Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Announces 2012 Football Schedule
1/8/2012 7:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 8, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - A five-game home slate that features a Family Weekend matchup with Patriot League rival Lafayette and a Homecoming contest against fellow league member Colgate highlights the 2012 Bucknell football schedule, which was released Sunday. A trip to Ivy League foe Harvard, the first meeting in nearly 30 years against former Middle Atlantic Conference opponent Delaware and three Patriot League road contests dot the six-game away lineup.
The Bison will commence their 127th season of football one week later than most schools as their bye week is scheduled for the first Saturday of the campaign and they will then play 11 straight weeks. A two-game season-opening road trip begins Sept. 8 at Marist and concludes the following week at perennial national power Delaware. By facing the Red Foxes in week one, Bucknell will open its schedule against an opponent other than Duquesne for the first time since 2005.
Bucknell third-year head coach Joe Susan, a 1977 graduate of Delaware, will have the opportunity to visit his alma mater the following week when the Bison face the six-time national champion Blue Hens, who have advanced to the NCAA FCS title game twice in the last five years. The Bucknell-Delaware series dates back to 1908, but the two squads have not played since 1985, the year before the Bison joined the Patriot League.
Bucknell's home opener will take place Sept. 22 when it hosts Lafayette on Family Weekend. The Bison defeated the Leopards this past fall for the first time in a decade and they will play a Patriot League opponent in their home opener for the first time since 2005. Bucknell will wrap up the modest two-game homestand the following week against Cornell, a squad that is on the schedule for a 13th consecutive year.
October begins with a grueling three-game road trip that includes back-to-back trips to Holy Cross (Oct. 6) and Harvard (Oct. 13) as well as a shorter jaunt to defending Patriot League champion Lehigh (Oct. 20).
The Bison will play three of their final four contests at home, starting with the Oct. 27 Homecoming date with Colgate. They will then host Fordham (Nov. 3), close out their road slate at Georgetown (Nov. 10), and welcome first-time opponent Bryant (Nov. 17) to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
"As our staff moves into its third year it is obvious that the Patriot League is one of the more competitive FCS leagues in the country," said Susan. "When we combine our league schedule with the challenge of playing programs from the Ivy League, Colonial Athletic Association, Pioneer League and Northeast Conference, it is obvious we will be tested in 2012. As a program we are excited about confronting that challenge and doing what it takes to continue to build Bucknell Football into a consistent winner."
Bucknell finished above .500 for the first time since 2006 this past fall. The Bison's final 6-5 record was a five-win improvement from the previous year, equaling the school record.
2012 Bucknell Football Schedule
Sept. 1: Open Date
Sept. 8: at Marist (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.)
Sept. 15: at Delaware (Newark, Del.)
Sept. 22: Lafayette (Lewisburg, Pa.)
Sept. 29: Cornell (Lewisburg, Pa.)
Oct. 6: at Holy Cross (Worcester, Mass.)
Oct. 13: at Harvard (Cambridge, Mass.)
Oct. 20: at Lehigh (Bethlehem, Pa.)
Oct. 27: Colgate (Lewisburg, Pa.)
Nov. 3: Fordham (Lewisburg, Pa.)
Nov. 10: at Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)
Nov. 17: Bryant (Lewisburg, Pa.)
