Saturday, October 23
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Georgetown
Photo by: John Rooney
Bucknell Football Hosts Georgetown During Hall of Fame Weekend
10/19/2021 12:30:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team returns to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium at the Pascucci Family Athletics Complex for a 1 p.m. game against Georgetown on Saturday, Oct. 23.
The Bison's tilt with the Hoyas, their first since 2019, will take place during Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame Weekend. The 2020 and 2021 classes, an outstanding group of 14 alumni that includes former Bison running back Jabu Powell '02, are set to be formally inducted.
The complete media notes can be viewed here. The game program can be viewed here.
Tickets are available at the Campus Box Office and cost $15 for adults, $10 for children (18 and under) and $10 for seniors (62+). To purchase tickets, visit Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice or call 570-577-1000. All single-game tickets are for general admission.
When: Saturday, Oct. 23 – 1 p.m.
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: WVLY.com/The__Valley
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Bucknell Spectator Policy: BucknellBison.com
Game Promotions:
• Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame Weekend
• Weis Markets Youth Football & Cheerleading Day
• Community Day
With a victory the Bison would... Â
• win their second home game in a row
• improve to 11-4 against the Hoyas in their past 15 meetings
• defeat Georgetown at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium for the third-straight tilt
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 1-5 (0-2 PL) in 2021 following its 66-21 loss at Fordham on Oct. 16.
• The Bison were selected to finish fifth in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2021 season.
• Bucknell went 2-2 (2-0 PL South) during the 2021 spring campaign. The Bison, who were picked to finish last in that season's Patriot League preseason poll, knocked off Lafayette (38-13) and Lehigh (6-0) to capture the South Division title and earn a spot in the first-ever Patriot League Championship Game.
• Bucknell posted a 3-8 (3-3 PL) record in 2019. The Bison tied for third in the Patriot League, their highest placement in a full season since they were the 2014 runners-up.
• Bucknell's 2019 Patriot League victories came over defending champion Colgate (32-14), Lehigh (20-10) and Georgetown (20-17); two of the Bison's three league losses came by a touchdown or less.
• Bucknell is in its third campaign under head coach Dave Cecchini, who spent the previous five seasons at Valparaiso. For leading the Bison to a spot in the Patriot League Championship Game during the 2021 spring season, he was voted as the Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year.
• Bucknell returned a total of 35 letterwinners in 2021, a group that includes 11 seniors, 11 juniors and 13 sophomores. Six seniors are three-time letterwinners: DL Grayson Cherubino, RB Jared Cooper, CB Micah Dennis, QB Tarrin Earle, OL Michael Killiri and WR Dominic Lyles.
• Cherubino, Earle, Lyles and OL Jacob Russ are serving as team captains this year.
• This week's game captains are OL R.J. Mehan (Offense) and DL Ryan Betz (Defense).
Inside the Fordham Box Score
• Bucknell was downed by Fordham, 66-21, on Oct. 16.
• The Rams found the end zone on their first four drives of the game, and converted on five of their first six overall, en route to their ninth-straight victory over the Bison.
• Fordham QB Tim DeMorat, the Reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, threw for 318 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in just two and a half quarters of work to lead the offensive onslaught.
• Four Ram RBs rushed for at least 60 yards, with three running for a touchdown of at least 39 yards, while three WRs exceeded 75 receiving yards while catching at least one touchdown pass.
• For Bucknell, RBs Rushawn Baker, Jared Cooper and Danny Meuser rushed for touchdowns, with Baker's being the first of his collegiate career.
• Baker (78), Cooper (49) and Meuser (38) all ran for at least 35 yards in addition to scoring a touchdown.
• QB Nick Semptimphelter completed 13 passes for 100 yards while QB Ethan Grady connected on five for 45. RB Coleman Bennett, who started at WR, caught two passes for a team-best 48 yards.
• CB Ethan Robinson made 15 solo tackles in his first collegiate start while DL Aneesh Vyas recovered a pair of fumbles; Vyas also forced the first, which led to Baker's touchdown run.
• With nine tackles, LB Ben Allen finished among Bison. He also forced a pair of fumbles and made a career-high two tackles for a loss.
• Fordham's 66 points was the fifth-most ever allowed by Bucknell. The Bison last gave up at least 60 points in 1966, an 82-28 loss at Temple.
• The Rams held leads in first downs (33-17), rushing offense (343-124), passing yards (354-145) and total offense (697-269).
Georgetown at a Glance
• Georgetown is 1-4 (0-2 PL) in 2021 following its 48-14 loss at Holy Cross on Oct. 16.
• The Hoyas were picked to place sixth in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2021 season.
• LB Palmer Nix represented Georgetown on the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Team as a special teams non-specialist.
• The Hoyas opted out of the 2021 spring campaign. Their 2021 opener at Delaware State was their first game in 658 days.
• Georgetown returned 52 letterwinners in 2021, including 11 fifth years. Five graduate students, and 13 seniors, are listed as starters on the Hoyas' depth chart this week.
• In 2019, Georgetown went 5-6 (1-5 PL) and finished seventh in the Patriot League. The Hoyas rattled off four-straight victories over non-conference opponents between Sept. 7 and Oct. 5, topping Marist (43-3), Catholic (69-0), Columbia (24-10) and Cornell (14-8).
The Bucknell/Georgetown Series
• Bucknell leads the all-time series, 19-12-1, and has won seven of the past 10 meetings. All but four of those games were decided by 10 or fewer points.
• The Bison and Hoyas first met in 1904. They didn't face off between 1939 and 2000, the year before Georgetown joined the Patriot League as an associate member.
• Bucknell and Georgetown last squared off during the 2019 campaign, as the Hoyas opted out of the 2021 spring season. In that game, which was held at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, the Bison edged the Hoyas, 20-17, to send the class of 2020 out with a victory.
• Georgetown snapped a two-game losing slid to Bucknell with 2018's 14-3 victory at Cooper Field. The Bison won the 2016 (21-7) and 2017 (12-0) meetings behind strong defensive performances.
The Last Meeting with the Hoyas
Bucknell 20 – Georgetown 17 (Nov. 16, 2019 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Bucknell scored two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter to edge Georgetown, 20-17, at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
• Trailing 17-6 at the end of the first three frames, the Bison found the end zone on back-to-back possessions to send their senior class out with a victory.
• Bucknell's first touchdown, a three-yard rushing score by RB Chad Freshnock, was set up by S Brent Jackson recovering a punt blocked by LB Simeon Page deep in the Hoya end; the go-ahead touchdown came on a 45-yard pass from QB Logan Bitikofer to WR Dominic Lyles down the home sideline.
• The Hoyas, who had one drive end in a S Conner Romango interception and one drive end in a punt, got the ball back with 21 seconds left to play after the Bison chewed 4:47 off the clock with a 10-play drive highlighted by a 32-yard Freshnock rumble on 3rd and 6. As was the case in Bucknell's victory over rival Lehigh, LB Gerrit Van Itallie iced the game by recovering a fumble, this one forced by CB Gavin Pringle.
• The Bucknell defense again set the tone, forcing four turnovers and posting three sacks for a loss of 27 yards and 10 tackles for a loss of 41 yards. S Brandon Benson (14), LB Rick Mottram (12) and Van Itallie (11) all reached the double digits in tackles, with Van Itallie recovering two fumbles.
• Four different Bison posted a sack and eight made at least one tackle for a loss, with DL Nnamdi Unachukwu accounting for two.
• Pringle got Bucknell on the board in the second quarter, returning a fumble forced by Unachukwu for a 55-yard touchdown.
• Offensively, the Bison stepped up in the fourth quarter, recording 146 of their 236 yards of total offense during that frame. Bitikofer completed three of four passes for 74 yards while Freshnock ran for 69 of his 92 yards in the fourth quarter.
• Bucknell emerged victorious when trailing at the end of the third quarter for the first time since Oct. 8, 2016, a 21-20 comeback victory at Holy Cross. The Bison had lost their previous 19 games in which they trailed entering the final frame.
• Georgetown's suffocating defense stymied the Bucknell offense for the majority of the first half. The Hoyas held a 209-37 advantage in total offense at the break; all but one of the Bison's yards came on the ground.
• Georgetown finished with advantages in first downs (23-14), total offense (362-236) and time of possession (35:04-24:56).
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 57 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 75 starts.
• On offense, one senior (WR Dominic Lyles), one junior (R.J. Mehan), five sophomores and two freshmen are expected to start. QBs Nick Semptimphelter and Tyler Beverett, who have combined for five career starts, and RBs Coleman Bennett and Jared Cooper, who have combined for 23 career starts, are considered even on this week's depth chart.
• On defense, two seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen are projected to start.
• Eight Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), Lyles (16), CB Micah Dennis (16), CB/S Gavin Pringle (16), RB Jared Cooper (15), OL Michael Killiri (14), CB Sterling Deary (13) and OL Zack Tarburton (11). Of that group, six are seniors, one (Pringle) is a junior and one (Tarburton) is a sophomore.
• OL Ethan Pitzel will become the second sophomore to reach the double digits in career starts with a start against Georgetown. He is also the Bison leader with seven-consecutive starts.
• Pringle had his starting streak snapped at 16 games against Fordham; entering that game, he was the only Bison with a starting streak in the double digits.
• The following 24 players each made his first career start this season: LB Ben Allen, LB Tyler Alston, RB Rushawn Baker, TE Adam Barakat, DL Ryan Betz, Beverett, DL Connor Carretta, DL Nathaniel Carson, OL Jake Guy, DL Luke Hamper, WR Damian Harris, LB Blake Leake, WR Matt McCreight, RB Danny Meuser, DL Will Ohler, OL Sean Quarterman, CB Ethan Robinson, S Jonathan Searcy, Semptimphelter, TE Charlie Shadek, TE Christian Spugnardi, S Mason Taylor, DL Aneesh Vyas and OL Jack Wall.
• Of Bucknell's first-time starters, two are seniors, four are juniors, 11 are sophomores and seven are freshmen. The total of 24 represents just over 27 percent of the team's roster.
• Against Fordham, Spugnardi and Robinson became the latest Bison to start his first collegiate game. They joined Baker, Guy, Ohler, Taylor and Vyas as Bucknell's freshmen to start this season.
• Multiple players made their first career starts in five of Bucknell's six 2021 games, topping out at 10 in its first tilt at Sacred Heart.
• Three offensive players have started all six of Bucknell's 2021 games to date: Harris, Mehan and Pitzel. Four defensive players have started all six of Bucknell's 2021 games to date: Allen, Deary, Searcy and S Brent Jackson.
• No senior has played in all 32 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (29), Cooper (28) and Lyles (27) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 21 of Bucknell's games during their time in Lewisburg to date.
• Pringle is the only junior who entered this season with more than two career starts. Though his first 11 starts came at cornerback, he started at safety in weeks one and two of the 2021 campaign; he then returned to cornerback beginning in week three.
• Bennett, DL Mike Bright Jr., OL Ethan Pitzel and OL Casey Stephenson all started as freshmen during the 2021 spring campaign. Bright Jr. and Pitzel all are listed as starters on this week's depth chart.
Milestone Watch
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 18 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 20 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 14 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career Â
• CB/S Gavin Pringle: Needs four tackles to reach 100 in his career
School Record Holders on the 2021 Roster
• WR Dominic Lyles: Single Game Receptions (14, 4/3/21 at Lehigh)
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned four All-Patriot League players in RB Jared Cooper (1st in '21S as a RS), CB Eric Holsinger (2nd in '21S as a STNS), WR Dominic Lyles (2nd in '21S) and CB/S Gavin Pringle (1st in '21S, 2nd in '19).
• Pringle and RB Coleman Bennett were voted to the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Team, with Bennett representing Bucknell as a return specialist.
• The Bison graduated six All-Patriot League honorees following the 2021 spring season, including LB Simeon Page. Page was the fifth Bison to make four career All-Patriot League squads, joining RB Rich Lemon (1993-96), OL Julién Davenport (2013-16), DL Abdullah Anderson (2014-17) and P Alex Pechin (2015, 2017-19).
• At least one Bison has made the CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 Team in 18 of the 21 seasons since 2000, including the past seven in a row. Most recently, two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American LB Rick Mottram and fellow 2021 graduate S Conner Romango made the 2020-21 rendition.
• Only Bucknell and Dayton have had a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist each of the past 16 years. Nicknamed the "Academic Heisman," it is awarded to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service and on-field performance. In 2021, DL Grayson Cherubino, a 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 selection, represented the Bison as a Campbell Trophy semifinalist.
Head Coach Dave Cecchini
• Dave Cecchini, one of the all-time great wide receivers in Patriot League history who has since gone on to achieve tremendous success in the coaching ranks, was named the 27th Bob Odell Head Football Coach at Bucknell University on February 6, 2019.
• Cecchini was voted as the 2021 Spring Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year for guiding the team to a spot in the Patriot League Championship Game. In addition, he was selected as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented by STATS to the FCS Coach of the Year, for the second time in his career.
• In his first season at the helm, Cecchini led the Bison to a third-place finish in the Patriot League, their highest placement since they were the 2014 runners-up. Their Patriot League victories came over defending champion Colgate (32-14), rival Lehigh (20-10) and Georgetown (20-17); two of their three league losses came by a touchdown or less.
• In 2017 while at Valparaiso, Cecchini was a finalist for the American Football Coaches Association's FCS National Coach of the Year and the STATS FCS Coach of the Year awards; he was also voted as the Pioneer Football League Coach of the Year and the AFCA FCS Region 4 Coach of the Year.
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Inside the 2021 Schedule
• This is the 136th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell's challenging 2021 schedule includes FBS program Army West Point, two Ivy League teams and defending NEC champion Sacred Heart.
• During the 2020-21 school year, Army West Point played in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl while Holy Cross and Sacred Heart made the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
• Army West Point will be the Bison's second FBS foe in three seasons, as they previously faced off against Temple in their 2019 opener. Bucknell is 0-8 against FBS schools since the FBS/FCS classification began in 1978.
• The Bison entered the season with a 171-302-12 (.365) record against their 2021 opponents, with only a winning mark against Georgetown (19-12-1). They are also .500 against Fordham (18-18).
How to Follow the Bison
• All of Bucknell's home games and its road contests at Lafayette, Fordham and Colgate will air on ESPN+, which became home of the Patriot League Network ahead of the 2020-21 school year.
• The Bison's game at FBS foe Army West Point will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.
• All of the Bison's games will be broadcast on 100.9 The Valley (WVLY). The broadcast will also be available on WVLY.com/The__Valley and BucknellBison.com.
• Bucknell is active on Twitter (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtags #ACT and #rayBucknell.
Up Next
• The Bison face off against Colgate in Hamilton, N.Y. on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m.
The Bison's tilt with the Hoyas, their first since 2019, will take place during Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame Weekend. The 2020 and 2021 classes, an outstanding group of 14 alumni that includes former Bison running back Jabu Powell '02, are set to be formally inducted.
The complete media notes can be viewed here. The game program can be viewed here.
Tickets are available at the Campus Box Office and cost $15 for adults, $10 for children (18 and under) and $10 for seniors (62+). To purchase tickets, visit Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice or call 570-577-1000. All single-game tickets are for general admission.
When: Saturday, Oct. 23 – 1 p.m.
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: WVLY.com/The__Valley
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Bucknell Spectator Policy: BucknellBison.com
Game Promotions:
• Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame Weekend
• Weis Markets Youth Football & Cheerleading Day
• Community Day
With a victory the Bison would... Â
• win their second home game in a row
• improve to 11-4 against the Hoyas in their past 15 meetings
• defeat Georgetown at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium for the third-straight tilt
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 1-5 (0-2 PL) in 2021 following its 66-21 loss at Fordham on Oct. 16.
• The Bison were selected to finish fifth in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2021 season.
• Bucknell went 2-2 (2-0 PL South) during the 2021 spring campaign. The Bison, who were picked to finish last in that season's Patriot League preseason poll, knocked off Lafayette (38-13) and Lehigh (6-0) to capture the South Division title and earn a spot in the first-ever Patriot League Championship Game.
• Bucknell posted a 3-8 (3-3 PL) record in 2019. The Bison tied for third in the Patriot League, their highest placement in a full season since they were the 2014 runners-up.
• Bucknell's 2019 Patriot League victories came over defending champion Colgate (32-14), Lehigh (20-10) and Georgetown (20-17); two of the Bison's three league losses came by a touchdown or less.
• Bucknell is in its third campaign under head coach Dave Cecchini, who spent the previous five seasons at Valparaiso. For leading the Bison to a spot in the Patriot League Championship Game during the 2021 spring season, he was voted as the Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year.
• Bucknell returned a total of 35 letterwinners in 2021, a group that includes 11 seniors, 11 juniors and 13 sophomores. Six seniors are three-time letterwinners: DL Grayson Cherubino, RB Jared Cooper, CB Micah Dennis, QB Tarrin Earle, OL Michael Killiri and WR Dominic Lyles.
• Cherubino, Earle, Lyles and OL Jacob Russ are serving as team captains this year.
• This week's game captains are OL R.J. Mehan (Offense) and DL Ryan Betz (Defense).
Inside the Fordham Box Score
• Bucknell was downed by Fordham, 66-21, on Oct. 16.
• The Rams found the end zone on their first four drives of the game, and converted on five of their first six overall, en route to their ninth-straight victory over the Bison.
• Fordham QB Tim DeMorat, the Reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, threw for 318 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in just two and a half quarters of work to lead the offensive onslaught.
• Four Ram RBs rushed for at least 60 yards, with three running for a touchdown of at least 39 yards, while three WRs exceeded 75 receiving yards while catching at least one touchdown pass.
• For Bucknell, RBs Rushawn Baker, Jared Cooper and Danny Meuser rushed for touchdowns, with Baker's being the first of his collegiate career.
• Baker (78), Cooper (49) and Meuser (38) all ran for at least 35 yards in addition to scoring a touchdown.
• QB Nick Semptimphelter completed 13 passes for 100 yards while QB Ethan Grady connected on five for 45. RB Coleman Bennett, who started at WR, caught two passes for a team-best 48 yards.
• CB Ethan Robinson made 15 solo tackles in his first collegiate start while DL Aneesh Vyas recovered a pair of fumbles; Vyas also forced the first, which led to Baker's touchdown run.
• With nine tackles, LB Ben Allen finished among Bison. He also forced a pair of fumbles and made a career-high two tackles for a loss.
• Fordham's 66 points was the fifth-most ever allowed by Bucknell. The Bison last gave up at least 60 points in 1966, an 82-28 loss at Temple.
• The Rams held leads in first downs (33-17), rushing offense (343-124), passing yards (354-145) and total offense (697-269).
Georgetown at a Glance
• Georgetown is 1-4 (0-2 PL) in 2021 following its 48-14 loss at Holy Cross on Oct. 16.
• The Hoyas were picked to place sixth in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2021 season.
• LB Palmer Nix represented Georgetown on the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Team as a special teams non-specialist.
• The Hoyas opted out of the 2021 spring campaign. Their 2021 opener at Delaware State was their first game in 658 days.
• Georgetown returned 52 letterwinners in 2021, including 11 fifth years. Five graduate students, and 13 seniors, are listed as starters on the Hoyas' depth chart this week.
• In 2019, Georgetown went 5-6 (1-5 PL) and finished seventh in the Patriot League. The Hoyas rattled off four-straight victories over non-conference opponents between Sept. 7 and Oct. 5, topping Marist (43-3), Catholic (69-0), Columbia (24-10) and Cornell (14-8).
The Bucknell/Georgetown Series
• Bucknell leads the all-time series, 19-12-1, and has won seven of the past 10 meetings. All but four of those games were decided by 10 or fewer points.
• The Bison and Hoyas first met in 1904. They didn't face off between 1939 and 2000, the year before Georgetown joined the Patriot League as an associate member.
• Bucknell and Georgetown last squared off during the 2019 campaign, as the Hoyas opted out of the 2021 spring season. In that game, which was held at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, the Bison edged the Hoyas, 20-17, to send the class of 2020 out with a victory.
• Georgetown snapped a two-game losing slid to Bucknell with 2018's 14-3 victory at Cooper Field. The Bison won the 2016 (21-7) and 2017 (12-0) meetings behind strong defensive performances.
The Last Meeting with the Hoyas
Bucknell 20 – Georgetown 17 (Nov. 16, 2019 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Bucknell scored two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter to edge Georgetown, 20-17, at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
• Trailing 17-6 at the end of the first three frames, the Bison found the end zone on back-to-back possessions to send their senior class out with a victory.
• Bucknell's first touchdown, a three-yard rushing score by RB Chad Freshnock, was set up by S Brent Jackson recovering a punt blocked by LB Simeon Page deep in the Hoya end; the go-ahead touchdown came on a 45-yard pass from QB Logan Bitikofer to WR Dominic Lyles down the home sideline.
• The Hoyas, who had one drive end in a S Conner Romango interception and one drive end in a punt, got the ball back with 21 seconds left to play after the Bison chewed 4:47 off the clock with a 10-play drive highlighted by a 32-yard Freshnock rumble on 3rd and 6. As was the case in Bucknell's victory over rival Lehigh, LB Gerrit Van Itallie iced the game by recovering a fumble, this one forced by CB Gavin Pringle.
• The Bucknell defense again set the tone, forcing four turnovers and posting three sacks for a loss of 27 yards and 10 tackles for a loss of 41 yards. S Brandon Benson (14), LB Rick Mottram (12) and Van Itallie (11) all reached the double digits in tackles, with Van Itallie recovering two fumbles.
• Four different Bison posted a sack and eight made at least one tackle for a loss, with DL Nnamdi Unachukwu accounting for two.
• Pringle got Bucknell on the board in the second quarter, returning a fumble forced by Unachukwu for a 55-yard touchdown.
• Offensively, the Bison stepped up in the fourth quarter, recording 146 of their 236 yards of total offense during that frame. Bitikofer completed three of four passes for 74 yards while Freshnock ran for 69 of his 92 yards in the fourth quarter.
• Bucknell emerged victorious when trailing at the end of the third quarter for the first time since Oct. 8, 2016, a 21-20 comeback victory at Holy Cross. The Bison had lost their previous 19 games in which they trailed entering the final frame.
• Georgetown's suffocating defense stymied the Bucknell offense for the majority of the first half. The Hoyas held a 209-37 advantage in total offense at the break; all but one of the Bison's yards came on the ground.
• Georgetown finished with advantages in first downs (23-14), total offense (362-236) and time of possession (35:04-24:56).
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 57 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 75 starts.
• On offense, one senior (WR Dominic Lyles), one junior (R.J. Mehan), five sophomores and two freshmen are expected to start. QBs Nick Semptimphelter and Tyler Beverett, who have combined for five career starts, and RBs Coleman Bennett and Jared Cooper, who have combined for 23 career starts, are considered even on this week's depth chart.
• On defense, two seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen are projected to start.
• Eight Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), Lyles (16), CB Micah Dennis (16), CB/S Gavin Pringle (16), RB Jared Cooper (15), OL Michael Killiri (14), CB Sterling Deary (13) and OL Zack Tarburton (11). Of that group, six are seniors, one (Pringle) is a junior and one (Tarburton) is a sophomore.
• OL Ethan Pitzel will become the second sophomore to reach the double digits in career starts with a start against Georgetown. He is also the Bison leader with seven-consecutive starts.
• Pringle had his starting streak snapped at 16 games against Fordham; entering that game, he was the only Bison with a starting streak in the double digits.
• The following 24 players each made his first career start this season: LB Ben Allen, LB Tyler Alston, RB Rushawn Baker, TE Adam Barakat, DL Ryan Betz, Beverett, DL Connor Carretta, DL Nathaniel Carson, OL Jake Guy, DL Luke Hamper, WR Damian Harris, LB Blake Leake, WR Matt McCreight, RB Danny Meuser, DL Will Ohler, OL Sean Quarterman, CB Ethan Robinson, S Jonathan Searcy, Semptimphelter, TE Charlie Shadek, TE Christian Spugnardi, S Mason Taylor, DL Aneesh Vyas and OL Jack Wall.
• Of Bucknell's first-time starters, two are seniors, four are juniors, 11 are sophomores and seven are freshmen. The total of 24 represents just over 27 percent of the team's roster.
• Against Fordham, Spugnardi and Robinson became the latest Bison to start his first collegiate game. They joined Baker, Guy, Ohler, Taylor and Vyas as Bucknell's freshmen to start this season.
• Multiple players made their first career starts in five of Bucknell's six 2021 games, topping out at 10 in its first tilt at Sacred Heart.
• Three offensive players have started all six of Bucknell's 2021 games to date: Harris, Mehan and Pitzel. Four defensive players have started all six of Bucknell's 2021 games to date: Allen, Deary, Searcy and S Brent Jackson.
• No senior has played in all 32 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (29), Cooper (28) and Lyles (27) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 21 of Bucknell's games during their time in Lewisburg to date.
• Pringle is the only junior who entered this season with more than two career starts. Though his first 11 starts came at cornerback, he started at safety in weeks one and two of the 2021 campaign; he then returned to cornerback beginning in week three.
• Bennett, DL Mike Bright Jr., OL Ethan Pitzel and OL Casey Stephenson all started as freshmen during the 2021 spring campaign. Bright Jr. and Pitzel all are listed as starters on this week's depth chart.
Milestone Watch
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 18 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 20 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 14 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career Â
• CB/S Gavin Pringle: Needs four tackles to reach 100 in his career
School Record Holders on the 2021 Roster
• WR Dominic Lyles: Single Game Receptions (14, 4/3/21 at Lehigh)
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned four All-Patriot League players in RB Jared Cooper (1st in '21S as a RS), CB Eric Holsinger (2nd in '21S as a STNS), WR Dominic Lyles (2nd in '21S) and CB/S Gavin Pringle (1st in '21S, 2nd in '19).
• Pringle and RB Coleman Bennett were voted to the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Team, with Bennett representing Bucknell as a return specialist.
• The Bison graduated six All-Patriot League honorees following the 2021 spring season, including LB Simeon Page. Page was the fifth Bison to make four career All-Patriot League squads, joining RB Rich Lemon (1993-96), OL Julién Davenport (2013-16), DL Abdullah Anderson (2014-17) and P Alex Pechin (2015, 2017-19).
• At least one Bison has made the CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 Team in 18 of the 21 seasons since 2000, including the past seven in a row. Most recently, two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American LB Rick Mottram and fellow 2021 graduate S Conner Romango made the 2020-21 rendition.
• Only Bucknell and Dayton have had a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist each of the past 16 years. Nicknamed the "Academic Heisman," it is awarded to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service and on-field performance. In 2021, DL Grayson Cherubino, a 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 selection, represented the Bison as a Campbell Trophy semifinalist.
Head Coach Dave Cecchini
• Dave Cecchini, one of the all-time great wide receivers in Patriot League history who has since gone on to achieve tremendous success in the coaching ranks, was named the 27th Bob Odell Head Football Coach at Bucknell University on February 6, 2019.
• Cecchini was voted as the 2021 Spring Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year for guiding the team to a spot in the Patriot League Championship Game. In addition, he was selected as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented by STATS to the FCS Coach of the Year, for the second time in his career.
• In his first season at the helm, Cecchini led the Bison to a third-place finish in the Patriot League, their highest placement since they were the 2014 runners-up. Their Patriot League victories came over defending champion Colgate (32-14), rival Lehigh (20-10) and Georgetown (20-17); two of their three league losses came by a touchdown or less.
• In 2017 while at Valparaiso, Cecchini was a finalist for the American Football Coaches Association's FCS National Coach of the Year and the STATS FCS Coach of the Year awards; he was also voted as the Pioneer Football League Coach of the Year and the AFCA FCS Region 4 Coach of the Year.
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Inside the 2021 Schedule
• This is the 136th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell's challenging 2021 schedule includes FBS program Army West Point, two Ivy League teams and defending NEC champion Sacred Heart.
• During the 2020-21 school year, Army West Point played in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl while Holy Cross and Sacred Heart made the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
• Army West Point will be the Bison's second FBS foe in three seasons, as they previously faced off against Temple in their 2019 opener. Bucknell is 0-8 against FBS schools since the FBS/FCS classification began in 1978.
• The Bison entered the season with a 171-302-12 (.365) record against their 2021 opponents, with only a winning mark against Georgetown (19-12-1). They are also .500 against Fordham (18-18).
How to Follow the Bison
• All of Bucknell's home games and its road contests at Lafayette, Fordham and Colgate will air on ESPN+, which became home of the Patriot League Network ahead of the 2020-21 school year.
• The Bison's game at FBS foe Army West Point will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.
• All of the Bison's games will be broadcast on 100.9 The Valley (WVLY). The broadcast will also be available on WVLY.com/The__Valley and BucknellBison.com.
• Bucknell is active on Twitter (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtags #ACT and #rayBucknell.
Up Next
• The Bison face off against Colgate in Hamilton, N.Y. on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m.
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Tuesday, November 04
Lafayette at Bucknell Volleyball Highlights 11-1-2025
Sunday, November 02
Lehigh at Bucknell Field Hockey Highlights 11-1-2025
Saturday, November 01