Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football Announces 2016 Schedule
3/16/2016 11:49:00 AM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football program on Wednesday announced its challenging 2016 schedule that features four teams that played in last year's NCAA FCS Playoffs. The Bison this fall will play three home Patriot League games, host non-league foes Cornell and VMI, and will make their first-ever trip to Charleston Southern.
“We are excited about our 2016 schedule,” noted seventh-year Bucknell head coach Joe Susan. “It represents a challenge that the student-athletes on our team have worked toward since the end of the 2015 season.
“Our non-league schedule features teams from five competitive conferences. As always, the league schedule will provide a unique test. The coaches and teams in the Patriot League do an excellent job in their preparation.”
Bucknell will start the season with back-to-back road games against familiar opponents. The Bison will open the campaign Sept. 3 at Marist and will then travel to 2015 NEC champion Duquesne the following week. Bucknell hosted both foes last September. The Bison have played Marist every year since 2005 and Duquesne 13 times since 1997.
Four of Bucknell's five home games at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium will take place in a six-week span from Sept. 17 to Oct. 22. The Bison will commence their home slate against Cornell on Sept. 17. They will then host VMI on Sept. 24, which is Family Weekend at Bucknell. The Bison, who have played Cornell every year since 2002 and VMI each of the last three years, defeated both squads in close road games last fall.
After a bye week, Bucknell will play its first Patriot League game when it travels to Worcester, Massachusetts, to take on Holy Cross on Oct. 8. The Bison posted an overtime win in their last visit to Fitton Field in 2014.
A return home the following week will feature a contest against defending Patriot League champion Colgate followed by a Homecoming game against in-state rival Lafayette on Oct. 22.
Bucknell's longest road swing of the year follows with three straight games away from Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Charleston Southern, which was 10-3 last year and earned a trip to the NCAA playoffs, leads off the road stretch on Oct. 29. It will be the first meeting between the schools and will mark the longest trip for the Bison since playing at St. Mary's (Calif.) in 2002. Bucknell last played a game in South Carolina in 1970 when it faced The Citadel.
The Bison follow the Charleston Southern trip with road Patriot League games against Lehigh (Nov. 5) and Georgetown (Nov. 12) before wrapping up the regular season with their final home contest of the year Nov. 19 against Fordham, an NCAA postseason participant each of the last three years.
Kickoff times will be announced at a later date.
Bucknell opens its spring practice schedule March 29. This year's spring game is slated for April 29 at 6 p.m.
2016 Bucknell Football Schedule
Sept. 3: at Marist (Poughkeepsie, N.Y)
Sept. 10: at Duquesne (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Sept. 17: Cornell (Lewisburg, Pa.)
Sept. 24: VMI (Lewisburg, Pa.) – Family Weekend
Oct. 8: at Holy Cross (Worcester, Mass.)
Oct. 15: Colgate (Lewisburg, Pa.)
Oct. 22: Lafayette (Lewisburg, Pa.) – Homecoming
Oct. 29: at Charleston Southern (Charleston, S.C.)
Nov. 5: at Lehigh (Bethlehem, Pa.)
Nov. 12: at Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)
Nov. 19: Fordham (Lewisburg, Pa.)
