Saturday, September 22
Villanova, Pa.
6 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
#14/15 Villanova
Photo by: Linda Naiman
Bucknell Football Takes on No. 14/15 Villanova
9/19/2018 9:31:00 AM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team travels to No. 14/15 Villanova for a 6 p.m. game on Saturday, Sept. 22. The Bison, who last faced a ranked opponent in 2016, will look to build momentum before next week's Patriot League opener by upsetting the high-powered Wildcats.
To follow the team on the road, sign up for the Bison Club's fan bus. Fans are also invited to register for a pre-game meet-up at Gullifty's Restaurant in Bryn Mawr, Pa. For more information, visit this link.
When: Saturday, September 22 – 6 p.m.
Where: Villanova Stadium – Villanova, Pa.
Internet Video: Villanova.com ($)
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: Villanova.comÂ
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Â
With a victory the Bison would...
• even the all-time series with Villanova at 12-12-2
• knock off a ranked team for the first time since 2013
• top the Wildcats for the first time since 1944, snapping a six-game losing streak
• avoid starting 0-4 for only the fourth time in program history (the Bison previously started 0-6 in both 1958 and 1988 and 0-5 in 2010)
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison are currently 0-3 (0-0 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).
• QB John Chiarolanzio has thrown for 247 yards to date while QB Logan Bitikofer made his collegiate debut in relief at Penn and registered 150 yards. Freshman RB Jared Cooper is the team leader in both rushing (176) and receiving (94) yards.
• Through three games, the Bison have three players with at least 20 tackles: Lauro (27), Marine (25) and Robinson (20). LBs Sam Chitty and Simeon Page are next with 19 apiece.
Inside the Penn Box Score
• Bucknell battled back from a 24-point deficit to draw as close as 10, but Penn held on for a 34-17 victory in its season opener.
• During the first five minutes of the game, the Quakers raced out to a 17-0 lead by taking advantage of two Bison turnovers and a blocked punt.
• Logan Bitikofer, who took over at quarterback halfway through the second frame, energized Bucknell, completing 19 of 35 passes for two touchdowns and 150 yards.
• Bitikofer found WR Alan Butler and TE/FB Andrew Owers for 11-yard touchdowns at the 3:37 mark of the second quarter and the 13:00 mark of the third quarter respectively. Those scores made it a 27-17 game, but Penn tacked on a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and held the Bison off the board the rest of the way.
• CB Bryan Marine picked off two passes, returning them a combined 34 yards. Also the primary kickoff and punt return man, he finished with a game- and career-high total of 156 all-purpose yards.
• Marine's two interceptions improved his career total to nine. He is now the Patriot League's active leader in career interceptions and tied for fourth among active FCS players in this statistical category. In addition, he has the chance to become only the 12th Bison to reach the double digits in career interceptions.
• Bucknell forced five turnovers for the first time since Sept. 3, 2016 at Marist. Beyond Marine's two interceptions, CB Sterling Deary, S Chanse Riley and S Brice Sydnor recovered fumbles. Deary also forced the fumble that was recovered by Riley.
• RB Jared Cooper finished with 109 all-purpose yards on team-best totals in rushing (58) and receiving (51) yards.
• S Joe Lauro and LB Simeon Page tied for the team lead with eight tackles apiece.
• Penn held a 10-0 advantage in sacks, which went for a significant loss of 60 yards.
• Bucknell held a slim lead in time of possession (30:22-29:38) but was outgained by a 274-189 margin.
No. 14/15 Villanova at a Glance
• The Wildcats, who are currently 2-1 (0-1 CAA) on the season, were ranked No. 14 the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and No. 15 in the STATS FCS Top 25 this week. They fell out of the top 10 after being knocked off by Towson, 45-35, in their home and Colonial Athletic Association opener on Sept. 15.
• Villanova ranks in the FCS's top 30 in passing efficiency (18th, 163.53), rushing defense (19th, 95.3), time of possession (20th, 32:31), total defense (23rd, 318.3) and passing offense (26th, 286.0). The Wildcats are averaging 433.3 yards of total offense per game, a figure that stands 32nd in the FCS.
• QB Zach Bednarczyk has thrown for 858 yards in Villanova's first three games, a total good for 12th nationally. His 10 touchdown throws place him in a tie for second.
• Bednarczyk's favorite targets have been WR Jarrett McClenton (291) and TE Ryan Bell (246), who rank 19th and 26th respectively in receiving yards among FCS players. They are also tied for seventh in the FCS with four touchdown catches apiece. Â
• RB Aaron Forbes is also off to a strong start; with 242 rushing yards, he stands 29th in the FCS ranks.
• OL Ethan Greenidge and DB Rob Rolle were Villanova's Preseason All-America and All-CAA selections.
The Bucknell/Villanova Series
• While the Wildcats hold a slim 12-11-2 lead over the Bison in the all-time series, they are currently riding a six-game winning streak.
• Villanova and Bucknell first met in 1900 and last met in 2005. All but five of their contests occurred before 1946. Â
• The Bison last topped the Wildcats in 1944, scoring a 27-6 victory in Villanova, Pa.
The Last Meeting with the Wildcats Â
Villanova 38 – Bucknell 10 (Oct. 15, 2005 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• WR J.J. Outlaw led Villanova to a 38-10 victory over Bucknell, scoring two touchdowns and posting 121 receiving yards and 58 yards on the ground.
• For the Wildcats, QB Frank Jankowski also completed 15 of 20 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns while RB Martin Gibson ran for a career-high 148 yards on 11 carries.
• QB Dante Ross rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown for the Bison. His score, a 16-yard touchdown run, came in the final minute of regulation.
• Bucknell's lone points of the first half came on a 42-yard field goal from K Will Carney. It was the freshman's first career field goal.
• DE Sean Conover had an impressive game, registering four tackles for a loss of 14 yards, 2.5 sacks for a loss of eight yards and one fumble recovery. His seven total tackles placed him in a tie for second among Bison with S Stephen Collage; LB Dorian Petersen led the way with eight tackles (seven solo).
• The Bison only committed one turnover during the contest. They also did not commit a single penalty.
Bucknell vs. Ranked Opponents
• Villanova will be Bucknell's first ranked opponent since 2016. That season, the Bison took on No. 9 Charleston Southern and No. 21/24 Lehigh in back-to-back weeks at the end of October.
• 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)
Bison vs. the Colonial Athletic Association
• Bucknell is 34-62-2 all-time against current members of the CAA.
• The Bison have faced Delaware (11-23), Maine (3-3), New Hampshire (0-4), Rhode Island (1-1), Richmond (0-3), Stony Brook (0-2), Towson (8-8), Villanova (11-12-2) and William & Mary (0-6).
• Bucknell previously faced the CAA's William & Mary in this season's opener, dropping a tight 14-7 decision.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on offense have made a combined 117 starts. Â
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on defense have made a combined 90 starts, with CB Bryan Marine (27) and S Joe Lauro (20) accounting for over 52 percent of them.
• On offense, three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman are expected to start. On defense, five seniors, three juniors and three sophomores are projected to start.
• Twelve seniors, 12 juniors, 16 sophomores and 11 freshmen appear on the depth chart.
• Eight players on Bucknell's roster have made at least 10 career starts: Marine (27), WR Alan Butler (23), Lauro (20), TE/FB Andrew Owers (17), OL Noah Stephenson (14), OL Pat Finn (13), OL P.J. Barr (11) and QB John Chiarolanzio (11). WR Justin Bethea and DE Roger Mellado will join that group with a start at Villanova, with Mellado becoming its second sophomore.
• Butler and Stephenson lead the team with 14-consecutive starts. Barr rounds out the top three with 11 while Finn and Mellado have each started nine games in a row.
• Barr became the first member of the class of 2021 to start at least 10 contests against Sacred Heart in week two.
• No member of the class of 2019 played in all 35 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. CB Fisayo Oluleye and LB Matt Robinson are tied for first in their class with 33 career games played.
• Two Bison earned their first career start at Penn last week: WR John McGuire and S Gerrit Van Itallie.
• So far in 2018, 10 Bison have earned their first career start: RB Marquis Carter, RB Jared Cooper, OL Justis Peppers, McGuire, DE Sean Naiman, Robinson, WR Brendan Sanders, DE Joe Schiano, DL Jimmy Sheehan and Van Itallie. Cooper and Sanders are the only freshmen who have started to date.
• Three Bison made their collegiate debut at Penn: QB Logan Bitikofer, OL Simon Krizak and WR Dominic Lyles.
Bison in the NCAA FCS Top 15
• CB Fisayo Oluleye: t-1st in interception return touchdowns (1), t-3rd in interceptions (2), t-10th in interception return yards (54) and t-15th in interceptions per game (0.7)
• CB Bryan Marine: t-3rd in interceptions (2) and t-15th in interceptions per game (0.7)
• CB Sterling Deary, S Chanse Riley, S Brice Sydnor and DE Joe Schiano: t-14th fumbles recovered (1)
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 (43.3), Season Punting Average (45.1, 2017)
Milestone Watch
• S Brandon Benson: Needs 24 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• WR Alan Butler: Needs 44 receiving yards to reach 800 in his career
• S Joe Lauro: Needs 24 tackles to reach 200 in his career
• CB Bryan Marine: Needs one interception to crack Bucknell's career top eight with 10
• CB Bryan Marine: Needs eight solo tackles to reach 150 in his career
• CB Bryan Marine: Needs 18 tackles to reach 200 in his career
• LB Simeon Page: Needs 6.5 sacks to crack Bucknell's career top 10 with 16.5
• P Alex Pechin: Needs 2,553 punting yards to reach 10,000 in his career
Bison All-Americans
• The Bison return an All-American in P Alex Pechin. 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.
• Pechin's 45.1 punting average shattered his previous school record, set in 2015 as a freshman, by three full yards.
• Pechin has since been named to 2018 Preseason All-America First Teams by STATS, Phil Steele, Hero Sports, College Sports Madness and FreeAgentFootball.com
Bison All-Patriot League Selections
• Bucknell returned three All-Patriot League players in CB Bryan Marine (1st in '16), LB Simeon Page (2nd in '17) and P Alex Pechin (1st in '17 & '15).
• Two Bison made the 2018 Preseason All-Patriot League Team: OL Pat Finn and Pechin.
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 (91) and tied for sixth in career victories (37).
• Sept. 8's contest with Sacred Heart was Susan's 100th career game. Before his time at Bucknell, he was the head coach at Davidson in 2000; that season, he led the Wildcats to a 10-0 mark, a school record for wins in a season.
• Susan tied 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 Senior Day shutout of Georgetown on Nov. 11, 2017. Â
• At the conclusion of the 2017 campaign, Susan took sole possession of fourth place in career seasons, passing legendary coaches Odell and Tom Gadd.
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.
• Nine of Bucknell's 11 opponents from 2017 remained on its 2018 schedule, with Penn and Villanova taking the place of Marist and Cornell.
• 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 open Patriot League action at Holy Cross on Saturday, Sept. 29. Kickoff is slated for 1:05 p.m.Â
To follow the team on the road, sign up for the Bison Club's fan bus. Fans are also invited to register for a pre-game meet-up at Gullifty's Restaurant in Bryn Mawr, Pa. For more information, visit this link.
When: Saturday, September 22 – 6 p.m.
Where: Villanova Stadium – Villanova, Pa.
Internet Video: Villanova.com ($)
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: Villanova.comÂ
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Â
With a victory the Bison would...
• even the all-time series with Villanova at 12-12-2
• knock off a ranked team for the first time since 2013
• top the Wildcats for the first time since 1944, snapping a six-game losing streak
• avoid starting 0-4 for only the fourth time in program history (the Bison previously started 0-6 in both 1958 and 1988 and 0-5 in 2010)
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison are currently 0-3 (0-0 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).
• QB John Chiarolanzio has thrown for 247 yards to date while QB Logan Bitikofer made his collegiate debut in relief at Penn and registered 150 yards. Freshman RB Jared Cooper is the team leader in both rushing (176) and receiving (94) yards.
• Through three games, the Bison have three players with at least 20 tackles: Lauro (27), Marine (25) and Robinson (20). LBs Sam Chitty and Simeon Page are next with 19 apiece.
Inside the Penn Box Score
• Bucknell battled back from a 24-point deficit to draw as close as 10, but Penn held on for a 34-17 victory in its season opener.
• During the first five minutes of the game, the Quakers raced out to a 17-0 lead by taking advantage of two Bison turnovers and a blocked punt.
• Logan Bitikofer, who took over at quarterback halfway through the second frame, energized Bucknell, completing 19 of 35 passes for two touchdowns and 150 yards.
• Bitikofer found WR Alan Butler and TE/FB Andrew Owers for 11-yard touchdowns at the 3:37 mark of the second quarter and the 13:00 mark of the third quarter respectively. Those scores made it a 27-17 game, but Penn tacked on a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and held the Bison off the board the rest of the way.
• CB Bryan Marine picked off two passes, returning them a combined 34 yards. Also the primary kickoff and punt return man, he finished with a game- and career-high total of 156 all-purpose yards.
• Marine's two interceptions improved his career total to nine. He is now the Patriot League's active leader in career interceptions and tied for fourth among active FCS players in this statistical category. In addition, he has the chance to become only the 12th Bison to reach the double digits in career interceptions.
• Bucknell forced five turnovers for the first time since Sept. 3, 2016 at Marist. Beyond Marine's two interceptions, CB Sterling Deary, S Chanse Riley and S Brice Sydnor recovered fumbles. Deary also forced the fumble that was recovered by Riley.
• RB Jared Cooper finished with 109 all-purpose yards on team-best totals in rushing (58) and receiving (51) yards.
• S Joe Lauro and LB Simeon Page tied for the team lead with eight tackles apiece.
• Penn held a 10-0 advantage in sacks, which went for a significant loss of 60 yards.
• Bucknell held a slim lead in time of possession (30:22-29:38) but was outgained by a 274-189 margin.
No. 14/15 Villanova at a Glance
• The Wildcats, who are currently 2-1 (0-1 CAA) on the season, were ranked No. 14 the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and No. 15 in the STATS FCS Top 25 this week. They fell out of the top 10 after being knocked off by Towson, 45-35, in their home and Colonial Athletic Association opener on Sept. 15.
• Villanova ranks in the FCS's top 30 in passing efficiency (18th, 163.53), rushing defense (19th, 95.3), time of possession (20th, 32:31), total defense (23rd, 318.3) and passing offense (26th, 286.0). The Wildcats are averaging 433.3 yards of total offense per game, a figure that stands 32nd in the FCS.
• QB Zach Bednarczyk has thrown for 858 yards in Villanova's first three games, a total good for 12th nationally. His 10 touchdown throws place him in a tie for second.
• Bednarczyk's favorite targets have been WR Jarrett McClenton (291) and TE Ryan Bell (246), who rank 19th and 26th respectively in receiving yards among FCS players. They are also tied for seventh in the FCS with four touchdown catches apiece. Â
• RB Aaron Forbes is also off to a strong start; with 242 rushing yards, he stands 29th in the FCS ranks.
• OL Ethan Greenidge and DB Rob Rolle were Villanova's Preseason All-America and All-CAA selections.
The Bucknell/Villanova Series
• While the Wildcats hold a slim 12-11-2 lead over the Bison in the all-time series, they are currently riding a six-game winning streak.
• Villanova and Bucknell first met in 1900 and last met in 2005. All but five of their contests occurred before 1946. Â
• The Bison last topped the Wildcats in 1944, scoring a 27-6 victory in Villanova, Pa.
The Last Meeting with the Wildcats Â
Villanova 38 – Bucknell 10 (Oct. 15, 2005 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• WR J.J. Outlaw led Villanova to a 38-10 victory over Bucknell, scoring two touchdowns and posting 121 receiving yards and 58 yards on the ground.
• For the Wildcats, QB Frank Jankowski also completed 15 of 20 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns while RB Martin Gibson ran for a career-high 148 yards on 11 carries.
• QB Dante Ross rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown for the Bison. His score, a 16-yard touchdown run, came in the final minute of regulation.
• Bucknell's lone points of the first half came on a 42-yard field goal from K Will Carney. It was the freshman's first career field goal.
• DE Sean Conover had an impressive game, registering four tackles for a loss of 14 yards, 2.5 sacks for a loss of eight yards and one fumble recovery. His seven total tackles placed him in a tie for second among Bison with S Stephen Collage; LB Dorian Petersen led the way with eight tackles (seven solo).
• The Bison only committed one turnover during the contest. They also did not commit a single penalty.
Bucknell vs. Ranked Opponents
• Villanova will be Bucknell's first ranked opponent since 2016. That season, the Bison took on No. 9 Charleston Southern and No. 21/24 Lehigh in back-to-back weeks at the end of October.
• 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)
Bison vs. the Colonial Athletic Association
• Bucknell is 34-62-2 all-time against current members of the CAA.
• The Bison have faced Delaware (11-23), Maine (3-3), New Hampshire (0-4), Rhode Island (1-1), Richmond (0-3), Stony Brook (0-2), Towson (8-8), Villanova (11-12-2) and William & Mary (0-6).
• Bucknell previously faced the CAA's William & Mary in this season's opener, dropping a tight 14-7 decision.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on offense have made a combined 117 starts. Â
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on defense have made a combined 90 starts, with CB Bryan Marine (27) and S Joe Lauro (20) accounting for over 52 percent of them.
• On offense, three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman are expected to start. On defense, five seniors, three juniors and three sophomores are projected to start.
• Twelve seniors, 12 juniors, 16 sophomores and 11 freshmen appear on the depth chart.
• Eight players on Bucknell's roster have made at least 10 career starts: Marine (27), WR Alan Butler (23), Lauro (20), TE/FB Andrew Owers (17), OL Noah Stephenson (14), OL Pat Finn (13), OL P.J. Barr (11) and QB John Chiarolanzio (11). WR Justin Bethea and DE Roger Mellado will join that group with a start at Villanova, with Mellado becoming its second sophomore.
• Butler and Stephenson lead the team with 14-consecutive starts. Barr rounds out the top three with 11 while Finn and Mellado have each started nine games in a row.
• Barr became the first member of the class of 2021 to start at least 10 contests against Sacred Heart in week two.
• No member of the class of 2019 played in all 35 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. CB Fisayo Oluleye and LB Matt Robinson are tied for first in their class with 33 career games played.
• Two Bison earned their first career start at Penn last week: WR John McGuire and S Gerrit Van Itallie.
• So far in 2018, 10 Bison have earned their first career start: RB Marquis Carter, RB Jared Cooper, OL Justis Peppers, McGuire, DE Sean Naiman, Robinson, WR Brendan Sanders, DE Joe Schiano, DL Jimmy Sheehan and Van Itallie. Cooper and Sanders are the only freshmen who have started to date.
• Three Bison made their collegiate debut at Penn: QB Logan Bitikofer, OL Simon Krizak and WR Dominic Lyles.
Bison in the NCAA FCS Top 15
• CB Fisayo Oluleye: t-1st in interception return touchdowns (1), t-3rd in interceptions (2), t-10th in interception return yards (54) and t-15th in interceptions per game (0.7)
• CB Bryan Marine: t-3rd in interceptions (2) and t-15th in interceptions per game (0.7)
• CB Sterling Deary, S Chanse Riley, S Brice Sydnor and DE Joe Schiano: t-14th fumbles recovered (1)
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 (43.3), Season Punting Average (45.1, 2017)
Milestone Watch
• S Brandon Benson: Needs 24 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• WR Alan Butler: Needs 44 receiving yards to reach 800 in his career
• S Joe Lauro: Needs 24 tackles to reach 200 in his career
• CB Bryan Marine: Needs one interception to crack Bucknell's career top eight with 10
• CB Bryan Marine: Needs eight solo tackles to reach 150 in his career
• CB Bryan Marine: Needs 18 tackles to reach 200 in his career
• LB Simeon Page: Needs 6.5 sacks to crack Bucknell's career top 10 with 16.5
• P Alex Pechin: Needs 2,553 punting yards to reach 10,000 in his career
Bison All-Americans
• The Bison return an All-American in P Alex Pechin. 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.
• Pechin's 45.1 punting average shattered his previous school record, set in 2015 as a freshman, by three full yards.
• Pechin has since been named to 2018 Preseason All-America First Teams by STATS, Phil Steele, Hero Sports, College Sports Madness and FreeAgentFootball.com
Bison All-Patriot League Selections
• Bucknell returned three All-Patriot League players in CB Bryan Marine (1st in '16), LB Simeon Page (2nd in '17) and P Alex Pechin (1st in '17 & '15).
• Two Bison made the 2018 Preseason All-Patriot League Team: OL Pat Finn and Pechin.
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 (91) and tied for sixth in career victories (37).
• Sept. 8's contest with Sacred Heart was Susan's 100th career game. Before his time at Bucknell, he was the head coach at Davidson in 2000; that season, he led the Wildcats to a 10-0 mark, a school record for wins in a season.
• Susan tied 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 Senior Day shutout of Georgetown on Nov. 11, 2017. Â
• At the conclusion of the 2017 campaign, Susan took sole possession of fourth place in career seasons, passing legendary coaches Odell and Tom Gadd.
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.
• Nine of Bucknell's 11 opponents from 2017 remained on its 2018 schedule, with Penn and Villanova taking the place of Marist and Cornell.
• 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 open Patriot League action at Holy Cross on Saturday, Sept. 29. Kickoff is slated for 1:05 p.m.Â
Players Mentioned
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