Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football Aims for Second Straight Win Saturday at Georgetown
11/6/2012 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 6, 2012
What: Bucknell Bison (2-7, 0-4 PL) at Georgetown Hoyas (4-5, 1-2 PL)
Where: Multi-Sport Field, Washington, D.C.
When: Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, 1 p.m.
Internet Video: GUHoyas.com
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: SportsJuice.com
Live Statistics: GameTracker
Game Notes
Probable Starters - Offense
QB 14 Brandon Wesley (Jr., 6-2, 190) - Holds Bucknell record for career completions (435) & att. (767)
RB 32 Tyler Smith (Sr., 5-9, 195) - 4th career 100-yard rush game last week
FB 33 Travis Friend (Jr., 6-2, 235) - Preseason All-Patriot League selection; 2-time All-PL choice
WR 80 Josh Brake (So., 6-3, 200) - 3 30+ receptions in last four games
WR 5 Victor Walker (Jr., 6-1, 197) - At least one reception in 11 consecutive games
LT 72 Lonnie Rawles (So., 6-4, 285) - Only returning starter on OL
LG 69 Troy Steinhilber (Sr., 6-4, 295) - Made 1st career start in season opener vs. Marist
C 77 Brandon Noblett (So., 6-2, 285) - Made 1st career start in season opener vs. Marist
RG 76 Clayton Hoffmaster (Fr., 6-4, 295) - Only freshman to start a game in 2012
RT 79 Nevin Hagman (So., 6-3, 285) - 10 career games played
TE 88 Patrick Kelly (So., 6-3, 230) - Four consecutive starts for first time in career
Probable Starters - Defense
DE 40 Sean Sellers (Jr., 6-0, 235) - At least 0.5 sacks in 6 of 7 games played in 2012
DT 97 Demetrius Baldwin-Youngblood (So., 6-1, 290) - Made first career start last week vs. Fordham
NG 90 Tracey Smith (Jr., 6-1, 255) - Career-high 34 tackles this season
DE 9 Samuel Oyekoya (Sr., 6-3, 235) - 7.5 sacks is most by a Bison since 2004/PL Def. Player of Week
Mike LB 27 Evan Byers (So., 6-0, 215) - 79 tackles is most by a Bison since 2009
Sam LB 12 Beau Traber (Sr., 5-11, 220) - Preseason All-Patriot League selection
SS 37 Lee Marvel (So., 6-0, 205) - Five games w/at least 5 tackles in 2012
CB 4 Donald Quarles (Sr., 5-7, 175) - 5 pass breakups vs. Lafayette tied for most in FCS in 2012
FS 26 Matthew Steinbeck (So., 6-0, 205) - Tied for 5th nationally in INTs per game (.56)
Whip DB 36 Jordan Dudas (So., 6-0, 195) - 17 tackles in first 7 games, 14 tackles last 2 games
CB 21 Joseph Francis (Sr., 5-11, 205) - First career interception last week clinched win
In the Herd: Bucknell-Georgetown Preview
With a Victory over Georgetown, Bucknell Would ...
• ... win two consecutive games for the first time this season.
• ... defeat Georgetown for a fifth consecutive year.
• ... avoid its first winless Patriot League campaign since 2005.
• ... win its final Patriot League game for the fifth time in the last seven years.
• ... improve to 3-1 in November over the last two years.
• ... win its final road game in a season for the first time since 2007.
• ... win games in back-to-back weeks for the first time since Sept. 24 and Oct. 1, 2011.
• ... snap a four-game road losing streak.
About the Game
After two much-needed weeks at home following a grueling road stretch, Bucknell heads back on the road for the final time in 2012 this Saturday when it travels to Washington, D.C., to take on Patriot League foe Georgetown. The Bison snapped a seven-game losing streak last week against Fordham and they will look to extend it to two wins in a row opposite the conference foe they have had the most success against. Bucknell has won four in a row against the Hoyas and has not lost to them in a non-overtime contest since 2002. The Bison offense has been much stronger of late. After averaging 11.1 points the first seven games, Bucknell is averaging 30.0 the last two weeks, including going over 20 points for the first two times this season. The Bison are still strong against the run on the defensive side of the ball as they rank seventh nationally in rushing defense. Georgetown is coming off a bye week and brings a 4-5 overall record into Saturday's contest. The Hoyas' last three wins have come by a total of seven points and six of their nine games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
Bucknell vs. Georgetown Series Notes
• Bucknell leads 14-9-1.
• Bucknell has won four straight.
• Six of the last seven games have been decided by 10 points or less.
• The road team has won six of the last eight games.
• Georgetown has served as Bucknell's Patriot League opener six of the last nine years.
• Georgetown has not won a non-overtime contest since 2002.
Last Time vs. Georgetown
Bucknell 35, Georgetown 18 (Oct. 1, 2011 - Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Bucknell scored the first 28 points en route to its second straight victory by at least 15 points.
• Bison QB Brandon Wesley threw a career-high three touchdowns. He was the first Bucknell player since 2002 to throw for three touchdowns in a game.
• Bucknell had a 100-yard rusher (Tyler Smith - 114 yards) and a 100-yard receiver (Frank DeNick - 114 yards) in the same game for the first time since 2003.
• Frank DeNick became the 21st Bison in program history to record at least two career 100-yard receiving games.
• Bucknell held Georgetown to minus-three yards rushing. It marked the first opponent the Bison held to negative rushing yardage since Towson in 1999.
• Bucknell improved to 4-1 for the first time since 2001.
• Bucknell won its Patriot League opener for the fourth consecutive year.
Inside the Fordham Box Score
• Bucknell scored 20 unanswered points in the second half. It marked the first time the Bison scored 20 straight points since the 2011 Fordham game.
• Bucknell won a game when trailing at halftime for the first time since 2009.
• Bucknell's Tyler Smith rushed 29 times for a season-high 179 yards. It was his fourth career 100-yard outing and the third in a row by a Bison running back.
• Tyler Smith's 76-yard touchdown run in the first quarter marked Bucknell's longest run from scrimmage since 2007.
• There were three plays of longer than 70 yards (Fordham's Brian Wetzel's 79-yard KOR, Smith's 76-yard TD run, Bucknell's Matthew Steinbeck's 78-yard INT return).
• Fordham possessed the ball for 19:42 in the first half. Bucknell had 19:00 time of possession in the second half.
• Samuel Oyekoya posted his second two-sack game in 2012 for the Bison. Both of those games have been victories.
• Bucknell forced three turnovers and commited just one.
• Fordham was penalized 10 times for 97 yards.
• Bucknell held Fordham scoreless in the third quarter, snapping a streak of 10 consecutive quarters with points for Bison opponents.
Career Highs Set vs. Fordham
• Jordan Dudas: forced fumbles (1)
• Joseph Francis: interceptions (1), long interception return (5 yards)
• Donald Quarles: tackles for loss (1)
• Tyler Smith: long rush (76 yards), receiving touchdowns (1)
• Matthew Steinbeck: long interception return (78 yards), all-purpose yards (78)
• Beau Traber: forced fumbles (1)
Players of the Game
The Bucknell coaching staff gave out Player of the Game awards following last Saturday's victory over Fordham:
• Offensive Player of the Game: RB Tyler Smith - 29 rush, 179 yards, 2 TD; 3 rec., 29 yards, 1 TD; 208 all-purpose yards
• Defensive Player of the Game: CB Joseph Francis - 6 tackles, 1 interception
• Special Teams Player of the Game: RB Brian Regan - 3 kickoff returns, 94 yards, long of 40
• Game Ball: LB Beau Traber - 7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble
• Scout Team Players of the Game: RB Matt DelMauro (offense), LB Dominique Daniels (defense), LB Audrey Dieujuste (special teams)
Return of Tyler Smith
• Senior RB Tyler Smith has been hampered by a leg injury most of the 2012 season.
• Smith made a full-time return to the lineup last Saturday vs. Fordham and rushed for 179 yards on 29 carries and posted 208 all-purpose yards.
• It was the fourth career 100-yard rushing game for Smith. He is the 18th player in program history with at least four 100-yard outings.
• It was Bucknell's 230th all-time 100-yard rushing performance.
• Smith had 204 rushing yards against Fordham in 2011 and finished his career against the Rams with 445 yards in four games.
• Smith's 76-yard touchdown run in the first quarter against Fordham marked Bucknell's longest run from scrimmage since A.J. Kizekai's 80-yard touchdown run vs. Holy Cross in 2007.
• Smith moved into ninth place on Bucknell's all-time rushing list (1,785) thanks to last Saturday's performance.
• Smith's 208 all-purpose yards marked his sixth career game with at least 200 all-purpose yards.
• Smith's three touchdowns (2 rush, 1 rec.) last week vs. Fordham brought his career total to 18 (16 rush, 1 rec., 1 KOR).
• Smith ranks fifth on Bucknell's all-time all-purpose yards list (3,834).
Comeback Victory
Bucknell trailed Fordham 21-7 at halftime last Saturday. The Bison then reeled off 20 unanswered points and hung on for a 27-24 victory. It snapped a string of 24 consecutive losses when trailing at halftime. Bucknell's last comeback victory after trailing at the half was in 2009 vs. Georgetown. The Bison have won eight straight games they led at halftime.
Patriot League Awards
Two players who were key in Bucknell's 27-24 victory over Fordham last Saturday earned weekly awards from the Patriot League on Monday. Senior DE Samuel Oyekoya was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week, while freshman RB Brian Regan earned Rookie of the Week honors. It marked the first league awards this season for Bison players. Oyekoya posted five tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble against the Rams. Additionally, his 13-yard sack of Ryan Higgins on the final drive virtually clinched the game for Bucknell. Regan had 94 kickoff return yards on three returns. The average starting field position for the Bison after a Regan return was their own 40-yard line.
Increased Scoring
Bucknell has scored a total of 60 points the last two weeks for an average of 30.0 points per game. The Bison totaled 78 points in their first seven games for an average of 11.1. Bucknell's two-game total of 60 points is tied for its second-most in back-to-back games in the last four years.
Most Points in Back-to-Back Games (since 2009)
1. 69 (34 vs. Princeton & 35 vs. Georgetown in 2011)
2. 60 (39 vs. Lafayette & 21 vs. Fordham in 2011)
60 (33 vs. Colgate & 27 vs. Fordham in 2012)
4. 55 (27 vs. Duquesne and 28 vs. Marist in 2011)
Quick Hitters
• Bucknell has faced three nationally ranked opponents this year (No. 13 Delaware, No. 21 Harvard, No. 7 Lehigh).
• Bucknell has scored 37 points in the third quarter the last three weeks after breaking a string of 134 minutes, 38 seconds without a point in the third quarter.
• The junior (66) and senior (66) classes have combined for 132 of Bucknell's 138 points.
• Bucknell's first-quarter lead vs. Fordham marked the first time it was ahead on the scoreboard since the second quarter vs. Cornell (Sept. 29).
• Bucknell has scored at least 20 points in the second half each of the last two weeks after going nine consecutive games without registering 20 points in a half.
• Matthew Steinbeck's 78-yard interception return last week vs. Fordham was Bucknell's longest since Stephen Collage had a 78-yarder in 2006.
• Saturday's game vs. Georgetown marks the first time Bucknell will face the Hoyas in November since 2003.
Bryce Robertson Part Two?
Bucknell sophomore Matthew Steinbeck has four interceptions in the last three games and five overall on the season. He is tied for fifth nationally in interceptions per game (0.56). Only two Bison have had more interceptions in a season in the last decade.
Most Interceptions in a Season (since 2003)
1. Bryce Robertson (2011) - 13
2. Joe Glenn (2003) - 6
3. Matthew Steinbeck (2012) - 5
Two 1,000-Yard Rushers?
Bucknell senior running backs Tyler Smith (1,785) and Jeremiah Young (996) are on the verge of being the first pair of Bison teammates to both be over 1,000 career rushing yards since Daris Wilson and Blamah Sarnor in 2004. Wilson, who ranks sixth on Bucknell's all-time rushing list, finished that campaign with 2,041 yards on the ground, while Sarnor had 1,610.
Oyekoya Strong on the Line
• Senior DE Samuel Oyekoya has had two sacks in a game twice this season (Marist, Fordham) and both have been Bison victories.
• Oyekoya now has 15.5 career sacks, putting him 0.5 sacks shy of 10th place in program history.
• Oyekoya's 7.5 sacks this season are the most by a Bison since future NFL player Sean Conover collected 10.5 in 2004.
Bucknell Breaks Scoring Record
Bucknell has scored in 73 consecutive games since it was last shut out (vs. Lafayette in 2006), establishing a new program record. The previous record was 72 straight games scoring a point from 1996 to 2002.
Holding onto the Ball
Bucknell led the nation in turnover margin in 2011 (+2.45). While the Bison are not forcing as many turnovers as they did a year ago, they are holding onto the ball at a relatively solid clip. Bucknell in 2011 turned the ball over 12 times. This year, the Bison also have 12 turnovers (t-25th nationally for fewest turnovers) and have turned it over just once in the last three weeks. Bucknell recently went 171 minutes, 20 seconds without a turnover.
Turnovers the Difference
Bucknell forced 39 turnovers in 2011 to rank second in the nation. This year it has forced 14 turnovers. The turnovers certainly make a difference as Bucknell's offensive numbers in 2012 are very similar to 2011 in all but one category - points.
| Category | 2011 | 2012 |
| First Downs | 151 | 147 |
| Rushing Yards | 1,360 | 1,160 |
| Passing Yards | 1,652 | 1,660 |
| Total Offense | 3,012 | 2,820 |
| Avg. Yards/Play | 4.3 | 4.8 |
| Punts | 79 | 59 |
| Turnovers Gained | 39 | 14 |
| Points | 225 | 138 |
Regan Returns
Freshman RB Brian Regan has moved into the Bison lineup as a top-flight kickoff return man. The Cherry Hill, N.J., native has returned nine kicks for 242 yards the last two weeks and now ranks third in the Patriot League and 41st nationally in kickoff return average (23.65). The Patriot League Rookie of the Week needs just 83 kickoff return yards to move into the top 10 on Bucknell's single-season list.
Byers Making Stops
Sophomore LB Evan Byers leads Bucknell with a career-high 79 tackles this year. He has posted at least six stops in every game and ranks sixth in the Patriot League in tackles. Byers' 79 tackles are the most by a Bison since Greg Jones (101) and Travis Nissley (93) in 2009.
Three Straight 100-Yard Rushers
Jeremiah Young (100 vs. Lehigh & 131 vs. Colgate) and Tyler Smith (179 vs. Fordham) have combined to post three consecutive 100-yard rushing games. It is the first time the Bison have had a 100-yard rusher in three consecutive games since Daris Wilson went over 100 in the final four games of the 2004 campaign.
Improvement on Third Downs
Bucknell converted just 29.7 percent of its third downs over the season's first seven games. The Bison are 13-for-30 on third downs the last two weeks, upping that season percentage to 33 percent. Bucknell was at 28 percent on third downs one year ago.
Cobelli Enters Record Book
Bison K Sean Cobelli has connected on 10 of 13 field goals this year. He is now tied for sixth on the Bison single-season list and is just four field goals made behind Ryan Korn's program record of 14. Cobelli, who is 12-for-14 on extra points this year, leads the team in scoring with 42 points.
Susan to Tie George Johnson
In his third year at Bucknell, head coach Joe Susan is starting to move up some career coaching lists. Susan will tie George Johnson (8-20-4 record from 1915-17) for 15th place on the program's career games coached list on Saturday. It will be Susan's 32nd contest on the Bison sideline. Next up after Johnson is Carroll Huntress, who coached 38 games from 1965-68.
Games Coached (All-Time)
14. Carroll Huntress (1965-68) - 38
15. George Johnson (1915-17) - 32
16. Charles Moran (1924-26) - 31
Joe Susan (2010-pres.) - 31
Milestone Watch
• Evan Byers needs 21 tackles to become first Bison with 100 stops since Greg Jones in 2009.
• Travis Friend is 5 rushing yards shy of 100 in his career.
• Ryan Gutowski is 1 punt shy of tying Rich Miller's career record (207) for punts.
• Samuel Oyekoya is 0.5 sacks shy of 10th place on Bucknell's career list.
• Brian Regan is 83 kickoff return yards shy of 10th place on program's single-season list.
• Victor Walker needs 205 yards to move into top 10 on program's career receiving yards list.
• Jeremiah Young is 4 rushing yards shy of 1,000 in his career.
Up Next
Bucknell will wrap up the 2012 season next Saturday at home against Bryant. Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. It will be the first all-time meeting between the Bison and Bulldogs.
