Saturday, November 20
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Holy Cross
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Bucknell Football Hosts Holy Cross for Senior Day
11/16/2021 12:25:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team closes its 2021 campaign by hosting three-peat Patriot League champion Holy Cross on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m.
Before the game, the Bison will honor their 13 seniors: DL Ryan Betz, DL Grayson Cherubino, RB Jared Cooper, CB Sterling Deary, CB Micah Dennis, QB Tarrin Earle, DL Luke Hamper, OL Michael Killiri, WR Renn Lints, WR Dominic Lyles, LB Cole McCabe, OL Noah Sansalone and OL Jacob Russ.
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, Nov. 20 – 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
With a victory the Bison would... Â
• win their third-straight Senior Day game Â
• move to 4-1 on their past five Senior Days
• snap the Crusaders' five-game winning streak
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 1-9 (0-5 PL) in 2021 following its 63-10 loss at Army West Point on Nov. 13. Â
• 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 RB Jared Cooper (Offense) and LB Ben Allen (Defense).
• Cooper becomes Bucknell's only three-time game captain of the season; he previously served as such at No. 11/12 Villanova and at Colgate.
• Allen joins OL Ethan Pitzel and S Brent Jackson as a two-time game captain.
Inside the Army West Point Box Score
• Army West Point raced past Bucknell, 63-10, on Nov. 13 at historic Michie Stadium.
• For the Black Knights, who became bowl eligible with their victory, eight different players ran for a touchdown.
• The Bison scored all 10 of their points during the third quarter, with RB Jared Cooper rushing for a 19-yard touchdown and K Ryan Schatzel booting a 25-yard field goal on back-to-back possessions.
• S Alex Smith Jr. (8), LB Blake Leake (7) and LB Cooper Kim (7) were the game's top-three tacklers, with Smith Jr. and Kim each setting a new career-best total.
• Smith Jr. also forced a fumble during the kickoff following Cooper's touchdown, which was recovered by S John Schlendorf to set up Schatzel's field goal.
• QB Ethan Grady completed 16 passes for 136 yards. His favorite targets were TEs Adam Barakat and Christian Spugnardi, each of whom set a new career-high figure in receiving yards with 44 and 30 respectively.
• WR Marques Owens paced Bucknell with 66 all-purpose yards, which came on a career-best 38 kickoff return yards and 28 receiving yards.
• Army West Point finished with overall advantages in first downs (30-11), total offense (486-175) and time of possession (34:23-25:37).
• The Black Knights held the Bison to just 39 yards on the ground while racking up 428 of their own. Six of their nine scoring drives covered more than 50 yards.
• With its loss, Bucknell fell to 0-7 against Army West Point and 0-8 against FBS foes.
Holy Cross at a Glance
• Holy Cross is 8-2 (5-0 PL) in 2021 following its 52-24 victory at Fordham on Nov. 13.
• By defeating the Rams, the Crusaders clinched a share of the 2021 Patriot League title, their third in a row. They can clinch an outright crown with a win over Bucknell.
• Holy Cross's five Patriot League victories is tied for first in school history, matching its totals in 1990 (5-0), 1991 (5-0), 2008 (5-1), 2009 (5-1) and 2019 (5-1). If the Crusaders top the Bison, they will set a new school standard in Patriot League wins.
• Holy Cross is among the FCS leaders in team sacks (4th, 3.60), turnover margin (t-5th, 0.90), rushing defense (7th, 85.7), red-zone offense (7th, .923), total defense (10th, 271.7), rushing offense (12th, 209.4), scoring offense (14th, 34.5).
• The Crusaders returned 12 All-Patriot League selections for the 2021 campaign. They also brought back QB Matthew Sluka, the 2021 Spring Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
• Holy Cross is a veteran team, with 13 seniors and six juniors expected to start on Saturday. Only five freshmen appeared on its two deep, all as backups.
• During the spring of 2021, Holy Cross went 3-1 (1-0 PL North). The Crusaders captured the Patriot League title and earned a spot in the NCAA Division I Football Championship by defeating the Bison in the league's first ever championship game, 33-10.
• In 2019, Holy Cross posted a 7-6 (5-1 PL) record, earning its first Patriot League title since 2009.
• Fourth-year head coach Bob Chesney has many ties to Pennsylvania. A native of Kulpmont, he attended Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School. He then graduated in 2000 from Dickinson College (Carlisle), where he was a two-time Second Team All-Centennial Conference DB. He also held coaching positions at King's College (Wilkes-Barre) and Delaware Valley College (Doylestown). His father, also named Bob, was the head football coach at Mount Carmel Area High School and Shamokin Area High School.
The Bucknell/Holy Cross Series
• The Crusaders and Bison first met on Oct. 31, 1925; they have squared off annually since 1986, the year the Patriot League was founded as the Colonial League.
• Between 1925 and 1986, Bucknell and Holy Cross met only once: in 1953.
• The Crusaders lead the series, 24-13, and hold a 11-7 edge in Lewisburg.
• The Bison have won three of the past seven games. They took the 2014 (31-24 OT), 2016 (21-20) and 2018 (19-16) meetings, all of which occurred at Fitton Field.
• Holy Cross has won the past six contests at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, including the 2021 Spring Patriot League Championship Game. Â
• Bucknell last downed the Crusaders at home on Nov. 21, 2009. Holy Cross, which had already clinched the Patriot League title and was ranked No. 13 in the country, never led in that contest. The Bison racked up 321 rushing yards, including 189 by QB C.J. Hopson, en route to their 23-17 victory.
The Last Meeting with the Crusaders
Bucknell 10 – Holy Cross 33 (Apr. 17, 2021 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Holy Cross topped the Bucknell football team, 33-10, in the first-ever Patriot League Championship Game on April 17, 2021.
• The Crusaders seized the momentum early by scoring 17 unanswered points in the first quarter and kept the Bison off balance for large chunks of the game by intercepting five passes. With their victory, they defended their 2019 Patriot League title and secured the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
• Holy Cross DB John Smith was selected as the Patriot League Championship Game MVP after recording four tackles, one tackle for a loss, two pass breakups and one interception return of 58 yards.
• Crusader QB Matthew Sluka, the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, proved a dual threat, running for 61 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries and completing eight of 11 passes for 78 yards and one touchdown.
• For Bucknell, WR Dominic Lyles caught nine passes for 97 yards, highlighted by a 32 yarder that set up a touchdown.
• In his last game as a Bison, LB Simeon Page made a game-high 10 tackles (seven solo) and claimed sole possession of the school record in career sacks (26.5).
• S Brandon Benson tied Page for the game high with 10 tackles (nine solo). Page paced all players with 2.5 tackles for a loss and was one of four Bison to record a sack, joining DL Grayson Cherubino, S Conner Romango and DL Nnamdi Unachukwu.
• Holy Cross led in rushing yards (192-22), total offense (289-217) and time of possession (31:57-28:03) while Bucknell held the advantage in passing yards (195-97).
• Overall, the Crusaders went 6-of-13 on their third-down conversions and 2-of-3 on their fourth-down bids.
• Holy Cross extended its winning streak over the Bison at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to six games.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 77 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 101 starts.
• On offense, one senior (RB Jared Cooper), one junior (OL R.J. Mehan), three sophomores and five freshmen are expected to start. RTs Zack Tarburton and Harrison Shepherd, who have combined for 15 career starts, are considered even on this week's depth chart.
• On defense, one senior (CB Micah Dennis), three juniors, four sophomores and three freshmen are projected to start.
• Fourteen Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), Cooper (19), WR Dominic Lyles (19), Dennis (18), CB/S Gavin Pringle (16), CB Sterling Deary (15), OL Michael Killiri (14), OL Ethan Pitzel (13), RB/WR Coleman Bennett (11), DL Mike Bright Jr. (11), S Brent Jackson (11), Tarburton (11), LB Ben Allen (10) and Mehan (10). Of that group, six are seniors, four are juniors and four are sophomores.
• At Army West Point, Allen and Mehan became the latest Bison to reach the double digits in career starts. They joined Jackson and Pringle as the only juniors to achieve this milestone to date. Â
• With a start against Holy Cross, DL Connor Carretta, WR Damian Harris, S Jonathan Searcy and OL Jack Wall will each reach the double digits in career starts. Carretta, Harris and Wall are sophomores while Searcy is a junior.
• Pitzel is the lone offensive player who has started all 10 of Bucknell's 2021 games to date. Two defensive players have done the same: Allen and Jackson.
• Pitzel, who has started 11-straight games dating back to the spring of 2021, is the lone Bison with a starting streak that spans multiple seasons. Â
• Pringle had his starting streak snapped at 16 games in Bucknell's sixth game at Fordham; entering that tilt, he was the only Bison with a starting streak in the double digits.
• 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.
• No senior has played in all 36 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (33), Cooper (32) and Lyles (30) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 25 of Bucknell's games during their time in Lewisburg to date.
• The following 30 players each made his first career start this season: Allen, LB Tyler Alston, RB Rushawn Baker, TE Adam Barakat, DL Ryan Betz, QB Tyler Beverett, Carretta, DL Nathaniel Carson, QB Ethan Grady, OL Jake Guy, DL Luke Hamper, Harris, LB Blake Leake, WR Matt McCreight, RB Danny Meuser, WR Mason Muir, DL Will Ohler, WR Marques Owens, OL Sean Quarterman, CB Ethan Robinson, Searcy, QB Nick Semptimphelter, TE Charlie Shadek, Shepherd, S Alex Smith Jr., TE Christian Spugnardi, OL Fredrick Sturgis, S Mason Taylor, DL Aneesh Vyas and Wall.
• Of Bucknell's first-time starters, two are seniors, four are juniors, 12 are sophomores and 12 are freshmen. The total of 30 represents just over 34 percent of the team's roster.
• Multiple players made their first career starts in eight of Bucknell's 10 2021 games, topping out at 10 in its first tilt at Sacred Heart.
• Muir and Owens, both freshman WRs, became the latest Bison to make their first career starts at Army West Point.
• In their ninth game at Colgate, the Bison had no player make his first career start for the only time this season.
• Bennett, Bright Jr., Pitzel and OL Casey Stephenson all started as freshmen during the 2021 spring campaign. Bright Jr. and Pitzel are listed as starters on this week's depth chart.
Milestone Watch
• LB Ben Allen: Needs five tackles to reach 100 in his career
• S Brent Jackson: Needs seven tackles to reach 100 in his career
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs nine receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 11 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• 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)
• WR Dominic Lyles: Single Game Touchdown Receptions (3, 10/23/21 vs. Georgetown)
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.
Before the game, the Bison will honor their 13 seniors: DL Ryan Betz, DL Grayson Cherubino, RB Jared Cooper, CB Sterling Deary, CB Micah Dennis, QB Tarrin Earle, DL Luke Hamper, OL Michael Killiri, WR Renn Lints, WR Dominic Lyles, LB Cole McCabe, OL Noah Sansalone and OL Jacob Russ.
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, Nov. 20 – 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
With a victory the Bison would... Â
• win their third-straight Senior Day game Â
• move to 4-1 on their past five Senior Days
• snap the Crusaders' five-game winning streak
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 1-9 (0-5 PL) in 2021 following its 63-10 loss at Army West Point on Nov. 13. Â
• 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 RB Jared Cooper (Offense) and LB Ben Allen (Defense).
• Cooper becomes Bucknell's only three-time game captain of the season; he previously served as such at No. 11/12 Villanova and at Colgate.
• Allen joins OL Ethan Pitzel and S Brent Jackson as a two-time game captain.
Inside the Army West Point Box Score
• Army West Point raced past Bucknell, 63-10, on Nov. 13 at historic Michie Stadium.
• For the Black Knights, who became bowl eligible with their victory, eight different players ran for a touchdown.
• The Bison scored all 10 of their points during the third quarter, with RB Jared Cooper rushing for a 19-yard touchdown and K Ryan Schatzel booting a 25-yard field goal on back-to-back possessions.
• S Alex Smith Jr. (8), LB Blake Leake (7) and LB Cooper Kim (7) were the game's top-three tacklers, with Smith Jr. and Kim each setting a new career-best total.
• Smith Jr. also forced a fumble during the kickoff following Cooper's touchdown, which was recovered by S John Schlendorf to set up Schatzel's field goal.
• QB Ethan Grady completed 16 passes for 136 yards. His favorite targets were TEs Adam Barakat and Christian Spugnardi, each of whom set a new career-high figure in receiving yards with 44 and 30 respectively.
• WR Marques Owens paced Bucknell with 66 all-purpose yards, which came on a career-best 38 kickoff return yards and 28 receiving yards.
• Army West Point finished with overall advantages in first downs (30-11), total offense (486-175) and time of possession (34:23-25:37).
• The Black Knights held the Bison to just 39 yards on the ground while racking up 428 of their own. Six of their nine scoring drives covered more than 50 yards.
• With its loss, Bucknell fell to 0-7 against Army West Point and 0-8 against FBS foes.
Holy Cross at a Glance
• Holy Cross is 8-2 (5-0 PL) in 2021 following its 52-24 victory at Fordham on Nov. 13.
• By defeating the Rams, the Crusaders clinched a share of the 2021 Patriot League title, their third in a row. They can clinch an outright crown with a win over Bucknell.
• Holy Cross's five Patriot League victories is tied for first in school history, matching its totals in 1990 (5-0), 1991 (5-0), 2008 (5-1), 2009 (5-1) and 2019 (5-1). If the Crusaders top the Bison, they will set a new school standard in Patriot League wins.
• Holy Cross is among the FCS leaders in team sacks (4th, 3.60), turnover margin (t-5th, 0.90), rushing defense (7th, 85.7), red-zone offense (7th, .923), total defense (10th, 271.7), rushing offense (12th, 209.4), scoring offense (14th, 34.5).
• The Crusaders returned 12 All-Patriot League selections for the 2021 campaign. They also brought back QB Matthew Sluka, the 2021 Spring Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
• Holy Cross is a veteran team, with 13 seniors and six juniors expected to start on Saturday. Only five freshmen appeared on its two deep, all as backups.
• During the spring of 2021, Holy Cross went 3-1 (1-0 PL North). The Crusaders captured the Patriot League title and earned a spot in the NCAA Division I Football Championship by defeating the Bison in the league's first ever championship game, 33-10.
• In 2019, Holy Cross posted a 7-6 (5-1 PL) record, earning its first Patriot League title since 2009.
• Fourth-year head coach Bob Chesney has many ties to Pennsylvania. A native of Kulpmont, he attended Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School. He then graduated in 2000 from Dickinson College (Carlisle), where he was a two-time Second Team All-Centennial Conference DB. He also held coaching positions at King's College (Wilkes-Barre) and Delaware Valley College (Doylestown). His father, also named Bob, was the head football coach at Mount Carmel Area High School and Shamokin Area High School.
The Bucknell/Holy Cross Series
• The Crusaders and Bison first met on Oct. 31, 1925; they have squared off annually since 1986, the year the Patriot League was founded as the Colonial League.
• Between 1925 and 1986, Bucknell and Holy Cross met only once: in 1953.
• The Crusaders lead the series, 24-13, and hold a 11-7 edge in Lewisburg.
• The Bison have won three of the past seven games. They took the 2014 (31-24 OT), 2016 (21-20) and 2018 (19-16) meetings, all of which occurred at Fitton Field.
• Holy Cross has won the past six contests at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, including the 2021 Spring Patriot League Championship Game. Â
• Bucknell last downed the Crusaders at home on Nov. 21, 2009. Holy Cross, which had already clinched the Patriot League title and was ranked No. 13 in the country, never led in that contest. The Bison racked up 321 rushing yards, including 189 by QB C.J. Hopson, en route to their 23-17 victory.
The Last Meeting with the Crusaders
Bucknell 10 – Holy Cross 33 (Apr. 17, 2021 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Holy Cross topped the Bucknell football team, 33-10, in the first-ever Patriot League Championship Game on April 17, 2021.
• The Crusaders seized the momentum early by scoring 17 unanswered points in the first quarter and kept the Bison off balance for large chunks of the game by intercepting five passes. With their victory, they defended their 2019 Patriot League title and secured the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
• Holy Cross DB John Smith was selected as the Patriot League Championship Game MVP after recording four tackles, one tackle for a loss, two pass breakups and one interception return of 58 yards.
• Crusader QB Matthew Sluka, the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, proved a dual threat, running for 61 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries and completing eight of 11 passes for 78 yards and one touchdown.
• For Bucknell, WR Dominic Lyles caught nine passes for 97 yards, highlighted by a 32 yarder that set up a touchdown.
• In his last game as a Bison, LB Simeon Page made a game-high 10 tackles (seven solo) and claimed sole possession of the school record in career sacks (26.5).
• S Brandon Benson tied Page for the game high with 10 tackles (nine solo). Page paced all players with 2.5 tackles for a loss and was one of four Bison to record a sack, joining DL Grayson Cherubino, S Conner Romango and DL Nnamdi Unachukwu.
• Holy Cross led in rushing yards (192-22), total offense (289-217) and time of possession (31:57-28:03) while Bucknell held the advantage in passing yards (195-97).
• Overall, the Crusaders went 6-of-13 on their third-down conversions and 2-of-3 on their fourth-down bids.
• Holy Cross extended its winning streak over the Bison at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to six games.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 77 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 101 starts.
• On offense, one senior (RB Jared Cooper), one junior (OL R.J. Mehan), three sophomores and five freshmen are expected to start. RTs Zack Tarburton and Harrison Shepherd, who have combined for 15 career starts, are considered even on this week's depth chart.
• On defense, one senior (CB Micah Dennis), three juniors, four sophomores and three freshmen are projected to start.
• Fourteen Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), Cooper (19), WR Dominic Lyles (19), Dennis (18), CB/S Gavin Pringle (16), CB Sterling Deary (15), OL Michael Killiri (14), OL Ethan Pitzel (13), RB/WR Coleman Bennett (11), DL Mike Bright Jr. (11), S Brent Jackson (11), Tarburton (11), LB Ben Allen (10) and Mehan (10). Of that group, six are seniors, four are juniors and four are sophomores.
• At Army West Point, Allen and Mehan became the latest Bison to reach the double digits in career starts. They joined Jackson and Pringle as the only juniors to achieve this milestone to date. Â
• With a start against Holy Cross, DL Connor Carretta, WR Damian Harris, S Jonathan Searcy and OL Jack Wall will each reach the double digits in career starts. Carretta, Harris and Wall are sophomores while Searcy is a junior.
• Pitzel is the lone offensive player who has started all 10 of Bucknell's 2021 games to date. Two defensive players have done the same: Allen and Jackson.
• Pitzel, who has started 11-straight games dating back to the spring of 2021, is the lone Bison with a starting streak that spans multiple seasons. Â
• Pringle had his starting streak snapped at 16 games in Bucknell's sixth game at Fordham; entering that tilt, he was the only Bison with a starting streak in the double digits.
• 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.
• No senior has played in all 36 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (33), Cooper (32) and Lyles (30) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 25 of Bucknell's games during their time in Lewisburg to date.
• The following 30 players each made his first career start this season: Allen, LB Tyler Alston, RB Rushawn Baker, TE Adam Barakat, DL Ryan Betz, QB Tyler Beverett, Carretta, DL Nathaniel Carson, QB Ethan Grady, OL Jake Guy, DL Luke Hamper, Harris, LB Blake Leake, WR Matt McCreight, RB Danny Meuser, WR Mason Muir, DL Will Ohler, WR Marques Owens, OL Sean Quarterman, CB Ethan Robinson, Searcy, QB Nick Semptimphelter, TE Charlie Shadek, Shepherd, S Alex Smith Jr., TE Christian Spugnardi, OL Fredrick Sturgis, S Mason Taylor, DL Aneesh Vyas and Wall.
• Of Bucknell's first-time starters, two are seniors, four are juniors, 12 are sophomores and 12 are freshmen. The total of 30 represents just over 34 percent of the team's roster.
• Multiple players made their first career starts in eight of Bucknell's 10 2021 games, topping out at 10 in its first tilt at Sacred Heart.
• Muir and Owens, both freshman WRs, became the latest Bison to make their first career starts at Army West Point.
• In their ninth game at Colgate, the Bison had no player make his first career start for the only time this season.
• Bennett, Bright Jr., Pitzel and OL Casey Stephenson all started as freshmen during the 2021 spring campaign. Bright Jr. and Pitzel are listed as starters on this week's depth chart.
Milestone Watch
• LB Ben Allen: Needs five tackles to reach 100 in his career
• S Brent Jackson: Needs seven tackles to reach 100 in his career
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs nine receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 11 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• 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)
• WR Dominic Lyles: Single Game Touchdown Receptions (3, 10/23/21 vs. Georgetown)
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.
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(Coaches Camera) Salem Men's Water Polo Vs. Gannon (9/21/25)
Monday, September 22
Salem Men's Water Polo Vs. Gannon (9/21/25)
Monday, September 22
(Coaches Camera) Bucknell Men's Water Polo Vs. Wagner (9/21/25)
Monday, September 22
Bucknell Men's Water Polo Vs. Wagner (9/21/25)
Monday, September 22