Saturday, November 9
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
5-5 , 3-1
28
vs
27
Fordham
1-9 , 1-4
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Fordham
0
7
12
8
27
Bucknell
7
7
7
7
28
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Football Moves Into Tie for First Place in Patriot League with Narrow 28-27 Win Over Fordham
11/9/2024 4:35:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell quarterback Ralph Rucker IV threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns, including a beautifully floated game-winning touchdown to Nate Anderson with 2:35 remaining to help the Bison take a narrow 28-27 win over Fordham. Bucknell improved to 3-1 in the Patriot League and is now tied for first place with Lehigh and Holy Cross heading into a key road showdown with the Crusaders next week.Â
After the Rams took their first lead of the day at 27-21 with 4:18 remaining, Rucker IV and the Bison drove down the field in just 1:36 to take back its lead. Rucker IV hit Josh Gary for 23 yards then Eric Weatherly for 19 yards on consecutive plays before hitting a wide-open Anderson with a touch pass on a 3rd and 10. Â
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Rucker and Anderson's game-winning connection! @espn | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/izSA5CUrbZ
— Bucknell Football (@Bucknell_FB) November 9, 2024
A big sack from Nick Hoying and John Schlendorf slowed the Rams final drive of the game, helping the Bison make a big defensive stand on 4th and 2 to get the ball back with :35 remaining.
The Rams (1-9, 1-4 PL) out-gained the Bison by nearly 200 yards, but Bucknell made big defensive stands throughout the game to keep the Rams at bay. Twice, the Bison stopped 4th down conversions in the red zone while also making the big fourth-down stand late in the game. The Rams went 0-3 on fourth down conversions, coming into the game leading all Division I schools in fourth-down conversion attempts (31) while converting 48.5 percent.
Rucker IV is now second on Bucknell's all-time passing touchdowns list with 36 career touchdowns in his second season with Bucknell. Rucker IV's second touchdown passed R.J. Nitti's ('17) mark of 34 career touchdowns. Rucker IV is fifth in Bucknell's all-time passing yards records, throwing for 4,575 yards. He sits only 215 yards behind Jim Given ('88).
In the absence of freshman running back Tariq Thomas, who totaled 371 yards and two touchdowns over the previous three weeks, the Bison could not get the run game going. Bucknell ran the ball 25 times for just 41 yards. Senior running back Paul Neel made a big impact in the passing game with three catches for 47 yards including a 44-yard touchdown on a screen play in the third quarter.
Sophomore linebacker Gavin Willis recovered his FCS-leading fourth and fifth fumbles. Willis's first recovery flipped the momentum early, taking a fumble 79 yards to the house for his first career touchdown. His second came in the third quarter as Jack Barnes stripped Rams quarterback Jack Capaldi on the Bucknell 4-yard line. Overall, it was a day to remember for Willis who led the team with 13 tackles, including four total tackles for a loss. Willis was also credited with a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup in the game.
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Here's the Willis scoop and score! Willis leads all FCS programs with his fourth fumble recovery of the season!
— Bucknell Football (@Bucknell_FB) November 9, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/Dj55dKekhn@espn | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/XdfZnMpGjs
Alex Smith Jr. also came up with a takeaway, making his fifth career interception on a deep ball into the end zone in the second quarter.
Anderson, a Western Michigan transfer, tallied five catches for a season-high 76 yards and two touchdowns on the day. Anderson's first touchdown came with 21 seconds left in the first half to give the Bison a 14-7 lead.
Both teams failed on 4th conversions in the red zone on their opening drives. Aneesh Vyas and Cade Rooney combined for a fourth-down stop at their own 12-yard line. The Rams stopped the Bison at the Rams 20-yard line, forcing an incomplete pass.
Fordham quickly came back down the field with a great, 12-play 80-yard drive, but a miscue on a hand-off was snatched up by Willis for the scoop-and-score and the game's first points.
Fordham punted away its next two drives before tying the game 7-7. Midway through the second quarter, the Bison punted to the Fordham 41-yard line. It took just one play for the Rams to score as Capaldi found Cole Thornton for a 59-yard touchdown.
The Rams held the momentum, forcing another punt by the Bison. Punter Matt Schearer totaled seven punts on the day, averaging 33 yards per punt. As Fordham drove with the ball at midfield, Capaldi looked for another deep touchdown but was intercepted by Smith Jr. in the end zone.
The Bison got the ball back late in the half with 1:39 remaining. With half-a-minute remaining, Rucker IV found an open Anderson on the sideline. Anderson immediately broke a tackle and a ran free for a 44-yard touchdown.
Fordham came out aggressive in the second half, scoring on its opening drive to even the score 14-14. The Rams forced a punt before going six plays for 66 yards in just 3:08. A personal foul by the Bison put the Rams in Bucknell's half, and Capaldi took advantage with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Gonzalez II. Â
Bucknell only needed five plays to go right back down the field and take the lead again. A 28-yard pass to Weatherly put the ball in at the Rams 44-yard line. Two plays later, Neel took a screen pass down the sideline, making defenders miss for his fourth touchdown of the season.
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Check out Paul Neel's 44-yard receiving touchdown! It's his third of the season!
— Bucknell Football (@Bucknell_FB) November 9, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/Dj55dKekhn@espn | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/VMvCYczIR8
A safety and field goal by Fordham made it a 21-19 score heading into the fourth quarter. Barnes's forced fumble came on fourth and goal for the Rams late in the third quarter. The Bison began its next drive at their own four-yard line, but a holding penalty in the end zone gave the Rams two points. The Rams came right back down the field, knocking in a 25-yard field goal to make it a two-point game.
The Bison stalled on its next two drives, punting away on both drives before Fordham took its first lead of the day. A 58-yard catch by Makai Felton and a 21-yard rush by Julius Loughridge put the ball at the Bison goal-line, and Loughridge punched it in to put Fordham ahead with 4:18 left to play. The Rams completed a two-point conversion to take a 27-21 lead.
Starting from their own 35-yard line, it took three plays for the Bison to get to the Fordham 15-yard line. On 3rd and 10, Anderson broke free over the middle, and Rucker IV floated the pass just over a leaping linebacker for the touchdown.
It was back-and-forth all game. Neither team had a drive last over five minutes, with just four drives in the game eclipsing four minutes.
Willis was the only Bison with double-digit tackles. Hoying and Schlendorf had nine and eight tackles, respectively. Hoying had 1.5 sacks and Brad Jamison came up with a big sack in the fourth quarter.
Mike Courtney led the Rams with 12 tackles. Fordham came up with three sacks on the day, but the Bison did not turn the ball over.
Capaldi was 18-for-27 in the air for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Thornton, Gonzalez II, and Felton combined for 14 of the receptions. Thornton led the Rams with six receptions for 130 yards. Julius Loughridge was dominant on the ground, rushing for 155 yards on 26 carries.
Bucknell, Lehigh, and Holy Cross are all at the top of the Patriot League standings with a 3-1 record. Holy Cross was 3-0 coming into its game with Lehigh until Lehigh gave them its first Patriot League loss, taking down the Crusaders 10-7.
The Bison hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Lehigh, beating the Mountain Hawks 38-35 in overtime on September 28.
The Bison look to prove itself again next week, traveling to Holy Cross for a big match-up in the Patriot league title race with only two games remaining. Bucknell and Holy Cross are set to kickoff at 12 p.m. at Fitton Field.
Team Stats
FOR
BCK
Total Yards
549
363
Pass Yards
310
322
Rushing Yards
239
41
Penalty Yards
69
41
1st Downs
26
19
3rd Downs
2
6
4th Downs
0
0
TOP
33:23
26:37
1st Quarter
FOR 0, BCK 7
BCK - Willis,Gavin 79 yd fumble recovery (Schearer,Matt kick)
2nd Quarter
FOR 7, BCK 7
FOR - Thornton,Cole 59 yd pass from Capaldi,Jack (Henderson,Bennett kick) 1 plays, 59 yards, TOP 00:08
FOR 7, BCK 14
BCK - Anderson,Nate 44 yd pass from Rucker IV,Ralph (Schearer,Matt kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:18
3rd Quarter
FOR 14, BCK 14
FOR - Gonzalez II,Ricky 30 yd pass from Capaldi,Jack (Henderson,Bennett kick) 6 plays, 66 yards, TOP 03:08
FOR 14, BCK 21
BCK - Neel,Paul 44 yd pass from Rucker IV,Ralph (Schearer,Matt kick) 5 plays, 77 yards, TOP 01:37
FOR 16, BCK 21
FOR - 0 yd safety
FOR 19, BCK 21
FOR - Henderson,Bennett 25 yd field goal 5 plays, 42 yards, TOP 02:24
4th Quarter
FOR 27, BCK 21
FOR - Loughridge,Julius 1 yd run (Felton,Mekai pass), 4 plays, 80 yards, TOP 01:26
FOR 27, BCK 28
BCK - Anderson,Nate 15 yd pass from Rucker IV,Ralph (Schearer,Matt kick) 6 plays, 65 yards, TOP 01:43
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
27
TD
3
YDS
322
INT
0
Players Mentioned
WR
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DL
/ Football
S/LB
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LB
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DL
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QB
/ Football
P/K
/ Football
S
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S
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RB
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DL
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WR
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LB
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