Football Visits Poughkeepsie for Season Finale at Marist

Saturday, November 18

Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Noon

Bucknell University

Marist

Photo by: John Rooney

Football Visits Poughkeepsie for Season Finale at Marist

11/16/2023 9:00:00 AM | Football

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell wraps up its 2023 campaign on the road Saturday at Marist. The Bison are seeking their highest win total since 2017 as well as a second consecutive season-finale victory over the Red Foxes.

Bucknell is coming off a heartbreaking 50-47 overtime loss to Georgetown, but the offense once against put on a spectacular display with a third consecutive 400-yard game. The Bison rattled off 29 unanswered points in the second half last Saturday and is averaging 39 points over its last three contests.

Marist has sputtered to three straight losses after beginning the year 4-3. It totaled just nine points in its last two games combined. One of the Red Foxes' losses this season was also to Georgetown – a 49-7 defeat to open the season.

Bucknell has lost just once to Marist since the series began in 2005. The Bison are playing their fourth straight road contest in the state of New York.

Media Notes:

When: Saturday, Nov. 18 – Noon
Where: Tenney Stadium – Poughkeepsie.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: GoRedFoxes.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_FB
Digital Program
Media Notes: Bucknell

With a Victory the Bison would…
• improve to 4-7 on the season
• even its road record at 3-3
• win its season finale or a second year in a row
• improve to 14-1 against Marist all-time
• win a ninth straight game over the Red Foxes

Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell dropped to 3-7 (1-5 PL) with a 50-47 overtime loss at home to Georgetown last weekend. It was Bucknell's third consecutive game with over 400 yards and its second time in three weeks eclipsing 40 points. Prior to the last three weeks, Bucknell had not scored 30 points in a game since March 27, 2021. The 97 combined points in the Georgetown game were second-most in the history of the program.
• Bucknell's victories this season have come over VMI (21-13) on Sept. 9, Cornell (21-13) on Oct. 14 and Colgate (49-34) on Oct. 28.
• Teams that have beat the Bison have a combined 43-26 record. Two are nationally ranked, including the FBS' 10-0 James Madison, and another is receiving votes.
• Bucknell is enjoying one of its best offensive seasons in recent memory. It has totaled 3,612 yards, which is 382 shy of the fifth-most all-time in program history. The Bison are 32 passing yards shy of the team single-season record. Bucknell ranks 22nd in the FCS with 254.7 passing yards per game.
• Several Bison are also near the top of the FCS rankings. Coleman Bennett is eighth in all-purpose yards per game (137.7), Ethan Robinson is eighth in passes defended per game (1.4), and Ralph Rucker is 18th in passing touchdowns (18).
• 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 Georgetown Box Score
• Bucknell scored 29 unanswered points in the second half to erase a 37-15 deficit and take the lead with just over three minutes to play in the fourth quarter. The Bison scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives during the comeback.
• Georgetown scored with 1:45 left in the fourth to tie the game and send it to overtime. Bucknell scored first in overtime with a 41-yard field goal, but the Hoyas posted a 1-yard rushing touchdown on the following drive to win the game.
• The 97 combined points were second-most scored in a Bucknell game in the program's history.
• Bucknell racked up over 400 yards for a third consecutive contest. 386 of its yards came in the second half.
• Ralph Rucker, after starting the game with two interceptions, threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns.
• Rushawn Baker became the first Bison in six years with three rushing touchdowns in a single game. He finished the game with 97 yards on the ground.
• Brad Jamison and Alex Smith Jr. both recorded interceptions for the Bison. Jamison's came at a particularly crucial time in the fourth quarter and set up Bucknell's go-ahead touchdown.
• There were 13 total touchdowns scored in the game. The Hoyas also scored with a safety and on a 46-yard kickoff return touchdown.

Marist at a Glance
• Marist fell to 4-6 (4-4 Pioneer League) with a 35-6 loss at Dayton last weekend. It was the Red Foxes' third consecutive defeat after they put together a 4-1 stretch in the middle of the season. Marist currently sits fifth in the Pioneer League standings.
• Marist's wins this season are over Valparaiso, Stetson, San Diego and Presbyterian. Since the Presbyterian game, the Red Foxes are averaging just 7.7 points per game and have totaled just nine combined points in the last two games.
• Marist is averaging 294.5 yards of offense per game, with the bulk of that coming through the air. Meanwhile, redshirt junior running back Amin Woods is averaging 74.1 yards per game on the ground.
• The Red Foxes have allowed 360.3 yards per game on defense. They lead the nation with 13 fumble recoveries and are ninth with three defensive touchdowns.
• Marist was picked to finish seventh in the 11-team Pioneer League in the preseason poll. The Red Foxes went 4-7 (4-4) in 2022.
• Marist head coach Jim Parady is in his 32nd season with the program and owns a 155-170 career record.

The Bucknell/Marist Series
• Bucknell and Marist are meeting for the 15th time since the series began in 2005, and the Bison have come out on top in all but one meeting. Bucknell has won eight in a row, including last season's matchup.
• Marist's lone win in the series was in Poughkeepsie in 2010 when it pulled out a 14-3 victory. The Bison have won on the road at Marist five times.
• The last two contests have been in Lewisburg, and this will be the first game between the two teams in New York since 2016.
• The Bison and the Red Foxes met every season from 2005-17.
• Just four of the 14 games have been decided by a single score, and Bucknell has hung 48 and 45 points on the board in meetings with the Red Foxes. The Bison also pitched back-to-back shutouts against Marist in 2014 and 2015.

The Last Time Bucknell and Marist Met
Bucknell 24 – Marist 13 (Nov. 19, 2022 – Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Bucknell defeated Marist in the 2022 season finale at home, pulling out a 24-13 come-from-behind victory. The Bison trailed 13-3 at halftime before shutting out the Red Foxes over the final two quarters.
• Bucknell rushed for 245 yards in the win, 120 of which Rushawn Baker was responsible for, and the defense limited the Red Foxes to just 48 yards in the second half.
• Baker scored two of Bucknell's three touchdowns, registering one rushing and one receiving. Nick Semptimphelter scored the other touchdown with his legs and finished the game completing 11 of 19 passes for 93 yards through the air. Semptimphelter ran the ball 12 times in the game.
• Coleman Bennett added 80 rushing yards on 16 carries.
• Blake Leake and Brent Jackson combined for 17 tackles, and Ethan Robinson posted a sack and two tackles for loss.
• Marist running back Amin Woods accounted for both Marist touchdowns and picked up 93 yards on 17 carries. One of Marist's extra points was blocked by Bucknell's Aneesh Vyas.

Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 140 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 177 starts.
• On offense, three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman (OL Xavier Allen) are expected to start.
• On defense, three seniors, four juniors one sophomore (CB Roman Pearson) and two freshmen are expected to start.
• 22 Bison have made at least 10 career starts. 10 have started 20 games or more, and WR Damian Harris leads the team with 31 career starts followed by DL Connor Carretta with 30.
• Eight Bison have starting streaks of 10 or more games in a row, led by Harris (23) and S John Schlendorf (21).
• Five Bison, Harris, Leake, Robinson, Schlendorf and Vyas, started all 11 of Bucknell's games in 2022.
• Only senior P Ruben Anderson has played in all 36 of Bucknell's games over his four years.
• Of the junior class, Schlendorf and S Alex Smith Jr. have played in all 32 of the team's games over three seasons.
• 14 Bison have made their first career starts this season, including four freshmen.

Rucker's Records
• Junior quarterback Ralph Rucker has made several dents in the Bucknell record book during his first season in Lewisburg despite missing a game. Below is a list of Bucknell milestones and records he has already broken or is approaching.
• Broke Bucknell's single-game passing yards record with 387 at Colgate (10/28).
• Tied for seventh-most single-game passing attempts with 48 at Fordham (11/4).
• Third-most completions in a game with 33 at Colgate (10/28).
• Fourth-most passing yards in a single season with 2,264.
• Tied for second-most touchdown passes in a game with four at Colgate (10/28).
• Third-most touchdown passes in a single season with 18.
• One of three Bison with multiple 300-yard passing games. The record is three held by Jim Given '87.
• Joined Given as the only other Bison to throw for 300 yards in back-to-back games (387 at Colgate, 358 at Fordham).

Milestone Watch
• Ralph Rucker needs three passing touchdowns to tie Bucknell's single-season record (21).
• Ralph Rucker needs 41 completions to tie Bucknell's single-season record (209).
• Ralph Rucker needs 213 passing yards to tie Bucknell's single-season record (2,477).
• Coleman Bennett needs 45 all-purpose yards to rank ninth all-time for his career.
• Damian Harris needs 26 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for his career.
• Damian Harris needs 11 receptions to reach 100 for his career.
• Alex Smith Jr. needs six tackles to reach 100 for his career.
• Mike Bright Jr. needs six tackles to reach 100 for his career.
• Ruben Anderson needs one punt inside the 20 to reach 50 in his career.

Milestones Met Last Week
• Eric Weatherly tied for sixth in Bucknell record book in single-season touchdowns (7).
• Connor Carretta reached tackles 100 in his career.

Bison Award Winners
• Ralph Rucker was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 30 for the first time in his career after completing 33 of 44 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns.
• 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 a combined 55-43 this season.

How to Follow the Bison
• All of Bucknell's games this season 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.