Saturday, November 6
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Lehigh
Photo by: John Rooney
Bucknell Football Hosts Rival Lehigh
11/2/2021 12:05:00 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 rival Lehigh on Saturday, Nov. 6.
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. 6 – 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:
• Weis Markets Canines at Christy
• Scout Day
With a victory the Bison would... Â
• run their winning streak over the Mountain Hawks to three games, their longest such streak since the 1960s
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 1-7 (0-4 PL) in 2021 following its 33-10 loss to Colgate on Oct. 30.
• 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 P/K Ruben Anderson (Special Teams) and S Brent Jackson (Defense). Anderson is the first specialist to hold this role while Jackson joins Cooper as the Bison's two repeat game captains.
Inside the Colgate Box Score
• Bucknell was downed at Colgate, 33-10, on Oct. 30. The Raiders broke open the game in the second half, scoring four unanswered touchdowns and outgaining the Bison by a 260-113 margin.
• Freshman QB Michael Brescia led Colgate's offensive charge, completing 13 of 15 passes for 162 yards and running for a game-best 75 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.
• The first half proved to be a defensive battle, with the Raiders carrying a slim 7-3 advantage into the locker room.
• The Bison opened the game's scoring on their second possession with a 24-yard field goal by K Ryan Schatzel. It was the first time during the 2021 campaign that they put points on the board first.
• Bucknell capped the game's scoring with 54 seconds remaining in regulation. QB Nick Semptimphelter orchestrated a 10-play, 75-yard scoring march; he found WR Mason Muir for his first collegiate touchdown catch.
• QB Ethan Grady completed 10 passes for 118 yards while Semptimphelter posted 66 yards and one touchdown on five for seven passing.
• WR Marques Owens (69), RB Coleman Bennett (34) and Muir (30) were the Bison's top three receivers, with Owens and Muir each setting a new career high total in yards.
• S Jonathan Searcy made a career-best 10 tackles; this was the second-straight game that he set a new career-high total in tackles, as he logged nine against Georgetown the prior Saturday.
• Colgate finished with advantages in total offense (406-247), first downs (24-14) and time of possession (30:01-29:58). Neither team turned over the ball, with Bucknell also not giving up a sack.
• The Bison didn't commit any turnovers for the fourth time during the 2021 campaign; they previously accomplished this feat at Sacred Heart, against Cornell and at Lafayette.
• No Bison made his first career start against the Raiders, representing the first time in the fall of 2021 that no first-time starters took the field.
Lehigh at a Glance
• Lehigh is 0-8 (0-3 PL) in 2021 following its 31-12 loss to defending Patriot League champion Holy Cross on Oct. 30.
• The Mountain Hawks were picked to place fourth in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2021 season.
• DB Jack Bush represented Lehigh on the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Team as a special teams non-specialist.
• The Mountain Hawks are currently on a program-long 15-game losing streak that dates back to 2019.
• Lehigh went 0-3 (0-2 PL South) during the 2021 spring campaign. The Mountain Hawks finished last in the Patriot League South Division.
• In 2019, Lehigh went 4-7 (3-3 PL) and finished tied for third in the Patriot League with Bucknell and Colgate.
• Mountain Hawk head coach Tom Gilmore and Bison head coach Dave Cecchini were both coordinators at Lehigh in the early 2000s.
The Bucknell/Lehigh Series
• Lehigh leads the all-time series with Bucknell, 48-33-3, and has won six of the past 10 meetings.
• The Bison snapped a four-game losing slide to the Mountain Hawks with 2019's 20-10 victory. They then blanked their rival, 6-0, during the 2021 spring campaign.
• Bucknell has a chance to win three-straight games over Lehigh for the first time since it won seven in a row between 1962 to 1968. That seven-game winning streak represents the Bison's longest over the Mountain Hawks in their all-time series.
• From 1998 to 2012, Lehigh ran together a 15-game winning streak over Bucknell, the longest by either team in the all-time series. The Bison ended that streak with an emphatic 48-10 victory over the then No. 15 Mountain Hawks during their 2013 Homecoming game.
• Bucknell then won the 2014 contest, 45-24, before dropping the 2015 (10-21), 2016 (13-20), 2017 (21-42) and 2018 (17-45) meetings. Â
• The Bison have only faced Lafayette (99) more times than Lehigh (84).
The Last Meeting with the Mountain Hawks Â
Bucknell 6 – Lehigh 0 (Apr. 3, 2021 – Bethlehem, Pa.)
• Bucknell clinched its spot in the Patriot League Championship Game with a 6-0 shutout of rival Lehigh.
• The Bison only needed a pair of field goals from P/K Ethan Torres to down the Mountain Hawks and capture the Patriot League South Division title.
• Bucknell's suffocating defense limited Lehigh to 190 yards of total offense, only 23 of which came on the ground.
• WR Dominic Lyles had a banner day, matching classmate Brandon Sanders's school record by catching 14 passes. He accounted for 103 of the Bison's 147 receiving yards.
• Defensively, Bucknell was led by LB Gerrit Van Itallie, who made a team-best seven tackles along with a critical sack late in the fourth quarter that sealed a Mountain Hawk three and out.
• DL Mike Bright Jr. continued the strong start to his collegiate career, leading all players with two sacks. In total, Bucknell posted five sacks for a loss of 23 yards.
• For their performance against Lehigh, Bright Jr. was voted as the Patriot League Rookie of the Week while Van Itallie earned a spot on the STATS Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention listing.
• The Bison led in total offense (239-190), rushing yards (92-23) and time of possession (36:43-23:17) while the Mountain Hawks held a slim advantage in passing yards (167-147).
• Notably, the Bucknell offensive line only ceded a single sack for the second-straight game; in addition, the Bison didn't turn over the ball for the second game in a row and took only one penalty over the course of the contest.
• This was head coach Dave Cecchini's first game on the visiting sideline at his alma mater. He improved to 2-0 against Lehigh at the helm of the Bucknell football program.
• This was the Bison's 12th shutout of the Mountain Hawks. Bucknell last held its rival off the scoreboard during the 1976 campaign, a 3-0 victory at then Memorial Stadium.
• Before that, the Bison blanked Lehigh for three-straight seasons in 1964 (3-0), 1965 (41-0) and 1966 (45-0); they also shut out their rival twice in the 1890s, once in the 1900s, once in the 1910s and three times in the 1920s.
• This was Bucknell's first shutout since Nov. 11, 2017, a 12-0 Senior Day whitewashing of Georgetown.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 87 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 91 starts.
• On offense, two seniors, one junior (OL R.J. Mehan), four sophomores and two freshmen are expected to start. QBs Nick Semptimphelter and Ethan Grady, who have combined for four career starts, and RTs Zack Tarburton and Harrison Shepherd, who have combined for 13 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.
• Ten Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), WR Dominic Lyles (17), RB Jared Cooper (16), CB Micah Dennis (16), CB/S Gavin Pringle (16), CB Sterling Deary (14), OL Michael Killiri (14), OL Ethan Pitzel (11), Tarburton (11) and RB/WR Coleman Bennett (10). Of that group, six are seniors, one (Pringle) is a junior and three are sophomores.
• With a start against Lehigh, DL Mike Bright Jr., S Brent Jackson and OL R.J. Mehan will each reach the double digits in career starts. Bright Jr. is a sophomore while Jackson and Mehan are juniors.
• Pitzel, who has started nine-straight games dating back to the spring of 2021, is the lone remaining Bison with a starting streak that spans multiple seasons. Â
• 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 26 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, Grady, 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, Shepherd, 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, 12 are sophomores and eight are freshmen. The total of 26 represents nearly 30 percent of the team's roster.
• Multiple players made their first career starts in six of Bucknell's eight 2021 games, topping out at 10 in its first tilt at Sacred Heart.
• In their ninth game at Colgate, the Bison had no player make his first career start for the first time this season.
• Three offensive players have started all seven 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, Jackson and Searcy.
• No senior has played in all 34 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (31), Cooper (30) and Lyles (29) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 23 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 this week's depth chart.
Milestone Watch
• LB Ben Allen: Needs 18 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• RB Jared Cooper: Needs 222 rushing yards to reach 1,500 in his career
• S Brent Jackson: Needs 22 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 12 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 14 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.
Up Next
• The Bison face off against FBS opponent Army West Point on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Michie Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for noon, and the game will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.
• A Bucknell fan bus will travel to Michie Stadium. For more information, visit BucknellBison.com.
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. 6 – 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:
• Weis Markets Canines at Christy
• Scout Day
With a victory the Bison would... Â
• run their winning streak over the Mountain Hawks to three games, their longest such streak since the 1960s
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 1-7 (0-4 PL) in 2021 following its 33-10 loss to Colgate on Oct. 30.
• 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 P/K Ruben Anderson (Special Teams) and S Brent Jackson (Defense). Anderson is the first specialist to hold this role while Jackson joins Cooper as the Bison's two repeat game captains.
Inside the Colgate Box Score
• Bucknell was downed at Colgate, 33-10, on Oct. 30. The Raiders broke open the game in the second half, scoring four unanswered touchdowns and outgaining the Bison by a 260-113 margin.
• Freshman QB Michael Brescia led Colgate's offensive charge, completing 13 of 15 passes for 162 yards and running for a game-best 75 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.
• The first half proved to be a defensive battle, with the Raiders carrying a slim 7-3 advantage into the locker room.
• The Bison opened the game's scoring on their second possession with a 24-yard field goal by K Ryan Schatzel. It was the first time during the 2021 campaign that they put points on the board first.
• Bucknell capped the game's scoring with 54 seconds remaining in regulation. QB Nick Semptimphelter orchestrated a 10-play, 75-yard scoring march; he found WR Mason Muir for his first collegiate touchdown catch.
• QB Ethan Grady completed 10 passes for 118 yards while Semptimphelter posted 66 yards and one touchdown on five for seven passing.
• WR Marques Owens (69), RB Coleman Bennett (34) and Muir (30) were the Bison's top three receivers, with Owens and Muir each setting a new career high total in yards.
• S Jonathan Searcy made a career-best 10 tackles; this was the second-straight game that he set a new career-high total in tackles, as he logged nine against Georgetown the prior Saturday.
• Colgate finished with advantages in total offense (406-247), first downs (24-14) and time of possession (30:01-29:58). Neither team turned over the ball, with Bucknell also not giving up a sack.
• The Bison didn't commit any turnovers for the fourth time during the 2021 campaign; they previously accomplished this feat at Sacred Heart, against Cornell and at Lafayette.
• No Bison made his first career start against the Raiders, representing the first time in the fall of 2021 that no first-time starters took the field.
Lehigh at a Glance
• Lehigh is 0-8 (0-3 PL) in 2021 following its 31-12 loss to defending Patriot League champion Holy Cross on Oct. 30.
• The Mountain Hawks were picked to place fourth in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2021 season.
• DB Jack Bush represented Lehigh on the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Team as a special teams non-specialist.
• The Mountain Hawks are currently on a program-long 15-game losing streak that dates back to 2019.
• Lehigh went 0-3 (0-2 PL South) during the 2021 spring campaign. The Mountain Hawks finished last in the Patriot League South Division.
• In 2019, Lehigh went 4-7 (3-3 PL) and finished tied for third in the Patriot League with Bucknell and Colgate.
• Mountain Hawk head coach Tom Gilmore and Bison head coach Dave Cecchini were both coordinators at Lehigh in the early 2000s.
The Bucknell/Lehigh Series
• Lehigh leads the all-time series with Bucknell, 48-33-3, and has won six of the past 10 meetings.
• The Bison snapped a four-game losing slide to the Mountain Hawks with 2019's 20-10 victory. They then blanked their rival, 6-0, during the 2021 spring campaign.
• Bucknell has a chance to win three-straight games over Lehigh for the first time since it won seven in a row between 1962 to 1968. That seven-game winning streak represents the Bison's longest over the Mountain Hawks in their all-time series.
• From 1998 to 2012, Lehigh ran together a 15-game winning streak over Bucknell, the longest by either team in the all-time series. The Bison ended that streak with an emphatic 48-10 victory over the then No. 15 Mountain Hawks during their 2013 Homecoming game.
• Bucknell then won the 2014 contest, 45-24, before dropping the 2015 (10-21), 2016 (13-20), 2017 (21-42) and 2018 (17-45) meetings. Â
• The Bison have only faced Lafayette (99) more times than Lehigh (84).
The Last Meeting with the Mountain Hawks Â
Bucknell 6 – Lehigh 0 (Apr. 3, 2021 – Bethlehem, Pa.)
• Bucknell clinched its spot in the Patriot League Championship Game with a 6-0 shutout of rival Lehigh.
• The Bison only needed a pair of field goals from P/K Ethan Torres to down the Mountain Hawks and capture the Patriot League South Division title.
• Bucknell's suffocating defense limited Lehigh to 190 yards of total offense, only 23 of which came on the ground.
• WR Dominic Lyles had a banner day, matching classmate Brandon Sanders's school record by catching 14 passes. He accounted for 103 of the Bison's 147 receiving yards.
• Defensively, Bucknell was led by LB Gerrit Van Itallie, who made a team-best seven tackles along with a critical sack late in the fourth quarter that sealed a Mountain Hawk three and out.
• DL Mike Bright Jr. continued the strong start to his collegiate career, leading all players with two sacks. In total, Bucknell posted five sacks for a loss of 23 yards.
• For their performance against Lehigh, Bright Jr. was voted as the Patriot League Rookie of the Week while Van Itallie earned a spot on the STATS Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention listing.
• The Bison led in total offense (239-190), rushing yards (92-23) and time of possession (36:43-23:17) while the Mountain Hawks held a slim advantage in passing yards (167-147).
• Notably, the Bucknell offensive line only ceded a single sack for the second-straight game; in addition, the Bison didn't turn over the ball for the second game in a row and took only one penalty over the course of the contest.
• This was head coach Dave Cecchini's first game on the visiting sideline at his alma mater. He improved to 2-0 against Lehigh at the helm of the Bucknell football program.
• This was the Bison's 12th shutout of the Mountain Hawks. Bucknell last held its rival off the scoreboard during the 1976 campaign, a 3-0 victory at then Memorial Stadium.
• Before that, the Bison blanked Lehigh for three-straight seasons in 1964 (3-0), 1965 (41-0) and 1966 (45-0); they also shut out their rival twice in the 1890s, once in the 1900s, once in the 1910s and three times in the 1920s.
• This was Bucknell's first shutout since Nov. 11, 2017, a 12-0 Senior Day whitewashing of Georgetown.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 87 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 91 starts.
• On offense, two seniors, one junior (OL R.J. Mehan), four sophomores and two freshmen are expected to start. QBs Nick Semptimphelter and Ethan Grady, who have combined for four career starts, and RTs Zack Tarburton and Harrison Shepherd, who have combined for 13 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.
• Ten Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), WR Dominic Lyles (17), RB Jared Cooper (16), CB Micah Dennis (16), CB/S Gavin Pringle (16), CB Sterling Deary (14), OL Michael Killiri (14), OL Ethan Pitzel (11), Tarburton (11) and RB/WR Coleman Bennett (10). Of that group, six are seniors, one (Pringle) is a junior and three are sophomores.
• With a start against Lehigh, DL Mike Bright Jr., S Brent Jackson and OL R.J. Mehan will each reach the double digits in career starts. Bright Jr. is a sophomore while Jackson and Mehan are juniors.
• Pitzel, who has started nine-straight games dating back to the spring of 2021, is the lone remaining Bison with a starting streak that spans multiple seasons. Â
• 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 26 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, Grady, 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, Shepherd, 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, 12 are sophomores and eight are freshmen. The total of 26 represents nearly 30 percent of the team's roster.
• Multiple players made their first career starts in six of Bucknell's eight 2021 games, topping out at 10 in its first tilt at Sacred Heart.
• In their ninth game at Colgate, the Bison had no player make his first career start for the first time this season.
• Three offensive players have started all seven 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, Jackson and Searcy.
• No senior has played in all 34 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (31), Cooper (30) and Lyles (29) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 23 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 this week's depth chart.
Milestone Watch
• LB Ben Allen: Needs 18 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• RB Jared Cooper: Needs 222 rushing yards to reach 1,500 in his career
• S Brent Jackson: Needs 22 tackles to reach 100 in his career
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 12 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 14 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.
Up Next
• The Bison face off against FBS opponent Army West Point on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Michie Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for noon, and the game will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.
• A Bucknell fan bus will travel to Michie Stadium. For more information, visit BucknellBison.com.
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