Bucknell University
Bryant
Football Suffers First Loss of Season, 34-15 at Bryant
10/4/2014 4:36:00 PM | Football
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SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bucknell football team had an outstanding start to the season, winning its first four games for the first time since 1997, but Saturday was just not the Bison's day as they lost to Bryant, 34-15, at Bulldog Stadium. The loss snapped the nation's second-longest winning streak (six games) as Bucknell fell to 4-1. The Bulldogs, who were ranked nationally earlier this year, improved to 4-1.
The game was decided in the first half when Bryant jumped out to a 27-0 lead. C.J. Williams, who posted his eighth career 100-yard rushing performance (119), was able to add his sixth and seventh rushing touchdowns of the season in the second half for the Bison, but it was not enough.
Bryant captured the victory thanks to a stout defense that intercepted four passes and posted five sacks. The Bulldogs limited the Bison to a season-low 308 yards of total offense, including just 93 in the first half, and Bucknell was just 1-for-13 on third downs.
Bryant was also very successful on the offensive side of the field with a number of non-traditional plays. The Bulldogs converted three fourth downs, scored on a fake punt and had a fake field goal set up its third touchdown. Bryant had touchdowns of 73, 55 and 96 yards. The 96-yard touchdown run by Ricardo McCray was the longest touchdown run in school history. It was also his third touchdown of the day.
McCray finished the day with 142 yards rushing on 11 carries to help the Bulldogs record 239 rushing yards. Bryant totaled 387 yards of total offense on just 59 plays. Quarterback Dalton Easton was 8 of 17 passing for 148 yards and one touchdown.
Bucknell quarterback R.J. Nitti had a tough day as he was 15-for-36 for 199 yards and three interceptions. He was knocked down a number of times, including once when he was forced to the sideline for one play.
“Ten penalties, four turnovers and 1-for-13 on third downs; that is a combination that leads to the result,” commented Bison head coach Joe Susan. “It's a learning experience for this group. A lot of how you play is how you prepare.”
After trailing by 27 points at halftime, the Bison did show some life early in the second half as a Connor Golden blocked punt set up a short field and Williams put the Bison on the board with a six-yard touchdown run less than four minutes into the second half.
Punts by Bryant and Bucknell on the next two possessions ended up giving the Bulldogs the ball inside their own five-yard line. McCarty sprinted through the line and down the left sideline for the 96-yard touchdown, extending Bryant's lead back to 27 points (34-7).
Another Williams touchdown run with 8:28 left in the fourth made the score 34-15 thanks to a two-point conversion pass from Nitti to Josh Lebo. The touchdown completed a seven-play, 72-yard drive for the Bison, their longest drive of the day.
Bryant scored 14 points in the first quarter thanks to two big plays. The first was a 73-yard pass from Easton to Chad Ward and the second was a 55-yard run by punter Sam Sammons up the middle on a fake punt.
The Bulldogs added two more touchdowns in the second quarter on short runs by McCray. The first one came after a fake field goal gave Bryant a first down inside the five-yard line and the second was a 16-yard run that capped a seven-play, 57-yard drive that featured three plays of at least 15 yards.
Evan Byers led the Bison defense with nine tackles and two tackles for loss, while Clayton Ewell was credited with six tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.
Bucknell will open Patriot League play next Saturday with a 12:30 p.m. contest at Lehigh.
