vs. Lehigh - 2001)
Another PL Rookie of the Week
Bucknell continued its stranglehold on the Patriot League Rookie of the Week honor this week. A Bison has earned the award after each game this year, and five straight, dating back to the final outing of the 2009 campaign. Freshman QB Brandon Wesley copped the honor for the third time this season, the Patriot League announced on Monday, after completing 25 of 45 passes for 267 yards. He also ran 14 times for a team-high 49 yards and his first career touchdown. Derrick Palmer has also won the award this year, while current sophomore Tyler Smith was honored following the season-finale victory over nationally ranked Holy Cross last November.
Freshman QB Comparison
QB Brandon Wesley is among the most prolific freshman quarterbacks in Bucknell history. In fact, he is second among all Bison freshman quarterbacks in yards and already has the most completions. Below is a list of Bucknell freshman quarterbacks who have thrown for at least 100 yards.
Freshman QBs with at Least 100 Yards Passing
Travis Kopp (1991): 59-131, 834 yards, 5 TD, 6 INT
Brandon Wesley (2010): 64-113, 652 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Marcello Trigg (2006): 39-92, 617 yards, 4 TD, 5 INT
Peter Harteveldt (1992): 33-76, 413 yards, 1 TD, 5 INT
C.J. Hopson (2008): 38-65, 390 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Ed Hughes (1979): 19-55, 304 yards, 0 TD, 8 INT
Scott Auchenbach (1986): 25-57, 302 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rob Glus (1991): 18-47, 200 yards, 0 TD, 5 INT
First Wins
Each of Bucknell's first four opponents gained its first win of the year against the Bison. Bucknell was the season-opening opponent for both Duquesne and Dartmouth, while Marist was 0-1 before its contest with the Bison and Cornell entered Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium last week with an 0-2 mark. Penn, which brings a 2-1 record into the weekend, is the first team Bucknell will face that has already experienced a victory in 2010.
Balanced Schedule
The record of the four teams Bucknell has already played is 7-8 (.467) entering this coming weekend. The remaining seven squads on the Bison schedule own a combined 13-16 (.448) mark.
Double-Figure Completions
Freshman QB Brandon Wesley has completed 12, 12, 15 and 25 passes in his first four career games. He is the first Bison with four straight games of double-figure completions since Marcello Trigg accomplished the feat in seven straight outings in 2008.
0-4 a Rarity
Bucknell is off to an 0-4 start to a season for the just third time in program history. The Bison started 0-6 in both 1958 and 1988, marking the only other times it has been winless through four contests.
All-Purpose Tyler Smith
Bucknell sophomore RB Tyler Smith piled up a career-high 216 all-purpose yards last Saturday against Cornell. He totaled 45 yards on the ground, 48 on eight catches out of the backfield and 123 on four kickoff returns. The 216 yards placed him just 38 shy of 10th on Bucknell's single-game ledger. He now has 661 all-purpose yards this season, putting him on pace for 1,817, a figure that would rank fifth on the Bison single-season list, behind only A.J. Kizekai (twice), Ken Jenkins and Rich Lemon. Smith is second in the Patriot League in both kick return average (29.1) and all-purpose yards per game (165.2).
Backfield Receptions
RB Tyler Smith recorded a team-high eight receptions last week vs. Cornell. It marked the most catches by a Bison since Shaun Pasternak had 11 in a 21-20 loss to Cornell in 2008. Smith leads Bucknell with 16 catches this season. He had just seven receptions last fall as a freshman.
Offensive Improvement
Bucknell totaled 337 yards of total offense its first two games of the season. The Bison have exceeded that two-game figure each of their last two outings. Against Dartmouth, Bucknell registered 367 yards, while this last Saturday it piled up a season-high 372 opposite Cornell. The last time the Bison had more than 372 yards in a game was the 2008 season-finale overtime victory against Fordham.
Big Game for Eden
Junior DL Josh Eden totaled four tackles, one sack, forced a fumble and intercepted a pass against Cornell. He now ranks first in the Patriot League in tackles for loss (6.5) and is tied for first with three sacks. The State College, Pa., native has 24.5 tackles for loss in his 26-game career and now has 11.5 sacks, just 4.5 shy of ninth place on Bucknell's career list.
Spreading it Around
Eleven different players have caught at least two passes for the Bison this year. Each of the first three games featured eight different receivers, while nine different players caught at least one pass against Cornell. Only 10 players hauled in at least one pass in 2009.
Attendance
Bucknell had a large Family Weekend crowd of 7,826 last week against Cornell. It marked the largest crowd at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium since 10,602 witnessed a 2004 contest against Penn, and it was just over 600 fans shy of breaking into the top 10 crowds since the stadium was remodeled prior to the 1989 season.
Largest Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium Crowds (since 1989 remodel) 1. 10,602 Pennsylvania (PW) 32-25 (2OT) L 10/9/04 2. 10,172 Pennsylvania (PW) 20-16 W 9/27/97 3. 9,722 Columbia (PW) 27-20 W 9/26/98 4. 9,202 Colgate (PW) 13-10 (OT) L 10/5/02 5. 9,166 Pennsylvania (PW) 30-21 L 10/5/96 6. 8,831 Lehigh 21-14 L 11/10/01 7. 8,729 Holy Cross 21-7 W 11/4/95 8. 8,472 Lafayette (HC) 33-22 W 10/24/98 9. 8,435 Colgate (HC) 28-27 L 10/27/90 10. 8,432 Princeton (PW) 14-9 W 10/13/90 -- 7,826 Cornell (FW) 21-12 L 10/2/10
Ivy League Struggles
Bucknell is 36-96-3 all-time against the eight Ivy League institutions. The Bison are just 3-13 opposite Ivy League foes since 2003. Bucknell has lost seven in a row to Ivy opponents and will wrap up a three-game stretch against the Ivy League (Dartmouth, Cornell, Penn), all at home, on Saturday.
Seven Field Goals for Orth
Junior K Drew Orth connected on two more field goals against Cornell, giving him a career-high seven this year. Included in his pair of makes against the Big Red was a career-best 39-yarder. Orth has posted three games with two field goals this season and has connected on at least one in all four contests. With two more field goals he will move into a tie for 10th place on Bucknell's single-season list, and he is halfway to the record of 14, held by Ryan Korn (2003). Orth is third in the Patriot League among kickers with 24 points this season, exactly half of the Bison's season total.
Third Downs
Through four games, Bucknell has converted 15 of 59 (.254) third downs, while its opponents have converted 20 of 47 (.426).
Offensive Line Consistency
Bucknell has started the same five offensive linemen in each of the season's first four games. This follows the 2009 campaign where the same starting unit was intact for all 11 contests. Stability was the word in 2008 as well with just two different starting combinations. Over the last 26 games, dating back to the beginning of the 2008 season, just four different starting lineups have been used on the offensive line. Only nine different players have earned starts on the offensive line over that span.
Youth Movement
Bucknell has had a number of freshmen stand out already this year. In fact, five freshmen have earned starts this season, including three on offense (Travis Friend, Victor Walker, Brandon Wesley) and two on defense (Derrick Palmer, Tracey Smith).
Rushing Yards (406) Receiving Yards (670) Tackles (267) Freshmen: 183 (45.1%) Freshmen: 195 (29.1%) Freshmen: 46 (17.2%) Sophomores: 217 (53.4%) Sophomores: 191 (28.5%) Sophomores: 34 (12.7%) Juniors: 7 (1.7%) Juniors: 231 (34.5%) Juniors: 89 (33.3%) Seniors: -1 (0.0%) Seniors: 53 (7.9%) Seniors: 98 (36.7%)
Up Next
Bucknell will head back out on the road next weekend for the first time since Sept. 11. The Bison will play at Georgetown, which is off to a surprising 3-2 start, including 2-1 in Patriot League play. Kickoff for the first league game of the year for Bucknell is 1 p.m. at the Hoyas' Multi-Sport Field.
