Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Another OT Game for Football as Bison Defeat Holy Cross 31-24 in Extra Session
11/15/2014 6:24:00 PM | Football
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WORCESTER, Mass. – Playing its FCS-record-tying third consecutive overtime contest, the Bucknell football team used a three-yard touchdown run by Matt DelMauro in the first overtime session to lift it to a 31-24 victory over Holy Cross Saturday afternoon at a chilly and sunny Fitton Field. DelMauro put together a career game with 30 carries for 139 yards and three touchdowns to help Bucknell (8-2, 4-1 PL) reach eight victories in a season for just the fifth time in program history.
Over the last three weeks the Bison have gone to overtime against Lafayette (W, 27-24), nationally ranked Fordham (L, 30-27) and now Holy Cross (W, 31-24). Only Penn in 2006 and Jacksonville State last fall have played three straight overtime contests.
The final 15 minutes and overtime proved to be a wild ending after a rather subdued first 45 minutes of play. In fact, 31 of the game's 55 points were scored in the final quarter and overtime.
The fourth quarter's first play featured Bucknell quarterback Trey Lauletta scrambling in from five yards out to help the Bison re-gain the lead at 17-14. Then the turnovers commenced as each of the next drives ended in a possession change.
Following Lauletta's go-ahead touchdown, the Bison defense forced Holy Cross (4-7, 2-3 PL) to punt from near midfield. Connor Fitzgerald's punt took an awkward bounce and brushed up against Bison Trey Johnson, making it a live ball. The Crusaders recovered at the Bucknell 26-yard line, setting up a great scoring opportunity.
Three plays after that punt return miscue, Holy Cross quarterback Peter Pujals attempted a pass to the right front corner of the end zone that was picked off by Bison rookie Colin Jonov. It was his second interception of the game and gave Bucknell the ball and the momentum once again.
Three plays later the ball was going back to the Crusaders as a sack of Lauletta knocked the ball loose and Holy Cross recovered at the Bucknell 18. Four plays later Pujals scored from four yards out to make it 21-17 Crusaders with 8:17 to play.
The Bison answered right back on a five-play, 69-yard drive the concluded with a seven-yard touchdown run by DelMauro. A 17-yard completion by Lauletta to Jake Hartman and a 36-yard completion to DelMauro were the big plays on the drive that gave Bucknell the 24-21 lead.
Holy Cross took over for one final possession with 5:39 to play. The Crusaders methodically marched down the field, covering 60 yards on 16 plays. They converted a pair of third downs and one fourth down on the drive that concluded with a game-tying 32-yard field goal by Fitzgerald with four seconds on the clock.
The overtime coin toss was won by the Crusaders, who elected to go on defense first. Bucknell stayed on the ground for all seven of its offensive plays as DelMauro had three straight rushes for 12 yards, followed by three consecutive rushes by Lauletta, including a big two-yard rush on 4th-and-1 from the five-yard line. DelMauro eventually scored on a three-yard rush, putting the pressure on Holy Cross.
Pujals moved Holy Cross to the five-yard line, but a sack by Dylan McDonnell pushed the Crusaders back and a fourth-down pass over the middle from the 10-yard line fell incomplete, clinching the victory for Bucknell.
Bucknell finished with 363 yards of total offense and it held Holy Cross to 319. The Bison did overcome the loss of three fumbles, thanks in large part to Jonov's two interceptions. Bucknell had a nearly four-minute edge in time of possession.
Lauletta finished the game 15-for-25 for 203 yards. Hartman was his favorite target, catching seven passes for 87 yards. Will Carter had five grabs for 46 yards to move into fifth place on the program's single-season receiving yards list (878).
On the defensive side of the ball, Jaylen Amaker had a career-high 12 tackles, while Evan Byers chipped in his 16th career double-figure tackle outing with 10. He tied Mark Wisniewski for second on the program's career tackles list (369). Demetrius Baldwin-Youngblood and McDonnell each had a sack.
Pujals was 23-for-38 for 201 yards for Holy Cross. Gabe Guild posted a team-high 70 rushing yards.
Bucknell has been known for its quick-strike ability on offense this year with a number of touchdowns coming on plays of longer than 25 yards. However, on Saturday the Bison were much more methodical on their scoring drives. Their four scoring drives prior to overtime were an average of 8.5 plays for 68 yards that spanned nearly four-and-one-half minutes each.
Holy Cross scored the first points of the game on its very first drive as a four-yard touchdown run by Pujals completed a nine-play, 64-yard drive midway through the first quarter.
After punting on its first two drives, Bucknell tied the score with a long drive of its own that spanned the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second. DelMauro scored his first of his career-high three touchdowns in the game on a one-yard run, wrapping up an eight-play, 60-yard drive.
After forcing a Holy Cross punt, the Bison took the lead on a 25-yard field goal by Derek Maurer with 5:05 left in the first half.
The Bison had a chance to extend their 10-7 lead late in the first half, but were unable to capitalize on Jonov's first interception just three plays after Maurer's field goal that gave them the ball in the Holy Cross end of the field.
Bucknell, which has its most wins since going 10-1 in 1997, will wrap up its regular season next Saturday, Nov. 22, with a 1 p.m. home game vs. Colgate. The Bison will be looking to reach nine wins for just the third time in program history.
