Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football Opens Home Portion of Schedule Saturday vs. Dartmouth
9/14/2010 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 14, 2010
What: Dartmouth Big Green (0-0, 0-0 Ivy) at Bucknell Bison (0-2, 0-0 PL)
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
When: Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, 1 p.m.
Promotions: Honoring of Winter/Spring Championship Teams, Domino's Pizza Crazy Fan Giveaway, Bison Land Inflatables - Sponsored by West Branch Rent-All, Plan for Prominence Game, 125th Season Poster Giveaway (first 600 fans)
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) - Made first career start vs. Marist; PL ROW 9/6
RB 32 Tyler Smith (So., 5-9, 185) - PL Special Teams POW on 9/6 (89-yd. KOR vs. Duquesne)
FB 33 Travis Friend (Fr., 6-2, 230) - One of two freshmen listed first on depth chart (Wesley is other)
WR 85 Gabe Skwara (Jr., 6-2, 180) - Did not start vs. Marist, but still made first career catch
WR 2 Marlon Woods (Sr., 5-8, 166) - 22 catches, 227 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) - 24 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) - 24 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) - 2 catches, 7 yards this year
Defense - Probable Starters
DE 48 Tyler Anderson (Sr., 6-1, 221) - 13 consecutive starts
DT 24 Robert De La Rosa (Jr., 6-2, 275) - Second Team All-Patriot League (2009)
NG 91 Kyle Boline (Sr., 6-2, 260) - Made first start since 2008 in season opener
DE 92 Josh Eden (Jr., 6-4, 265) - 3.5 TFL vs. Marist most by a Bison since 2005 (Conover)
Sam LB 43 Sean Rafferty (Jr., 6-0, 200) - Never started a game at Mathewson Stadium (3 career starts)
Mike LB 51 Tim Bolte (Jr., 6-1, 230) - Only defensive player to make 1st career start this year
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) - 34 tackles in 2009, 13 already this year
FS 26 Ahkiel White (Sr., 6-2, 205) - Second Team All-Patriot League (2009)
SS 35 Rob Gerlach (Sr., 5-11, 200) - Career-high eight tackles vs. Marist last week
CB 5 Bryce Robertson (Jr., 5-9, 178) - 85 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 1 INT in career
With a Victory over Dartmouth, Bucknell Would ...
... snap a two-game losing streak.
... win for the sixth time in its last seven home games.
... claim its homer opener for the third year in a row and the fourth time in the last five years.
... snap a three-game losing streak in the series.
... improve to 93-30-1 in home openers.
... avoid its first 0-3 start to a season since 2005.
... win its third game on the schedule for the first time since 2006.
About the Game
Bucknell and Dartmouth are at two different points in their seasons. The Bison already have two games under their belts and are looking forward to their first home contest under first-year head coach Joe Susan. The Big Green will be playing its first game of the year and has veteran coach Buddy Teevens, who is entering the sixth year of his second stint on the sideline at his alma mater. Both squads are breaking in new offensive and defensive coordinators this year.
Bucknell vs. Dartmouth Series Notes
- Dartmouth leads 4-1.
- Dartmouth has won three in a row.
- Bucknell's lone win in the series came in 1989 by a 36-20 margin. That game took place on the day that Bucknell's Memorial Stadium was renamed as Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
- The last four meetings have been decided by an average of more than 20 points per game.
- The teams first played in 1963 and then faced each other four times in a five-year span from 1989 to 1993.
Last Time vs. Dartmouth
Dartmouth 31, Bucknell 13 (Oct. 2, 1993 - Lewisburg, Pa.)
- Rich Lemon rushed 10 times for 33 yards.
- Rob Glus and Travis Kopp split time at QB. Glus was 10 of 18 for 111 yards and an interception, while Kopp was 9 of 19 for 81 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
- Brad Bernardini caught two passes for 54 yards, including a touchdown.
- Bucknell turned the ball over six times. Dartmouth had three turnovers.
- The game took place on Parents' Weekend at Bucknell.
Inside the Marist Boxscore
- Bucknell's stout defense posted five sacks and 14 tackles for loss. It was the most tackles for loss by a Bison team since 2001.
- Freshman Brandon Wesley made his first career start at quarterback.
- Ryan Gutowski punted 10 times, making him the first Bison to punt at least 10 times in a game since 2000.
- Drew Orth stayed perfect on field goals (3-for-3) this year with an 18-yarder late in the third quarter.
- Bucknell and Marist combined to go 9-for-30 on third downs.
- Bucknell held a second consecutive opponent under 300 yards of total offense.
- Josh Eden became the first Bison with at least two sacks in a game since teammate John von Paris in the 2009 season opener at Duquesne.
- Eight different Bison caught at least one pass.
- Only one Bison (Tyler Smith) registered more than 30 all-purpose yards (99).
- Bucknell's average drive start was its own 22-yard line, while Marist's was its own 40-yard line.
- Bucknell had six first downs and ran just 48 plays, compared to 74 for Marist.
Renaming of Mathewson Stadium
Dartmouth's first trip to Lewisburg came on a very special day in 1989. The Big Green paid a visit to Bucknell on the day Memorial Stadium was renamed in honor of Christy Mathewson, a member of the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame and the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Bison won the game 36-20 to improve to 2-1 under first-year head coach Lou Maranzana.
Where is Cornell?
Bucknell has played Cornell on the third weekend in September each of the past eight years. That streak comes to an end this season as the Bison and Big Red don't square off until Oct. 2. The last time Bucknell played on the third Saturday in September and did not face Cornell was in 1999 when it battled Towson.
Eden in Backfield
Junior DL Josh Eden posted two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss against Marist. It was the most sacks by a Bison since John von Paris registered a pair in the 2009 season opener at Duquesne. It is necessary to go back further to find the last person with more than 3.5 tackles for loss. Sean Conover tallied four tackles for loss against Villanova in October 2005, marking the last Bucknell defensive player with more tackles for loss than Eden. Eden now has 10.5 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss in his 24-game career. He is 5.5 sacks shy of joining Bucknell's all-time top-10 list.
Tackles for Loss
Bucknell's defense tallied 14 tackles for loss last Saturday at Marist. It marked the most tackles for loss by the Bison since they posted the same number in 2001 against Colgate, a 15-13 season-finale loss.
Low-Scoring Games
Among FCS teams that have played two games, Bucknell and its opponents rank second in terms of fewest points scored. The Bison and their opponents have combined to tally 47 total points. Only North Dakota State, which has combined with its opponents to score 34 points, has seen lower scoring than Bucknell.
FCS Fewest Combined Points (team + opponent) Through Two Games
1. North Dakota State - 34
2. Bucknell - 47
3. Maine - 57
Career-High Tackles
A number of Bison set career highs in tackles last week against Marist, including four veterans who had seen significant playing time in the past. Jamal Briggs (12), Rob Gerlach (8), Sean Rafferty (7) and Tim Bolte (6) each posted new career highs in stops against the Red Foxes. Briggs also forced a fumble, while Gerlach and Rafferty each broke up a pass.
Weekly Honors
Freshman DB Derrick Palmer was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week on Monday after registering a career-high nine tackles against Marist. Six of those stops came in the second half when he was filling in for an injured Ahkiel White. Palmer was second on the squad in tackles. He is the third straight Bison freshman to be named Rookie of the Week, following QB Brandon Wesley (vs. Duquesne) and current sophomore RB Tyler Smith, who won the final award of the 2009 season.
Youth Movement
A number of freshmen had solid games against Marist last Saturday. DB Derrick Palmer was second on the team with nine tackles, while DL Tracey Smith posted six tackles and a sack in place of DL Robert De La Rosa. LB Sean Sellers also had a solid game with three tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage, while DL Orlando Eureste posted a pair of stops. Overall, Bison freshmen accounted for 24 tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss against the Red Foxes. The previous week, rookies recorded just two tackles.
Gutowski with a Workout
Sophomore P Ryan Gutowski was called on to punt 10 times last Saturday at Marist. It marked the first time a Bison punter punted at least 10 times in a game since Billy Windle set the program record with 12 punts in a loss at Towson in 2000.
Freshman Starter
In the season opener at Duquesne, Brandon Wesley became the first Bucknell freshman quarterback to appear in a season opener since freshmen became eligible in the early 1970s. Last week, he became the first Bison rookie to start at quarterback since C.J. Hopson in 2008.
First Starts by Recent Notable Bucknell Freshman Quarterbacks
Brandon Wesley (2010 vs. Marist) - 12-24 for 103 yards, 9 rush for 26 yards
C.J. Hopson (2008 vs. Lehigh) - 17-32 for 151 yards and 1 TD, 21 rush for 76 yards and 1 TD
Marcello Trigg (2006 vs. Penn) - 10 of 19 for 125 yards and 1 TD, 9 rush for -18 yards
Defense, Defense
While Bucknell's offense has struggled in the early part of this year, the defense has been very strong. The Bison rank seventh nationally in rushing defense (73.5 ypg), 14th in scoring defense (15.5 ppg) and 19th in total defense (278.5 ypg).
Looking Ahead to a Break
Bucknell has struggled in recent years in the game preceeding a bye week. In fact, the Bison have not won the game directly before a week off since 2003 and are 1-10 in their last 11 chances.
Rare Losses
Bucknell has held each of its first two opponents under 20 points, a feat that has usually equaled success for the Bison in recent years. Prior to the opening-game loss at Duquesne, Bucknell had not lost a game when the opponent failed to reach 20 points since 2005 vs. Colgate (L, 16-10). The Bison had held opponents under 20 points 11 times since that 2005 Colgate contest and won each time.
Three Straight Under 20
Dating back to last year's season-finale victory over nationally ranked Holy Cross, Bucknell has held each of its last three opponents under 20 points (Holy Cross - 17, Duquesne - 17, Marist - 14). The last time the Bison accomplished that feat was in 2004 when it held Cornell (9), Columbia (13) and Georgetown (19) under 20 points in consecutive games. Bucknell went 3-0 during that stretch.
Orth Still Perfect
Junior K Drew Orth is a perfect 4-for-4 on kicks (3-3 FG, 1-1 PAT) this year. He has now converted 17 of his last 18 extra points and six straight field goals. His seven points in the opener at Duquesne equaled his career high (seven vs. Hofstra in 2008).
Six of Next Eight at Home
While Bucknell had the unfortunate luck of starting the 2010 campaign with two road games, the players should get used to sleeping in their own beds now. The Bison will play six of their next eight games at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Bucknell is 320-161-13 (.661) all-time when playing at home, and has won five of its last six.
Three-Game Homestand
Saturday's contest against Dartmouth is the start of a three-game homestand for Bucknell. The Bison have not played three straight at home since opening the 2006 campaign with a trio of home contests. This will be Bucknell's fourth three-game homestand since 2000. The Bison are hoping prior success carries over as they have not posted fewer than two wins during those previous home stretches.
Road Losing Streak
Bucknell is glad to be home and avoiding the road until Oct. 16. The Bison have now lost 10 straight on the road, dating back to October of 2008.
Patriot League vs. Ivy League
Saturday's Bucknell-Dartmouth contest is one of six between Patriot League and Ivy League teams this week. Ivy League teams start their seasons two weeks later than other FCS schools, so this is the first week of the season for those squads.
Ivy League Struggles
Bucknell is 36-94-1 all-time against the eight Ivy League institutions. The Bison are just 3-11 opposite Ivy League foes since 2003. Bucknell has lost five in a row to Ivy opponents and has three straight games coming up against the Ivy League (Dartmouth, Cornell, Penn), all at home.
Yellow Flags
Bucknell was the least-penalized team in the nation in 2007 and 2008 and finished second last year. However, the Bison have already been whistled for 14 penalties for 115 yards in the season's first two games. Despite the higher-than-average penalties, Bucknell still has quite an advantage in the penalty department. Over the last 18 games, the Bison have been penalized 64 times for 585 yards, while their opponents have piled up 972 penalty yards on 109 penalties.
Leads
Bucknell is still looking for its first lead of 2010. The Bison have been tied (0-0 and 10-10) for 27:35 and have trailed for 92:25 over the first two games.
Reinforcements
At the conclusion of the first half both Duquesne and Marist attempted Hail Mary passes toward the end zone. In both cases Bucknell head coach Joe Susan inserted some taller offensive players into the defensive backfield. Freshman QB Brandon Wesley broke up the long pass attempt against the Dukes, while junior WR Gabe Skwara did the same last week at Marist.
Happy Birthday!
Saturday's game will be played on Bucknell head coach Joe Susan's birthday. Susan will turn 55.
Not A Lot of Scoring
Active Bucknell players have scored a total of eight career touchdowns. Senior FB Ryan Smith, who missed the first two games with an injury, leads the way with four career scores. Sophomore RB Tyler Smith has three career touchdowns, while senior WR Marlon Woods has one. No other Bison have cross the goal line.
2010 Promotional Schedule at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium
Sept. 18 - vs. Dartmouth, 1 p.m.
- Honoring of Winter/Spring Championship Teams, 125th Season Poster Giveaway, Domino's Pizza Crazy Fan Giveaway, Bison Land Inflatables sponsored by West Branch Rent-All, Plan for Prominence Game
Oct. 2 - vs. Cornell, 3:30 p.m. (TV: CBS College Sports)
- Bucknell University Family Weekend, Junior Bison Club Lunch Box Giveaway (14 & under), Lewisburg Youth Football Halftime Game, Domino's Pizza Crazy Fan Giveaway, Bison Land Inflatables sponsored by West Branch Rent-All
Oct. 9 - vs. Penn, 1 p.m.
- 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
Oct. 30 - vs. Lafayette, 1 p.m. (TV: Lafayette Sports Network, WQMY)
- Bucknell University Homecoming, Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame Induction, 50-year Anniversary Celebration of 1960 Lambert Cup Team, Domino's Pizza Crazy Fan Giveaway, Bison Land Inflatables sponsored by West Branch Rent-All
Nov. 6 - vs. Fordham, 1 p.m.
- Community Recognition, Domino's Pizza Crazy Fan Giveaway, Bison Land Inflatables sponsored by West Branch Rent-All
Nov. 13 - vs. Colgate, 1 p.m.
- Senior Day, POWERade Day (free POWERade giveaway), Domino's Pizza Crazy Fan Giveaway
Up Next
Bucknell will be idle next weekend with its lone bye of the season. The Bison will resume their three-game Ivy League homestand Oct. 2 at 3:30 p.m. against Cornell. The Family Weekend game will be televised on CBS College Sports. Bucknell is 11-38 all-time against Cornell, but that number improves to 6-7 in Lewisburg.
