Football Heads to New York for Matchup With Nationally Ranked Fordham
11/3/2015 2:12:00 PM | Football
What: Bucknell Bison (4-4, 1-2 PL) at Fordham Rams (7-2, 3-1 PL)
Where: Jack Coffey Field, Bronx, N.Y.
When: Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, 1 p.m.
Internet Video: Patriot League Network
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Statistics: FordhamSports.com
Probable Starters - Offense
QB 6 R.J. Nitti (Jr., 6-4, 230) - Ranks 5th on Bucknell career passing TDs list (27)
RB 34 Matt DelMauro (Sr., 5-7, 185) - 3 career 100-yard rushing games, including 2 this season
FB 80 Andrew Owers (Fr., 6-3, 240) - Led team in receptions three times this season
WR 2 Bobby Kaslander (Sr., 6-2, 200) - Needs 16 receiving yards to go over 1,000 for career
WR 18 Will Carter (Jr., 5-10, 180) - 266 receiving yards shy of becoming 3rd Bison with 2,000 in career
LT 70 Julie'n Davenport (Jr., 6-7, 315) - 2-time All-Patriot League selection
LG 76 Clayton Hoffmaster (Sr., 6-4, 295) - 14 career starts at RG; 20 total starts
C 62 Ned Bent (Jr., 6-2, 290) - Started vs. Marist, Duquesne & Georgetown this season
RG 66 Devlin Brennan (Jr., 6-4, 295) - 24 career games played
RT 71 Ramy Kased (Sr., 6-6, 315) - 39 career games, 31 career starts
TE 87 Andrew Podbielski (So., 6-4, 240) - At least 1 catch in three straight games
Probable Starters - Defense
DE 48 R.J. Sheldon (Jr., 6-2, 235) - 4 tackles, 1 sack in 1st career start Oct. 24 vs. Georgetown
DT 40 Abdullah Anderson (So., 6-4, 295) - 35 pounds heavier than last year's listed playing weight
NG 99 Ben Schumacher (Jr., 6-2, 270) - Averaging 7.0 tackles per game last three weeks
DE 15 Jimmy King (Sr., 6-1, 250) - Named Bison Athlete of the Week after Cornell game
Mike LB 29 Ben Richard (So., 6-1, 235) - Ranks in top 10 in PL in tackles and TFL
Sam LB 42 Mark Pyles (So., 6-0, 220) - Four double-figure tackles outings in last five games
SS 5 Clayton Ewell (Sr., 6-1, 195) - Only Bison to play in all 41 games over last 4 years
FS 12 Bret Berg (Jr., 6-1, 200) - Fifth on team with 25 solo tackles (36 overall)
WS 28 Connor Golden (So., 6-0, 195) - INT at Army West Point was on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays
CB 13 Colin Jonov (So., 5-11, 195) - One of three Bison with at least 2 INTs this season
CB 8 Nick O'Brien (Jr., 5-10, 195) - 11 tackles vs. Lehigh in season debut; left G'town game with injury
With a Victory over Fordham, Bucknell Would ...
• ... defeat the Rams for the first time since 2012.
• ... improve to 18-8 in its last 26 games.
• ... still have the ability to equal last year's 4-2 Patriot League record.
• ... improve to 10-2 in its last 12 road games and 12-3 in its last 15.
• ... win games on back-to-back Saturdays for the first time this season.
• ... improve to 7-3 in its last 10 November games.
About the Game
Bucknell will play its second consecutive road game Saturday when it travels to Jack Coffey Field to take on No. 16/17 Fordham. The Bison are coming off a 35-24 comeback victory at Lafayette, while the Rams suffered their first Patriot League loss of the season Saturday at Colgate when their last-second two-point attempt was unsuccessful. There have been a total of 284 points (35.5 ppg) scored in Bucknell's eight games this year, while Fordham and its opponents have combined for 630 points (70.0 ppg). It is Family Weekend at Fordham, and it is the final home game of the year for the Rams, who are 4-1 at home this season.
About Fordham
• Nationally ranked Fordham is 7-2 overall on the season and 3-1 in Patriot League play. The Rams' two losses are a combined nine points.
• Fordham ranks in the top 10 nationally in pass efficiency (173.2), turnover margin (+1.3) and scoring offense (40.0).
• All-American sophomore RB Chase Edmonds leads Fordham's ground game, rushing 205 times for 1,444 yards and 18 touchdowns this season.
• Junior QB Kevin Anderson has completed 162 of 246 passes for 2,341 yards and 25 touchdowns.
• Five different Fordham receivers have at least 300 receiving yards, led by Robbie Cantelli's 32 receptions for 472 yards.
• Fordham's defense has forced 23 turnovers (14 INT, 9 FUM) and the Rams have just 11 turnovers (5 INT, 6 FUM).
Bucknell vs. Fordham Series Notes
• Bucknell leads 18-12.
• This is the ninth straight year the two teams have met in the month of November.
• Bucknell and Fordham have met every year since 1989 after not playing for a span of more than 55 years.
• The last two meetings have been decided by a total of eight points.
• Bucknell leads 10-7 in Bronx.
• Over the last eight meetings, both teams have put together a pair of two-game winning streaks (Bucknell - wins in 2007-2008 & 2011-2012; Fordham - wins in 2009-2010 & 2013-2014)
Last Time vs. Fordham
No. 9 Fordham 30, Bucknell 27 (OT) (Nov. 7, 2014 - Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Bucknell played a second consecutive overtime game for the first time in program history.
• Bucknell's defense held Fordham to its second-lowest point, rushing yards and total offense totals of the season.
• Bucknell was the first team to hold Fordham scoreless in the third quarter all season. The Rams had outscored their first nine opponents 103-31 in the third quarter.
• The game was televised to a national audience on CBS Sports Network.
• Evan Byers posted a career-high three sacks for Bucknell.
• Both Bucknell and Fordham used a backup senior quarterback in place of its starter. The Bison started Trey Lauletta, while Peter Maetzold started for the Rams.
Inside the Lafayette Box Score
• Bucknell scored a season-high 35 points, including 21 in the second half, as the Bison overcame a 14-0 first-half deficit.
• Bucknell's 35 points marked its most in a game since it posted 45 in a 21-point victory at Lehigh last October.
• Bucknell RB Matt DelMauro recorded his third career 100-yard rushing performance with 107 yards on 12 carries.
• Bucknell QB R.J. Nitti had a hand in all five of the Bison touchdowns. He equaled a career high with four touchdown passes, and he ran for a touchdown that put the game out of reach in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
• All four of Nitti's touchdowns were to different receivers, and two of his touchdown passes were longer than 50 yards.
• Bison freshman DB Bryan Marine intercepted two passes and Bucknell won the turnover battle 4-1.
• K/P Alex Pechin served as Bucknell's placekicker for the first time this season and connected on all five extra points.
• Bucknell recorded a season-high five sacks, including two apiece by Clayton Ewell and Ben Schumacher.
• Bucknell was 11-for-18 on third downs, including 7-for-10 in the second half.
• Lafayette was 0-for-4 on fourth downs.
• Lafayette's 24 points scored were it second-most this season.
• Bucknell registered a season-high 412 yards of total offense for a second consecutive week.
Career Highs Set vs. Lafayette
• Marcus Ademilola: receptions (2), receiving yards (63), long reception (56), receiving TDs (1), all-purpose yards (63)
• Bret Berg: tackles for loss (1), forced fumbles (1)
• Joey DeFloria: rushing attempts (19), rushing yards (53), long rush (16)
• Matt DelMauro: kickoff returns (1), kickoff return yards (18), long kickoff return (18)
• Cinjun Erskine: tackles (3)
• Clayton Ewell: forced fumbles (1)
• Connor Golden: fumble recoveries (1)
• Joe Lauro: tackles (10), pass breakups (1)
• Bryan Marine: interceptions (2), interception return yards (30), long interception return (28)
• R.J. Nitti: rushing yards (30)
• Alex Pechin: PATs (5), points (5)
• Andrew Podbielski: receiving yards (35), all-purpose yards (35)
• Mark Pyles: passing attempts (1)
• Ben Schumacher: tackles (8), tackles for loss (3), sacks (2), forced fumbles (1)
Opponent Victories
• Saturday's game at Fordham marks the fourth time since Joe Susan took over as coach in 2010 that Bucknell has played an opponent with at least seven wins entering the contest.
Most Wins by Opponent (since 2010)
9 - Fordham (2013)
8 - Fordham (2014)
7 - Lehigh (2012) and Fordham (2015)
Big Game for Nitti
• Bucknell QB R.J. Nitti completed 15 of 26 passes for 241 yards and four touchdowns last week at Lafayette.
• Nitti's four touchdown passes equaled a career high (2014 at Sacred Heart) and it marked just the 10th time in program history a quarterback had at least four touchdown passes.
• Nitti is the first Bison to have two games with at least four touchdown passes.
• Nitti's four touchdown passes were to four different receivers.
• Nitti is now 43-for-75 for 579 yards, four touchdowns and one interception over the last two games.
• Nitti needs 100 passing yards to move into the top 10 on Bucknell's single-season passing yards list. He has thrown for 1,683 yards this season.
Big Plays
• Bucknell has been much better at hitting the big play in recent weeks.
• The Bison had just five offensive plays of at least 30 yards over the season's first six games. They have equaled that the last two weeks with five plays of at least 30 yards against Georgetown and Lafayette.
• Bucknell's three longest offensive plays this season have come in the last two weeks.
Bucknell's Longest Offensive Plays in 2015
R.J. Nitti to Matthew Jegede - 59 yards (vs. Georgetown)
R.J. Nitti to Marcus Ademilola - 56 yards (at Lafayette)
R.J. Nitti to Will Carter - 55 yards (at Lafayette)
R.J. Nitti to Alan Butler - 44 yards (vs. Lehigh)
R.J. Nitti to Andrew Owers - 38 yards (vs. Duquesne)
Matt DelMauro rush - 38 yards (at Lafayette)
400 Yards
• Bucknell has had 412 yards of total offense each of the last two weeks.
• The Bison had not eclipsed 400 yards of total offense this season until the Oct. 24 Georgetown game.
• Bucknell has posted at least 400 yards of total offense 11 times under head coach Joe Susan and is 7-4 in those games.
• This is the second time during Susan's tenure that Bucknell has had over 400 yards in back-to-back games. The only other time was last year against VMI and Marist.
400-Yard Games Under Joe Susan (since 2010)
2012: vs. Colgate (531 yards)
2013: vs. Holy Cross (423 yards), vs. Lehigh (509 yards), at Fordham (414 yards)
2014: vs. VMI (465 yards), at Marist (462 yards), vs. Cornell (420 yards), at Lehigh (436 yards), vs. Lafayette (429)
2015: vs. Georgetown (412), at Lafayette (412)
100-Yard Games
• Bucknell running backs Matt DelMauro and C.J. Williams have combined for 15 100-yard rushing games over the last three years.
• This year alone, the duo has five 100-yard games. Williams has rushed for 100 yards against Marist, Cornell and Georgetown, while DelMauro has 100-yard outings against Army West Point and Lafayette.
• Bucknell has had a 100-yard rusher in three consecutive games.
• Williams is ranked sixth on Bucknell's career rushing yards list with 2,334 yards, while DelMauro's 1,464 career rushing yards place him just over 400 yards shy of joining the program's top-10 list.
Bucknell vs. Ranked Opponents
• Saturday's game will be Bucknell's first against a ranked opponent since facing No. 9 Fordham last November.
• Bucknell's most recent win over a ranked foe was Oct. 26, 2013 when it posted a 48-10 win over No. 15 Lehigh.
• Bucknell is 1-7 in its last eight games against ranked opponents.
• Bucknell has five wins over ranked foes since 2000.
Bucknell's Wins Over Ranked Teams (since 2000)
Bucknell 31, No. 14 Fordham 10 (Oct. 4, 2003)
Bucknell 42, No. 22 Colgate 7 (Nov. 13, 2004)
Bucknell 38, No. 18 Fordham 24 (Nov. 17, 2007)
Bucknell 23, No. 13 Holy Cross 17 (Nov. 21, 2009)
Bucknell 48, No. 15 Lehigh 10 (Oct. 26, 2013)
Road Success
• Bucknell is 3-1 on the road this year and is 9-2 in its last 11 road contests. Additionally, the Bison are 6-1 in their last seven road games and 11-3 in their last 14.
• Bucknell had won five in a row on the road, its longest streak since 1997, entering the Army West Point game (Oct. 17) at Michie Stadium.
Turnovers
• Bucknell had a 6-1 turnover deficit after its first two games of the season vs. Marist and Duquesne.
• Bucknell has not lost the turnover battle in any of its last six games.
• The Bison have not turned the ball over more than once in any of their last six outings.
• Bucknell has had a positive turnover margin in each of its last four contests, holding an 11-4 edge during that span. However, the Bison are just 1-3 in games they win the turnover battle this season.
• Bucknell's four forced turnovers last week at Lafayette were its most since it gained five turnovers (all interceptions) in a 2014 win vs. Lehigh.
Scoring Defense
• Bucknell is ranked 16th nationally in scoring defense (18.1 ppg) this year.
• If the Bison finish the season under 20.0 ppg in scoring defense, it will mark just the fourth time since 2000 that Bucknell opponents will average less than 20.0 ppg.
Bucknell's Lowest Scoring Defense (since 2000)
1. 2000 - 15.6 ppg
2. 2001 - 15.7 ppg
3. 2015 - 18.1 ppg
4. 2011 - 19.4 ppg
Holding Opponents Under 30 Points
• Bucknell has held all seven of its opponents this year under 30 points. In fact, the most points for an opponent this year is 26 by Duquesne.
• Bucknell is one of five teams nationally to hold all of its opponents in 2015 under 30 points. Included in that group are three undefeated teams (Dayton, Harvard, McNeese State), 6-1 Dartmouth and 4-4 Bucknell.
• The Bison are tied for the third-longest consecutive games streak in holding opponents under 30 points with 10 in a row.
Consecutive Games Holding Opponents Under 30 Points
1. Harvard - 18
2. Dartmouth - 13
3. Bucknell, Dayton, McNeese State - 10
Milestone Watch
• Will Carter: Needs four touchdown catches to tie Bucknell career record of 18
• Bobby Kaslander: 16 receiving yards shy of 1,000 for career
• R.J. Nitti: Needs 317 passing yards to become seventh different Bison to throw for 2,000 yards in a season
• Nick O'Brien: 11 tackles shy of 100 in career
Up Next
• Bucknell will play its final home game of the season next Saturday, Nov. 14, when it hosts Holy Cross in a 1 p.m. contest. The Bison are 1-3 at home this season and will be aiming for a second consecutive victory over the Crusaders. Fifteen Bucknell seniors will be recognized prior to the game during Senior Day ceremonies.
