Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Marist
Football Captures Season Opener for Third Straight Year, 27-14 Over Marist
9/7/2013 1:10:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa.� � Bucknell fourth-year starting quarterback Brandon Wesley completed 12 of 16 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bison football team to a 27-14 season-opening victory over Marist Saturday evening at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. It marked the third consecutive year Bucknell has won its season opener.
The Bison (1-0), who have won three of their last four games dating back to last year, played an especially efficient first half as they took a 24-7 lead into the locker room. It marked the most points in a half for Bucknell since 2011 vs. Lafayette. Wesley was 9-for-11 for 160 yards and both touchdowns in the first 30 minutes of play and Bucknell piled up 270 of its 353 yards in the first half.
The Bison defense ranked in the top 10 nationally against the run each of the last two years and continued that success Saturday as the Red Foxes had just 39 yards on the ground. Bucknell recorded six sacks, its most since 2011 vs. Holy Cross. Sean Sellers led the way with two sacks for 19 yards, including one in the second half where he missed Marist quarterback Chuckie Looney and circled back around into the play and finally brought him down.
The Bison had to replace two talented running backs in the graduated Tyler Smith and Jeremiah Young this year and based on Saturday's game there is some talent in the offensive backfield. Sophomore Matt DelMauro, seeing his first career game action, rushed 20 times for 83 yards, while freshman CJ Williams carried the ball 14 times for 42 yards and a touchdown. Wesley added 51 yards on 11 carries, giving Bucknell 177 yards on the ground for a nearly perfect balance (177 rush, 176 pass) in its total yards.
After punting on its first drive of the season, Bucknell proceeded to score points on five consecutive possessions as three touchdowns were surrounded by the first two field goals of Derek Maurer's career. Maurer's 38-yard field goal capped the second drive of the game for the Bison and put the first points of the season on the scoreboard. He then connected on a 19-yard field goal on the first drive of the second half following Tajh Turner's interception that gave Bucknell the ball at the two-yard line.
The three touchdowns came on successive drives that each covered more than 70 yards. The first one was aided by a 45-yard pass from Wesley to tight end Josh Lebo that moved to ball to the Marist 26-yard line. Four rushes, including a pair of successful 3rd-and-1 attempts, by Williams as well as a six-yard reception got the Bison to the three-yard line. Wesley then completed a short toss to Friend for the team's initial touchdown of the 2013 campaign.
Marist (0-2) then put together a 14-play, 74-yard drive that ended in a three-yard touchdown pass from Looney to Armani Martin to bring the Red Foxes to within 10-7.
Williams again stood out on the next Bucknell drive as he carried the ball seven times for 26 yards, including a one-yard touchdown run. The drive took 6:58 off the second-quarter clock and covered 75 yards on 14 plays.
After forcing a Marist punt, Bucknell took control of the ball at its own 22-yard line with 2:16 to play before the half. Two straight running plays were followed by Wesley finding Josh Brake wide open down the left sideline for a 66-yard touchdown pass. It was the longest pass play for the Bison since 2010, and it staked Bucknell to a 17-point (24-7) halftime advantage.
After looking so strong in the first half, the Bison struggled offensively in the second half, punting on five consecutive possessions with no drive lasting longer than five plays.
The defense was strong throughout, keeping the Red Foxes under 20 points for the ninth consecutive time in the series. Evan Byers posted a game-high 12 tackles and one sack and he recovered a fumble that ended Marist's final drive and virtually sealed the win for Bucknell. The Bison finished the night with two forced turnovers and did not turn the ball over themselves. Turner's third-quarter interception marked the ninth consecutive game Bucknell has had at least one pick.
Thanks to his 227 yards of total offense, Wesley moved into first place in program history in that category, moving past Scott Auchenbach (5,404 yards). Wesley is now at 5,628 yards and is on the verge of breaking Auchenbach's career passing yards mark (5,256) as well. He entered Saturday's game 330 behind Auchenbach and is now just 154 back.
Bucknell improved to 8-1 all-time against Marist and 88-39-1 in season openers. The Bison have never lost to the Red Foxes in Lewisburg (5-0).
Looney completed 23 of 44 passes for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Marist, which opened its season a week ago losing 37-21 to Sacred Heart.
Bucknell will be idle next Saturday and will return to action Sept. 21 at Cornell. The Bison will return to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium Sept. 28 when they host Sacred Heart in a 6 p.m. contest.� �
