Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Colgate
Bucknell Football Drops Home Finale to Colgate, 31-7
11/13/2010 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 13, 2010
| Senior Day Photo Gallery
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Colgate's Nate Eachus, the nation's leading rusher who was averaing nearly 170 yards per game, rushed for 160 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead the Raiders past Bucknell, 31-7, in football action Saturday afternoon at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Brandon Wesley completed 12 of 21 passes for the Bison, who fell to 1-9 overall and 1-3 in Patriot League play with just one game left to play.
Colgate scored twice in the game's first eight minutes and built a 31-0 lead by the end of the third quarter. The Bison's lone score came with 2:32 to play when Rob Gerlach returned a fumble 58 yards for a touchdown, the second defensive touchdown for Bucknell this season.
Colgate (6-4, 3-2 PL) took the early momentum as Eachus scored on a 38-yard run on the Raiders' first possession. He ran through the middle of the line and broke out the other side untouched. On Bucknell's ensuing possession, Nat Bellamy intercepted a Wesley pass near midfield and returned it 51 yards for the score.
The Bison came back and put together an 11-play, 60-yard drive as they marched to the Colgate seven-yard line. However, Tyler Smith rushed for one yard on a third-and-two play and then Travis Friend was stopped for no gain on fourth down, turning the ball over to Colgate.
The Raiders put together their own long drive in the second quarter as Eachus capped an 11-play, 82-yard drive that spanned more than six minutes with a one-yard plunge, making the score 19-0 as Josh Eden blocked the extra point, his second of three blocks in the game. He now has eight blocked kicks on the season, including five in the last two weeks.
In the third quarter Colgate once again put together two quick scores as Greg Sullivan found Doug Rosnick for an 11-yard touchdown. Twenty-eight seconds later Eachus rushed for a 31-yard touchdown on the first play following a Charles Thompson fumble.
In addition to his blocked kicks, Eden added six tackles and a sack, the 13th of his career. Ryan Morgan was also strong on the defensive end with a career-high nine tackles, while Tim Bolte posted a career-high nine tackles for a second consecutive week.
With his passing performance, Wesley moved into the top 10 on both Bucknell's single-season pass attempts list (10th, 266) and pass completions (10th, 153). He has now thrown for 1,584 yards this year.
Smith led the Bison in rushing with 54 yards on seven carries, including a 26-yarder in the second half. He also led the squad with four catches for 43 yards. Smith also posted 126 kickoff return yards on six returns as he moved into third place on Bucknell's single-season list with 802 yards.
Bucknell held Colgate to 328 total yards, 75 below its season average. The Raiders posted 223 rushing yards, 54 below their average.
Colgate quarterback Greg Sullivan finished 7 of 13 for 105 yards and the touchdown strike to Rosnick. He also rushed 12 times for 48 yards.
The Bison will complete their 2010 campaign next Saturday, Nov. 20, at Holy Cross. Kickoff in Worcester, Mass., is at 12:30 p.m.
