Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Marist
Bison Football Opens Season with 17-0 Shutout of Marist
9/5/2015 9:36:00 PM | Football
Robert Naylor, who is recovering from a spine injury suffered last season, led the Bison out at the start of the game, and his defensive mates then limited the Red Foxes to 161 total yards and just 21 on the ground. Marist has not scored a point against Bucknell since the third quarter of their 2013 matchup, a scoreless span of 135 minutes, 35 seconds.
C.J. Williams ran 31 times for 131 yards for the Bison as he recorded his 10th career 100-yard outing, tying him for fifth place on Bucknell's all-time list. One-hundred and fourteen of his yards came in the second half when the Bison dominated the time of possession, 22:29-7:31. Williams moved from 10th place on the program's career rushing list into seventh. He is now just 69 yards shy of 2,000 in his career.
Nitti completed 15 of 32 passes for 188 yards and ran five times for 21 total yards, including a career-long 24-yard scamper that set up his first touchdown run midway through the third quarter.
The Bison defense totaled 10 tackles for loss, including a team-high three by Clayton Ewell. Bret Berg led the way with seven tackles and three pass breakups. Four different players posted sacks.
Abdullah Anderson and Ewell each blocked a field goal in the first half for the Bison. There were a total of three blocked field goals in the contest as Marist's John Brennan got his hand on a John Burdick field goal in the fourth quarter.
It was a 3-0 game at halftime and Bucknell then dominated the third quarter, scoring both touchdowns in the frame. The Bison received the opening kickoff of the second half and put together a 10-play, 78-yard drive that ate 5:23 off the clock. Williams rushed seven times for 42 yards on the drive, while Nitti ran twice for 28 yards, including a four-yard touchdown run.
After a short Marist possession, Bucknell got the ball right back and put together a 14-play, 70-yard drive that was 7:47 in length. Williams ran eight times for 28 yards during the drive and was stopped at the goal line twice before Nitti dove in from less than a yard out on third down. Burdick, a sophomore who was seeing his first game action, knocked in the extra point to wrap up the scoring in the contest.
Burdick opened the scoring when he connected on a 30-yard field goal in the waning seconds of the first quarter. It capped a 12-play, 42-yard drive.
Bucknell's three scoring drives totaled 36 plays and took 18:11 off the clock. The Bison's other nine drives featured 41 plays and were less than 18 minutes in length.
After totaling just 111 yards of total offense in the first half, Bucknell recorded 260 in the second half, including 162 on the ground.
The Bison held a huge advantage in third down efficiency. Bucknell was 11-for-18 on third downs, while Marist was just 1-for-12 and was forced to punt eight times, compared to four for the Bison.
Bucknell, which was picked to finish second in the Patriot League, has now won 14 of its last 18 games dating back to 2013. The Bison are now 10-1 all-time against the Red Foxes and have won five straight in the series.
The Bison will wrap up their two-game homestand to begin the season next Saturday when they host Duquesne at 6 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Bucknell last faced the Dukes in 2011.
