Saturday, October 21
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Lehigh
Photo by: John Rooney
Football Hosts Rival Lehigh Saturday at Christy
10/18/2023 11:00:00 AM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell returns to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to host Pennsylvania rival Lehigh on Saturday. The Bison and the Mountain Hawks are both seeking their first Patriot League wins of the season. The two teams are meeting for the 87th time dating back to 1888.
Bucknell snapped a three-game losing skid last weekend with a win over Cornell and is looking to capture its second victory at home as well as its second consecutive victory over Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks, meanwhile, have lost five straight after defeating Merrimack 14-12 in their second game of the season.
A win on Saturday would give Bucknell head coach Dave Cecchini his fourth victory in five tries over his alma mater since arriving in Lewisburg in 2019.
The Bison are celebrating Halloween at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Saturday, and there will be a Junior Bison Club Trick-or-Treat prior to kickoff as well as a costume contest at halftime. It's also Youth Sports Day, and all youth sports participants in their jerseys along with their coaches will receive complimentary tickets.
Media Notes:
When: Saturday, Oct. 21 – 1 p.m.
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Tickets: Bucknell Campus Box Office
Internet Video: ESPN+
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Media Notes: Bucknell | Lehigh
Game Promotions
• Junior Bison Club Trick-or-Treat
• Junior Bison Club Halloween Costume Contest
• Youth Sports Day (Complimentary tickets or youth sports participants in jerseys and their coaches)
With a Victory the Bison would…
• improve to 3-4 on the season
• even their record at home at 2-2
• move to 2-1 in the month of October
• win their first Patriot League game and improve to 1-2 in league play
• defeat Lehigh for a second straight season and for a fourth time in five seasons
• improve to 35-49-3 in all-time meetings with the Mountain Hawks
• improve to 15-23-2 in home games against Lehigh
Bucknell at a Galnce
• Bucknell picked up its second win of the season last Saturday by defeating Cornell 21-13 on the road. With the win, the Bison improved to 2-2 in non-league play and snapped a three-game losing skid.
• Bucknell's other win was a 21-13 decision over VMI on Sept. 9. Teams that have beat the Bison have a combined 19-4 record, including nationally-ranked Holy Cross as well as FBS foe James Madison and Lafayette, which were both receiving votes in the latest national polls.
• Bucknell, while coming off its worst passing performance since the opener at James Madison, remains third in the Patriot League in pass yards per game. The Bison are coming off their best rushing game of the season and their best defensive performance.
• RB Coleman Bennett has posted back-to-back career games and has eclipsed 100 rushing yards in each. He totaled 157 rushing yards on 29 carries at Cornell and racked up 240 all-purpose yards against Holy Cross the week before.
• WR Derrick Anderson Jr. has come up with five receptions of 28 yards or longer over the past three games. During that three-game stretch he's posted 11 receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns.
• The Bison were picked to finish in a tie for sixth in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2023 season.
• Bucknell went 3-8 (2-4 PL) during the 2022 campaign, finishing in a tie for fourth. The Bison, who were picked to finish last in that season's Patriot League preseason poll, earned league wins over Lehigh (19-17) and Georgetown (24-21, OT) before ending the year with a victory over Marist (24-13).
• Bucknell is in its fifth season under Cecchini, who spent the previous five as head coach at Valparaiso. Cecchini was honored as the Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year during the four-game spring 2021 campaign.
• Bucknell returned a total of 56 letterwinners in 2023, a group that includes 23 seniors, 20 juniors and 13 sophomores. 12 seniors are three-time letterwinners.
• RB Coleman Bennett, LB Blake Leake, QB Nick Semptimphelter and OL Casey Stephenson are serving as 2023 team captains, as voted on by their teammates.
• Bucknell welcomed a host of new faces to the staff this season, including new offensive coordinator John Bear. Wide receivers coach Braelon Roberts, offensive line coach Sean Pearson, defensive backs coach Pat Clark and safeties coach McNeil Parker are all new assistants on the staff as well.
Inside the Cornell Box Score
• Bucknell ran the ball on 50 of its 71 plays and outgained the Big Red 329-282 to win 21-13 on the road Saturday. The Bison also held the edge in time of possession after Cornell entered the game ranked second in the nation in the category.
• Bucknell's defense stopped Cornell on 10 of 13 third down attempts and twice on fourth down. The Bison converted 7 of 14 third down attempts and picked up 21 first downs in the contest compared to Cornell's 15.
• Bucknell fell behind 3-0 in the first quarter and again at 13-7 in the third but held Cornell off the scoreboard in the fourth quarter. The Bison defense forced a punt and made a fourth down stop on Cornell's two fourth quarter drives.
• Both teams turned the ball over once. DL Cade Rooney came up with an interception on Cornell's first drive of the game, and QB Ralph Rucker was intercepted on Bucknell's second drive of the game.
• Bucknell RB Coleman Bennett rushed for a career-high 157 yards on 29 carries, including six runs of 14 yards or more. Three of Bennett's runs were over 20 yards. It was RB Rushawn Baker and Rucker who finished with rushing touchdowns, scoring one each from one yard out.
• Bucknell's other touchdown was a 6-yard pass from QB Nick Semptimphelter to WR Damian Harris with 9:15 left in the fourth quarter after Rucker left the game due to injury. Semptimphelter was 3-for-4 for 54 yards passing in the game.
• Three Bison receivers, Josh Gary, Eric Weatherly and Derrick Anderson Jr., caught passes of over 30 yards in the game.
• The Bison defense posted seven tackles for loss and one sack in the game. The defense also registered a season-high four quarterback hurries. Bucknell's DL Tyler Alston, who led the team in tackles in the game, combined with Connor Carretta for a sack on Cornell's final drive in the fourth quarter.
• Cornell scored on two field goals and a Jameson Wang rushing touchdown. The Big Red also missed a field goal in the game.
• P Ruben Anderson pinned Cornell inside its own 11-yard lik=ne three times and at its own 1-yard line once.
Lehigh at a Glance
• Lehigh fell to 1-6 (0-2 PL) with a 17-7 loss at home to Georgetown last weekend and has dropped five in a row. Lehigh's lone win this season was over Merrimack on Sept. 9. Teams that have beat the Mountain Hawks this season have a combined 21-16 record.
• Lehigh was picked to finish fifth - one spot ahead of the Bison - in the 2023 Patriot Preseason Poll. The Mountain Hawks finished sixth in 2022 with a 2-9 (2-4 PL) record.
• This season, Lehigh and Bucknell have faced one common opponent thus far: Cornell. The Mountain Hawks fell 23-20 at home against the Big Red.
• Lehigh is currently second in the Patriot League in sacks and third in red zone defense.
• Sophomore WR Geoffrey Jamiel and senior LB Mike DeNucci were both named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. DeNucci is fourth in the Patriot League in tackles per game (8.3)
• Sophomore QB Brayten Silbor is completing 53 percent of his passes for 1,371 yards, 8 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Freshman RB Luke Yoder leads the Mountain Hawks in rushing with 283 yards on 53 carries.
• Lehigh is under the direction of first-year head coach Kevin Cahill, who joined the program last December. Cahill spent the previous 10 seasons at Yale.
The Bucknell/Lehigh Series
• The Bucknell-Lehigh series dates back to 1888. Bucknell trails 34-49-3 in all-time matchups with the Mountain Hawks.
• The series is even at 5-5 over the last 10 meetings, and Bucknell has claimed three of the last four games.
• The longest streak from either team in the 135-year-old series is 15 games won by Lehigh from 1998-2012.
• Bucknell is 14-23-2 when facing the Mountain Hawks at home. The Bison are just 1-4 against Lehigh at home over the last 10 years.
• The Bison have only faced Lafayette (101) more times than Lehigh (86).
The Last Meeting with the Mountain Hawks
• K Matt Schearer made a 19-yard field goal with 18 seconds remaining to give Bucknell a 19-17 win over the Mountain Hawks in Bethlehem on Oct. 22, 2022. It was his second made field goal of the quarter after he drilled a 48-yarder with 14:20 remaining.
• Bucknell recovered an onside kick with 2:01 remaining to set up the game-winning drive. The Bison had an extra point blocked on the previous drive that would have tied the game.
• RB Rushawn Baker rushed for both of Bucknell's touchdowns and finished with 48 yards on the ground.
• QB Nick Semptimphelter completed 13 of 28 pass attempts for 146 yards. 95 of his yards came in the fourth quarter, and he completed passes of 24 and 39 yards on the last two scoring drives.
• Defensively, the Bison generated three turnovers in the second quarter and allowed just 10 points to the Lehigh offense. S Brent Jackson put together a standout performance, grabbing an interception, forcing and recovering a fumble and posting one sack with five tackles. Alex Smith Jr. intercepted his third pass of the season, and both Ben Allen and Blake Leake led the Bison with seven tackles each.
• The Mountain Hawks scored on a blocked punt in the third quarter and added a rushing touchdown and a field goal.
• RB Gaige Garcia led the Mountain Hawks on the ground with 41 yards on 16 carries. QB Dante Perri completed 19 of 34 passes for 160 yards.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 116 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 173 starts.
• On offense, three seniors, three juniors and four sophomores and one freshman (OL Xavier Allen) are expected to start.
• On defense, four seniors, five juniors one sophomore (CB Roman Pearson) and one freshman (S Deuce Geter) are expected to start.
• 18 Bison have made at least 10 career starts. Eight have started 20 games or more.
• Two Bison have starting streaks of 10 or more games in a row: Harris (19) and S John Schlendorf (17).
• Five Bison, Harris, Leake, Robinson, Schlendorf and Vyas, started all 11 of Bucknell's games in 2022.
• Only seniors P Ruben Anderson and Alston have played in all 32 of Bucknell's games over their four years.
• Of the junior class, Schlendorf and S Alex Smith Jr. have played in all 28 of the team's games over three seasons.
• 12 Bison have made their first career starts this season, including three freshmen. In 2022, seven players each made their first career starts. Two were juniors, two were sophomores, and three were freshmen.
Milestone Watch
• Ralph Rucker needs one passing touchdown to reach 10 on the season.
• Coleman Bennett needs 108 rush yards to reach 1,000 for his career.
• Brad Jamison needs 15 tackles to reach 100 in his career.
Milestones Met Last Week
• Coleman Bennett rushed for a career-high 157 yards.
• Cade Rooney recorded his first career interception.
• Rushawn Baker scored the 10th rushing touchdown of his career.
Bison Award Winners
• Coleman Bennett was one of 201 college football players to be named a 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist. Bucknell and Dayton are the only schools to have a Campbell Trophy semifinalist in each of the last 18 years.
• DL Aneesh Vyas was named the Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 25 for blocking an extra point and a field goal against Penn. He's the first Bison to earn a Patriot League weekly award this season.
• The Bison returned one All-Patriot League player, OL Ethan Pitzel (2nd Team in '22). DL Tyler Alston and K Matt Schearer were both voted to the 2023 Preseason All-Patriot League Team. Coleman Bennett was a 2021 Preseason All-League honoree as a return specialist.
• The Bison graduated three All-Patriot League players following the 2022 season: LB Ben Allen (2nd Team in '22), S Brent Jackson (2nd Team in '22), and CB Gavin Pringle (2nd Team in '22 and '19, 1st Team in 'S21).
• In 2022, Bennett was named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar by the publication Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. The award recognizes undergraduate students of color who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic fields.
• Last week, Bennett was named Bucknell's 2023 nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is awarded by the National Football Foundation to player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. Bucknell and Dayton are the only schools that have had a Campbell Trophy semifinalist each of the past 17 years.
• Six Bison were named to the 2022 CSC Academic All-District Team: Ben Allen, Connor Carretta, Brent Jackson, Ethan Pitzel, Jonathan Searcy and Aneesh Vyas.
• Bucknell returned two of its three Academic All-Patriot League honorees from the 2022 season: Bennett and Pitzel.
• In March, 50 Bucknell football players were named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll for achieving a 3.2 GPA or higher. The Bison led all Patriot League teams in the category.
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.
• Since arriving at Bucknell, Cecchini's players have combined to earn 20 All-Patriot League First/Second Team awards as well as one First Team All-American.
Inside the 2023 Schedule
• This is the 138th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first-ever game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• The Bison opened the 2023 slate against FBS opponent James Madison, which tied for first place in the Sun Belt East Division during its inaugural season in the conference with an 8-3 (6-2 SBC) record.
• After hosting VMI for the home opener on Sept. 9, the Bison remain at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to face Penn, which is coming off its winningest season in more than a decade. It marks the 44th time in the last 45 seasons that Bucknell has had an Ivy League program on the schedule.
• Bucknell's other non-league games include Cornell on Oct. 14 and Marist to close out the regular season on Nov. 18.
• Bucknell opened Patriot League play on the road at Lafayette on Sept. 30. The Bison play host to reigning league champion Holy Cross, Lehigh and Georgetown.
• Bucknell's 2023 opponents went a combined 58-64 last season. They are off to a combined 39-28 record this season.
Facility Upgrades
• Thanks to the support of the Pascucci family, Bucknell's new artificial turf practice field was broken in last preseason camp. Offering additional training and practice space for several men's and women's teams, the new field provides even greater training opportunities for a variety of programs beyond the ones that call Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium home.
• The stadium's new state-of-the-art video board made its debut in 2021, greatly heightening the fan experience at home events.
• Currently under construction is The Pascucci Team Center which, upon completion, will include a new strength and conditioning center, locker rooms, and a team meeting and event space.
• In recognition of Pascucci's historic commitment to both financial aid and athletics, the area of campus that includes the stadium and the Christy Mathewson Gates was named the Pascucci Family Athletics Complex.
• The picturesque Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium was dedicated in 1924 and was known originally as Memorial Stadium as a tribute to Bucknell's numerous war veterans. The stadium underwent a major renovation in 1989, and at that time it was rededicated to honor the iconic Christy Mathewson, who was a three-sport star and model student-athlete during his playing days at Bucknell.
• Bucknell is 256-184-10 all-time at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
How to Follow the Bison
• All of Bucknell's games this season, with the exception of the season finale at Marist, will be broadcast on ESPN+.
• All of the Bison's games will be broadcast on 100.9 The Valley (WVLY). The broadcast will also be available for internet streaming on 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
• Bucknell heads to Hamilton, N.Y. to play Colgate on Saturday, Oct. 28 in the first of two back-to-back road games.
Bucknell snapped a three-game losing skid last weekend with a win over Cornell and is looking to capture its second victory at home as well as its second consecutive victory over Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks, meanwhile, have lost five straight after defeating Merrimack 14-12 in their second game of the season.
A win on Saturday would give Bucknell head coach Dave Cecchini his fourth victory in five tries over his alma mater since arriving in Lewisburg in 2019.
The Bison are celebrating Halloween at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Saturday, and there will be a Junior Bison Club Trick-or-Treat prior to kickoff as well as a costume contest at halftime. It's also Youth Sports Day, and all youth sports participants in their jerseys along with their coaches will receive complimentary tickets.
Media Notes:
When: Saturday, Oct. 21 – 1 p.m.
Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Tickets: Bucknell Campus Box Office
Internet Video: ESPN+
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Media Notes: Bucknell | Lehigh
Game Promotions
• Junior Bison Club Trick-or-Treat
• Junior Bison Club Halloween Costume Contest
• Youth Sports Day (Complimentary tickets or youth sports participants in jerseys and their coaches)
With a Victory the Bison would…
• improve to 3-4 on the season
• even their record at home at 2-2
• move to 2-1 in the month of October
• win their first Patriot League game and improve to 1-2 in league play
• defeat Lehigh for a second straight season and for a fourth time in five seasons
• improve to 35-49-3 in all-time meetings with the Mountain Hawks
• improve to 15-23-2 in home games against Lehigh
Bucknell at a Galnce
• Bucknell picked up its second win of the season last Saturday by defeating Cornell 21-13 on the road. With the win, the Bison improved to 2-2 in non-league play and snapped a three-game losing skid.
• Bucknell's other win was a 21-13 decision over VMI on Sept. 9. Teams that have beat the Bison have a combined 19-4 record, including nationally-ranked Holy Cross as well as FBS foe James Madison and Lafayette, which were both receiving votes in the latest national polls.
• Bucknell, while coming off its worst passing performance since the opener at James Madison, remains third in the Patriot League in pass yards per game. The Bison are coming off their best rushing game of the season and their best defensive performance.
• RB Coleman Bennett has posted back-to-back career games and has eclipsed 100 rushing yards in each. He totaled 157 rushing yards on 29 carries at Cornell and racked up 240 all-purpose yards against Holy Cross the week before.
• WR Derrick Anderson Jr. has come up with five receptions of 28 yards or longer over the past three games. During that three-game stretch he's posted 11 receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns.
• The Bison were picked to finish in a tie for sixth in the Patriot League based on a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors ahead of the 2023 season.
• Bucknell went 3-8 (2-4 PL) during the 2022 campaign, finishing in a tie for fourth. The Bison, who were picked to finish last in that season's Patriot League preseason poll, earned league wins over Lehigh (19-17) and Georgetown (24-21, OT) before ending the year with a victory over Marist (24-13).
• Bucknell is in its fifth season under Cecchini, who spent the previous five as head coach at Valparaiso. Cecchini was honored as the Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year during the four-game spring 2021 campaign.
• Bucknell returned a total of 56 letterwinners in 2023, a group that includes 23 seniors, 20 juniors and 13 sophomores. 12 seniors are three-time letterwinners.
• RB Coleman Bennett, LB Blake Leake, QB Nick Semptimphelter and OL Casey Stephenson are serving as 2023 team captains, as voted on by their teammates.
• Bucknell welcomed a host of new faces to the staff this season, including new offensive coordinator John Bear. Wide receivers coach Braelon Roberts, offensive line coach Sean Pearson, defensive backs coach Pat Clark and safeties coach McNeil Parker are all new assistants on the staff as well.
Inside the Cornell Box Score
• Bucknell ran the ball on 50 of its 71 plays and outgained the Big Red 329-282 to win 21-13 on the road Saturday. The Bison also held the edge in time of possession after Cornell entered the game ranked second in the nation in the category.
• Bucknell's defense stopped Cornell on 10 of 13 third down attempts and twice on fourth down. The Bison converted 7 of 14 third down attempts and picked up 21 first downs in the contest compared to Cornell's 15.
• Bucknell fell behind 3-0 in the first quarter and again at 13-7 in the third but held Cornell off the scoreboard in the fourth quarter. The Bison defense forced a punt and made a fourth down stop on Cornell's two fourth quarter drives.
• Both teams turned the ball over once. DL Cade Rooney came up with an interception on Cornell's first drive of the game, and QB Ralph Rucker was intercepted on Bucknell's second drive of the game.
• Bucknell RB Coleman Bennett rushed for a career-high 157 yards on 29 carries, including six runs of 14 yards or more. Three of Bennett's runs were over 20 yards. It was RB Rushawn Baker and Rucker who finished with rushing touchdowns, scoring one each from one yard out.
• Bucknell's other touchdown was a 6-yard pass from QB Nick Semptimphelter to WR Damian Harris with 9:15 left in the fourth quarter after Rucker left the game due to injury. Semptimphelter was 3-for-4 for 54 yards passing in the game.
• Three Bison receivers, Josh Gary, Eric Weatherly and Derrick Anderson Jr., caught passes of over 30 yards in the game.
• The Bison defense posted seven tackles for loss and one sack in the game. The defense also registered a season-high four quarterback hurries. Bucknell's DL Tyler Alston, who led the team in tackles in the game, combined with Connor Carretta for a sack on Cornell's final drive in the fourth quarter.
• Cornell scored on two field goals and a Jameson Wang rushing touchdown. The Big Red also missed a field goal in the game.
• P Ruben Anderson pinned Cornell inside its own 11-yard lik=ne three times and at its own 1-yard line once.
Lehigh at a Glance
• Lehigh fell to 1-6 (0-2 PL) with a 17-7 loss at home to Georgetown last weekend and has dropped five in a row. Lehigh's lone win this season was over Merrimack on Sept. 9. Teams that have beat the Mountain Hawks this season have a combined 21-16 record.
• Lehigh was picked to finish fifth - one spot ahead of the Bison - in the 2023 Patriot Preseason Poll. The Mountain Hawks finished sixth in 2022 with a 2-9 (2-4 PL) record.
• This season, Lehigh and Bucknell have faced one common opponent thus far: Cornell. The Mountain Hawks fell 23-20 at home against the Big Red.
• Lehigh is currently second in the Patriot League in sacks and third in red zone defense.
• Sophomore WR Geoffrey Jamiel and senior LB Mike DeNucci were both named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. DeNucci is fourth in the Patriot League in tackles per game (8.3)
• Sophomore QB Brayten Silbor is completing 53 percent of his passes for 1,371 yards, 8 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Freshman RB Luke Yoder leads the Mountain Hawks in rushing with 283 yards on 53 carries.
• Lehigh is under the direction of first-year head coach Kevin Cahill, who joined the program last December. Cahill spent the previous 10 seasons at Yale.
The Bucknell/Lehigh Series
• The Bucknell-Lehigh series dates back to 1888. Bucknell trails 34-49-3 in all-time matchups with the Mountain Hawks.
• The series is even at 5-5 over the last 10 meetings, and Bucknell has claimed three of the last four games.
• The longest streak from either team in the 135-year-old series is 15 games won by Lehigh from 1998-2012.
• Bucknell is 14-23-2 when facing the Mountain Hawks at home. The Bison are just 1-4 against Lehigh at home over the last 10 years.
• The Bison have only faced Lafayette (101) more times than Lehigh (86).
The Last Meeting with the Mountain Hawks
• K Matt Schearer made a 19-yard field goal with 18 seconds remaining to give Bucknell a 19-17 win over the Mountain Hawks in Bethlehem on Oct. 22, 2022. It was his second made field goal of the quarter after he drilled a 48-yarder with 14:20 remaining.
• Bucknell recovered an onside kick with 2:01 remaining to set up the game-winning drive. The Bison had an extra point blocked on the previous drive that would have tied the game.
• RB Rushawn Baker rushed for both of Bucknell's touchdowns and finished with 48 yards on the ground.
• QB Nick Semptimphelter completed 13 of 28 pass attempts for 146 yards. 95 of his yards came in the fourth quarter, and he completed passes of 24 and 39 yards on the last two scoring drives.
• Defensively, the Bison generated three turnovers in the second quarter and allowed just 10 points to the Lehigh offense. S Brent Jackson put together a standout performance, grabbing an interception, forcing and recovering a fumble and posting one sack with five tackles. Alex Smith Jr. intercepted his third pass of the season, and both Ben Allen and Blake Leake led the Bison with seven tackles each.
• The Mountain Hawks scored on a blocked punt in the third quarter and added a rushing touchdown and a field goal.
• RB Gaige Garcia led the Mountain Hawks on the ground with 41 yards on 16 carries. QB Dante Perri completed 19 of 34 passes for 160 yards.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 116 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 173 starts.
• On offense, three seniors, three juniors and four sophomores and one freshman (OL Xavier Allen) are expected to start.
• On defense, four seniors, five juniors one sophomore (CB Roman Pearson) and one freshman (S Deuce Geter) are expected to start.
• 18 Bison have made at least 10 career starts. Eight have started 20 games or more.
• Two Bison have starting streaks of 10 or more games in a row: Harris (19) and S John Schlendorf (17).
• Five Bison, Harris, Leake, Robinson, Schlendorf and Vyas, started all 11 of Bucknell's games in 2022.
• Only seniors P Ruben Anderson and Alston have played in all 32 of Bucknell's games over their four years.
• Of the junior class, Schlendorf and S Alex Smith Jr. have played in all 28 of the team's games over three seasons.
• 12 Bison have made their first career starts this season, including three freshmen. In 2022, seven players each made their first career starts. Two were juniors, two were sophomores, and three were freshmen.
Milestone Watch
• Ralph Rucker needs one passing touchdown to reach 10 on the season.
• Coleman Bennett needs 108 rush yards to reach 1,000 for his career.
• Brad Jamison needs 15 tackles to reach 100 in his career.
Milestones Met Last Week
• Coleman Bennett rushed for a career-high 157 yards.
• Cade Rooney recorded his first career interception.
• Rushawn Baker scored the 10th rushing touchdown of his career.
Bison Award Winners
• Coleman Bennett was one of 201 college football players to be named a 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist. Bucknell and Dayton are the only schools to have a Campbell Trophy semifinalist in each of the last 18 years.
• DL Aneesh Vyas was named the Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 25 for blocking an extra point and a field goal against Penn. He's the first Bison to earn a Patriot League weekly award this season.
• The Bison returned one All-Patriot League player, OL Ethan Pitzel (2nd Team in '22). DL Tyler Alston and K Matt Schearer were both voted to the 2023 Preseason All-Patriot League Team. Coleman Bennett was a 2021 Preseason All-League honoree as a return specialist.
• The Bison graduated three All-Patriot League players following the 2022 season: LB Ben Allen (2nd Team in '22), S Brent Jackson (2nd Team in '22), and CB Gavin Pringle (2nd Team in '22 and '19, 1st Team in 'S21).
• In 2022, Bennett was named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar by the publication Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. The award recognizes undergraduate students of color who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic fields.
• Last week, Bennett was named Bucknell's 2023 nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is awarded by the National Football Foundation to player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. Bucknell and Dayton are the only schools that have had a Campbell Trophy semifinalist each of the past 17 years.
• Six Bison were named to the 2022 CSC Academic All-District Team: Ben Allen, Connor Carretta, Brent Jackson, Ethan Pitzel, Jonathan Searcy and Aneesh Vyas.
• Bucknell returned two of its three Academic All-Patriot League honorees from the 2022 season: Bennett and Pitzel.
• In March, 50 Bucknell football players were named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll for achieving a 3.2 GPA or higher. The Bison led all Patriot League teams in the category.
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.
• Since arriving at Bucknell, Cecchini's players have combined to earn 20 All-Patriot League First/Second Team awards as well as one First Team All-American.
Inside the 2023 Schedule
• This is the 138th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first-ever game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• The Bison opened the 2023 slate against FBS opponent James Madison, which tied for first place in the Sun Belt East Division during its inaugural season in the conference with an 8-3 (6-2 SBC) record.
• After hosting VMI for the home opener on Sept. 9, the Bison remain at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to face Penn, which is coming off its winningest season in more than a decade. It marks the 44th time in the last 45 seasons that Bucknell has had an Ivy League program on the schedule.
• Bucknell's other non-league games include Cornell on Oct. 14 and Marist to close out the regular season on Nov. 18.
• Bucknell opened Patriot League play on the road at Lafayette on Sept. 30. The Bison play host to reigning league champion Holy Cross, Lehigh and Georgetown.
• Bucknell's 2023 opponents went a combined 58-64 last season. They are off to a combined 39-28 record this season.
Facility Upgrades
• Thanks to the support of the Pascucci family, Bucknell's new artificial turf practice field was broken in last preseason camp. Offering additional training and practice space for several men's and women's teams, the new field provides even greater training opportunities for a variety of programs beyond the ones that call Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium home.
• The stadium's new state-of-the-art video board made its debut in 2021, greatly heightening the fan experience at home events.
• Currently under construction is The Pascucci Team Center which, upon completion, will include a new strength and conditioning center, locker rooms, and a team meeting and event space.
• In recognition of Pascucci's historic commitment to both financial aid and athletics, the area of campus that includes the stadium and the Christy Mathewson Gates was named the Pascucci Family Athletics Complex.
• The picturesque Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium was dedicated in 1924 and was known originally as Memorial Stadium as a tribute to Bucknell's numerous war veterans. The stadium underwent a major renovation in 1989, and at that time it was rededicated to honor the iconic Christy Mathewson, who was a three-sport star and model student-athlete during his playing days at Bucknell.
• Bucknell is 256-184-10 all-time at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
How to Follow the Bison
• All of Bucknell's games this season, with the exception of the season finale at Marist, will be broadcast on ESPN+.
• All of the Bison's games will be broadcast on 100.9 The Valley (WVLY). The broadcast will also be available for internet streaming on 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
• Bucknell heads to Hamilton, N.Y. to play Colgate on Saturday, Oct. 28 in the first of two back-to-back road games.
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballIn The Herd: Season Opener And Shane Wynn And Kyla Kelly Features
Wednesday, October 15
2025 Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee Bob Rhein
Monday, October 13
2025 Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame
Sunday, October 12
Bucknell Men's Water Polo Vs. Mount St. Mary's (10/11/25)
Sunday, October 12