Saturday, October 9
Easton, Pa.
12:30 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Lafayette
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Bucknell Football Faces Lafayette in Patriot League Opener
10/5/2021 12:05:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team is set to begin Patriot League play with a 12:30 p.m. game at Lafayette on Saturday, Oct. 9.
The complete media notes can be viewed here. The game program can be viewed here.
When: Saturday, Oct. 9 – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Fisher Stadium – Easton, Pa.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: WVLY.com/The__Valley
Live Stats: GoLeopards.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Lafayette Spectator Policy: GoLeopards.com
With a victory the Bison would...
• move to 20-16 in Patriot League openers
• win their second-straight game against Lafayette
• improve to 6-2 against the Leopards in their past eight meetings
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 1-3 (0-0 PL) in 2021 following its 21-10 victory over Cornell on Oct. 2.
• 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 Ethan Pitzel (Offense) and S Brent Jackson (Defense).
Inside the Cornell Box Score
• Bucknell rallied to defeat Cornell, 21-10, in its Homecoming game on Oct. 2 by scoring two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
• The Bison defense generated four key turnovers, including two by S Jonathan Searcy that halted Big Red drives in the red zone.
• QB Nick Semptimphelter orchestrated Bucknell's go-ahead scoring drive, which covered 78 yards in 10 plays and was capped by a touchdown throw to TE Christian Spugnardi.
• Three plays after going up by a 14-10 margin, the Bison got the ball back after CB Sterling Deary intercepted a pass and returned it 22 yards to Cornell's 28-yard line. They took advantage of their favorable field position, with Semptimphelter finishing off the abbreviated drive with a two-yard touchdown run.
• Suddenly down by a 21-10 margin, the Big Red responded with a march all the way to Bucknell's one-yard line. After a pass interference penalty gave Cornell a fresh set of downs on 3rd and goal, QB Richie Kenney faked the handoff and went for the quarterback keeper score. Searcy leveled him inches before the goal line, knocking the ball free; LB Ben Allen ultimately came up with it in the end zone.
• With the teams tied at 7-7, the Big Red had an opportunity to take a lead into halftime. Cornell began the first half's final drive on its own 19-yard line and advanced all the way to the Bison's 11-yard line. Searcy picked off a pass four yards outside of the end zone, giving Bucknell the momentum entering the break.
• Semptimphelter threw for 85 yards and one touchdown while also running for a score; both his touchdown throw and run were the first of his career.
• QB Tyler Beverett posted a career-high 61 yards through the air and added a career-best 28 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
• RB Coleman Bennett (41) and WR Marques Owens (49) were the Bison leaders in rushing yards and receiving yards respectively, each setting a new career-high total.
• Allen (9), S Brent Jackson (9) and Searcy (8) were Bucknell's top three tacklers, with Jackson and Searcy each logging a new career-best figure.
• Searcy's interception and forced fumble each were the first of his career while Deary picked off his first pass since the 2018 campaign. CB Ethan Robinson also recorded his first career interception and forced fumble.
• For his performance, Searcy earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week accolades; he also became the first football player to be tabbed as the Bison Athlete of the Week during the 2021-22 school year.
• The Bison held advantages in time of possession (31:44-28:16) and rushing yards (97-34) while the Big Red led in total offense (340-243) and passing yards (306-146); the teams finished tied at 15-15 in first downs.
• Bucknell, which did not turnover the ball once and held Cornell without a sack, went 3-for-3 on its trips to the red zone. The Bison also went 2-for-3 on fourth downs, with each successful fourth down conversion occurring during a fourth quarter scoring drive.
• Bucknell snapped a 13-game losing streak to non-conference foes that dated back to 2018. Entering the game, the Bison's last win over a non-conference foe was their 28-16 decision over Cornell on Oct. 14, 2017.
Lafayette at a Glance
• Lafayette is 1-4 (0-1 PL) in 2021 following its tight 42-41 loss to Fordham on Oct. 2.
• The Leopards were picked to place third in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2021 season.
• Six Leopards made the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, headlined by DL Malik Hamm, the 2019 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and the 2018 Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
• Hamm made the Watch List for the 2021 Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented by STATS to the top defensive player in the FCS ranks. He and Fordham LB Ryan Greenhagen were the only Patriot League players to make the initial 35-player listing.
• Lafayette went 2-1 (1-1 PL South) during the 2021 spring campaign. The Leopards finished second in the Patriot League South Division behind the Bison; their victories came over Colgate (24-10) and rival Lehigh (20-13).
• In 2019, Lafayette went 4-8 (4-2 PL). The Leopards rebounded from an 0-7 start to place second in the Patriot League with their 4-2 record; they sealed their runner-up showing by edging Lehigh, 17-16, on a last-minute field goal in their season finale.
The Bucknell/Lafayette Series
• Bucknell played Lafayette in its first ever game on Nov. 30, 1883, a 59-0 loss.
• Lafayette leads the all-time series, 54-38-6, but Bucknell has won six of the past 10 meetings between the teams. Â
• The Bison and Leopards have met every season since 1945, a stretch that will reach 77-consecutive seasons with the 2021 contest.
• During the 2021 spring campaign, Bucknell played Lafayette in its season opener; the Bison ultimately emerged victorious by a commanding 38-13 margin.
• In 2018 at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, the Leopards snapped a four-game losing skid to Bucknell with their 29-27 win. They then took the 2019 meeting at Fisher Stadium by another slim margin.
• The Bison had won the 2017 (13-7 OT), 2016 (42-17), 2015 (35-24) and 2014 (27-24 OT) tilts; they previously enjoyed four winning streaks against Lafayette of equal or greater length: from 1929 to 1945 (6), 1968 to 1972 (5) and 1949 to 1952 (4).
The Last Meeting with the Leopards
Bucknell 38 – Lafayette 13 (Mar. 27, 2021 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Powered by strong defensive play, and 179 receiving yards and two touchdown catches from All-Patriot League WR Brandon Sanders, Bucknell toppled Lafayette, 38-13, in its first game in 490 days.
• After allowing the Leopards to score on their first drive of the game, the Bison piled up 38 unanswered points.
• Defensively, Bucknell limited the 2019 Patriot League runners-up to 284 yards of total offense, including only 15 on the ground.
• Sanders's career-high 179 yards came on 12 receptions, two shy of the school record he set against Holy Cross in 2019. His total of receiving yards stands seventh in Bison history and is 57 higher than his previous career-best total set against the Crusaders.
• On the strength of his performance, Sanders became the first Bison to earn Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week accolades since the 2014 campaign; in the space between RB Matt DelMauro (Nov. 17, 2014) and Sanders's awards, Bucknell had 10 Defensive Players of the Week, nine Rookies of the Week and eight Special Teams Players of the Week.
• QB Logan Bitikofer completed 14 of 22 passes for 183 yards while QB Tarrin Earle went 11 for 13 for 145 yards and added a team-best 25 yards on seven carries. TE Alex Twiford (52) and WR Dominic Lyles (51) rounded out Bucknell's top three in receiving yards, each also catching a touchdown pass.
• Four different Bison intercepted a pass, with LB Blake Leake returning his first career interception 41 yards for a touchdown to put an exclamation mark on his team's commanding victory late in the fourth quarter.
• Bucknell led Lafayette in total offense (415-284), rushing yards (87-15), passing yards (328-269), first downs (21-13) and time of possession (34:04-25:56). Notably, the Bison did not commit a single turnover.
Patriot League Openers
• Bucknell holds a 19-16 record in Patriot League openers.
• The Bison have met the Leopards in their first Patriot League game six times: 2021 spring (38-13), 2013 (7-31), 2012 (14-20), 2006 (0-31), 2000 (42-30) and 1997 (23-21).
• This spring, Bucknell routed Lafayette in its season and Patriot League opener by a 38-13 margin.
• In 2019, the Bison fell to eventual champion Holy Cross, 21-14, in their first Patriot League tilt at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
• This will be the first time since 2018 that Bucknell will begin Patriot League play on the road. That game was a 19-16 Bison victory over Holy Cross at Fitton Field.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 67 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 73 starts.
• On offense, two seniors, three juniors and six sophomores are expected to start.
• On defense, three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman (DL Will Ohler) are projected to start.
• Eight Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), CB Micah Dennis (16), CB/S Gavin Pringle (15), RB Jared Cooper (14), WR Dominic Lyles (14), OL Michael Killiri (13), CB Sterling Deary (11) and OL Zack Tarburton (10). Of that group, six are seniors, one (Pringle) is a junior and one (Tarburton) is a sophomore.
• Pringle (15) alone boasts a starting streak of at least 10 games. Dennis had his starting streak snapped at 16 against Penn; entering that game, he was the only other Bison with a starting streak in the double digits.
• The following 21 players each made his first career start this season: LB Ben Allen, LB Tyler Alston, RB Rushawn Baker, TE Adam Barakat, DL Ryan Betz, QB Tyler Beverett, DL Connor Carretta, DL Nathaniel Carson, OL Jake Guy, WR Damian Harris, LB Blake Leake, WR Matt McCreight, RB Danny Meuser, Ohler, OL Sean Quarterman, S Jonathan Searcy, QB Nick Semptimphelter, TE Charlie Shadek, S Mason Taylor, DL Aneesh Vyas and OL Jack Wall.
• Of Bucknell's first-time starters, one (Betz) is a senior, four are juniors, 11 are sophomores and five are freshmen. The total of 21 represents just over 23 percent of the team's roster.
• Barakat and Guy made their first career starts against Cornell. Multiple players have made their first career starts in all four of Bucknell's 2021 games to date, topping out at 10 in its first tilt at Sacred Heart.
• Twelve Bison have started all four of Bucknell's 2021 games to date, five on offense, seven on defense. Of that group, four made their first career start in the 2021 opener: Allen, Harris, Ohler and Searcy.
• No senior has played in all 28 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (27), Cooper (26) and Lyles (25) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Pringle, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 19 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. Bennett, Bright Jr. and Pitzel all are listed as starters on the Bison's depth chart this week. Â
Milestone Watch
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 24 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 26 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 53 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career Â
• CB/S Gavin Pringle: Needs six 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.
Â
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 continue their Patriot League road swing with a 1 p.m. game at Fordham on Saturday, Oct. 16.
The complete media notes can be viewed here. The game program can be viewed here.
When: Saturday, Oct. 9 – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Fisher Stadium – Easton, Pa.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: WVLY.com/The__Valley
Live Stats: GoLeopards.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Lafayette Spectator Policy: GoLeopards.com
With a victory the Bison would...
• move to 20-16 in Patriot League openers
• win their second-straight game against Lafayette
• improve to 6-2 against the Leopards in their past eight meetings
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 1-3 (0-0 PL) in 2021 following its 21-10 victory over Cornell on Oct. 2.
• 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 Ethan Pitzel (Offense) and S Brent Jackson (Defense).
Inside the Cornell Box Score
• Bucknell rallied to defeat Cornell, 21-10, in its Homecoming game on Oct. 2 by scoring two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
• The Bison defense generated four key turnovers, including two by S Jonathan Searcy that halted Big Red drives in the red zone.
• QB Nick Semptimphelter orchestrated Bucknell's go-ahead scoring drive, which covered 78 yards in 10 plays and was capped by a touchdown throw to TE Christian Spugnardi.
• Three plays after going up by a 14-10 margin, the Bison got the ball back after CB Sterling Deary intercepted a pass and returned it 22 yards to Cornell's 28-yard line. They took advantage of their favorable field position, with Semptimphelter finishing off the abbreviated drive with a two-yard touchdown run.
• Suddenly down by a 21-10 margin, the Big Red responded with a march all the way to Bucknell's one-yard line. After a pass interference penalty gave Cornell a fresh set of downs on 3rd and goal, QB Richie Kenney faked the handoff and went for the quarterback keeper score. Searcy leveled him inches before the goal line, knocking the ball free; LB Ben Allen ultimately came up with it in the end zone.
• With the teams tied at 7-7, the Big Red had an opportunity to take a lead into halftime. Cornell began the first half's final drive on its own 19-yard line and advanced all the way to the Bison's 11-yard line. Searcy picked off a pass four yards outside of the end zone, giving Bucknell the momentum entering the break.
• Semptimphelter threw for 85 yards and one touchdown while also running for a score; both his touchdown throw and run were the first of his career.
• QB Tyler Beverett posted a career-high 61 yards through the air and added a career-best 28 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
• RB Coleman Bennett (41) and WR Marques Owens (49) were the Bison leaders in rushing yards and receiving yards respectively, each setting a new career-high total.
• Allen (9), S Brent Jackson (9) and Searcy (8) were Bucknell's top three tacklers, with Jackson and Searcy each logging a new career-best figure.
• Searcy's interception and forced fumble each were the first of his career while Deary picked off his first pass since the 2018 campaign. CB Ethan Robinson also recorded his first career interception and forced fumble.
• For his performance, Searcy earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week accolades; he also became the first football player to be tabbed as the Bison Athlete of the Week during the 2021-22 school year.
• The Bison held advantages in time of possession (31:44-28:16) and rushing yards (97-34) while the Big Red led in total offense (340-243) and passing yards (306-146); the teams finished tied at 15-15 in first downs.
• Bucknell, which did not turnover the ball once and held Cornell without a sack, went 3-for-3 on its trips to the red zone. The Bison also went 2-for-3 on fourth downs, with each successful fourth down conversion occurring during a fourth quarter scoring drive.
• Bucknell snapped a 13-game losing streak to non-conference foes that dated back to 2018. Entering the game, the Bison's last win over a non-conference foe was their 28-16 decision over Cornell on Oct. 14, 2017.
Lafayette at a Glance
• Lafayette is 1-4 (0-1 PL) in 2021 following its tight 42-41 loss to Fordham on Oct. 2.
• The Leopards were picked to place third in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2021 season.
• Six Leopards made the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, headlined by DL Malik Hamm, the 2019 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and the 2018 Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
• Hamm made the Watch List for the 2021 Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented by STATS to the top defensive player in the FCS ranks. He and Fordham LB Ryan Greenhagen were the only Patriot League players to make the initial 35-player listing.
• Lafayette went 2-1 (1-1 PL South) during the 2021 spring campaign. The Leopards finished second in the Patriot League South Division behind the Bison; their victories came over Colgate (24-10) and rival Lehigh (20-13).
• In 2019, Lafayette went 4-8 (4-2 PL). The Leopards rebounded from an 0-7 start to place second in the Patriot League with their 4-2 record; they sealed their runner-up showing by edging Lehigh, 17-16, on a last-minute field goal in their season finale.
The Bucknell/Lafayette Series
• Bucknell played Lafayette in its first ever game on Nov. 30, 1883, a 59-0 loss.
• Lafayette leads the all-time series, 54-38-6, but Bucknell has won six of the past 10 meetings between the teams. Â
• The Bison and Leopards have met every season since 1945, a stretch that will reach 77-consecutive seasons with the 2021 contest.
• During the 2021 spring campaign, Bucknell played Lafayette in its season opener; the Bison ultimately emerged victorious by a commanding 38-13 margin.
• In 2018 at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, the Leopards snapped a four-game losing skid to Bucknell with their 29-27 win. They then took the 2019 meeting at Fisher Stadium by another slim margin.
• The Bison had won the 2017 (13-7 OT), 2016 (42-17), 2015 (35-24) and 2014 (27-24 OT) tilts; they previously enjoyed four winning streaks against Lafayette of equal or greater length: from 1929 to 1945 (6), 1968 to 1972 (5) and 1949 to 1952 (4).
The Last Meeting with the Leopards
Bucknell 38 – Lafayette 13 (Mar. 27, 2021 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Powered by strong defensive play, and 179 receiving yards and two touchdown catches from All-Patriot League WR Brandon Sanders, Bucknell toppled Lafayette, 38-13, in its first game in 490 days.
• After allowing the Leopards to score on their first drive of the game, the Bison piled up 38 unanswered points.
• Defensively, Bucknell limited the 2019 Patriot League runners-up to 284 yards of total offense, including only 15 on the ground.
• Sanders's career-high 179 yards came on 12 receptions, two shy of the school record he set against Holy Cross in 2019. His total of receiving yards stands seventh in Bison history and is 57 higher than his previous career-best total set against the Crusaders.
• On the strength of his performance, Sanders became the first Bison to earn Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week accolades since the 2014 campaign; in the space between RB Matt DelMauro (Nov. 17, 2014) and Sanders's awards, Bucknell had 10 Defensive Players of the Week, nine Rookies of the Week and eight Special Teams Players of the Week.
• QB Logan Bitikofer completed 14 of 22 passes for 183 yards while QB Tarrin Earle went 11 for 13 for 145 yards and added a team-best 25 yards on seven carries. TE Alex Twiford (52) and WR Dominic Lyles (51) rounded out Bucknell's top three in receiving yards, each also catching a touchdown pass.
• Four different Bison intercepted a pass, with LB Blake Leake returning his first career interception 41 yards for a touchdown to put an exclamation mark on his team's commanding victory late in the fourth quarter.
• Bucknell led Lafayette in total offense (415-284), rushing yards (87-15), passing yards (328-269), first downs (21-13) and time of possession (34:04-25:56). Notably, the Bison did not commit a single turnover.
Patriot League Openers
• Bucknell holds a 19-16 record in Patriot League openers.
• The Bison have met the Leopards in their first Patriot League game six times: 2021 spring (38-13), 2013 (7-31), 2012 (14-20), 2006 (0-31), 2000 (42-30) and 1997 (23-21).
• This spring, Bucknell routed Lafayette in its season and Patriot League opener by a 38-13 margin.
• In 2019, the Bison fell to eventual champion Holy Cross, 21-14, in their first Patriot League tilt at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
• This will be the first time since 2018 that Bucknell will begin Patriot League play on the road. That game was a 19-16 Bison victory over Holy Cross at Fitton Field.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 67 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 73 starts.
• On offense, two seniors, three juniors and six sophomores are expected to start.
• On defense, three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman (DL Will Ohler) are projected to start.
• Eight Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), CB Micah Dennis (16), CB/S Gavin Pringle (15), RB Jared Cooper (14), WR Dominic Lyles (14), OL Michael Killiri (13), CB Sterling Deary (11) and OL Zack Tarburton (10). Of that group, six are seniors, one (Pringle) is a junior and one (Tarburton) is a sophomore.
• Pringle (15) alone boasts a starting streak of at least 10 games. Dennis had his starting streak snapped at 16 against Penn; entering that game, he was the only other Bison with a starting streak in the double digits.
• The following 21 players each made his first career start this season: LB Ben Allen, LB Tyler Alston, RB Rushawn Baker, TE Adam Barakat, DL Ryan Betz, QB Tyler Beverett, DL Connor Carretta, DL Nathaniel Carson, OL Jake Guy, WR Damian Harris, LB Blake Leake, WR Matt McCreight, RB Danny Meuser, Ohler, OL Sean Quarterman, S Jonathan Searcy, QB Nick Semptimphelter, TE Charlie Shadek, S Mason Taylor, DL Aneesh Vyas and OL Jack Wall.
• Of Bucknell's first-time starters, one (Betz) is a senior, four are juniors, 11 are sophomores and five are freshmen. The total of 21 represents just over 23 percent of the team's roster.
• Barakat and Guy made their first career starts against Cornell. Multiple players have made their first career starts in all four of Bucknell's 2021 games to date, topping out at 10 in its first tilt at Sacred Heart.
• Twelve Bison have started all four of Bucknell's 2021 games to date, five on offense, seven on defense. Of that group, four made their first career start in the 2021 opener: Allen, Harris, Ohler and Searcy.
• No senior has played in all 28 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (27), Cooper (26) and Lyles (25) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Pringle, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 19 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. Bennett, Bright Jr. and Pitzel all are listed as starters on the Bison's depth chart this week. Â
Milestone Watch
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 24 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 26 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 53 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career Â
• CB/S Gavin Pringle: Needs six 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.
Â
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 continue their Patriot League road swing with a 1 p.m. game at Fordham on Saturday, Oct. 16.
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
RB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
OL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
LB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
CB/S
/ Football
OL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
S
/ Football
QB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
TE
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
S
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DL
/ Football
Georgetown-Bucknell Women's Soccer Highlights 9-11-2025
Friday, September 12
In The Herd: Bucknell Invitational Preview And Mirra Manolov And Abby Platt Features
Thursday, September 11
Evelyn Bliss World's Send Off
Thursday, September 11
In The Herd: Georgetown Game Preview And Katie Connell Feature
Thursday, September 11