Saturday, September 7
Fairfield, Conn.
6 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Sacred Heart
Photo by: Jon Lambert
Bucknell Football Travels to Sacred Heart
9/3/2019 9:00:00 AM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team continues its season-opening road swing by taking on Sacred Heart on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m.
The Bison and Pioneers, who are tied at 2-2 in their all-time series, are set to face off at Campus Field for only the second time. The complete media notes can be viewed here.
• take a 3-2 lead in the all-time series with Sacred Heart
• help first-year head coach Dave Cecchini win his first game on the Bison sideline
• snap a seven-game losing slide that dates back to 2018
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison are currently 0-1 (0-0 PL) following their 56-12 loss at Temple on Aug. 31.
• 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 season under head coach Dave Cecchini, who spent the previous six seasons at Valparaiso.
• The Bison returned a total of 53 letterwinners in 2019, a group that includes two fifth years, 19 seniors, 22 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.
• Chitty and Pechin are serving as team captains in 2019.
• Bucknell returned its top passer from 2018 (Logan Bitikofer, 1,050 yards) and 2017 (John Chiarolanzio, 1,069 yards), its top rusher from 2018 (RB Jared Cooper, 525 yards) and 2017 (RB Chad Freshnock, 525 yards) and its top receiver from 2018 (WR Brandon Sanders, 516 yards). Freshnock lost the 2018 season to injury.
• The Bison lost three of their top four tacklers from a year ago in S Joe Lauro (86), CB Bryan Marine (85) and LB Matt Robinson (74). Chitty (74) rounded out that group and was also the team leader in tackles for a loss (13.5).
Inside the Temple Box Score
• WR Brandon Sanders caught nine passes for 115 yards, and CB Gavin Pringle returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown, but Temple rolled to a 56-12 victory over Bucknell football team on Aug. 31.
• Sanders's play and the energy displayed on the Bison sideline were highlights of head coach Dave Cecchini's debut.
• The Owls, Bucknell's first FBS opponent since 2015, used stout defensive play, particularly in the first quarter, and a banner game by QB Anthony Russo to take the first meeting between the once long-time rivals since 1970.
• The Bison chipped away at Temple's advantage during the second quarter. After the Owls scored a touchdown on their first possession of that frame to make it a 28-0 game, they responded with Pringle's pick 6 and K Ethan Torres's first of two field goals.
• Bucknell used three different quarterbacks: Logan Bitikofer (6-for-9, 39 yards), John Chiarolanzio (3-for-8, 69 yards) and Tarrin Earle (11-for-25, 82 yards).
• For Temple, Russo set a new career high with his four touchdown throws; despite exiting the game early in the fourth quarter, he totaled 409 yards on 32-for-41 passing.
• Sanders made a sprawling, one-handed catch of a Chiarolanzio deep ball to gain the Bison 42 yards to Temple's 20-yard line. That play set up Torres's first field goal.
• Sanders was the first Bison to record at least 100 receiving yards in a single game since WR Justin Bethea posted 111 in a 29-27 loss to Lafayette on Oct. 20, 2018.
• S Conner Romango paced Bucknell with 12 tackles (nine solo), matching his career-high total set last year at then No. 14/15 Villanova. LB Rick Mottram also reached the double digits, making 10 tackles (eight solo).
• All-American P Alex Pechin averaged 51.6 yards on eight punts. He set a new career high in punting average, a figure just 0.4 shy of the school record set in 1962.
• The Bison never turned the ball over during the contest; it was the first time since their 12-0 shutout of Georgetown on Nov. 11, 2017 that they didn't commit a turnover.
• Temple was Bucknell's first FBS opponent since the 2015 campaign. The once long-time rivals met every season between 1927 and 1970, with the winner receiving the "Old Shoe" trophy.
Sacred Heart at a Glance
• The Pioneers are currently 0-1 (0-0 NEC) following their 42-14 loss at No. 7 Maine on Aug. 30. The Black Bears, who won the competitive Colonial Athletic Association and advanced to the FCS semifinals a year ago, totaled 582 yards of total offense to Sacred Heart's 207.
• Last season, The Pioneers went 7-4 (5-1 NEC). They shared the Northeast Conference title with Duquesne after being selected to finish sixth in the preseason poll. It was their fourth NEC championship in program history.
• Sacred Heart has finished above .500 in five of the past six seasons, all of which came under head coach Mark Nofri.
• In 2019, the Pioneers were picked to place second in the NEC. DE Chris Agyemang and RB Jordan Meachum represented Sacred Heart on the 2019 Preseason All-NEC Team.
• Agyemang was recognized on the 2018 Division I All-New England and All-NEC First Teams while Meachum made the 2018 All-NEC Second Team.
• The Pioneers returned their top rusher from 2018 (Meachum, 1,396 yards) and their top tackler from 2018 (LB Mike Wilen, 79 tackles). They lost their top passer (QB Kevin Duke, 1,736 yards) and top receiver (WR Andrew O'Neill , 475 yards) from a year ago to graduation. Â
• Meachum's total of 1,396 rushing yards was good for second in Sacred Heart history. His average of 126.9 yards per game slotted him fourth in the FCS ranks.
The Bucknell/Sacred Heart Series
• This is the fifth meeting between Bucknell and Sacred Heart. The teams are currently tied, 2-2, in the series.
• Three of the previous four games took place at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. The Bison and Pioneers squared off at Campus Field in 2014.
• Sacred Heart won the most recent game, a 2018 contest in Lewisburg. In 2017 at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, K John Burdick booted a career-best 46-yard field goal as time expired to lift Bucknell to a 34-31 victory over the Pioneers.
• Sacred Heart won the 2013 game in Lewisburg,16-0, while the Bison took the 2014 meeting in Fairfield, Conn., 36-20.
• Before Holy Cross shut out Bucknell in week two of the 2017 campaign, Sacred Heart was the most recent team to blank the Bison. That shutout ended a program-record streak of 77-straight games with a point.
The Last Meeting with the Pioneers Â
Bucknell 14 – Sacred Heart 30 (Sept. 8, 2018 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• The Pioneers powered past the Bison, 30-14, behind strong showings by RB Jordan Meachum and QB Kevin Duke, who combined for 282 yards on the ground.
• While Bucknell took a 14-7 lead on a 54-yard pick 6 by CB Fisayo Oluleye in the middle of the second quarter, Sacred Heart scored 23 unanswered points the rest of the way to knock off its second-straight Patriot League opponent.
• The Pioneer defense had a strong showing, limiting the Bison to 178 yards of total offense and eight first downs. In total, the Sacred Heart defense recorded five sacks for a loss of 36 yards and 11 tackles for a loss of 48 yards.
• Oluleye's interception was his second of the young season and Bucknell's first pick 6 since CB Colin Jonov and S Drew Newcomb both returned interceptions for touchdowns at Lafayette on Oct. 21, 2017.
• In his first collegiate start, RB Jared Cooper ran for 96 yards on 15 carries and added a team-high 28 receiving yards on two catches to pace the Bison with 124 all-purpose yards. He was later selected as the Patriot League Rookie of the Week on the strength of his performance.
• QB John Chiarolanzio finished with 100 yards on 17 for 35 passing while WRs Alan Butler (26) and Brandon Sanders (23) also recorded at least 20 receiving yards.
• Defensively, CB Bryan Marine led the way, matching his career high set in 2015 with 12 tackles (nine solo).
• P Alex Pechin had a strong outing, averaging 48.4 yards per punt. His average was bolstered by five punts of at least 50 yards, one shy of the career high he set in 2017 finale at Fordham.
• For Sacred Heart, Duke posted 138 passing yards and 104 yards on the ground while Meachum set a new career high with 178 rushing yards. Their efforts helped their team build a 399-178 edge in total offense.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Excluding the quarterback position, Bucknell's 11 projected starters on offense have made a combined 57 starts, with OL P.J. Barr (20) and TE Alex Twiford (17) accounting for nearly 65 percent of them. Â
• At quarterback, junior Logan Bitikofer, senior John Chiarolanzio and sophomore Tarrin Earle are considered even on the depth chart; all three saw action at Temple in the 2019 opener. Bucknell's three quarterbacks have made a combined 20 starts.
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on defense have made a combined 84 starts; the group is unchanged from week one.
• On offense, excluding the quarterback position, one senior, four juniors, four 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, 21 juniors, 10 sophomores and eight freshmen appear on this week's two deep.
• Ten Bison have at least 10 career starts: Barr (20), DL Roger Mellado (18), WR Justin Bethea (17), Twiford (17), LB Sam Chitty (13), LB Simeon Page (13), S Brandon Benson (12), QB John Chiarolanzio (11), OL Erik Lukner (10) and OL Justis Peppers (10). Of that group, six are juniors and four are seniors. Â
• Barr (20), Mellado (18), Chitty (12) and Twiford (11) boast starting streaks in the double digits. Of that group, three are juniors and one (Chitty) is a senior.
• 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 36 games under his belt. Only three seniors have played in at least 25 games: Bethea (28), TE Marcus Ademilola (26) and Chitty (25).
• Two juniors, Barr and Mellado, have appeared in all 23 of the Bison's games since they arrived in Lewisburg.
• The following players made their first career start at Temple: OL Alex Bolinger, CB Eric Butler, DL John Hunt, WR Dominic Lyles and OL Zack Tarburton. Tarburton, the lone freshman to start, became the first freshman to start at center for a Dave Cecchini-led team.
• OL Noah Sansalone is expected to make his first career start at Sacred Heart.
• The eight freshmen who appear on the second depth chart of the season are LB Ben Allen, S Brent Jackson, LB Cooper Kim, OL R.J. Mehan, CB Gavin Pringle, S Jonathan Searcy, LS Hayden Snyder and Tarburton.
Bison in the NCAA FCS Top 10
• P Alex Pechin: 1st in punting average (51.6)
• CB Gavin Pringle: t-1st in interception return touchdowns (1), t-4th in interceptions per game (1.0)
• K Ethan Torres: t-1st in field goal percentage (1.000), t-8th in field goals per game (2.0)
• S Conner Romango: t-2nd in solo tackles per game (9.0)
• WR Brandon Sanders: t-8th in receptions per game (9.0)
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 (44.0), Season Punting Average (45.1, 2017)
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned an All-American in P Alex Pechin. In 2018, Pechin captured six All-America awards, making the Athlon Sports Team, the STATS, Phil Steele and Hero Sports First Teams and the AP and AFCA Second Teams. 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, joining fellow Bison David Berardinelli (1992-93) and Lehigh's Nick Martucci (1998-99). Earlier that year, he became the Patriot League's fifth repeat Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
• 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. While they have faced the three new additions to their slate a combined 76 times, they most recently took on the Owls in 1970 (L, 3-10), the Towson Tigers in 2003 (W, 14-10) and the Princeton Tigers in 2011 (W, 34-9).
• 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. Bucknell is 0-7 against FBS schools since the FBS/FCS classification began in 1978.
• 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 host Villanova for their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.
• There will be many promotions surrounding the contest, including post-game fireworks, presented by Weis Markets and Silvertip Inc. The game will also double as Bucknell's First Responder & Hero Appreciation Night and Youth Sports Night, presented by Weis Markets.
• For First Responder & Hero Appreciation Night, the Bison will offer free admission to military veterans, active duty servicemen and women, Gold Star Families and first responders. The team will also wear decals on their helmets to recognize the sacrifices made by Gold Star families.
• For Youth Sports Night, free admission will be offered to children 12 and younger. Youth football and cheerleading teams will be treated to on-field experiences. Discounted admission for family and friends of attending youth football and cheerleaders will also be available.
The Bison and Pioneers, who are tied at 2-2 in their all-time series, are set to face off at Campus Field for only the second time. The complete media notes can be viewed here.
When: Saturday, Sept. 7 – 6 p.m.
Where: Campus Field – Fairfield, Conn.
Tickets: SHUBigRed.com
Internet Video: NEC Front Row
Radio: Eagle 107 (107.3 WEGH)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: SHUBigRed.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Media Notes: BucknellBison.com
• take a 3-2 lead in the all-time series with Sacred Heart
• help first-year head coach Dave Cecchini win his first game on the Bison sideline
• snap a seven-game losing slide that dates back to 2018
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison are currently 0-1 (0-0 PL) following their 56-12 loss at Temple on Aug. 31.
• 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 season under head coach Dave Cecchini, who spent the previous six seasons at Valparaiso.
• The Bison returned a total of 53 letterwinners in 2019, a group that includes two fifth years, 19 seniors, 22 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.
• Chitty and Pechin are serving as team captains in 2019.
• Bucknell returned its top passer from 2018 (Logan Bitikofer, 1,050 yards) and 2017 (John Chiarolanzio, 1,069 yards), its top rusher from 2018 (RB Jared Cooper, 525 yards) and 2017 (RB Chad Freshnock, 525 yards) and its top receiver from 2018 (WR Brandon Sanders, 516 yards). Freshnock lost the 2018 season to injury.
• The Bison lost three of their top four tacklers from a year ago in S Joe Lauro (86), CB Bryan Marine (85) and LB Matt Robinson (74). Chitty (74) rounded out that group and was also the team leader in tackles for a loss (13.5).
Inside the Temple Box Score
• WR Brandon Sanders caught nine passes for 115 yards, and CB Gavin Pringle returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown, but Temple rolled to a 56-12 victory over Bucknell football team on Aug. 31.
• Sanders's play and the energy displayed on the Bison sideline were highlights of head coach Dave Cecchini's debut.
• The Owls, Bucknell's first FBS opponent since 2015, used stout defensive play, particularly in the first quarter, and a banner game by QB Anthony Russo to take the first meeting between the once long-time rivals since 1970.
• The Bison chipped away at Temple's advantage during the second quarter. After the Owls scored a touchdown on their first possession of that frame to make it a 28-0 game, they responded with Pringle's pick 6 and K Ethan Torres's first of two field goals.
• Bucknell used three different quarterbacks: Logan Bitikofer (6-for-9, 39 yards), John Chiarolanzio (3-for-8, 69 yards) and Tarrin Earle (11-for-25, 82 yards).
• For Temple, Russo set a new career high with his four touchdown throws; despite exiting the game early in the fourth quarter, he totaled 409 yards on 32-for-41 passing.
• Sanders made a sprawling, one-handed catch of a Chiarolanzio deep ball to gain the Bison 42 yards to Temple's 20-yard line. That play set up Torres's first field goal.
• Sanders was the first Bison to record at least 100 receiving yards in a single game since WR Justin Bethea posted 111 in a 29-27 loss to Lafayette on Oct. 20, 2018.
• S Conner Romango paced Bucknell with 12 tackles (nine solo), matching his career-high total set last year at then No. 14/15 Villanova. LB Rick Mottram also reached the double digits, making 10 tackles (eight solo).
• All-American P Alex Pechin averaged 51.6 yards on eight punts. He set a new career high in punting average, a figure just 0.4 shy of the school record set in 1962.
• The Bison never turned the ball over during the contest; it was the first time since their 12-0 shutout of Georgetown on Nov. 11, 2017 that they didn't commit a turnover.
• Temple was Bucknell's first FBS opponent since the 2015 campaign. The once long-time rivals met every season between 1927 and 1970, with the winner receiving the "Old Shoe" trophy.
Sacred Heart at a Glance
• The Pioneers are currently 0-1 (0-0 NEC) following their 42-14 loss at No. 7 Maine on Aug. 30. The Black Bears, who won the competitive Colonial Athletic Association and advanced to the FCS semifinals a year ago, totaled 582 yards of total offense to Sacred Heart's 207.
• Last season, The Pioneers went 7-4 (5-1 NEC). They shared the Northeast Conference title with Duquesne after being selected to finish sixth in the preseason poll. It was their fourth NEC championship in program history.
• Sacred Heart has finished above .500 in five of the past six seasons, all of which came under head coach Mark Nofri.
• In 2019, the Pioneers were picked to place second in the NEC. DE Chris Agyemang and RB Jordan Meachum represented Sacred Heart on the 2019 Preseason All-NEC Team.
• Agyemang was recognized on the 2018 Division I All-New England and All-NEC First Teams while Meachum made the 2018 All-NEC Second Team.
• The Pioneers returned their top rusher from 2018 (Meachum, 1,396 yards) and their top tackler from 2018 (LB Mike Wilen, 79 tackles). They lost their top passer (QB Kevin Duke, 1,736 yards) and top receiver (WR Andrew O'Neill , 475 yards) from a year ago to graduation. Â
• Meachum's total of 1,396 rushing yards was good for second in Sacred Heart history. His average of 126.9 yards per game slotted him fourth in the FCS ranks.
The Bucknell/Sacred Heart Series
• This is the fifth meeting between Bucknell and Sacred Heart. The teams are currently tied, 2-2, in the series.
• Three of the previous four games took place at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. The Bison and Pioneers squared off at Campus Field in 2014.
• Sacred Heart won the most recent game, a 2018 contest in Lewisburg. In 2017 at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, K John Burdick booted a career-best 46-yard field goal as time expired to lift Bucknell to a 34-31 victory over the Pioneers.
• Sacred Heart won the 2013 game in Lewisburg,16-0, while the Bison took the 2014 meeting in Fairfield, Conn., 36-20.
• Before Holy Cross shut out Bucknell in week two of the 2017 campaign, Sacred Heart was the most recent team to blank the Bison. That shutout ended a program-record streak of 77-straight games with a point.
The Last Meeting with the Pioneers Â
Bucknell 14 – Sacred Heart 30 (Sept. 8, 2018 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• The Pioneers powered past the Bison, 30-14, behind strong showings by RB Jordan Meachum and QB Kevin Duke, who combined for 282 yards on the ground.
• While Bucknell took a 14-7 lead on a 54-yard pick 6 by CB Fisayo Oluleye in the middle of the second quarter, Sacred Heart scored 23 unanswered points the rest of the way to knock off its second-straight Patriot League opponent.
• The Pioneer defense had a strong showing, limiting the Bison to 178 yards of total offense and eight first downs. In total, the Sacred Heart defense recorded five sacks for a loss of 36 yards and 11 tackles for a loss of 48 yards.
• Oluleye's interception was his second of the young season and Bucknell's first pick 6 since CB Colin Jonov and S Drew Newcomb both returned interceptions for touchdowns at Lafayette on Oct. 21, 2017.
• In his first collegiate start, RB Jared Cooper ran for 96 yards on 15 carries and added a team-high 28 receiving yards on two catches to pace the Bison with 124 all-purpose yards. He was later selected as the Patriot League Rookie of the Week on the strength of his performance.
• QB John Chiarolanzio finished with 100 yards on 17 for 35 passing while WRs Alan Butler (26) and Brandon Sanders (23) also recorded at least 20 receiving yards.
• Defensively, CB Bryan Marine led the way, matching his career high set in 2015 with 12 tackles (nine solo).
• P Alex Pechin had a strong outing, averaging 48.4 yards per punt. His average was bolstered by five punts of at least 50 yards, one shy of the career high he set in 2017 finale at Fordham.
• For Sacred Heart, Duke posted 138 passing yards and 104 yards on the ground while Meachum set a new career high with 178 rushing yards. Their efforts helped their team build a 399-178 edge in total offense.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Excluding the quarterback position, Bucknell's 11 projected starters on offense have made a combined 57 starts, with OL P.J. Barr (20) and TE Alex Twiford (17) accounting for nearly 65 percent of them. Â
• At quarterback, junior Logan Bitikofer, senior John Chiarolanzio and sophomore Tarrin Earle are considered even on the depth chart; all three saw action at Temple in the 2019 opener. Bucknell's three quarterbacks have made a combined 20 starts.
• Bucknell's 11 projected starters on defense have made a combined 84 starts; the group is unchanged from week one.
• On offense, excluding the quarterback position, one senior, four juniors, four 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, 21 juniors, 10 sophomores and eight freshmen appear on this week's two deep.
• Ten Bison have at least 10 career starts: Barr (20), DL Roger Mellado (18), WR Justin Bethea (17), Twiford (17), LB Sam Chitty (13), LB Simeon Page (13), S Brandon Benson (12), QB John Chiarolanzio (11), OL Erik Lukner (10) and OL Justis Peppers (10). Of that group, six are juniors and four are seniors. Â
• Barr (20), Mellado (18), Chitty (12) and Twiford (11) boast starting streaks in the double digits. Of that group, three are juniors and one (Chitty) is a senior.
• 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 36 games under his belt. Only three seniors have played in at least 25 games: Bethea (28), TE Marcus Ademilola (26) and Chitty (25).
• Two juniors, Barr and Mellado, have appeared in all 23 of the Bison's games since they arrived in Lewisburg.
• The following players made their first career start at Temple: OL Alex Bolinger, CB Eric Butler, DL John Hunt, WR Dominic Lyles and OL Zack Tarburton. Tarburton, the lone freshman to start, became the first freshman to start at center for a Dave Cecchini-led team.
• OL Noah Sansalone is expected to make his first career start at Sacred Heart.
• The eight freshmen who appear on the second depth chart of the season are LB Ben Allen, S Brent Jackson, LB Cooper Kim, OL R.J. Mehan, CB Gavin Pringle, S Jonathan Searcy, LS Hayden Snyder and Tarburton.
Bison in the NCAA FCS Top 10
• P Alex Pechin: 1st in punting average (51.6)
• CB Gavin Pringle: t-1st in interception return touchdowns (1), t-4th in interceptions per game (1.0)
• K Ethan Torres: t-1st in field goal percentage (1.000), t-8th in field goals per game (2.0)
• S Conner Romango: t-2nd in solo tackles per game (9.0)
• WR Brandon Sanders: t-8th in receptions per game (9.0)
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 (44.0), Season Punting Average (45.1, 2017)
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned an All-American in P Alex Pechin. In 2018, Pechin captured six All-America awards, making the Athlon Sports Team, the STATS, Phil Steele and Hero Sports First Teams and the AP and AFCA Second Teams. 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, joining fellow Bison David Berardinelli (1992-93) and Lehigh's Nick Martucci (1998-99). Earlier that year, he became the Patriot League's fifth repeat Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
• 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. While they have faced the three new additions to their slate a combined 76 times, they most recently took on the Owls in 1970 (L, 3-10), the Towson Tigers in 2003 (W, 14-10) and the Princeton Tigers in 2011 (W, 34-9).
• 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. Bucknell is 0-7 against FBS schools since the FBS/FCS classification began in 1978.
• 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 host Villanova for their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.
• There will be many promotions surrounding the contest, including post-game fireworks, presented by Weis Markets and Silvertip Inc. The game will also double as Bucknell's First Responder & Hero Appreciation Night and Youth Sports Night, presented by Weis Markets.
• For First Responder & Hero Appreciation Night, the Bison will offer free admission to military veterans, active duty servicemen and women, Gold Star Families and first responders. The team will also wear decals on their helmets to recognize the sacrifices made by Gold Star families.
• For Youth Sports Night, free admission will be offered to children 12 and younger. Youth football and cheerleading teams will be treated to on-field experiences. Discounted admission for family and friends of attending youth football and cheerleaders will also be available.
Players Mentioned
TE
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
/ Football
QB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
CB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
S
/ Football
LB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
CB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
S
/ Football
CB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
P/K
/ Football
OL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
S
/ Football
LS
/ Football
OL
/ Football
P/K
/ Football
TE
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