Bucknell University
4-7 , 1-5
Marist
4-7 , 4-4
Bison Win Season Finale Over Marist with Record-Setting Effort, 38-21
11/18/2023 3:35:00 PM | Football
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – It was a record-setting day for the Bucknell football team on Saturday, as the Bison showed out in the season finale with a convincing 38-21 victory over Marist at Tenney Stadium. The Bison led wire to wire and held a 38-7 advantage in the third quarter. During the effort, quarterback Ralph Rucker broke Bucknell's single-season passing yards record and single-season completions record, and he also tied the school's single-season passing touchdowns record. Additionally, wide receiver Damian Harris broke the school's single-game receptions record with 15.
Rucker completed 23 of 28 (82.1%) pass attempts for 273 yards and three touchdowns, while Harris racked up 177 yards and a touchdown. Christian Tait and Charlie Kreinbucher also pulled down receiving touchdowns. Eric Weatherly and Rushawn Baker rushed for touchdowns as well.
Defensively, the Bison limited Marist to 165 yards of offensive in the first half before many of the Bison reserves came in over the final two quarters. Brad Jamison totaled a team-high nine tackles, and Mike Bright Jr. posted 1.5 sacks.
The win gave Bucknell a 4-7 record for the season. The Bison went 3-3 in road games in 2023, including a 3-1 mark in the state of New York. Bucknell also registered over 400 yards of offense in each of its final four games, including 458 against the Red Foxes on Saturday.
Bucknell jumped out to an early 24-0 lead on Saturday, scoring on its first three drives while forcing Marist to punt on its first three. Baker scored first from a yard out to get the Bison on the board. It was his fourth touchdown in the last two game. Rucker then hit Christian Tait on a 32-yard touchdown later in the opening quarter.
Matt Schearer added a 39-yard field goal early in the second quarter, and Kreinbucher scored his touchdown later in the frame to extend the Bison lead to 24-0. Marist made its way onto the scoreboard with just four second left in the half, as quarterback Logan Brabham threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Matt Stianche.
Early in the second half, Weatherly ran one into the end zone from three yards out for his first rushing touchdown of the year. The sophomore wide receiver made the transition from running back to receiver after arriving at Bucknell this season.
Earlier in that drive, Rucker became Bucknell's all-time single-season passing leader with one of his completions to Harris. He then tied the touchdown record on the following drive when he threw short out to Harris, and the senior receiver used a second and third effort to get to the goal line.
Rucker's 2,537 passing yards this season eclipsed R.J. Nitti's 2015 mark of 2,477. His 211 completions were two more than Todd Wenrich's 2001 mark of 209, and his 21 touchdown passes matched Todd Hatajik's 21 in 1990.
"There was a lot of unknown coming here and coming into this league," said Rucker, who transfered to Bucknell from Oklahoma University last winter . "I felt I did a good job handling it, and Coach Bear did a good job handling it as well. Each week he put in a great plan that was real easy for me to understand, because I've been in this offense for so long. Our guys did a great job of adjusting to the new offense this season, and you could tell each week moving forward we just got better and better. I think you could see how comfortable we looked and how each week we got better."
1,314 of Rucker's yards and 12 of his touchdowns came over the final four games of the season.
TOUCHDOWN! Ralph Rucker has now tied Todd Hatajik's 1990 Bucknell single-season passing TDs record with 21 and has broken the single-season completions record! #rayBucknell @PatriotLeagueTV @ESPN https://t.co/FUDQbXrcbC pic.twitter.com/R5VMlVgFqR
— Bucknell Football (@Bucknell_FB) November 18, 2023
Rucker was relieved by Tyler Beverett for the rest of the game, and Beverett was 5 for 6 passing for 34 yards and 17 rushing yards. It was Beverett who threw Harris his 15th reception, which broke Brandon Sanders' and Dominic Lyles' school record of 14.
The Red Foxes added two more touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including one with 46 seconds to go, to cut the final score to 38-21. Freshman running back Princeton Cahee had an impressive fourth quarter, rushing for 38 yards on six carries.
Looking forward, the 2023 Bison Gridiron Club Awards Dinner is set for Sunday, Dec. 3, and all fans are invited to attend. Admission is $25, and fans must RSVP to Todd Newcomb at tnewcomb@bucknell.edu by Wednesday, Nov. 9. The dinner will take place in the Terrace Room located in the Elaine Langone Center on campus.
Team Stats
BUC 7, MAR 0
BUC - Baker, Rushawn 1 yd run (Schearer,Matt kick), 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:24
BUC 14, MAR 0
BUC - Tait,Christian 32 yd pass from Rucker,Ralph (Schearer,Matt kick) 8 plays, 69 yards, TOP 04:16
BUC 17, MAR 0
BUC - Schearer,Matt 39 yd field goal 13 plays, 72 yards, TOP 06:13
BUC 24, MAR 0
BUC - Kreinbucher,Charlie 1 yd pass from Rucker,Ralph (Schearer,Matt kick) 5 plays, 59 yards, TOP 01:55
BUC 24, MAR 7
MAR - Stianche,Matt 5 yd pass from Brabham,Logan (Gardi,Chase kick) 14 plays, 85 yards, TOP 03:33
BUC 31, MAR 7
BUC - Weatherly,Eric 3 yd run (Schearer,Matt kick), 7 plays, 35 yards, TOP 02:05
BUC 38, MAR 7
BUC - Harris,Damian 24 yd pass from Rucker,Ralph (Schatzel,Ryan kick) 6 plays, 59 yards, TOP 02:29
BUC 38, MAR 14
MAR - Diawara,Mohamed 9 yd pass from Brabham,Logan (Gardi,Chase kick) 4 plays, 64 yards, TOP 01:08
BUC 38, MAR 21
MAR - Stianche,Matt 8 yd pass from Brabham,Logan (Gardi,Chase kick) 7 plays, 71 yards, TOP 01:57
