Saturday, October 2
Lewisburg, Pa.
3:30 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Cornell (Homecoming)
Photo by: Marc Hagemeier
Bucknell Football Faces Cornell in Homecoming Game
9/28/2021 12:30:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team takes on Cornell in its Homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 3:30 p.m.
As part of their Homecoming festivities, the Bison will host their Football Alumni Weekend and hold a celebration of the 1996 Patriot League Championship Team's 25th Anniversary.
The complete media notes can be viewed here. The game program can be viewed here.
Tickets are available at the Campus Box Office and cost $15 for adults, $10 for children (18 and under) and $10 for seniors (62+). To purchase tickets, visit Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice or call 570-577-1000. All single-game tickets are for general admission.
When: Saturday, Oct. 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: WVLY.com/The__Valley
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Bucknell Spectator Policy: BucknellBison.com
Game Promotions:
• Bucknell Homecoming
• Football Alumni Weekend
• Celebration of the 1996 Patriot League Championship Team's 25th Anniversary
• Geisinger Wellness FairÂ
With a victory the Bison would...
• move to 45-47-5 all-time on Homecoming
• win back-to-back games against Cornell for the first time since 2014/2015
• snap a 13-game losing streak to non-conference foes that dates back to 2018
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 0-3 (0-0 PL) in 2021 following its 30-6 loss to Penn on Sept. 18.
• 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 Killiri (Offense) and S Jonathan Searcy (Defense).
Inside the Penn Box Score
• Bucknell fell to Penn, 30-6, in its home opener. Following a first half that was a defensive battle punctuated by a handful of explosive offensive plays, the Quakers pulled away from the Bison by scoring two unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter.
• For Bucknell, RB Danny Meuser was an impact player in his first career start. He rushed for a career-best 90 yards on 21 carries, accounting for the Bison's touchdown late in the first quarter.
• Meuser's touchdown, Bucknell's first of the 2021 campaign, capped a 15-play, 83-yard scoring drive, one which answered a Penn field goal that opened the game's scoring. He accounted for 30 yards during that march.
• During the second quarter, the Quakers scored 13 unanswered points on two field goals and a 44-yard touchdown throw.
• QB Nick Semptimphleter threw for 87 yards while QB Tyler Beverett posted 20 yards through the air and 18 on the ground. WR Damian Harris led the Bison with 48 receiving yards, which all came on one third-quarter catch.
• LB Ben Allen paced all players with a career-high 11 tackles. S Brent Jackson (7) and LB Tyler Alston (6) rounded out Bucknell's top three tacklers while DL Mike Bright Jr. had a sack.
• Penn finished with overall advantages in first downs (20-11), total offense (483-222) and time of possession (31:32-28:28). The Quakers went 4-for-5 on their trips to the red zone compared to the Bison's 1-for-2.
• Penn, which took the football field for the first time since November 2019, representing a stretch of 665 days, extended its winning streak over Bucknell to eight games.
• The Bison last took three games to score their first touchdown in 1975; that season, they found the end zone in their third game, a 21-6 Homecoming loss to Cornell.
Cornell at a Glance
• Cornell is 0-2 (0-1 Ivy) in 2021 following its tight 23-17 loss to defending Ivy League champion Yale on Sept. 25.
• The Big Red, which did not play during the 2020-21 school year due to the COVID-19 public health threat, went 4-6 (3-4 Ivy) during the 2019 campaign.
• Cornell was selected to finish eighth in the 2021 Ivy League preseason poll.
• Headlining the Big Red's 2021 roster are a pair of 2019 All-Ivy League selections: OL Hunter Nourzad and LB Jake Stebbins.
• All but two of Cornell's anticipated starters are upperclassmen, including nine fifth years.
The Bucknell/Cornell Series
• Cornell leads the all-time series, 43-14, bolstered by a 23-game winning streak that stretched from 1892 to 1979.
• The series began in 1888, which was the Bison's third season and the Big Red's second.
• Bucknell and Cornell played every season from 2002 to 2017. The Big Red won 10 of those 16 contests.
• The Bison are 3-2 against Cornell in their past five meetings. In 2014, they halted a seven-game losing skid to the Big Red with a 20-7 win at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
• In their last contest at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, during the 2016 campaign, Cornell spoiled Bucknell's home opener with a 24-16 win. The Bison had a chance to tie the game on its final drive but came up short on a 4th-and-7 play from the Big Red's 20-yard line.
• RB Joey DeFloria rushed for a career-high 154 yards while WR Will Carter made nine catches for 122 yards.
The Last Meeting with the Big Red Â
Bucknell 26 – Cornell 18 (Oct. 14, 2017 – Ithaca, N.Y.)
• This 26-18 victory over Cornell represents Bucknell's most recent victory over a non-conference opponent; the Bison have since lost 13-straight games to such foes.
• After the Big Red evened the score on their first drive of the second half, Bucknell scored 16 unanswered points en route its win.
• With four field goals, K John Burdick matched a Bison record set in 1989. He went 4-for-4 on his field-goal attempts and 2-for-2 on his point-after bids to total a career-high 14 points.
• QB John Chiarolanzio completed 11 of 16 passes for 176 yards and a career-high two touchdowns. He connected with six different receivers, four of whom reached the double digits in yards on only one catch.
• Bucknell's first scoring play was a 64-yard touchdown reception by WR Jack Horan at 8:20 of the first quarter.
• TE Jared Morse blocked a punt to set up Burdick's third field goal. It was the first time a Bison blocked a punt since S Connor Golden did so on Oct. 4, 2014 at Bryant.
• In the second quarter, CB Bryan Marine forced a fumble just outside the red zone, which was scooped up by DL John Hunt. It was Hunt's first career fumble recovery and led to Burdick's first field goal.
• RB Joey DeFloria ran for a season-best 99 yards. On Bucknell's final scoring drive in the fourth quarter, he accounted for 52 of the 60 yards the offense covered.
• LB Ben Richard led the Bison defense with 11 tackles. It was his ninth double-figure tackle game and second of 2017.
• In his first career start, LB Simeon Page became the first Bison to have a multi-sack game in 2017. He posted two for a combined loss of 15 yards. LB Roger Mellado, who also made his first career start, picked up his first career sack in the red zone, forcing the Big Red to settle for a field goal.
• After Cornell scored its equalizing touchdown, RB Omar Garcia returned the resulting kickoff 49 yards up the sideline to the Big Red 49. Garcia's return, which was the longest by a Bison in 2017, helped swing the momentum back in Bucknell's favor and led to Burdick's second field goal.
Bucknell on Homecoming
• The Bison are 44-47-5 all-time on Homecoming.
• Bucknell is set to face Cornell on Homecoming for the fourth time. The previous games were in 1975 (L, 6-21), 1991 (L, 7-23) and 1994 (L, 28-29).
• The Bison have won three of their past seven Homecoming games, taking the 2016 (42-17 over Lafayette), 2014 (27-24 OT over Lafayette) and 2013 (48-10 over then No. 15 Lehigh) renditions.
• In its 2019 Homecoming game, its most recent, Bucknell fell to Holy Cross, 21-14.
• The Crusaders flipped a 14-0 deficit into their fifth-straight road victory over the Bison. LB Gerrit Van Itallie returned an interception for a touchdown and RB Chad Freshnock, who missed the 2018 season due to injury, found the end zone for the first time since his sophomore campaign.
• Bucknell dropped a tight 29-27 decision to Lafayette in its 2018 Homecoming game. The Leopards scored 22 of the second half's 35 points to emerge victorious.
• Against Lafayette, QB Logan Bitikofer threw for a season-best 267 yards and three touchdowns. He became the first Bison to throw three touchdown passes since QB R.J. Nitti tossed four in a 35-24 victory at Lafayette on Oct. 31, 2015.
• TE/FB Andrew Owers became the first Bison to catch multiple touchdown passes since September 2016. CB Sterling Deary accounted Bucknell's other touchdown, returning his first career interception 41 yards to the house.
Bison vs. the Ivy League
• Bucknell is 41-106-3 all-time against Ivy League programs.
• The Bison played at least one Ivy League team every year since 1978, a streak that reached 42-consecutive seasons with 2019's 56-23 loss to then No. 23/RV Princeton.
• That lengthy streak was snapped when Bucknell played only Patriot League opponents during the 2021 spring campaign, which was pushed back from 2020 and abbreviated to four games due to the COVID-19 health threat.
• The Bison have faced Cornell (57), this Saturday's opponent, more than any other Ivy League team. Penn (36) and Princeton (17) round out the top three.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 59 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 64 starts.
• On offense, two seniors, three juniors and five sophomores are expected to start. At quarterback, sophomores Nick Semptimphelter and Tyler Beverett are considered even on the depth chart; Semptimphelter started at No. 11/12 Villanova while Beverett started against Penn.
• On defense, three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman (DL Will Ohler) are projected to start.
• Seven Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), CB Micah Dennis (16), RB Jared Cooper (14), CB/S Gavin Pringle (14), WR Dominic Lyles (13), OL Michael Killiri (13) and CB Sterling Deary (10). Of that group, six are seniors and one (Pringle) is a junior.
• OL Zack Tarburton is expected to make his 10th career start against Cornell. If he does so, he will become the first sophomore to reach the double digits in career starts.
• Pringle (14) alone boasts a starting streak of at least 10 games. Dennis had his starting streak snapped at 16 against Penn; entering that game, he was the only other Bison with a starting streak in the double digits.
• The following 19 players each made his first career start this season: LB Ben Allen, LB Tyler Alston, RB Rushawn Baker, DL Ryan Betz, Beverett, DL Connor Carretta, DL Nathaniel Carson, WR Damian Harris, LB Blake Leake, WR Matt McCreight, RB Danny Meuser, Ohler, OL Sean Quarterman, S Jonathan Searcy, Semptimphelter, TE Charlie Shadek, S Mason Taylor, DL Aneesh Vyas and OL Jack Wall.
• Of Bucknell's first-time starters, one (Betz) is a senior, four are juniors, 10 are sophomores and four are freshmen. The total of 19 represents just over 21 percent of the team's roster.
• Alston, Beverett, Carson, Meuser, Taylor and Vyas made their first career starts against Penn. Taylor and Vyas joined Baker and Ohler as the lone freshmen to start for the Bison so far this season.
• No senior has played in all 27 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (26), Cooper (25), Cherubino (24) and Lyles (24) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Pringle, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 18 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 against the Pioneers and Wildcats; he then returned to cornerback for the Penn game.
• Bennett, DL Mike Bright Jr., OL Ethan Pitzel and OL Casey Stephenson all started as freshmen during the 2021 spring campaign. Bennett, Bright Jr. and Pitzel all are listed as starters on the Bison's depth chart this week. Â
Milestone Watch
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 25 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 27 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 50 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career Â
• CB/S Gavin Pringle: Needs 11 tackles to reach 100 in his career
School Record Holders on the 2021 Roster
• WR Dominic Lyles: Single Game Receptions (14, 4/3/21 at Lehigh)
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned four All-Patriot League players in RB Jared Cooper (1st in '21S as a RS), CB Eric Holsinger (2nd in '21S as a STNS), WR Dominic Lyles (2nd in '21S) and CB/S Gavin Pringle (1st in '21S, 2nd in '19).
• Pringle and RB Coleman Bennett were voted to the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Team, with Bennett representing Bucknell as a return specialist.
• The Bison graduated six All-Patriot League honorees following the 2021 spring season, including LB Simeon Page. Page was the fifth Bison to make four career All-Patriot League squads, joining RB Rich Lemon (1993-96), OL Julién Davenport (2013-16), DL Abdullah Anderson (2014-17) and P Alex Pechin (2015, 2017-19).
• At least one Bison has made the CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 Team in 18 of the 21 seasons since 2000, including the past seven in a row. Most recently, two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American LB Rick Mottram and fellow 2021 graduate S Conner Romango made the 2020-21 rendition.
• Only Bucknell and Dayton have had a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist each of the past 16 years. Nicknamed the "Academic Heisman," it is awarded to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service and on-field performance. In 2021, DL Grayson Cherubino, a 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 selection, represented the Bison as a Campbell Trophy semifinalist.
Head Coach Dave Cecchini
• Dave Cecchini, one of the all-time great wide receivers in Patriot League history who has since gone on to achieve tremendous success in the coaching ranks, was named the 27th Bob Odell Head Football Coach at Bucknell University on February 6, 2019.
• Cecchini was voted as the 2021 Spring Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year for guiding the team to a spot in the Patriot League Championship Game. In addition, he was selected as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented by STATS to the FCS Coach of the Year, for the second time in his career.
• In his first season at the helm, Cecchini led the Bison to a third-place finish in the Patriot League, their highest placement since they were the 2014 runners-up. Their Patriot League victories came over defending champion Colgate (32-14), rival Lehigh (20-10) and Georgetown (20-17); two of their three league losses came by a touchdown or less.
• In 2017 while at Valparaiso, Cecchini was a finalist for the American Football Coaches Association's FCS National Coach of the Year and the STATS FCS Coach of the Year awards; he was also voted as the Pioneer Football League Coach of the Year and the AFCA FCS Region 4 Coach of the Year.
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Inside the 2021 Schedule
• This is the 136th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell's challenging 2021 schedule includes FBS program Army West Point, two Ivy League teams and defending NEC champion Sacred Heart.
• During the 2020-21 school year, Army West Point played in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl while Holy Cross and Sacred Heart made the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
• Army West Point will be the Bison's second FBS foe in three seasons, as they previously faced off against Temple in their 2019 opener. Bucknell is 0-8 against FBS schools since the FBS/FCS classification began in 1978.
• The Bison entered the season with a 171-302-12 (.365) record against their 2021 opponents, with only a winning mark against Georgetown (19-12-1). They are also .500 against Fordham (18-18).
How to Follow the Bison
• All of Bucknell's home games and its road contests at Lafayette, Fordham and Colgate will air on ESPN+, which became home of the Patriot League Network ahead of the 2020-21 school year.
• The Bison's game at FBS foe Army West Point will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.
• All of the Bison's games will be broadcast on 100.9 The Valley (WVLY). The broadcast will also be available on WVLY.com/The__Valley and BucknellBison.com.
• Bucknell is active on Twitter (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtags #ACT and #rayBucknell.
Up Next
• The Bison begin Patriot League play at Lafayette on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 12:30 p.m.
As part of their Homecoming festivities, the Bison will host their Football Alumni Weekend and hold a celebration of the 1996 Patriot League Championship Team's 25th Anniversary.
The complete media notes can be viewed here. The game program can be viewed here.
Tickets are available at the Campus Box Office and cost $15 for adults, $10 for children (18 and under) and $10 for seniors (62+). To purchase tickets, visit Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice or call 570-577-1000. All single-game tickets are for general admission.
When: Saturday, Oct. 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: WVLY.com/The__Valley
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Bucknell Spectator Policy: BucknellBison.com
Game Promotions:
• Bucknell Homecoming
• Football Alumni Weekend
• Celebration of the 1996 Patriot League Championship Team's 25th Anniversary
• Geisinger Wellness FairÂ
With a victory the Bison would...
• move to 45-47-5 all-time on Homecoming
• win back-to-back games against Cornell for the first time since 2014/2015
• snap a 13-game losing streak to non-conference foes that dates back to 2018
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 0-3 (0-0 PL) in 2021 following its 30-6 loss to Penn on Sept. 18.
• 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 Killiri (Offense) and S Jonathan Searcy (Defense).
Inside the Penn Box Score
• Bucknell fell to Penn, 30-6, in its home opener. Following a first half that was a defensive battle punctuated by a handful of explosive offensive plays, the Quakers pulled away from the Bison by scoring two unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter.
• For Bucknell, RB Danny Meuser was an impact player in his first career start. He rushed for a career-best 90 yards on 21 carries, accounting for the Bison's touchdown late in the first quarter.
• Meuser's touchdown, Bucknell's first of the 2021 campaign, capped a 15-play, 83-yard scoring drive, one which answered a Penn field goal that opened the game's scoring. He accounted for 30 yards during that march.
• During the second quarter, the Quakers scored 13 unanswered points on two field goals and a 44-yard touchdown throw.
• QB Nick Semptimphleter threw for 87 yards while QB Tyler Beverett posted 20 yards through the air and 18 on the ground. WR Damian Harris led the Bison with 48 receiving yards, which all came on one third-quarter catch.
• LB Ben Allen paced all players with a career-high 11 tackles. S Brent Jackson (7) and LB Tyler Alston (6) rounded out Bucknell's top three tacklers while DL Mike Bright Jr. had a sack.
• Penn finished with overall advantages in first downs (20-11), total offense (483-222) and time of possession (31:32-28:28). The Quakers went 4-for-5 on their trips to the red zone compared to the Bison's 1-for-2.
• Penn, which took the football field for the first time since November 2019, representing a stretch of 665 days, extended its winning streak over Bucknell to eight games.
• The Bison last took three games to score their first touchdown in 1975; that season, they found the end zone in their third game, a 21-6 Homecoming loss to Cornell.
Cornell at a Glance
• Cornell is 0-2 (0-1 Ivy) in 2021 following its tight 23-17 loss to defending Ivy League champion Yale on Sept. 25.
• The Big Red, which did not play during the 2020-21 school year due to the COVID-19 public health threat, went 4-6 (3-4 Ivy) during the 2019 campaign.
• Cornell was selected to finish eighth in the 2021 Ivy League preseason poll.
• Headlining the Big Red's 2021 roster are a pair of 2019 All-Ivy League selections: OL Hunter Nourzad and LB Jake Stebbins.
• All but two of Cornell's anticipated starters are upperclassmen, including nine fifth years.
The Bucknell/Cornell Series
• Cornell leads the all-time series, 43-14, bolstered by a 23-game winning streak that stretched from 1892 to 1979.
• The series began in 1888, which was the Bison's third season and the Big Red's second.
• Bucknell and Cornell played every season from 2002 to 2017. The Big Red won 10 of those 16 contests.
• The Bison are 3-2 against Cornell in their past five meetings. In 2014, they halted a seven-game losing skid to the Big Red with a 20-7 win at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
• In their last contest at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, during the 2016 campaign, Cornell spoiled Bucknell's home opener with a 24-16 win. The Bison had a chance to tie the game on its final drive but came up short on a 4th-and-7 play from the Big Red's 20-yard line.
• RB Joey DeFloria rushed for a career-high 154 yards while WR Will Carter made nine catches for 122 yards.
The Last Meeting with the Big Red Â
Bucknell 26 – Cornell 18 (Oct. 14, 2017 – Ithaca, N.Y.)
• This 26-18 victory over Cornell represents Bucknell's most recent victory over a non-conference opponent; the Bison have since lost 13-straight games to such foes.
• After the Big Red evened the score on their first drive of the second half, Bucknell scored 16 unanswered points en route its win.
• With four field goals, K John Burdick matched a Bison record set in 1989. He went 4-for-4 on his field-goal attempts and 2-for-2 on his point-after bids to total a career-high 14 points.
• QB John Chiarolanzio completed 11 of 16 passes for 176 yards and a career-high two touchdowns. He connected with six different receivers, four of whom reached the double digits in yards on only one catch.
• Bucknell's first scoring play was a 64-yard touchdown reception by WR Jack Horan at 8:20 of the first quarter.
• TE Jared Morse blocked a punt to set up Burdick's third field goal. It was the first time a Bison blocked a punt since S Connor Golden did so on Oct. 4, 2014 at Bryant.
• In the second quarter, CB Bryan Marine forced a fumble just outside the red zone, which was scooped up by DL John Hunt. It was Hunt's first career fumble recovery and led to Burdick's first field goal.
• RB Joey DeFloria ran for a season-best 99 yards. On Bucknell's final scoring drive in the fourth quarter, he accounted for 52 of the 60 yards the offense covered.
• LB Ben Richard led the Bison defense with 11 tackles. It was his ninth double-figure tackle game and second of 2017.
• In his first career start, LB Simeon Page became the first Bison to have a multi-sack game in 2017. He posted two for a combined loss of 15 yards. LB Roger Mellado, who also made his first career start, picked up his first career sack in the red zone, forcing the Big Red to settle for a field goal.
• After Cornell scored its equalizing touchdown, RB Omar Garcia returned the resulting kickoff 49 yards up the sideline to the Big Red 49. Garcia's return, which was the longest by a Bison in 2017, helped swing the momentum back in Bucknell's favor and led to Burdick's second field goal.
Bucknell on Homecoming
• The Bison are 44-47-5 all-time on Homecoming.
• Bucknell is set to face Cornell on Homecoming for the fourth time. The previous games were in 1975 (L, 6-21), 1991 (L, 7-23) and 1994 (L, 28-29).
• The Bison have won three of their past seven Homecoming games, taking the 2016 (42-17 over Lafayette), 2014 (27-24 OT over Lafayette) and 2013 (48-10 over then No. 15 Lehigh) renditions.
• In its 2019 Homecoming game, its most recent, Bucknell fell to Holy Cross, 21-14.
• The Crusaders flipped a 14-0 deficit into their fifth-straight road victory over the Bison. LB Gerrit Van Itallie returned an interception for a touchdown and RB Chad Freshnock, who missed the 2018 season due to injury, found the end zone for the first time since his sophomore campaign.
• Bucknell dropped a tight 29-27 decision to Lafayette in its 2018 Homecoming game. The Leopards scored 22 of the second half's 35 points to emerge victorious.
• Against Lafayette, QB Logan Bitikofer threw for a season-best 267 yards and three touchdowns. He became the first Bison to throw three touchdown passes since QB R.J. Nitti tossed four in a 35-24 victory at Lafayette on Oct. 31, 2015.
• TE/FB Andrew Owers became the first Bison to catch multiple touchdown passes since September 2016. CB Sterling Deary accounted Bucknell's other touchdown, returning his first career interception 41 yards to the house.
Bison vs. the Ivy League
• Bucknell is 41-106-3 all-time against Ivy League programs.
• The Bison played at least one Ivy League team every year since 1978, a streak that reached 42-consecutive seasons with 2019's 56-23 loss to then No. 23/RV Princeton.
• That lengthy streak was snapped when Bucknell played only Patriot League opponents during the 2021 spring campaign, which was pushed back from 2020 and abbreviated to four games due to the COVID-19 health threat.
• The Bison have faced Cornell (57), this Saturday's opponent, more than any other Ivy League team. Penn (36) and Princeton (17) round out the top three.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 59 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 64 starts.
• On offense, two seniors, three juniors and five sophomores are expected to start. At quarterback, sophomores Nick Semptimphelter and Tyler Beverett are considered even on the depth chart; Semptimphelter started at No. 11/12 Villanova while Beverett started against Penn.
• On defense, three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman (DL Will Ohler) are projected to start.
• Seven Bison currently have at least 10 career starts: DL Grayson Cherubino (19), CB Micah Dennis (16), RB Jared Cooper (14), CB/S Gavin Pringle (14), WR Dominic Lyles (13), OL Michael Killiri (13) and CB Sterling Deary (10). Of that group, six are seniors and one (Pringle) is a junior.
• OL Zack Tarburton is expected to make his 10th career start against Cornell. If he does so, he will become the first sophomore to reach the double digits in career starts.
• Pringle (14) alone boasts a starting streak of at least 10 games. Dennis had his starting streak snapped at 16 against Penn; entering that game, he was the only other Bison with a starting streak in the double digits.
• The following 19 players each made his first career start this season: LB Ben Allen, LB Tyler Alston, RB Rushawn Baker, DL Ryan Betz, Beverett, DL Connor Carretta, DL Nathaniel Carson, WR Damian Harris, LB Blake Leake, WR Matt McCreight, RB Danny Meuser, Ohler, OL Sean Quarterman, S Jonathan Searcy, Semptimphelter, TE Charlie Shadek, S Mason Taylor, DL Aneesh Vyas and OL Jack Wall.
• Of Bucknell's first-time starters, one (Betz) is a senior, four are juniors, 10 are sophomores and four are freshmen. The total of 19 represents just over 21 percent of the team's roster.
• Alston, Beverett, Carson, Meuser, Taylor and Vyas made their first career starts against Penn. Taylor and Vyas joined Baker and Ohler as the lone freshmen to start for the Bison so far this season.
• No senior has played in all 27 of Bucknell's games during his time in Lewisburg to date. Dennis (26), Cooper (25), Cherubino (24) and Lyles (24) are the class leaders in career appearances. Â
• Juniors Allen, Pringle, Searcy and CB Eric Holsinger have played in all 18 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 against the Pioneers and Wildcats; he then returned to cornerback for the Penn game.
• Bennett, DL Mike Bright Jr., OL Ethan Pitzel and OL Casey Stephenson all started as freshmen during the 2021 spring campaign. Bennett, Bright Jr. and Pitzel all are listed as starters on the Bison's depth chart this week. Â
Milestone Watch
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 25 receptions to reach 100 in his career Â
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 27 receptions to crack Bucknell's top 10 in career receptions with 102
• WR Dominic Lyles: Needs 50 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career Â
• CB/S Gavin Pringle: Needs 11 tackles to reach 100 in his career
School Record Holders on the 2021 Roster
• WR Dominic Lyles: Single Game Receptions (14, 4/3/21 at Lehigh)
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned four All-Patriot League players in RB Jared Cooper (1st in '21S as a RS), CB Eric Holsinger (2nd in '21S as a STNS), WR Dominic Lyles (2nd in '21S) and CB/S Gavin Pringle (1st in '21S, 2nd in '19).
• Pringle and RB Coleman Bennett were voted to the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Team, with Bennett representing Bucknell as a return specialist.
• The Bison graduated six All-Patriot League honorees following the 2021 spring season, including LB Simeon Page. Page was the fifth Bison to make four career All-Patriot League squads, joining RB Rich Lemon (1993-96), OL Julién Davenport (2013-16), DL Abdullah Anderson (2014-17) and P Alex Pechin (2015, 2017-19).
• At least one Bison has made the CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 Team in 18 of the 21 seasons since 2000, including the past seven in a row. Most recently, two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American LB Rick Mottram and fellow 2021 graduate S Conner Romango made the 2020-21 rendition.
• Only Bucknell and Dayton have had a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist each of the past 16 years. Nicknamed the "Academic Heisman," it is awarded to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service and on-field performance. In 2021, DL Grayson Cherubino, a 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 selection, represented the Bison as a Campbell Trophy semifinalist.
Head Coach Dave Cecchini
• Dave Cecchini, one of the all-time great wide receivers in Patriot League history who has since gone on to achieve tremendous success in the coaching ranks, was named the 27th Bob Odell Head Football Coach at Bucknell University on February 6, 2019.
• Cecchini was voted as the 2021 Spring Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year for guiding the team to a spot in the Patriot League Championship Game. In addition, he was selected as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented by STATS to the FCS Coach of the Year, for the second time in his career.
• In his first season at the helm, Cecchini led the Bison to a third-place finish in the Patriot League, their highest placement since they were the 2014 runners-up. Their Patriot League victories came over defending champion Colgate (32-14), rival Lehigh (20-10) and Georgetown (20-17); two of their three league losses came by a touchdown or less.
• In 2017 while at Valparaiso, Cecchini was a finalist for the American Football Coaches Association's FCS National Coach of the Year and the STATS FCS Coach of the Year awards; he was also voted as the Pioneer Football League Coach of the Year and the AFCA FCS Region 4 Coach of the Year.
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Inside the 2021 Schedule
• This is the 136th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell's challenging 2021 schedule includes FBS program Army West Point, two Ivy League teams and defending NEC champion Sacred Heart.
• During the 2020-21 school year, Army West Point played in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl while Holy Cross and Sacred Heart made the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
• Army West Point will be the Bison's second FBS foe in three seasons, as they previously faced off against Temple in their 2019 opener. Bucknell is 0-8 against FBS schools since the FBS/FCS classification began in 1978.
• The Bison entered the season with a 171-302-12 (.365) record against their 2021 opponents, with only a winning mark against Georgetown (19-12-1). They are also .500 against Fordham (18-18).
How to Follow the Bison
• All of Bucknell's home games and its road contests at Lafayette, Fordham and Colgate will air on ESPN+, which became home of the Patriot League Network ahead of the 2020-21 school year.
• The Bison's game at FBS foe Army West Point will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.
• All of the Bison's games will be broadcast on 100.9 The Valley (WVLY). The broadcast will also be available on WVLY.com/The__Valley and BucknellBison.com.
• Bucknell is active on Twitter (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtags #ACT and #rayBucknell.
Up Next
• The Bison begin Patriot League play at Lafayette on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 12:30 p.m.
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