Saturday, October 6
Lewisburg, Pa.
12 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
#20/21 Colgate
Photo by: Linda Naiman
Bucknell Football Returns Home to Face No. 20/21 Colgate
10/3/2018 6:45:00 AM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team returns to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2018's second week to face No. 20/21 Colgate, one of four unbeaten teams remaining in the FCS ranks, on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 12 p.m.
Tickets are on sale at the Campus Box Office, starting at $10 for adults, $6 for children (13-18) and $6 for seniors (62+). Admission is free for Bucknell students as well as children between the ages of 0 and 12. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.bucknell.edu/boxoffice or by calling 570-577-1000. For information on Youth Football & Cheer Day activities, visit this link.
When: Saturday, October 6 – 12 p.m.
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Internet Video: Patriot League Network or Facebook Watch
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
With a victory the Bison would...
• snap a four-game losing skid against the Raiders
• defeat Colgate at Christy-Mathewson Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2006, halting a five-game losing streak Â
• knock off a ranked team for the first time since 2013
• get off to a 2-0 start in Patriot League play for the first time since 2014 (the Bison won their first three league games that season) Â
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison are currently 1-4 (1-0 Patriot League) on the season.
• Bucknell finished 2017 with a 5-6 (2-4 PL) record. The Bison, who took sixth in the Patriot League a year ago, were chosen to tie for fifth with Lafayette in the 2018 preseason poll, as voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors.
• Bucknell returned a total of 41 letterwinners in 2018. That group includes 14 seniors, 17 juniors and 10 sophomores. Eight seniors—WR Alan Butler, DL Alex Jordan, S Joe Lauro, CB Bryan Marine, CB Fisayo Oluleye, TE/FB Andrew Owers, P Alex Pechin and LB Matt Robinson—are three-time letterwinners.
• OL Pat Finn, Lauro, Marine and Pechin are serving as team captains in 2018.
• The Bison have led the Patriot League in total defense six of the past seven seasons, including five years in a row from 2011 to 2015. In 2017, they finished fourth nationally in passing defense (148.3) and 11th in total defense (294.6).
• Bucknell is currently tied for fourth in the FCS with 13 turnovers gained on eight fumble recoveries and five interceptions. The Bison are just one outside of first.
• QB Logan Bitikofer has completed 49 of 88 passes for 430 yards and three touchdowns. RB Jared Cooper is the team leader in rushing yards (279) while WR Brandon Sanders has paced the Bison in receiving yards (190). Â
• Through four games, three Bison have made at least 40 tackles: Lauro (46), Marine (43) and LB Sam Chitty (41). Chitty and LB Simeon Page are tied for the team lead with eight tackles for a loss, a total tied for 11th in the FCS.
Inside the Holy Cross Box Score
• Bucknell withstood a furious Holy Cross comeback to win its Patriot League opener, 19-16. It was the Bison's third-straight victory over the Crusaders at Fitton Field.
• The Bison built a 19-7 lead on a 36-yard touchdown rush by RB Jared Cooper and a 22-yard touchdown throw by QB Logan Bitikofer to WR Alan Butler.
• While Holy Cross drew within a field goal at the fourth quarter's 6:57 mark, Bucknell drained 6:13 off the clock by marching from its 18 to the Crusader 26 in 13 plays.
• Following a missed 43-yard field goal attempt, Holy Cross got the ball back with 36 seconds remaining in regulation. After QB Geoff Wade had three passes fall incomplete, the Crusaders went for it on 4th and 10. S Joe Lauro came up with his second pass breakup of the sequence to seal the victory.
• Cooper led the Bison with 75 yards on 24 carries. All but 19 of his yards came during the Bison's second-half surge, which saw them post 205 of their season-best 280 yards of total offense.
• Bitikofer completed 19 of 29 passes for a career-high 193 yards while WR Brandon Sanders totaled a career-best 97 yards on six catches.
• K Ethan Torres kicked the first two field goals of his career during the first half.
• CB Bryan Marine registered 75 yards on five punt returns, bolstered by his clutch 67-yard run which set up Torres's second field goal.
• Lauro and LB Sam Chitty paced Bucknell's defense with 11 tackles (seven solo) apiece. In total, the Bison registered 12 tackles for a loss of 50 yards, with DE Grayson Cherubino and LB Simeon Page leading the way with three apiece.
• For their efforts against the Crusaders, Cooper captured his second Patriot League Rookie of the Week award while Lauro was named the Bison Athlete of the Week.
N0. 20/21 Colgate at a Glance
• The No. 20/21 Raiders are currently 4-0 (2-0 Patriot League). They are one of four unbeaten teams remaining in the FCS, joining Dartmouth (Ivy League), North Dakota State (Missouri Valley Football Conference) and Princeton (Ivy League).
• Colgate blanked its last two opponents: Lafayette (45-0) and William & Mary (23-0). It was the first time since 1966 the Raiders blanked back-to-back opponents.
• Colgate has outscored its opponents by a combined margin of 102-20.
• The Raiders are the FCS leaders in scoring defense (5.0) and red zone defense (.333); no other team has allowed an average of fewer than eight points per game, and no other program boasts a red zone defense south of .500.
• Colgate also ranks in the FCS's top 10 in turnover margin (t-2nd, 2.25), total defense (6th, 260.5), time of possession (7th, 34:12) and rushing defense (9th, 88.3).
• The Raiders, who went 7-4 (5-1 PL) a year ago, were picked to win the Patriot League in the 2018 preseason poll. Ten Raiders made the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, including Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Nick Wheeler.
The Bucknell/Colgate Series
• Colgate leads the all-time series, 49-17, and has won nine of the past 10 meetings.
• A season ago, the Raiders toppled the Bison, 40-3, in Hamilton, N.Y. Â
• The Raiders currently hold a four-game winning streak over the Bison. They have also taken the last five games played at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
• Bucknell last downed Colgate on Nov. 2, 2013, a 28-7 victory at Andy Kerr Stadium. It was the Bison's first win over the Raiders since 2006 and their first in Hamilton, N.Y. since 1999.
• In the last meeting at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Oct. 15, 2016, QB Jake Melville ran for two touchdowns and threw for one more to lead Colgate to a 27-7 win. For the Bison, QB John Chiarolanzio made his collegiate debut, coming off the bench to complete 11 of 19 passes for 139 yards and one score.
The Last Meeting with the Raiders Â
Colgate 40 – Bucknell 3 (Oct. 28, 2017 – Hamilton, N.Y.)
• Colgate scored four unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter to down Bucknell, 40-3. LB Nick Ioanilli intercepted a pair of passes for the Raiders, directly leading to two of those scores.
• In the first half, Colgate outgained Bucknell, 293-63, and held a 15-4 advantage in first downs. The tables turned in the second half, with the Bison holding edges in yards (169-93) and first downs (10-4).
• DL Abdullah Anderson and S Joe Lauro each blocked his first extra point. It was Anderson's fourth career blocked kick, as he previously blocked three field goals.
• In the third quarter, Anderson corralled a pass that was deflected by LB Mark Pyles on Colgate's 12-yard line. While the Bison reached the one-yard line, a fumbled hand-off ultimately gave the Raiders the ball back on their seven-yard line. Â
• QB Matt Muh entered the game in the second half and threw for 133 yards on 11 for 23 passing. QB John Chiarolanzio completed five of 10 passes for 37 yards.
• WRs Justin Bethea (48) and Mike Balzofiore (41) led the Bison in receiving yards, both setting a new career high in the process. Bethea later eclipsed his total in the 2017 finale at Fordham.
• Defensively, S Brandon Benson (12) and LB Simeon Page (11) paced Bucknell.
• Colgate went 6-for-6 on its red-zone chances, scoring six touchdowns.
Bucknell vs. Ranked Opponents
• Colgate is Bucknell's second ranked opponent of the 2018 campaign. The Bison previously faced No. 14/15 Villanova on the road.
• Bucknell most recently upset a ranked foe on Oct. 26, 2013. In that game, a 48-10 victory over No. 15 Lehigh at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, RB C.J. Williams rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns, WR Will Carter caught six passes for 130 yards and QB Brandon Wesley completed 16-for-21 passes for 213 yards.
• The Bison are 1-9 in their last 10 games against ranked opponents.
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)
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on offense have made a combined 112 starts. Â
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on defense have made a combined 91 starts, with CB Bryan Marine (29) and S Joe Lauro (22) accounting for over 56 percent of them.
• On offense, three seniors, two juniors, five sophomores and one freshman are expected to start. On defense, three seniors, one junior, five sophomores and two freshmen are projected to start.
• Eleven seniors, 11 juniors, 15 sophomores and 10 freshmen appear on the depth chart.
• Twelve players on Bucknell's roster have made at least 10 career starts: Marine (29), WR Alan Butler (25), Lauro (22), TE/FB Andrew Owers (17), OL Pat Finn (15), OL Noah Stephenson (14), OL P.J. Barr (13), WR Justin Bethea (11), QB John Chiarolanzio (11), DE Roger Mellado (11), LB Simeon Page (10) and TE Alex Twiford (10).
• Butler leads the team with 16-consecutive starts while Barr (13), Finn (11) and Mellado (11) round out the top three.
• Barr became the first member of the class of 2021 to start at least 10 contests against Sacred Heart in week two. Mellado became the second at Villanova in week four while Page and Twiford joined them at Holy Cross in week five. Â
• No member of the class of 2019 has played in all 38 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. LB Matt Robinson is his class's leader with 35 career games played; he was previously tied with CB Fisayo Oluleye, who missed the Holy Cross game to injury.
• A total of 36 different Bison have started a game in 2018. Eleven have started all five games: Barr, Butler, LB Sam Chitty, Finn, Lauro, OL Erik Lukner, Marine, Mellado, Page, OL Justis Peppers and Robinson.
• CB Sterling Deary earned his first career start at Holy Cross last week.
• To date, 16 Bison have earned their first career start in 2018. DE Grayson Cherubino, RB Jared Cooper, Deary and WR Brandon Sanders are the only freshmen who have started.
Bison in the NCAA FCS Top 15
• P Alex Pechin: 1st in punting yards (1,750), 4th in punting average (46.1)
• CB Bryan Marine: t-1st in solo tackles (34), t-1st in fumbles recovered (2), 3rd in combined kick returns (445), t-3rd in solo tackles per game (6.8)
• CB Fisayo Oluleye: t-3rd in interception return touchdowns (1)
• LBs Sam Chitty and Simeon Page: t-11th in tackles for loss (8.0)
• S Joe Lauro: t-12th in solo tackles (29), t-14th in total tackles (46)
School Record Holders on the 2018 Roster
• LB Simeon Page: Single Game Sacks (4.0, 11/18/17), Rookie Season Sacks (9.0, 2017)
• P Alex Pechin: Career Punting Average (43.8), Season Punting Average (45.1, 2017)
Bryan Marine: Bucknell's 13th-Straight Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
• CB Bryan Marine was among 179 semifinalists for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy®, commonly known as the "Academic Heisman."
• Only Bucknell and Dayton have had a Campbell Trophy semifinalist each of the past 13 years. Previous Bison honorees include David Frisbey (2006), Nick Mozal (2007), Kevin Mullen (2008), Sam Nana-Sinkam (2009), Travis Nissley (2010), Tim Bolte (2011), Samuel Oyekoya (2012), Tracey Smith (2013), Derek Maurer (2014), Matt DelMauro (2015), Cary Hess (2016) and Mark Pyles (2017).
Alex Pechin: Setting an All-American Standard
• P Alex Pechin is currently fourth in the NCAA FCS ranks with a 46.1 punting average; the national leader in punting yards (1,705), he is one of only two punters in nation's top 20 in punting average with at least 30 punts.
• Pechin's career punting average of 43.8 is second among all active FCS punters.
• After averaging a career-best 51.0 yards on nine punts at No. 14/15 Villanova, Pechin received Honorable Mention National Special Teams Player of the Week laurels from STATS.
• Pechin's 51.0 punting average against the Wildcats was a single yard shy of the school record, set in 1962; he had punts five sail for at least 50 yards, including a 71-yard bomb.
• Pechin owns Bucknell's third- (71, 2018), seventh- (67, 2017) and 10th- (64, 2017) longest punts in school history.
• Pechin was named to 2018 Preseason All-America First Teams by STATS, Phil Steele, Hero Sports, College Sports Madness and FreeAgentFootball.com
• Pechin was honored on the 2017 STATS All-America Third Team after finishing third in the NCAA FCS ranks with a 45.1 punting average. His average shattered his previous school record, set in 2015 as a freshman, by three full yards.
Milestones Met at Holy Cross
• CB Bryan Marine: Made his 200th career tackle; now has 200
Milestone Watch
• S Brandon Benson: Needs 24 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• WR Alan Butler: Needs 198 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career
• S Joe Lauro: Needs five tackles to reach 200 in his career
• CB Bryan Marine: Needs one interception to crack Bucknell's career top eight with 10
• LB Simeon Page: Needs three sacks to crack Bucknell's career top 10 with 16.5
• LB Simeon Page: Needs 23 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• P Alex Pechin: Needs 1,803 punting yards to reach 10,000 in his career
Head Coach Joe Susan Â
• Joe Susan, the 26th head coach in program history, is in his ninth season at the helm and currently ranks third in career games (93) and sixth in career victories (38).
• Susan broke a tie with Bob Odell, who coached the Bison from 1958 to 1964 and was enshrined in the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame in 1987, for sixth in career wins with Bucknell's victory at Holy Cross on Sept. 29, 2018. He now needs two wins to tie George Hoskins (1899-1906, 1909) for fifth.
Inside the 2018 Schedule
• This is the 133rd season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell's 2018 opponents went a combined 50-72 (.410) in 2017. Of that group, Monmouth (9-3), Colgate (7-4) and Penn (6-4) finished at or above .500. At 5-6, the Bison had a better 2017 record than seven of their opponents and matched one other's mark.
• Two of the Bison's 2018 foes reached the 2017 NCAA FCS Playoffs. Lehigh fell to Stony Brook, 59-29, while Monmouth was dispatched by Northern Iowa, 46-7, in the first round.
• Bucknell's five non-conference opponents hail from four different conferences: the Big South Conference (Monmouth), the Colonial Athletic Association (Villanova and William & Mary), the Ivy League (Penn) and the Northeast Conference (Sacred Heart).
• The Bison entered the campaign with a 151-244-12 (.371) record against their 2018 opponents, including winning marks against Fordham (18-15), Georgetown (18-11-1) and Sacred Heart (2-1).
How to Follow the Bison
• Every game will be broadcast on Eagle 107 (WEGH 107.3) and BucknellBison.com.
• All five of Bucknell's home games and its road contests at Holy Cross, Lehigh and Georgetown will air on the Patriot League Network (PatriotLeague.tv).
• Fans can watch the Bison's games at Penn and Monmouth on ESPN+. Their game at Villanova will be streamed on Villanova.com.
• Bucknell's home contests against Sacred Heart and Fordham and away game at Lehigh are among 10 Patriot League tilts that will be carried on Stadium's family of over-the-air channels and streaming services. All three will also be carried on Facebook Watch.
• In addition, Bucknell's home game against Colgate and away contest at Georgetown will be streamed on Facebook Watch.
• The Bison are active on Twitter (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtag #BandOfBison.
Up Next
• The Bison close non-conference action at Monmouth on Saturday, Oct. 13. The Bison and Hawks, who met for the first time a year ago at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, will square off at 1 p.m.
Tickets are on sale at the Campus Box Office, starting at $10 for adults, $6 for children (13-18) and $6 for seniors (62+). Admission is free for Bucknell students as well as children between the ages of 0 and 12. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.bucknell.edu/boxoffice or by calling 570-577-1000. For information on Youth Football & Cheer Day activities, visit this link.
When: Saturday, October 6 – 12 p.m.
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Internet Video: Patriot League Network or Facebook Watch
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
With a victory the Bison would...
• snap a four-game losing skid against the Raiders
• defeat Colgate at Christy-Mathewson Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2006, halting a five-game losing streak Â
• knock off a ranked team for the first time since 2013
• get off to a 2-0 start in Patriot League play for the first time since 2014 (the Bison won their first three league games that season) Â
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison are currently 1-4 (1-0 Patriot League) on the season.
• Bucknell finished 2017 with a 5-6 (2-4 PL) record. The Bison, who took sixth in the Patriot League a year ago, were chosen to tie for fifth with Lafayette in the 2018 preseason poll, as voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors.
• Bucknell returned a total of 41 letterwinners in 2018. That group includes 14 seniors, 17 juniors and 10 sophomores. Eight seniors—WR Alan Butler, DL Alex Jordan, S Joe Lauro, CB Bryan Marine, CB Fisayo Oluleye, TE/FB Andrew Owers, P Alex Pechin and LB Matt Robinson—are three-time letterwinners.
• OL Pat Finn, Lauro, Marine and Pechin are serving as team captains in 2018.
• The Bison have led the Patriot League in total defense six of the past seven seasons, including five years in a row from 2011 to 2015. In 2017, they finished fourth nationally in passing defense (148.3) and 11th in total defense (294.6).
• Bucknell is currently tied for fourth in the FCS with 13 turnovers gained on eight fumble recoveries and five interceptions. The Bison are just one outside of first.
• QB Logan Bitikofer has completed 49 of 88 passes for 430 yards and three touchdowns. RB Jared Cooper is the team leader in rushing yards (279) while WR Brandon Sanders has paced the Bison in receiving yards (190). Â
• Through four games, three Bison have made at least 40 tackles: Lauro (46), Marine (43) and LB Sam Chitty (41). Chitty and LB Simeon Page are tied for the team lead with eight tackles for a loss, a total tied for 11th in the FCS.
Inside the Holy Cross Box Score
• Bucknell withstood a furious Holy Cross comeback to win its Patriot League opener, 19-16. It was the Bison's third-straight victory over the Crusaders at Fitton Field.
• The Bison built a 19-7 lead on a 36-yard touchdown rush by RB Jared Cooper and a 22-yard touchdown throw by QB Logan Bitikofer to WR Alan Butler.
• While Holy Cross drew within a field goal at the fourth quarter's 6:57 mark, Bucknell drained 6:13 off the clock by marching from its 18 to the Crusader 26 in 13 plays.
• Following a missed 43-yard field goal attempt, Holy Cross got the ball back with 36 seconds remaining in regulation. After QB Geoff Wade had three passes fall incomplete, the Crusaders went for it on 4th and 10. S Joe Lauro came up with his second pass breakup of the sequence to seal the victory.
• Cooper led the Bison with 75 yards on 24 carries. All but 19 of his yards came during the Bison's second-half surge, which saw them post 205 of their season-best 280 yards of total offense.
• Bitikofer completed 19 of 29 passes for a career-high 193 yards while WR Brandon Sanders totaled a career-best 97 yards on six catches.
• K Ethan Torres kicked the first two field goals of his career during the first half.
• CB Bryan Marine registered 75 yards on five punt returns, bolstered by his clutch 67-yard run which set up Torres's second field goal.
• Lauro and LB Sam Chitty paced Bucknell's defense with 11 tackles (seven solo) apiece. In total, the Bison registered 12 tackles for a loss of 50 yards, with DE Grayson Cherubino and LB Simeon Page leading the way with three apiece.
• For their efforts against the Crusaders, Cooper captured his second Patriot League Rookie of the Week award while Lauro was named the Bison Athlete of the Week.
N0. 20/21 Colgate at a Glance
• The No. 20/21 Raiders are currently 4-0 (2-0 Patriot League). They are one of four unbeaten teams remaining in the FCS, joining Dartmouth (Ivy League), North Dakota State (Missouri Valley Football Conference) and Princeton (Ivy League).
• Colgate blanked its last two opponents: Lafayette (45-0) and William & Mary (23-0). It was the first time since 1966 the Raiders blanked back-to-back opponents.
• Colgate has outscored its opponents by a combined margin of 102-20.
• The Raiders are the FCS leaders in scoring defense (5.0) and red zone defense (.333); no other team has allowed an average of fewer than eight points per game, and no other program boasts a red zone defense south of .500.
• Colgate also ranks in the FCS's top 10 in turnover margin (t-2nd, 2.25), total defense (6th, 260.5), time of possession (7th, 34:12) and rushing defense (9th, 88.3).
• The Raiders, who went 7-4 (5-1 PL) a year ago, were picked to win the Patriot League in the 2018 preseason poll. Ten Raiders made the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, including Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Nick Wheeler.
The Bucknell/Colgate Series
• Colgate leads the all-time series, 49-17, and has won nine of the past 10 meetings.
• A season ago, the Raiders toppled the Bison, 40-3, in Hamilton, N.Y. Â
• The Raiders currently hold a four-game winning streak over the Bison. They have also taken the last five games played at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
• Bucknell last downed Colgate on Nov. 2, 2013, a 28-7 victory at Andy Kerr Stadium. It was the Bison's first win over the Raiders since 2006 and their first in Hamilton, N.Y. since 1999.
• In the last meeting at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Oct. 15, 2016, QB Jake Melville ran for two touchdowns and threw for one more to lead Colgate to a 27-7 win. For the Bison, QB John Chiarolanzio made his collegiate debut, coming off the bench to complete 11 of 19 passes for 139 yards and one score.
The Last Meeting with the Raiders Â
Colgate 40 – Bucknell 3 (Oct. 28, 2017 – Hamilton, N.Y.)
• Colgate scored four unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter to down Bucknell, 40-3. LB Nick Ioanilli intercepted a pair of passes for the Raiders, directly leading to two of those scores.
• In the first half, Colgate outgained Bucknell, 293-63, and held a 15-4 advantage in first downs. The tables turned in the second half, with the Bison holding edges in yards (169-93) and first downs (10-4).
• DL Abdullah Anderson and S Joe Lauro each blocked his first extra point. It was Anderson's fourth career blocked kick, as he previously blocked three field goals.
• In the third quarter, Anderson corralled a pass that was deflected by LB Mark Pyles on Colgate's 12-yard line. While the Bison reached the one-yard line, a fumbled hand-off ultimately gave the Raiders the ball back on their seven-yard line. Â
• QB Matt Muh entered the game in the second half and threw for 133 yards on 11 for 23 passing. QB John Chiarolanzio completed five of 10 passes for 37 yards.
• WRs Justin Bethea (48) and Mike Balzofiore (41) led the Bison in receiving yards, both setting a new career high in the process. Bethea later eclipsed his total in the 2017 finale at Fordham.
• Defensively, S Brandon Benson (12) and LB Simeon Page (11) paced Bucknell.
• Colgate went 6-for-6 on its red-zone chances, scoring six touchdowns.
Bucknell vs. Ranked Opponents
• Colgate is Bucknell's second ranked opponent of the 2018 campaign. The Bison previously faced No. 14/15 Villanova on the road.
• Bucknell most recently upset a ranked foe on Oct. 26, 2013. In that game, a 48-10 victory over No. 15 Lehigh at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, RB C.J. Williams rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns, WR Will Carter caught six passes for 130 yards and QB Brandon Wesley completed 16-for-21 passes for 213 yards.
• The Bison are 1-9 in their last 10 games against ranked opponents.
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)
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on offense have made a combined 112 starts. Â
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on defense have made a combined 91 starts, with CB Bryan Marine (29) and S Joe Lauro (22) accounting for over 56 percent of them.
• On offense, three seniors, two juniors, five sophomores and one freshman are expected to start. On defense, three seniors, one junior, five sophomores and two freshmen are projected to start.
• Eleven seniors, 11 juniors, 15 sophomores and 10 freshmen appear on the depth chart.
• Twelve players on Bucknell's roster have made at least 10 career starts: Marine (29), WR Alan Butler (25), Lauro (22), TE/FB Andrew Owers (17), OL Pat Finn (15), OL Noah Stephenson (14), OL P.J. Barr (13), WR Justin Bethea (11), QB John Chiarolanzio (11), DE Roger Mellado (11), LB Simeon Page (10) and TE Alex Twiford (10).
• Butler leads the team with 16-consecutive starts while Barr (13), Finn (11) and Mellado (11) round out the top three.
• Barr became the first member of the class of 2021 to start at least 10 contests against Sacred Heart in week two. Mellado became the second at Villanova in week four while Page and Twiford joined them at Holy Cross in week five. Â
• No member of the class of 2019 has played in all 38 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. LB Matt Robinson is his class's leader with 35 career games played; he was previously tied with CB Fisayo Oluleye, who missed the Holy Cross game to injury.
• A total of 36 different Bison have started a game in 2018. Eleven have started all five games: Barr, Butler, LB Sam Chitty, Finn, Lauro, OL Erik Lukner, Marine, Mellado, Page, OL Justis Peppers and Robinson.
• CB Sterling Deary earned his first career start at Holy Cross last week.
• To date, 16 Bison have earned their first career start in 2018. DE Grayson Cherubino, RB Jared Cooper, Deary and WR Brandon Sanders are the only freshmen who have started.
Bison in the NCAA FCS Top 15
• P Alex Pechin: 1st in punting yards (1,750), 4th in punting average (46.1)
• CB Bryan Marine: t-1st in solo tackles (34), t-1st in fumbles recovered (2), 3rd in combined kick returns (445), t-3rd in solo tackles per game (6.8)
• CB Fisayo Oluleye: t-3rd in interception return touchdowns (1)
• LBs Sam Chitty and Simeon Page: t-11th in tackles for loss (8.0)
• S Joe Lauro: t-12th in solo tackles (29), t-14th in total tackles (46)
School Record Holders on the 2018 Roster
• LB Simeon Page: Single Game Sacks (4.0, 11/18/17), Rookie Season Sacks (9.0, 2017)
• P Alex Pechin: Career Punting Average (43.8), Season Punting Average (45.1, 2017)
Bryan Marine: Bucknell's 13th-Straight Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
• CB Bryan Marine was among 179 semifinalists for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy®, commonly known as the "Academic Heisman."
• Only Bucknell and Dayton have had a Campbell Trophy semifinalist each of the past 13 years. Previous Bison honorees include David Frisbey (2006), Nick Mozal (2007), Kevin Mullen (2008), Sam Nana-Sinkam (2009), Travis Nissley (2010), Tim Bolte (2011), Samuel Oyekoya (2012), Tracey Smith (2013), Derek Maurer (2014), Matt DelMauro (2015), Cary Hess (2016) and Mark Pyles (2017).
Alex Pechin: Setting an All-American Standard
• P Alex Pechin is currently fourth in the NCAA FCS ranks with a 46.1 punting average; the national leader in punting yards (1,705), he is one of only two punters in nation's top 20 in punting average with at least 30 punts.
• Pechin's career punting average of 43.8 is second among all active FCS punters.
• After averaging a career-best 51.0 yards on nine punts at No. 14/15 Villanova, Pechin received Honorable Mention National Special Teams Player of the Week laurels from STATS.
• Pechin's 51.0 punting average against the Wildcats was a single yard shy of the school record, set in 1962; he had punts five sail for at least 50 yards, including a 71-yard bomb.
• Pechin owns Bucknell's third- (71, 2018), seventh- (67, 2017) and 10th- (64, 2017) longest punts in school history.
• Pechin was named to 2018 Preseason All-America First Teams by STATS, Phil Steele, Hero Sports, College Sports Madness and FreeAgentFootball.com
• Pechin was honored on the 2017 STATS All-America Third Team after finishing third in the NCAA FCS ranks with a 45.1 punting average. His average shattered his previous school record, set in 2015 as a freshman, by three full yards.
Milestones Met at Holy Cross
• CB Bryan Marine: Made his 200th career tackle; now has 200
Milestone Watch
• S Brandon Benson: Needs 24 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• WR Alan Butler: Needs 198 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career
• S Joe Lauro: Needs five tackles to reach 200 in his career
• CB Bryan Marine: Needs one interception to crack Bucknell's career top eight with 10
• LB Simeon Page: Needs three sacks to crack Bucknell's career top 10 with 16.5
• LB Simeon Page: Needs 23 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• P Alex Pechin: Needs 1,803 punting yards to reach 10,000 in his career
Head Coach Joe Susan Â
• Joe Susan, the 26th head coach in program history, is in his ninth season at the helm and currently ranks third in career games (93) and sixth in career victories (38).
• Susan broke a tie with Bob Odell, who coached the Bison from 1958 to 1964 and was enshrined in the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame in 1987, for sixth in career wins with Bucknell's victory at Holy Cross on Sept. 29, 2018. He now needs two wins to tie George Hoskins (1899-1906, 1909) for fifth.
Inside the 2018 Schedule
• This is the 133rd season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell's 2018 opponents went a combined 50-72 (.410) in 2017. Of that group, Monmouth (9-3), Colgate (7-4) and Penn (6-4) finished at or above .500. At 5-6, the Bison had a better 2017 record than seven of their opponents and matched one other's mark.
• Two of the Bison's 2018 foes reached the 2017 NCAA FCS Playoffs. Lehigh fell to Stony Brook, 59-29, while Monmouth was dispatched by Northern Iowa, 46-7, in the first round.
• Bucknell's five non-conference opponents hail from four different conferences: the Big South Conference (Monmouth), the Colonial Athletic Association (Villanova and William & Mary), the Ivy League (Penn) and the Northeast Conference (Sacred Heart).
• The Bison entered the campaign with a 151-244-12 (.371) record against their 2018 opponents, including winning marks against Fordham (18-15), Georgetown (18-11-1) and Sacred Heart (2-1).
How to Follow the Bison
• Every game will be broadcast on Eagle 107 (WEGH 107.3) and BucknellBison.com.
• All five of Bucknell's home games and its road contests at Holy Cross, Lehigh and Georgetown will air on the Patriot League Network (PatriotLeague.tv).
• Fans can watch the Bison's games at Penn and Monmouth on ESPN+. Their game at Villanova will be streamed on Villanova.com.
• Bucknell's home contests against Sacred Heart and Fordham and away game at Lehigh are among 10 Patriot League tilts that will be carried on Stadium's family of over-the-air channels and streaming services. All three will also be carried on Facebook Watch.
• In addition, Bucknell's home game against Colgate and away contest at Georgetown will be streamed on Facebook Watch.
• The Bison are active on Twitter (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtag #BandOfBison.
Up Next
• The Bison close non-conference action at Monmouth on Saturday, Oct. 13. The Bison and Hawks, who met for the first time a year ago at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, will square off at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
/ Football
QB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DE
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
CB
/ Football
TE/FB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
P/K
/ Football
OL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
P/K
/ Football
TE
/ FootballIn The Herd: Lafayette Game Preview And Henna Andican Feature
Tuesday, September 30
Michigan State at Bucknell Field Hockey Highlights 9-28-2025
Sunday, September 28
Saint Francis at Bucknell Football Highlights 9-27-2025
Sunday, September 28
Post Game Interview vs. SFU
Sunday, September 28