Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Cornell
Late Touchdown Sends Bucknell to Dramatic 19-14 Win at Cornell
9/19/2015 6:51:00 PM | Football
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Bucknell football team delivered a perfect birthday present to head coach Joe Susan, a dramatic 19-14 victory over Cornell at Schoellkopf Field. R.J. Nitti hit sophomore Joey DeFloria on a 14-yard touchdown pass on a 4th-and-10 play with 1:53 remaining in the game, sending the Bison to their first win in Ithaca in 20 years and a 2-1 record on the season.
C.J. Williams carried the ball a career-high 35 times and gained 133 yards to lead the Bison offense, which possessed the ball for more than 37 minutes in a game that was played within a one-score margin throughout.
Nitti completed 20 of 33 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns, and he made his biggest plays with the game on the line. On Bucknell's final scoring drive, he tossed first-down passes twice on third down and twice on fourth down. He kept the chains moving with completions to freshman Alan Butler, first on 3rd-and-17 and another on 3rd-and-8.
On 4th-and-5 at the Cornell 22, Nitti hit Bobby Kaslander on a rub route for a key first down with four minutes remaining. After two short runs by Williams and a sack, Nitti evaded pressure and just before being hit, he delivered a pass to DeFloria, who outmuscled several defenders at the goal line to come down with the winning touchdown pass.
The Big Red had plenty of time left, however, but on their very first play after a touchback, quarterback Robert Somborn was intercepted by freshman cornerback Bryan Marine. Safety Connor Golden tipped the ball in the air, and Marine came down with his first career interception at the Bucknell 46 with 1:47 to play.
Bucknell had a chance to run out the clock, but on 3rd-and-1 Nitti had to fall on an errant shotgun snap. Freshman Alex Pechin delivered a clutch 53-yard punt, sending the dangerous Luis Uceta all the way back to his 7-yard line. Colby Klingerman brought him down at the 8 with 45 seconds left.
After a first-down pass from Somborn to James Hubbard out to the 25, defensive end Jimmy King strip-sacked Somborn. The Bison could not corral the loose ball, but the Big Red recovered at their own 1-yard line with 13 seconds left. A false start penalty resulted in an automatic 10-second clock runoff, and then Cornell sent the next snap out of the back of the end zone for a safety on the final play of the game.
Bucknell snapped a seven-game series losing streak to Cornell with a 20-7 home victory last season. This win ended a seven-game losing skid in Ithaca. The Bison's last win here was a 10-7 decision in 1995 under then-first-year head coach Tom Gadd.
Williams posted his 11th career 100-yard rushing game, moving him into a tie for fourth place alongside Hall-of-Famer Ken Jenkins on Bucknell's all-time list. Of those 11 100-yard games, three have come against Cornell, including his career-high 188-yard effort last season.
Will Carter led the receiving corps with seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown in his season debut.
Bucknell got on the board first early in the second quarter, when Nitti hit Carter on a fade route from 11 yards out. The Bison had actually punted earlier on that drive, but Cornell lined up offside on 4th-and-5, keeping the drive alive.
Carter made a nice adjustment on the touchdown, working his way inside the defender before making a diving catch in the front of the end zone.
Cornell quickly tied it at 7-7, marching 75 yards in just six plays on its ensuing possession. Somborn connected with Collin Shaw on a 41-yard pass to get the ball to the Bucknell 20-yard line, and running back Luke Hagy ran it in from there.
Williams converted three different third downs on Bucknell's final possession of the first half. The Bison drove as far as the Cornell 36, but the drive stalled after a sack and a 3rd-and-17 interception.
Bucknell took the opening kickoff of the second half and went on a nearly eight-minute drive. Williams carried 11 times for 44 yards on the series, but he was stopped three straight times inside the 5, and the Bison settled for a 23-yard field goal by John Burdick.
Bucknell came up with two big defensive plays to get the ball back. First, Clayton Ewell smothered a Somborn pass on 4th-and-4. After the Bison punted, Ben Richard tackled Hagy for an 11-yard loss on third down.
Again Bucknell had to punt, and this time Uceta returned the kick back to the Bison 38. Four plays later, Somborn connected with Hubbard on a 21-yard touchdown pass on 3rd-and-8 with 9:46 to play.
But the Bison proceeded to go 64 yards on 14 plays, culminating with the Nitti-to-DeFloria pass on fourth down.
“It was very hot and humid down on the field, and we really wanted to keep our defense off the field as much as possible,” said Susan, whose birthday was on Friday. “On the first drive of the second half, even though we would have preferred a touchdown to a field goal, we took eight minutes off the clock. Points are points, and those were big at that time. Winning the time of possession battle was key today.”
Bucknell ran 30 more plays from scrimmage (77-47) and outgained Cornell 286-240. The Bison kept the chains moving by converting 10 of 20 third downs and both of their fourth-down chances.
King led the defense with seven tackles, including two sacks and three total tackles for loss. Marine and Richard had six tackles apiece, with Richard also recording a sack.
Hagy also topped the 100-yard mark with 105 rushing yards on 18 carries. Somborn finished 9 of 18 for 152 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
Now 15-5 over its last 20 games, Bucknell will be idle next Saturday before traveling to VMI on Oct. 3.
