Saturday, September 4
Fairfield, Conn.
6 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Sacred Heart
Photo by: Jon Lambert
Bucknell Football Kicks Off 2021 Campaign at Sacred Heart
8/31/2021 12:30:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team opens its 2021 campaign by traveling to Sacred Heart for a 6 p.m. game on Saturday, Sept. 4.
The Pioneers will be the Bison's first non-conference opponent since 2019. During the 2021 spring season, Bucknell played only within the Patriot League. Sacred Heart, the defending Northeast Conference champion, is coming off its third appearance in the FCS playoffs.
The complete media notes can be viewed here. The game program can be viewed here.
• move to 94-41-1 all-time in season openers
• move to 50-81-4 all-time in first road games
• tie the all-time series with Sacred Heart at 3-3
• snap a 10-game losing streak to non-conference opponents that dates back to 2018
Bucknell at a Glance
• 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 went 3-8 (3-3 PL) during the 2019 campaign. 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 defensive game captain is CB Sterling Deary. Â
Sacred Heart at a Glance
• The Pioneers were chosen to win the NEC based on a vote by the league's head coaches ahead of the 2021 season.
• Sacred Heart also led its conference with eight Preseason All-NEC honorees.
• The Pioneers are looking to win their third NEC title in four seasons.
• Sacred Heart went 3-2 (2-1 NEC) during the 2021 spring campaign. The Pioneers advanced to the FCS playoffs, where they fell in the first round to then No. 5 Delaware by a slim 19-10 margin.
• Sacred Heart is led by RB Julius Chestnut, who paced the FCS in rushing yards (855), all-purpose yards (1,026) and total touchdowns (12) during the spring of 2021. Following that season, Chestnut finished third in Walter Payton Award voting; he also became a consensus All-American.
• Chestnut has continued to rack up awards ahead of the 2021 season; the Preseason All-American was named to the Walter Payton Watch List, the Senior Bowl Watch List and the CFPA National Performer of the Year Watch List.
• Beyond Chestnut, the Pioneers return All-Americans J.D. DiRenzo and Noah Gettman. Both were also recognized on 2021 Preseason All-America squads.
• Last spring, DiRenzo, an offensive lineman, helped pave the way for Chestnut's banner campaign. Gettman, a punter, finished second in the FCS in punting average (46.5) as a freshman.
The Bucknell/Sacred Heart Series
• This is the sixth meeting between Bucknell and Sacred Heart. The Pioneers lead the series, 3-2, and are riding a two-game winning streak over the Bison.
• Bucknell and Sacred Heart squared off at Campus Field in 2014 and 2019. The Bison won the 2014 meeting, 36-20, while the Pioneers took the 2019 contest, 30-10.
• Sacred Heart won the 2018 contest in Lewisburg by a 30-14 margin. In 2017 at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, K John Burdick booted a career-best 46-yard field goal as time expired to lift Bucknell to a 34-31 victory over the Pioneers.
• Before Holy Cross shut out the Bison in week two of the 2017 campaign, Sacred Heart was the most recent team to blank them. That 16-0 shutout in 2013 ended Bucknell's program-record streak of 77-straight games with a point.
The Last Meeting with the Pioneers Â
Bucknell 10 – Sacred Heart 30 (Sept. 7, 2019 – Fairfield, Conn.)
• Sacred Heart used an explosive second quarter to power past Bucknell, 30-10, at Campus Field. The Pioneers scored three unanswered touchdowns in the final seven minutes of that frame to flip a 3-3 tie into a 23-3 advantage.
• RB Julius Chestnut was a standout performer for Sacred Heart, factoring into three touchdowns. The sophomore ran for 162 yards and one touchdown and also caught two of QB Logan Marchi's three touchdown throws. Marchi, a former Temple player, finished the game with 316 yards on 21-for-37 passing.
• For the Bison, WR Dominic Lyles was a breakout performer, catching five passes for 98 yards and a 50-yard touchdown. Lyles's touchdown was the first of his collegiate career and came directly following a dynamic 18-yard punt return by fellow sophomore WR Brandon Sanders.
• QB Logan Bitikofer's touchdown pass to Lyles was Bucknell's first passing play of at least 50 yards since Bitikofer found RB Jared Cooper for a 74-yard touchdown against Monmouth on Oct. 13, 2018.
• While the Bison again utilized three quarterbacks, John Chiarolanzio proved the most productive, throwing for 141 yards on 14-for-29 passing.
• Defensively, S Conner Romango led Bucknell in tackles for the second-straight game, finishing with nine (eight solo). S Brandon Benson also had a strong game, totaling seven tackles (five solo) and a career-best three pass breakups.
• For Sacred Heart, WRs Naseim Brantley (96) and Tyrese Chambers (94) came close to reaching 100 receiving yards. The Pioneers held a 507-311 edge in total offense.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 51 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 35 starts.
• On offense, three seniors, three juniors and four sophomores are expected to start. At running back, senior Jared Cooper and sophomore Coleman Bennett are considered even on the depth chart.
• On defense, three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman (DL Will Ohler) are projected to start.
• Senior DL Ryan Betz is expected to make his first career start at Sacred Heart.
• Four juniors are projected to make their first career starts at Sacred Heart: LB Ben Allen, WR Matt McCreight, S Jonathan Searcy and TE Charlie Shadek.
• Four sophomores are expected to make their first career starts at Sacred Heart: DL Connor Carretta, WR Damian Harris, LB Blake Leake and OL Sean Quarterman.
• Ohler, the lone freshman projected to start, is one of 11 newcomers on Bucknell's depth chart this week.
• Six Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), Cooper (14), CB Micah Dennis (14), WR Dominic Lyles (12), CB/S Gavin Pringle (11) and OL Michael Killiri (11). Of that group, five are seniors and one (Pringle) is a junior.
• Dennis (14) and Pringle (11) boast starting streaks of at least 10 games.
• No senior has played in all 26 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Cherubino (24), Cooper (23), Dennis (23) and Lyles (23) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Pringle, Searcy, CB Eric Holsinger and LB Cooper Kim have played in all 15 of Bucknell's games during their time in Lewisburg to date.
• Pringle is the only junior who enters this season with more than two career starts; though his first 11 starts came at cornerback, he is expected to start at safety against the Pioneers.
• 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 on the Bison's depth chart this week. Â
Milestone Watch
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 26 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 28 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 68 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career Â
• CB/S Gavin Pringle: Needs 22 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: OL P.J. Barr (1st in '21S, 2nd in '19), S Brandon Benson (1st in '21S), QB Logan Bitikofer (2nd in '21S), LB Simeon Page (1st in '21S, '19 & '18, 2nd in '17), DL Nnamdi Unachukwu (1st in '21S) and LB Gerrit Van Itallie (2nd in '21S).
• 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). He was also presented Bucknell's Christy Mathewson Award as the class of 2021's outstanding male athlete.
• LB Rick Mottram, who became the fourth Bison football player to make two CoSIDA Academic All-America squads following the 2021 spring season, was lost to graduation. He was the 25th Bucknell football player to be tabbed as an Academic All-American overall.
• 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, 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 15 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. Most recently, Mottram 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 opponent Army West Point will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network. Bucknell's contests at Sacred Heart (NEC Front Row) and Villanova (FloSports) will be streamed online.
• 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 travel to Villanova for a 6 p.m. game on Saturday, Sept. 11.
The Pioneers will be the Bison's first non-conference opponent since 2019. During the 2021 spring season, Bucknell played only within the Patriot League. Sacred Heart, the defending Northeast Conference champion, is coming off its third appearance in the FCS playoffs.
The complete media notes can be viewed here. The game program can be viewed here.
When: Saturday, Sept. 4 – 6 p.m.
Where: Campus Field – Fairfield, Conn.
Internet Video: NEC Front Row
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: WVLY.com/The__Valley
Live Stats: SacredHeartPioneers.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Sacred Heart Attendance Policy: SacredHeartPioneers.com
• move to 94-41-1 all-time in season openers
• move to 50-81-4 all-time in first road games
• tie the all-time series with Sacred Heart at 3-3
• snap a 10-game losing streak to non-conference opponents that dates back to 2018
Bucknell at a Glance
• 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 went 3-8 (3-3 PL) during the 2019 campaign. 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 defensive game captain is CB Sterling Deary. Â
Sacred Heart at a Glance
• The Pioneers were chosen to win the NEC based on a vote by the league's head coaches ahead of the 2021 season.
• Sacred Heart also led its conference with eight Preseason All-NEC honorees.
• The Pioneers are looking to win their third NEC title in four seasons.
• Sacred Heart went 3-2 (2-1 NEC) during the 2021 spring campaign. The Pioneers advanced to the FCS playoffs, where they fell in the first round to then No. 5 Delaware by a slim 19-10 margin.
• Sacred Heart is led by RB Julius Chestnut, who paced the FCS in rushing yards (855), all-purpose yards (1,026) and total touchdowns (12) during the spring of 2021. Following that season, Chestnut finished third in Walter Payton Award voting; he also became a consensus All-American.
• Chestnut has continued to rack up awards ahead of the 2021 season; the Preseason All-American was named to the Walter Payton Watch List, the Senior Bowl Watch List and the CFPA National Performer of the Year Watch List.
• Beyond Chestnut, the Pioneers return All-Americans J.D. DiRenzo and Noah Gettman. Both were also recognized on 2021 Preseason All-America squads.
• Last spring, DiRenzo, an offensive lineman, helped pave the way for Chestnut's banner campaign. Gettman, a punter, finished second in the FCS in punting average (46.5) as a freshman.
The Bucknell/Sacred Heart Series
• This is the sixth meeting between Bucknell and Sacred Heart. The Pioneers lead the series, 3-2, and are riding a two-game winning streak over the Bison.
• Bucknell and Sacred Heart squared off at Campus Field in 2014 and 2019. The Bison won the 2014 meeting, 36-20, while the Pioneers took the 2019 contest, 30-10.
• Sacred Heart won the 2018 contest in Lewisburg by a 30-14 margin. In 2017 at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, K John Burdick booted a career-best 46-yard field goal as time expired to lift Bucknell to a 34-31 victory over the Pioneers.
• Before Holy Cross shut out the Bison in week two of the 2017 campaign, Sacred Heart was the most recent team to blank them. That 16-0 shutout in 2013 ended Bucknell's program-record streak of 77-straight games with a point.
The Last Meeting with the Pioneers Â
Bucknell 10 – Sacred Heart 30 (Sept. 7, 2019 – Fairfield, Conn.)
• Sacred Heart used an explosive second quarter to power past Bucknell, 30-10, at Campus Field. The Pioneers scored three unanswered touchdowns in the final seven minutes of that frame to flip a 3-3 tie into a 23-3 advantage.
• RB Julius Chestnut was a standout performer for Sacred Heart, factoring into three touchdowns. The sophomore ran for 162 yards and one touchdown and also caught two of QB Logan Marchi's three touchdown throws. Marchi, a former Temple player, finished the game with 316 yards on 21-for-37 passing.
• For the Bison, WR Dominic Lyles was a breakout performer, catching five passes for 98 yards and a 50-yard touchdown. Lyles's touchdown was the first of his collegiate career and came directly following a dynamic 18-yard punt return by fellow sophomore WR Brandon Sanders.
• QB Logan Bitikofer's touchdown pass to Lyles was Bucknell's first passing play of at least 50 yards since Bitikofer found RB Jared Cooper for a 74-yard touchdown against Monmouth on Oct. 13, 2018.
• While the Bison again utilized three quarterbacks, John Chiarolanzio proved the most productive, throwing for 141 yards on 14-for-29 passing.
• Defensively, S Conner Romango led Bucknell in tackles for the second-straight game, finishing with nine (eight solo). S Brandon Benson also had a strong game, totaling seven tackles (five solo) and a career-best three pass breakups.
• For Sacred Heart, WRs Naseim Brantley (96) and Tyrese Chambers (94) came close to reaching 100 receiving yards. The Pioneers held a 507-311 edge in total offense.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 51 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 35 starts.
• On offense, three seniors, three juniors and four sophomores are expected to start. At running back, senior Jared Cooper and sophomore Coleman Bennett are considered even on the depth chart.
• On defense, three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman (DL Will Ohler) are projected to start.
• Senior DL Ryan Betz is expected to make his first career start at Sacred Heart.
• Four juniors are projected to make their first career starts at Sacred Heart: LB Ben Allen, WR Matt McCreight, S Jonathan Searcy and TE Charlie Shadek.
• Four sophomores are expected to make their first career starts at Sacred Heart: DL Connor Carretta, WR Damian Harris, LB Blake Leake and OL Sean Quarterman.
• Ohler, the lone freshman projected to start, is one of 11 newcomers on Bucknell's depth chart this week.
• Six Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), Cooper (14), CB Micah Dennis (14), WR Dominic Lyles (12), CB/S Gavin Pringle (11) and OL Michael Killiri (11). Of that group, five are seniors and one (Pringle) is a junior.
• Dennis (14) and Pringle (11) boast starting streaks of at least 10 games.
• No senior has played in all 26 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Cherubino (24), Cooper (23), Dennis (23) and Lyles (23) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Pringle, Searcy, CB Eric Holsinger and LB Cooper Kim have played in all 15 of Bucknell's games during their time in Lewisburg to date.
• Pringle is the only junior who enters this season with more than two career starts; though his first 11 starts came at cornerback, he is expected to start at safety against the Pioneers.
• 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 on the Bison's depth chart this week. Â
Milestone Watch
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 26 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 28 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 68 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career Â
• CB/S Gavin Pringle: Needs 22 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: OL P.J. Barr (1st in '21S, 2nd in '19), S Brandon Benson (1st in '21S), QB Logan Bitikofer (2nd in '21S), LB Simeon Page (1st in '21S, '19 & '18, 2nd in '17), DL Nnamdi Unachukwu (1st in '21S) and LB Gerrit Van Itallie (2nd in '21S).
• 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). He was also presented Bucknell's Christy Mathewson Award as the class of 2021's outstanding male athlete.
• LB Rick Mottram, who became the fourth Bison football player to make two CoSIDA Academic All-America squads following the 2021 spring season, was lost to graduation. He was the 25th Bucknell football player to be tabbed as an Academic All-American overall.
• 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, 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 15 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. Most recently, Mottram 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 opponent Army West Point will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network. Bucknell's contests at Sacred Heart (NEC Front Row) and Villanova (FloSports) will be streamed online.
• 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 travel to Villanova for a 6 p.m. game on Saturday, Sept. 11.
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