Football Wraps Up Home Schedule with 23-7 Loss to Holy Cross

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Holy Cross quarterback Peter Pujals completed 30 of 47 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns and the Crusaders totaled 440 yards of total offense as Holy Cross defeated Bucknell in football action Saturday afternoon at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. The Bison fell to 4-6, 1-4 Patriot League, while the Crusaders improved to 5-5, 2-3 PL.

R.J. Nitti completed 23 of 39 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown, and Will Carter recorded his fifth career 100-yard receiving game with nine catches for 110 yards for Bucknell.

The Bison were held to 282 yards of total offense as Nitti was sacked seven times for a net loss of 78 yards.

Holy Cross entered the contest averaging nearly 40 points per contest over its last four outings and Bucknell limited the Crusaders to the 23 points, including just three in the second half. Holy Cross kicker Connor Fitzgerald missed three field goals and had one extra point blocked by Alex Jordan.

Bryan Marine led the Bison defense with a career-high 12 tackles, while Abdullah Anderson posted a career-high three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Despite trailing 20-0 at halftime, Bucknell still had a chance to get back into the game in the second half. The Bison appeared to gain some momentum when on their second drive of the second half they covered 80 yards on 13 plays that ended in a three-yard touchdown pass by Nitti to Andrew Owers to make it 20-7 with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Bucknell's defense then forced a three-and-out on the next possession, giving the Bison the ball at their own 20-yard line.

A 13-yard pass to Owers and a 25-yarder to Carter moved Bucknell down the field. However, the Bison faced a 4th-and-1 at the Holy Cross 30-yard line and decided to go for it. Nitti tried to sneak it and appeared to come up short on his first effort, but he pushed around the left side for what seemed to be a first down, but the ball came loose and Holy Cross defender Mike McCaffrey recovered it.

Bucknell managed four yards on seven plays on its last two drives, which ended in an interception and a turnover on downs.

Holy Cross scored its 20 points in the first half on two 22-yard touchdown passes by Pujals to Kalif Raymond, who had eight catches for 89 yards, and a seven-yard touchdown run by Gabe Guild, who posted a team-high 58 rushing yards. The Crusaders were especially effective in the first quarter, scoring 13 points and outgaining Bucknell 156-33 in the first 15 minutes of play.

A 26-yard field goal by Fitzgerald with 10:25 left in the fourth quarter rounded out the scoring in the contest.

Carter's 100-yard receiving day moved him up to fourth place on the program's all-time list with 1,914 in his three-year career. He needs just 86 yards next week at Colgate to become the third player in school history to reach that plateau.

Prior to the game, Bucknell head coach Joe Susan and the Bison football program honored 15 seniors during Senior Day ceremonies since it was the final home game of the season.

Bucknell will wrap up its 2015 campaign next Saturday at Colgate. The Raiders clinched the Patriot League title Saturday with a win over Lehigh.