Bucknell University
1-3 , 0-1
Lafayette
4-1 , 1-0
Bucknell Football Drops Patriot League Opener on the Road at Lafayette
9/30/2023 7:56:00 PM | Football
EASTON, Pa. – Lafayette raced to a 42-12 halftime lead, including 28 unanswered points to begin the game, en route to a 56-22 win over Bucknell at Fisher Stadium Saturday afternoon. Bucknell scored twice in the final eight minutes of the first half to cut the deficit to 35-12, but it was as close as the Bison would get the rest of the way. The Leopards piled up 545 yards of offense in the game and limited Bucknell to negative rushing yards.
The Bison posted 333 yards through the air, with Ralph Rucker throwing for 282 on 28-of-44 passing. Nick Semptimphelter entered the game late in the fourth quarter and threw for 51 yards and a touchdown. Lafayette finished the game with seven sacks compared to Bucknell's one.
Lafayette had four plays go for 30 or more yards, including two runs for over 50 yards and a 63-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.
Quarterback Dean DeNobile threw for 229 yards and four touchdowns for the Leopards. Running back Jamar Curtis rushed 10 times for 106 yards and a score.
Lafayette capitalized on a number of Bucknell mistakes early, including blocking a field goal early in the first quarter. The Bison had a punt blocked on the on the first play of the second quarter, setting the Leopards up at the Bucknell 42-yard line. Lafayette went on to score on a 30-yard rush later that drive. Rucker was intercepted on the following Bucknell drive, leading to a seven-play, 20-yard touchdown drive that made it 28-0.
It was on the ensuing drive that the Bison finally made their way onto the scoreboard. With 10 minutes to go in the first half, Rucker hit Eric Weatherly on a 32-yard pass that set the Bison up in Lafayette territory. Four plays later Coleman Bennett scored on a three-yard rush up the middle for his first touchdown of the season.
Bucknell scored again on its next drive to cut the deficit to 35-12 as Rucker went 6-of-11 for 87 yards, hitting Weatherly on a 26-yard post for the score. Weatherly pulled the pass in with one hand for his third touchdown in two weeks. He ended the game with a career-high 107 yards on seven receptions.
It was Lafayette that scored last in the half, however, moving the ball 75 yards in just four plays.
Lafayette slowed its offensive pace in the second half, scoring seven points in the third quarter and seven in the fourth. Bucknell put together two more scoring drives. The Bison went 69 yards on eight plays early in the fourth and finished it with a 29-yard Matt Schearer field goal. Then with just a minute to go in the game, Semptimphelter his Derrick Anderson Jr. on a 36-yard touchdown pass. It was the first touchdown reception of Anderson's career.
Josh Gary joined Weatherly with a solid game receiving, hauling in six receptions for 76 yards. Bennett finished the game with 172 all-purpose yards, posting 40 on five receptions and 137 on kick returns. He returned a kickoff 42 yards to open the second half and took another one 61 yards later in the third quarter. Blake Leake led all Bison defenders with 10 tackles.
Bucknell is back home at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7 to host fifth-ranked Holy Cross.
Team Stats
BUC 0, LAF 7
LAF - Curtis,Jamar 10 yd run (Simonetta,Jack kick), 10 plays, 76 yards, TOP 03:35
BUC 0, LAF 14
LAF - Conyers,Jermaine 1 yd run (Simonetta,Jack kick), 4 plays, 83 yards, TOP 01:38
BUC 0, LAF 21
LAF - Persing,Carson 30 yd pass from Denobile,Dean (Simonetta,Jack kick) 4 plays, 42 yards, TOP 01:02
BUC 0, LAF 28
LAF - Carasia,Chris 5 yd pass from Denobile,Dean (Simonetta,Jack kick) 7 plays, 20 yards, TOP 02:30
BUC 6, LAF 28
BUC - Bennett,Coleman 3 yd run (), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:54
BUC 6, LAF 35
LAF - Curtis,Jamar 8 yd pass from Denobile,Dean (Simonetta,Jack kick) 5 plays, 73 yards, TOP 02:09
BUC 12, LAF 35
BUC - Weatherly,Eric 26 yd pass from Rucker,Ralph () 12 plays, 77 yards, TOP 03:18
BUC 12, LAF 42
LAF - Steward,Elijah 63 yd pass from Denobile,Dean (Simonetta,Jack kick) 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:30
BUC 12, LAF 49
LAF - Edwards,Kente 2 yd run (Simonetta,Jack kick), 7 plays, 41 yards, TOP 03:46
BUC 15, LAF 49
BUC - Schearer,Matt 29 yd field goal 8 plays, 69 yards, TOP 03:11
BUC 15, LAF 56
LAF - Weber,Ethan 9 yd run (Simonetta,Jack kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 08:27
BUC 22, LAF 56
BUC - Anderson Jr.,Derrick 36 yd pass from Semptimphelter,Nick (Schearer,Matt kick) 6 plays, 61 yards, TOP 01:13
