Saturday, October 12
Hamilton, N.Y.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Colgate
Photo by: Jon Lambert
Bucknell Football Continues Patriot League Play at Colgate
10/8/2019 8:00:00 AM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team opens a three-game road swing with a tilt at defending Patriot League champion Colgate on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m.
The complete media notes can be viewed here.
When: Saturday, Oct. 12 – 1 p.m.
Where: Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium – Hamilton, N.Y.
Tickets: GoColgateRaiders.com
Internet Video: Patriot League Network
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: GoColgateRaiders.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Media Notes: BucknellBison.com
With a victory the Bison would...
• halt a five-game losing streak to Colgate that dates back to 2013
• avoid starting the season 0-6 for only the third time in program history
• snap a school-record 11-game losing slide that dates back to 2018
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison are 0-5 (0-1 PL) following their tight 21-14 loss to Holy Cross in their Patriot League opener on Oct. 5. This is only the fourth time they have started 0-5 in program history; they previously started 0-6 in both 1958 and 1988 and 0-5 in 2010.
• Bucknell wrapped up the 2018 campaign with a 1-10 (1-5 PL) record. The Bison, who took seventh in the Patriot League a year ago, were chosen to finish in the same spot in the 2019 preseason poll.
• Bucknell is in its first campaign under head coach Dave Cecchini, who spent the previous six seasons at Valparaiso.
• The Bison returned a total of 52 letterwinners in 2019, a group that includes two fifth years, 19 seniors, 21 juniors and 10 sophomores. Fifth-year P Alex Pechin is a four-time letterwinner while six seniors—TE Marcus Ademilola, WR Justin Bethea, QB John Chiarolanzio, LB Sam Chitty, LB Jon Fox and DL John Hunt—are three-time letterwinners.
• Pechin is serving as team captain in 2019. He is the 11th Bison to serve as team captain more than once and the seventh to do so since 1950.
Inside the Holy Cross Box Score
• Holy Cross outlasted Bucknell, 21-14, in their Patriot League opener on Oct. 5.
• In a defensive battle punctuated by explosive offensive plays, the Crusaders flipped a 14-0 deficit into their fifth-straight road victory over the Bison.
• Bucknell, which was celebrating Homecoming, had S Gerrit Van Itallie return an interception for a touchdown and RB Chad Freshnock, who missed the 2018 season due to injury, find the end zone for the first time since his sophomore campaign.
• WR Brandon Sanders broke a school record that had stood since 1964 with 14 receptions; he finished the game with a career-best 122 receiving yards.
• The previous school record in single-game receptions was 13, set by Tom Mitchell in a 24-21 victory at Harvard on Oct. 3, 1964. Mitchell is a member of the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame and the grandfather of current Bison DL Joe Schiano.
• Sanders went over 100 receiving yards for the second time this season; he previously posted 115 on nine catches at Temple in the 2019 opener.
• Freshnock registered 78 yards on 14 carries while QB Logan Bitikofer completed 20 of 29 passes for 185 yards.
• The Bison defense had its strongest game of the season, posting four sacks for a loss of 18 yards and seven tackles for a loss of 22 yards.
• Van Itallie and S Conner Romango each picked off a pass while LB Simeon Page blocked his first career punt, which led to Bucknell's first touchdown.
• CB Gavin Pringle and LB Rick Mottram tied Holy Cross DB Chris Riley for the game-high with nine tackles while DL Nnamdi Unachukwu posted a career-best two sacks.
• Holy Cross held advantages in total offense (394-297), time of possession (31:19-28:41) and first downs (20-16).
• The Bison had a 37-yard field goal blocked, leading to the Crusaders' game-deciding scoring drive. They also missed a 40-yard field goal attempt to conclude their final possession of the game.
• This is only the fourth time in program history that Bucknell has started 0-5; the Bison previously started 0-6 in both 1958 and 1988 and 0-5 in 2010.
• Bucknell's loss to Holy Cross was its 11th in a row, matching the school record in consecutive losses set between 1957 and 1958. The 1958 campaign was the Bison's first under eventual Bucknell Athletics Hall of Famer Bob Odell, who lost the first six games of his acclaimed tenure.
Colgate at a Glance
• The Raiders are 0-5 (0-1 PL) following their 21-14 loss to Lehigh on Oct. 5 at Andy Kerr Stadium. The Mountain Hawks' winning score came on a nine-yard touchdown run by Zaythan Hill with 33 seconds remaining.
• Colgate was selected as the Patriot League favorite in the 2019 preseason poll. The Raiders placed 10 players on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, highlighted by QB Grant Breneman (Preseason Offensive Player of the Year) and DL Nick Wheeler (Preseason Defensive Player of the Year).
• Wheeler, DB Abu Daramy-Swaray and OL Jack Badovinac earned Preseason All-America laurels.
• Colgate was without Breneman for stretches of 2019 non-conference play. He returned full-time for the Raiders' Patriot League opener against Lehigh and completed 19 of 27 passes for 204 yards despite enduring seven sacks.
• A year ago, Colgate went 10-2 (6-0 PL). The Raiders, who were awarded the eighth seed in the NCAA FCS playoffs, advanced as far as the quarterfinals.
• In 2018, Colgate outscored its Patriot League opponents, 223-26, an average margin of victory of nearly 33 points.
• Through the 2018 regular season, the Raiders had given up an average of just 5.7 points per game overall, bolstered by an FCS record five shutouts; that total that ended up at 9.33 following their 35-0 loss to eventual champion North Dakota State in the FCS quarterfinals.
• Wheeler was instrumental to Colgate's 2018 defensive success, posting nine sacks and 17 tackles for a loss. For his efforts, he was named to the AFCA All-America First Team and the AP and STATS All-America Second Teams.
• Daramy-Swaray, who is also an elite return man, made the 2018 STATS All-America Second Team and AP All-America Third Team. He totaled three interceptions for 58 return yards and returned 13 punts for a 15.6 yard average.
The Bucknell/Colgate Series
• Colgate leads the all-time series, 50-17, and has won nine of the past 10 meetings.
• A season ago at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, the then No. 20/21 Raiders dispatched the Bison, 27-3.
• Colgate currently holds a five-game winning streak over Bucknell.
• The Bison 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 their last meeting at Andy Kerr Stadium, the Raiders toppled the Bison, 40-3, on Oct. 28, 2017.
The Last Meeting with the Raiders Â
Bucknell 3 – No. 21/20 Colgate 27 (Oct. 6, 2018 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Bucknell fell to No. 20/21 Colgate, 27-3, on Oct. 6 at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. While the Bison held the unbeaten Raiders scoreless through the first quarter, they couldn't secure their first 2-0 start to Patriot League play since 2014.
• Colgate, which blanked its previous two opponents by a combined margin of 68-0, scored two touchdowns in the second quarter's final 10 minutes to break open what had been a defensive battle.
• The Bison got on the board at the third quarter's 8:42 mark, snapping the Raiders' shutout streak at 12 quarters. K Ethan Torres's 25-yard field goal was set up by an interception by S Brandon Benson, the first of his collegiate career. After CB Bryan Marine tipped a pass, Benson made a diving play to catch the ball.
• Benson's interception was one of three turnovers forced by the Bison defense. S Joe Lauro intercepted a pass in the first quarter and came up with a fumble forced by Marine at Bucknell's two-yard line during the second stanza.
• The Raiders held advantages in total offense (448-199), first downs (22-12) and time of possession (34:04-25:56). To date, they have allowed an average of just 4.6 points per game in 2018, a figure which leads the FCS.
• Colgate has now won 10-straight games dating back to 2017. The Raiders are 5-0 (3-0 Patriot League) this season; they are one of four unbeaten teams remaining in the FCS, joining Dartmouth (4-0), Princeton (4-0) and North Dakota State (5-0). Â
• QB Logan Bitikofer finished with 164 yards on 17 for 37 passing while WR Alan Butler paced the Bison with 70 receiving yards. RB Jared Cooper added 61 yards on the ground, bolstered by a 31-yard carry in the third quarter.
• Defensively, Marine made a game-best 10 tackles, forced a fumble and broke up two passes. Benson and LB Matt Robinson added nine tackles apiece while DE Roger Mellado and DL Nnamdi Unachukwu each posted 1.5 sacks.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on offense have made a combined 98 starts, with OL P.J. Barr (24) and TE Alex Twiford (21) accounting for nearly 46 percent of them. Â
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on defense have made a combined 121 starts; the group remains unchanged from week one.
• On offense, two seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and one freshman are expected to start. On defense, two seniors, seven juniors and two sophomores are projected to start.
• Two fifth years, eight seniors, 20 juniors, 10 sophomores and nine freshmen appear on this week's two deep.
• Thirteen Bison have at least 10 career starts: Barr (24), DL Roger Mellado (22), Twiford (21), WR Justin Bethea (17), LB Simeon Page (17), S Brandon Benson (16), LB Sam Chitty (15), QB John Chiarolanzio (12), OL Justis Peppers (12), DL Nnamdi Unachukwu (12), DL Grayson Cherubino (11), OL Erik Lukner (10) and OL Chuck Sanders (10) Of that group, seven are juniors, five are seniors and one (Cherubino) is a sophomore. Â
• Cherubino became the first member of the class of 2022 to reach the double digits in career starts with his start against Princeton. WR Brandon Sanders, who has started four games in 2019, and RB Jared Cooper, who has not started in 2019 to date, could join him with a start at Colgate.
• Barr (24), Mellado (22) and Twiford (15) boast starting streaks in the double digits; all three are members of the junior class.
• P Alex Pechin, who was granted a fifth year of eligibility due to a season-ending injury suffered as a sophomore, has a team-best 40 games under his belt.
• Two juniors, Barr and Mellado, have appeared in all 27 of the Bison's games since they arrived in Lewisburg.
• The following 11 players have made their first career start this year: OL Alex Bolinger, CB Eric Butler, CB Micah Dennis, WR Connor Holmes, DL John Hunt, WR Dominic Lyles, CB Gavin Pringle, OL Jacob Russ, OL Noah Sansalone, OL Zack Tarburton and WR Steven Walier. Pringle became the third member of the class of 2023 to earn a start against Princeton, joining Holmes and Tarburton; he was the first Bison newcomer to start on the defensive side of the ball. Â
Bison in the NCAA FCS Top 10
• P Alex Pechin: 1st in punting average (49.5), 1st in career punting average (44.3)
• CB Gavin Pringle and S Gerrit Van Itallie: t-4th in interception return touchdowns (1)
• WR Brandon Sanders: 5th in receptions per game (8.5)
School Record Holders on the 2019 Roster
• LB Simeon Page: Single Game Sacks (4.0, 11/18/17), Rookie Season Sacks (9.0, 2017)
• P Alex Pechin: Career Punting Average (44.4), Season Punting Average (45.1, 2017)
• WR Brandon Sanders: Single Game Receptions (14, 10/5/19)
Milestones Met Against Holy Cross
• P Alex Pechin: Landed his 100th career punt inside the 20; now has 101 punts inside the 20
• WR Brandon Sanders: Broke a school record set in 1964 by Bucknell Athletics Hall of Famer Tom Mitchell with 14 receptions
Milestone Watch
• S Brandon Benson: Needs four tackles to reach 150 in his career
• S Brandon Benson: Needs 25 solo tackles to reach 100 in his career
• LB Sam Chitty: Needs 11 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• LB Rick Mottram: Needs 11 tackles to reach 50 on the season before the halfway point
• LB Simeon Page: Needs one sack to crack Bucknell's career top 10 with 16.5; needs 1.5 to move to ninth; needs two to vault to seventh Â
• P Alex Pechin: Needs 16 punts of at least 50 yards to reach 100 in his career
• WR Brandon Sanders: Needs 172 receiving yards to reach 500 on the season
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned an All-American in P Alex Pechin. In 2018, Pechin captured six All-America awards, most notably becoming the first Bison specialist to make an AFCA or AP squad. In 2017, he was honored on the STATS Third Team.
• Pechin was one of seven punters to make the initial watch list for the 2020 Reese's Senior Bowl; of that group, he was the only one from the FCS ranks.
• In addition, Pechin was named to the watch list for the FCS Punter of the Year Award and was tabbed as a 2019 Preseason First Team All-American by STATS and Phil Steele.
• Bucknell returned two All-Patriot League players in Pechin (1st in '18, '17 & '15) and LB Simeon Page (1st in '18, 2nd in '17). Both were voted to the 2019 Preseason All-Patriot League Team.
• The Bison graduated All-Patriot League honorees WR Alan Butler (2nd in '18), OL Pat Finn (2nd in '18) and CB Bryan Marine (1st in '16, 2nd in '18) following the 2018 season.
• At the conclusion of the 2018-19 school year, Pechin became the third football player to be recognized as the Patriot League Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Earlier that year, he became the Patriot League's fifth repeat Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
• Pechin is a semifinalist for the 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy®, commonly referred to as the "Academic Heisman." He was one of 39 FCS players, and three Patriot League student-athletes, to be recognized as a semifinalist.
• LB Rick Mottram captured CoSIDA Academic All-District II honors in 2018. At least one Bison has received this distinction 16 of the 19 seasons since 2000.
Head Coach Dave Cecchini Â
• Dave Cecchini, the 27th head coach in program history, is in his first season at the helm. He was announced as Bucknell's head coach on Feb. 6, 2019.
• Most recently the head coach at Valparaiso, Cecchini has a long track record of building explosive offenses at elite academic institutions. Previously the offensive coordinator at Lehigh, The Citadel and Harvard, his offenses have shattered school records at his every stop, propelling his teams to a combined seven conference championships.
• An All-American wide receiver at Lehigh during his playing days in the early 1990s, Cecchini spent 13 of his previous 24 seasons as a coach at his alma mater.
Inside the 2019 Schedule
• This is the 134th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell's 2019 opponents went a combined 65-59 (.524) a year ago, with its five non-conference foes going an impressive 37-20 (.650). Colgate (10-2) and Princeton (10-0) reached the 10-win threshold, each winning a league title. In addition, three other teams posted a winning record while three finished a single game below .500.
• Temple took part in the Walk-On's Independence Bowl while Colgate and Towson made the NCAA Division I Football Championship. At various points in the 2018 campaign, Colgate, Princeton, Towson and Villanova appeared in the FCS's top 10.
• Eight of the Bison's 11 opponents from 2018 remained on their 2019 schedule, with Princeton, Temple and Towson taking the place of Monmouth, Penn and William & Mary.
• Temple was Bucknell's first FBS foe since 2015, when the Bison put up a strong fight in a 21-14 loss at Army West Point.
• The Bison entered the season with a 178-253-120 (.417) record against their 2019 opponents, including winning marks against Fordham (18-16), Georgetown (18-12-1) and Temple (20-16-8). They are also .500 against Sacred Heart (2-2) and Towson (8-8).
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 Colgate, Lafayette and Fordham will air on the Patriot League Network (PatriotLeague.tv).
• Bucknell's home contests against Princeton and Lehigh are among nine Patriot League tilts that will be carried on Stadium's family of over-the-air channels and streaming services.
• Bucknell's game against Temple will be carried on ESPN3. The Bison's contests at Sacred Heart (NEC Front Row) and Towson (FloSports) will also be streamed live.
• The Bison are active on Twitter (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtags #ACT and #rayBucknell.
Up Next
• The Bison travel to nationally ranked Towson for their final non-conference game on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 4 p.m.
The complete media notes can be viewed here.
When: Saturday, Oct. 12 – 1 p.m.
Where: Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium – Hamilton, N.Y.
Tickets: GoColgateRaiders.com
Internet Video: Patriot League Network
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: GoColgateRaiders.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Media Notes: BucknellBison.com
With a victory the Bison would...
• halt a five-game losing streak to Colgate that dates back to 2013
• avoid starting the season 0-6 for only the third time in program history
• snap a school-record 11-game losing slide that dates back to 2018
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison are 0-5 (0-1 PL) following their tight 21-14 loss to Holy Cross in their Patriot League opener on Oct. 5. This is only the fourth time they have started 0-5 in program history; they previously started 0-6 in both 1958 and 1988 and 0-5 in 2010.
• Bucknell wrapped up the 2018 campaign with a 1-10 (1-5 PL) record. The Bison, who took seventh in the Patriot League a year ago, were chosen to finish in the same spot in the 2019 preseason poll.
• Bucknell is in its first campaign under head coach Dave Cecchini, who spent the previous six seasons at Valparaiso.
• The Bison returned a total of 52 letterwinners in 2019, a group that includes two fifth years, 19 seniors, 21 juniors and 10 sophomores. Fifth-year P Alex Pechin is a four-time letterwinner while six seniors—TE Marcus Ademilola, WR Justin Bethea, QB John Chiarolanzio, LB Sam Chitty, LB Jon Fox and DL John Hunt—are three-time letterwinners.
• Pechin is serving as team captain in 2019. He is the 11th Bison to serve as team captain more than once and the seventh to do so since 1950.
Inside the Holy Cross Box Score
• Holy Cross outlasted Bucknell, 21-14, in their Patriot League opener on Oct. 5.
• In a defensive battle punctuated by explosive offensive plays, the Crusaders flipped a 14-0 deficit into their fifth-straight road victory over the Bison.
• Bucknell, which was celebrating Homecoming, had S Gerrit Van Itallie return an interception for a touchdown and RB Chad Freshnock, who missed the 2018 season due to injury, find the end zone for the first time since his sophomore campaign.
• WR Brandon Sanders broke a school record that had stood since 1964 with 14 receptions; he finished the game with a career-best 122 receiving yards.
• The previous school record in single-game receptions was 13, set by Tom Mitchell in a 24-21 victory at Harvard on Oct. 3, 1964. Mitchell is a member of the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame and the grandfather of current Bison DL Joe Schiano.
• Sanders went over 100 receiving yards for the second time this season; he previously posted 115 on nine catches at Temple in the 2019 opener.
• Freshnock registered 78 yards on 14 carries while QB Logan Bitikofer completed 20 of 29 passes for 185 yards.
• The Bison defense had its strongest game of the season, posting four sacks for a loss of 18 yards and seven tackles for a loss of 22 yards.
• Van Itallie and S Conner Romango each picked off a pass while LB Simeon Page blocked his first career punt, which led to Bucknell's first touchdown.
• CB Gavin Pringle and LB Rick Mottram tied Holy Cross DB Chris Riley for the game-high with nine tackles while DL Nnamdi Unachukwu posted a career-best two sacks.
• Holy Cross held advantages in total offense (394-297), time of possession (31:19-28:41) and first downs (20-16).
• The Bison had a 37-yard field goal blocked, leading to the Crusaders' game-deciding scoring drive. They also missed a 40-yard field goal attempt to conclude their final possession of the game.
• This is only the fourth time in program history that Bucknell has started 0-5; the Bison previously started 0-6 in both 1958 and 1988 and 0-5 in 2010.
• Bucknell's loss to Holy Cross was its 11th in a row, matching the school record in consecutive losses set between 1957 and 1958. The 1958 campaign was the Bison's first under eventual Bucknell Athletics Hall of Famer Bob Odell, who lost the first six games of his acclaimed tenure.
Colgate at a Glance
• The Raiders are 0-5 (0-1 PL) following their 21-14 loss to Lehigh on Oct. 5 at Andy Kerr Stadium. The Mountain Hawks' winning score came on a nine-yard touchdown run by Zaythan Hill with 33 seconds remaining.
• Colgate was selected as the Patriot League favorite in the 2019 preseason poll. The Raiders placed 10 players on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, highlighted by QB Grant Breneman (Preseason Offensive Player of the Year) and DL Nick Wheeler (Preseason Defensive Player of the Year).
• Wheeler, DB Abu Daramy-Swaray and OL Jack Badovinac earned Preseason All-America laurels.
• Colgate was without Breneman for stretches of 2019 non-conference play. He returned full-time for the Raiders' Patriot League opener against Lehigh and completed 19 of 27 passes for 204 yards despite enduring seven sacks.
• A year ago, Colgate went 10-2 (6-0 PL). The Raiders, who were awarded the eighth seed in the NCAA FCS playoffs, advanced as far as the quarterfinals.
• In 2018, Colgate outscored its Patriot League opponents, 223-26, an average margin of victory of nearly 33 points.
• Through the 2018 regular season, the Raiders had given up an average of just 5.7 points per game overall, bolstered by an FCS record five shutouts; that total that ended up at 9.33 following their 35-0 loss to eventual champion North Dakota State in the FCS quarterfinals.
• Wheeler was instrumental to Colgate's 2018 defensive success, posting nine sacks and 17 tackles for a loss. For his efforts, he was named to the AFCA All-America First Team and the AP and STATS All-America Second Teams.
• Daramy-Swaray, who is also an elite return man, made the 2018 STATS All-America Second Team and AP All-America Third Team. He totaled three interceptions for 58 return yards and returned 13 punts for a 15.6 yard average.
The Bucknell/Colgate Series
• Colgate leads the all-time series, 50-17, and has won nine of the past 10 meetings.
• A season ago at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, the then No. 20/21 Raiders dispatched the Bison, 27-3.
• Colgate currently holds a five-game winning streak over Bucknell.
• The Bison 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 their last meeting at Andy Kerr Stadium, the Raiders toppled the Bison, 40-3, on Oct. 28, 2017.
The Last Meeting with the Raiders Â
Bucknell 3 – No. 21/20 Colgate 27 (Oct. 6, 2018 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Bucknell fell to No. 20/21 Colgate, 27-3, on Oct. 6 at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. While the Bison held the unbeaten Raiders scoreless through the first quarter, they couldn't secure their first 2-0 start to Patriot League play since 2014.
• Colgate, which blanked its previous two opponents by a combined margin of 68-0, scored two touchdowns in the second quarter's final 10 minutes to break open what had been a defensive battle.
• The Bison got on the board at the third quarter's 8:42 mark, snapping the Raiders' shutout streak at 12 quarters. K Ethan Torres's 25-yard field goal was set up by an interception by S Brandon Benson, the first of his collegiate career. After CB Bryan Marine tipped a pass, Benson made a diving play to catch the ball.
• Benson's interception was one of three turnovers forced by the Bison defense. S Joe Lauro intercepted a pass in the first quarter and came up with a fumble forced by Marine at Bucknell's two-yard line during the second stanza.
• The Raiders held advantages in total offense (448-199), first downs (22-12) and time of possession (34:04-25:56). To date, they have allowed an average of just 4.6 points per game in 2018, a figure which leads the FCS.
• Colgate has now won 10-straight games dating back to 2017. The Raiders are 5-0 (3-0 Patriot League) this season; they are one of four unbeaten teams remaining in the FCS, joining Dartmouth (4-0), Princeton (4-0) and North Dakota State (5-0). Â
• QB Logan Bitikofer finished with 164 yards on 17 for 37 passing while WR Alan Butler paced the Bison with 70 receiving yards. RB Jared Cooper added 61 yards on the ground, bolstered by a 31-yard carry in the third quarter.
• Defensively, Marine made a game-best 10 tackles, forced a fumble and broke up two passes. Benson and LB Matt Robinson added nine tackles apiece while DE Roger Mellado and DL Nnamdi Unachukwu each posted 1.5 sacks.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on offense have made a combined 98 starts, with OL P.J. Barr (24) and TE Alex Twiford (21) accounting for nearly 46 percent of them. Â
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on defense have made a combined 121 starts; the group remains unchanged from week one.
• On offense, two seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and one freshman are expected to start. On defense, two seniors, seven juniors and two sophomores are projected to start.
• Two fifth years, eight seniors, 20 juniors, 10 sophomores and nine freshmen appear on this week's two deep.
• Thirteen Bison have at least 10 career starts: Barr (24), DL Roger Mellado (22), Twiford (21), WR Justin Bethea (17), LB Simeon Page (17), S Brandon Benson (16), LB Sam Chitty (15), QB John Chiarolanzio (12), OL Justis Peppers (12), DL Nnamdi Unachukwu (12), DL Grayson Cherubino (11), OL Erik Lukner (10) and OL Chuck Sanders (10) Of that group, seven are juniors, five are seniors and one (Cherubino) is a sophomore. Â
• Cherubino became the first member of the class of 2022 to reach the double digits in career starts with his start against Princeton. WR Brandon Sanders, who has started four games in 2019, and RB Jared Cooper, who has not started in 2019 to date, could join him with a start at Colgate.
• Barr (24), Mellado (22) and Twiford (15) boast starting streaks in the double digits; all three are members of the junior class.
• P Alex Pechin, who was granted a fifth year of eligibility due to a season-ending injury suffered as a sophomore, has a team-best 40 games under his belt.
• Two juniors, Barr and Mellado, have appeared in all 27 of the Bison's games since they arrived in Lewisburg.
• The following 11 players have made their first career start this year: OL Alex Bolinger, CB Eric Butler, CB Micah Dennis, WR Connor Holmes, DL John Hunt, WR Dominic Lyles, CB Gavin Pringle, OL Jacob Russ, OL Noah Sansalone, OL Zack Tarburton and WR Steven Walier. Pringle became the third member of the class of 2023 to earn a start against Princeton, joining Holmes and Tarburton; he was the first Bison newcomer to start on the defensive side of the ball. Â
Bison in the NCAA FCS Top 10
• P Alex Pechin: 1st in punting average (49.5), 1st in career punting average (44.3)
• CB Gavin Pringle and S Gerrit Van Itallie: t-4th in interception return touchdowns (1)
• WR Brandon Sanders: 5th in receptions per game (8.5)
School Record Holders on the 2019 Roster
• LB Simeon Page: Single Game Sacks (4.0, 11/18/17), Rookie Season Sacks (9.0, 2017)
• P Alex Pechin: Career Punting Average (44.4), Season Punting Average (45.1, 2017)
• WR Brandon Sanders: Single Game Receptions (14, 10/5/19)
Milestones Met Against Holy Cross
• P Alex Pechin: Landed his 100th career punt inside the 20; now has 101 punts inside the 20
• WR Brandon Sanders: Broke a school record set in 1964 by Bucknell Athletics Hall of Famer Tom Mitchell with 14 receptions
Milestone Watch
• S Brandon Benson: Needs four tackles to reach 150 in his career
• S Brandon Benson: Needs 25 solo tackles to reach 100 in his career
• LB Sam Chitty: Needs 11 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• LB Rick Mottram: Needs 11 tackles to reach 50 on the season before the halfway point
• LB Simeon Page: Needs one sack to crack Bucknell's career top 10 with 16.5; needs 1.5 to move to ninth; needs two to vault to seventh Â
• P Alex Pechin: Needs 16 punts of at least 50 yards to reach 100 in his career
• WR Brandon Sanders: Needs 172 receiving yards to reach 500 on the season
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned an All-American in P Alex Pechin. In 2018, Pechin captured six All-America awards, most notably becoming the first Bison specialist to make an AFCA or AP squad. In 2017, he was honored on the STATS Third Team.
• Pechin was one of seven punters to make the initial watch list for the 2020 Reese's Senior Bowl; of that group, he was the only one from the FCS ranks.
• In addition, Pechin was named to the watch list for the FCS Punter of the Year Award and was tabbed as a 2019 Preseason First Team All-American by STATS and Phil Steele.
• Bucknell returned two All-Patriot League players in Pechin (1st in '18, '17 & '15) and LB Simeon Page (1st in '18, 2nd in '17). Both were voted to the 2019 Preseason All-Patriot League Team.
• The Bison graduated All-Patriot League honorees WR Alan Butler (2nd in '18), OL Pat Finn (2nd in '18) and CB Bryan Marine (1st in '16, 2nd in '18) following the 2018 season.
• At the conclusion of the 2018-19 school year, Pechin became the third football player to be recognized as the Patriot League Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Earlier that year, he became the Patriot League's fifth repeat Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
• Pechin is a semifinalist for the 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy®, commonly referred to as the "Academic Heisman." He was one of 39 FCS players, and three Patriot League student-athletes, to be recognized as a semifinalist.
• LB Rick Mottram captured CoSIDA Academic All-District II honors in 2018. At least one Bison has received this distinction 16 of the 19 seasons since 2000.
Head Coach Dave Cecchini Â
• Dave Cecchini, the 27th head coach in program history, is in his first season at the helm. He was announced as Bucknell's head coach on Feb. 6, 2019.
• Most recently the head coach at Valparaiso, Cecchini has a long track record of building explosive offenses at elite academic institutions. Previously the offensive coordinator at Lehigh, The Citadel and Harvard, his offenses have shattered school records at his every stop, propelling his teams to a combined seven conference championships.
• An All-American wide receiver at Lehigh during his playing days in the early 1990s, Cecchini spent 13 of his previous 24 seasons as a coach at his alma mater.
Inside the 2019 Schedule
• This is the 134th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell's 2019 opponents went a combined 65-59 (.524) a year ago, with its five non-conference foes going an impressive 37-20 (.650). Colgate (10-2) and Princeton (10-0) reached the 10-win threshold, each winning a league title. In addition, three other teams posted a winning record while three finished a single game below .500.
• Temple took part in the Walk-On's Independence Bowl while Colgate and Towson made the NCAA Division I Football Championship. At various points in the 2018 campaign, Colgate, Princeton, Towson and Villanova appeared in the FCS's top 10.
• Eight of the Bison's 11 opponents from 2018 remained on their 2019 schedule, with Princeton, Temple and Towson taking the place of Monmouth, Penn and William & Mary.
• Temple was Bucknell's first FBS foe since 2015, when the Bison put up a strong fight in a 21-14 loss at Army West Point.
• The Bison entered the season with a 178-253-120 (.417) record against their 2019 opponents, including winning marks against Fordham (18-16), Georgetown (18-12-1) and Temple (20-16-8). They are also .500 against Sacred Heart (2-2) and Towson (8-8).
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 Colgate, Lafayette and Fordham will air on the Patriot League Network (PatriotLeague.tv).
• Bucknell's home contests against Princeton and Lehigh are among nine Patriot League tilts that will be carried on Stadium's family of over-the-air channels and streaming services.
• Bucknell's game against Temple will be carried on ESPN3. The Bison's contests at Sacred Heart (NEC Front Row) and Towson (FloSports) will also be streamed live.
• The Bison are active on Twitter (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtags #ACT and #rayBucknell.
Up Next
• The Bison travel to nationally ranked Towson for their final non-conference game on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 4 p.m.
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