Saturday, August 31
Annapolis, Md.
Noon
Bucknell University
at
Navy
Photo by: John Rooney
Bucknell Football Opens 2024 Season at FBS Opponent Navy
8/27/2024 1:01:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell kicks off its 139th season of football when it visits Navy on Saturday for the 2024 opener. The historic game, which pits the Bison against the Midshipmen for the first time in nearly a century, begins just the third 12-game schedule in program history. The 2024 campaign also marks a century of football at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, as the Bison celebrate their home's 100th anniversary throughout the season.
Bucknell enters the season full of promise after returning a cast of key contributors from the record-setting 2023 campaign that saw the offense set new program highs in single-season passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions and average yards per game. Bucknell's offense put together its highest scoring season in a decade and its sixth-highest scoring season in program history. Additionally, Bucknell returns its All-Patriot League inside linebacker and team captain Brad Jamison while welcoming a host of talented transfers and a promising rookie class.
Navy, a program that Bucknell faced 14 times over a 27-year span at the beginning of the 20th century, represents the fifth FBS team the Bison have faced under sixth-year head coach Dave Cecchini. It's also the third time under Cecchini the Bison have opened the season against an FBS opponent. The Mids are in their second year of the Brian Newberry era. Navy's five wins during Newberry's first year at the helm were the most by the program since 2019.
Media Notes:
When: Saturday, Aug. 31 at noon
Where: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium – Annapolis, Md.
Watch: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: NavySports.com
Media Notes: Bucknell | Navy
Follow on X: @Bucknell_FB
Digital Game Program
With a Victory the Bison would…
• improve to 94-44-1 all-time in season openers
• open the season 1-0 for the first time since the spring 2021 campaign
• move to 50-84-4 all-time in first road games
• improve to 3-4 in season openers under Cecchini
• defeat an FBS opponent for the first time in 12 tries
• move to 5-9-1 all-time against Navy
• defeat Navy for the first time since 1924
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison were picked to finish seventh in the 2024 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll after finishing the 2023 campaign in a tie for sixth with a 4-7 (1-5 PL) record.
• Junior K Matt Schearer was named to the 2024 Preseason All-Patriot League Team for a second season in a row. The Bison also landed eight on the Phil Steele 2024 Patriot League Preseason All-Conference Team.
• Bucknell is entering its sixth season under head coach Dave Cecchini, who was voted as the Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year during the 2021 spring campaign for leading the Bison to a spot in the first-ever Patriot League Championship Game following the abbreviated season. Cecchini's team is coming off a record-setting campaign in 2023 that saw the offense average 38.8 points per game over the final four contests.
• Bucknell returned a total of 42 letterwinners in 2023, a group that includes two fifth-year seniors, 18 seniors, 14 juniors and eight sophomores. 11 Bison are three-time letterwinners, and fifth-year RB Danny Meuser is a four-time letterwinner. Bucknell lost 32 letterwinners last year.
• Bucknell welcomed 33 newcomers this season, including 27 freshmen. Five newcomers transferred to Bucknell.
• The Bison welcomed a host of new faces to the staff during the offseason: special teams coordinator/linebackers coach Brad Jarman, running backs coach Jalen Banks, defensive line coach Codey Cole, assistant offensive line coach/run game analyst Ashley Cornwell, defensive quality control/cornerbacks coach Roger Wright-Lester, and video coordinator Kiem LeGrant.
• Fifth-year senior OL Casey Stephenson, senior LB Brad Jamison, senior S Alex Smith Jr., and junior OL John Ohnegian were selected by their teammates to serve as team captains for the 2024 season. Stephenson is just the 12th multi-year captain in program history.
Navy at a Glance
• Navy enters its second season under head coach Brian Newberry, who previously spent four seasons as the Mids' defensive coordinator. Navy went 5-7 (4-4 AAC) in 2023 after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll, achieving its highest win total since 2019.
• Prior to 2020, Navy strung together 14 winning seasons between 2003 and 2017 and won 11 games in both 2015 and 2019.
• Navy was picked to finish 11th in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Preseason Media Poll.
• The Mids averaged 300.3 yards of offense and 17.7 points per game in 2023. It ranked 17th in FBS with 194.6 rushing yards per game. This season, first-year offensive coordinator Drew Cronic will lead the Mids' offense after going 28-17 in four seasons as head coach at Marist.
• Defensively, the Mids ranked 44th in FBS with 353.7 yards allowed per game and gave up an average of 22.4 points, which ranked 37th. Navy was also third in red zone defense and fourth in turnover margin nationally.
• Key returners on the defensive side for the Mids include senior LB Colin Ramos, who led the team with 110 tackles last season, and senior S Rayuan Lane III, who registered a team-best eight pass breakups along with four interceptions and 66 tackles.
• Offensively, the Mids are without their two leading quarterbacks from last season, but FBs Alex Tecza and Daba Fofana are back after combining for over 1,000 rush yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. Navy also returns Eli Heidenreich, who rushed for 214 yards and hauled in 19 receptions for 382 yards and four touchdowns.
The Bucknell/Navy Series
• Bucknell and Navy are meeting on the gridiron for the first time since 1925. The two programs met 14 times from 1898 to 1925, with Navy claiming nine of those games, Bucknell claiming four, and the 1906 matchup ending in a scoreless tie. All 14 previous games were hosted by Navy.
• Navy won the last meeting, 13-7, on Nov. 14, 1925 at Farragut Field in Annapolis.
• Bucknell last defeated Navy on Nov. 15, 1924 by a score of 6-0.
• Navy owns the longest winning streak in the series, defeating the Bison six consecutive times from 1913 to 1922. Bucknell won back-to-back games over Navy in 1902 and 1903 and at one point led in the series with a 3-2-1 record.
• The largest margin of victory by either team was a 70-7 victory by Navy in 1913. Amazingly, Bucknell had beaten the Midshipmen 17-7 just one year prior. Bucknell's largest margin of victory was 23-0 in 1902.
• Navy won the first-ever meeting, 11-0, on Oct. 8, 1898.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 95 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 94 starts.
• On offense, one fifth-year (OL Casey Stephenson), three seniors, six juniors and one sophomore (OL Xavier Allen) are expected to start.
• On defense, eight seniors, two juniors and one sophomore (LB Gavin Willis) are expected to start.
• 10 Bison have made at least 10 starts entering Saturday's game. S John Schlendorf leads the team and is the only player with 20 career starts (22). OL Casey Stephenson is expected to make his 20th start on Saturday.
• Five Bison have starting streaks of 10 or more games in a row: Schlendorf (22), TE Charlie Kreinbucher (14), S Alex Smith Jr. (11), OL John Ohnegian (11) and LB Brad Jamison (11).
• Seniors Schlendorf and Smith Jr. have played in all 33 of the team's games over their three seasons.
Milestones to Watch
• Alex Smith Jr. is one tackle away from 100 in his career.
• Derrick Anderson Jr. needs 68 receiving yards to reach 500 for his career.
• Ralph Rucker IV is 463 passing yards away from 3,000 in his Bucknell career.
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned one All-Patriot League player, LB Brad Jamison.
• K Matt Schearer was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team in July. It was his second time being named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team after earning the honor in 2023 as well.
• Eight Bison were named to the 2024 Phil Steele Patriot League Preseason All-Conference Team: K Schearer (1st Tm), LB Jamison (2nd Tm), QB Ralph Rucker IV (3rd Tm), WR Eric Weatherly (3rd Tm), OL Xavier Allen (3rd Tm), OL Casey Stephenson (3rd Tm), OL John Ohnegian (3rd Tm) and S John Schlendorf (3rd Tm).
• The Bison lost First Team All-Patriot League CB Ethan Robinson as well as First Team All-Patriot League KR and Second Team All-League RB Coleman Bennett from last season.
• Bucknell returned one of its three Academic All-Patriot League honorees from last season: OL Ohnegian.
• Four current members of the roster have earned Patriot League Weekly Awards during their careers. QB Rucker was named PL Offensive Player of the Week last year (10/30), DL Aneesh Vyas was named PL Special Teams Player of the Week last year (9/25), K Schearer was named PL Rookie of the Week twice in 2022 (10/24 & 11/14), and DL Justin Fisher was named PL Rookie of the Week as well as HIMS National Freshman of the Week in 2021 (9/6).
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 24 All-Patriot League First/Second Team awards as well as one First Team All-American.
Inside the 2024 Schedule
• This is the 139th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first-ever game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell is scheduled to play 12 games for just the third time in program history and for the first time since 2003. The Bison also played 12 games is 1916. Bucknell will host six home games for the first time since 2017.
• The Bison open the 2024 slate against FBS opponent Navy. It's the fifth FBS team Bucknell has faced under head coach Dave Cecchini and the third time it has faced an FBS foe in the season opener.
• Bucknell goes on the road again in week two to face VMI for a third season in a row. The Bison and Keydets split the previous two meetings.
• Bucknell hosts Merrimack for its home opener on Sept. 14 for what will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The Bison then host Marist a week later for Family Weekend on Sept. 21 and will look to make it three consecutive wins over the Red Foxes in as many seasons.
• The Bison open Patriot League play on the road at Lehigh on Sept. 28 before hitting the bye week. They return from the bye on Oct. 12 with a trip to Penn for the first of two back-to-back games against Ivy League teams. Bucknell hosts Cornell on Oct. 19 over Homecoming Weekend. It marks the 45th time in the last 46 seasons that Bucknell has had at least one Ivy League program on the schedule.
• A trip to Georgetown rounds out the month of October before the Bison play three of their final four games at home. The Bison and the Hoyas have played overtime games the last two years and have alternated wins over the last six meetings.
• Lafayette visits Lewisburg on Nov. 2, and Fordham comes to town Nov. 9 before Bucknell visits Holy Cross for its final road game. The regular season comes to a close at home against Colgate on Nov. 23.
• Bucknell's 2024 opponents went a combined 63-69 last season.
Facility Upgrades
• The Bison officially opened the doors to the Pascucci Team Center on April 15, 2024, completing a plethora of enhancements in and around Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium in recent years that were made possible through the generous support of Michael Pascucci '58, P'81, P'87, G'21, G'22.
• Standing prominently between the turf practice field and the north end zone of the stadium, the new facility is a 16,000-square-foot athletics hub that features a state-of-the-art strength and conditioning facility with an expansive weight room that overlooks the turf practice field. Adjacent to the weight room is a sports medicine center.
• Specifically designed to bridge the practice and game-day fields, the team center's south facade offers sweeping views of Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Inside, a spacious team meeting room and conference room allows teams to review film and gather for off-field training and learning events. A Bison Fuel station ensures convenient access to nutritious snacks, supplements and hydration.
• Earlier phases of the project included the installation of a modern LED video board at the south end zone of Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium in 2021 and the completion of a turf practice field in 2022.
• The Bucknell football team's locker room, located within Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, was also redone over the summer and includes brand-new lockers, a player's lounge, and more.
Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium's 100th Anniversary Season
• Bucknell Athletics proudly celebrates Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium's 100th anniversary season in 2024. Over the course of 10 decades, the historic landmark has played host to more than 450 football games along with countless other athletic events and community gatherings. The Bison will celebrate a century of tradition throughout the 2024-25 academic year, and the Oct. 19 home game vs. Cornell will serve as the football team's official Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium 100th Anniversary Game during Homecoming Weekend.
• 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 256-186-10 all-time at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
2023 In Review
• Bucknell went 4-7 (1-5 PL) during the 2023 campaign but saw noticeable improvements in several areas, including a potent offense that set several school records. The four wins were the most in a single season by the Bison since 2017.
• The Bison earned wins over VMI, Cornell, Colgate and Marist. The 49-34 victory over Colgate was arguably the team's best performance, as it posted 593 total yards and seven touchdowns. They were the most points the Bison had scored since 2003, and the 593 total yards tied for second in program history.
• Bucknell was also competitive in most of its losses, including a heartbreaking 50-47 overtime thriller against Georgetown, a narrow 27-21 loss at Fordham, and a solid first-half showing in the season opener at James Madison before the Dukes went on to start the season 10-0.
• Bucknell set program records for single-season passing yards (2,854), passing touchdowns (24), and average yards per game (259.45). Quarterback Ralph Rucker IV set records for single-season completions (211), passing yards (2,537), total yards (2,667) and tied the single-season passing touchdowns mark (21). He also set several single-game program highs.
• Bucknell got stronger toward the end of the season, averaging 38.8 points over the final four contests.
• Three Bison earned All-Patriot League honors at the end of the 2023 campaign. Cornerback Ethan Robinson landed on the First Team, linebacker Brad Jamison landed on the Second Team, and Coleman Bennett received First Team honors as a kick returner and Second Team honors as a running back.
How to Follow the Bison
• All of Bucknell's games this season will be broadcast on ESPN+ with the exception of the season opener at Navy, which will be shown on CBS Sports Network.
• 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 X (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtags #ACT and #rayBucknell.
Bucknell Football Partners with Vs. Cancer
• For a sixth consectuve season, the Bucknell football team is partnering with Vs. Cancer to bring awareness to pediatric cancer and raise funds for the cause.
• The Bison raised over $23,000 in 2023 and have totaled $98,500 since the partnership began in 2018.
• Bucknell's Sept. 14 home game vs. Merrimack will serve as the team's official Vs. Cancer Game. Help Bison football reach its fundraising goal and make a difference in the lives of children with cancer by donating to the Bucknell Vs. Cancer Team Page.
Up Next
• Bucknell remains on the road for its second game of the 2024 season when it travels to VMI on Saturday, Sept. 7. The Bison and the Keydets square off for a third consecutive season and look to settle the split following a 21-13 Bucknell win in 2023 and a 24-14 VMI win in 2022. Kickoff is schedule for 1:30 p.m. in Lexington, Va.
Bucknell enters the season full of promise after returning a cast of key contributors from the record-setting 2023 campaign that saw the offense set new program highs in single-season passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions and average yards per game. Bucknell's offense put together its highest scoring season in a decade and its sixth-highest scoring season in program history. Additionally, Bucknell returns its All-Patriot League inside linebacker and team captain Brad Jamison while welcoming a host of talented transfers and a promising rookie class.
Navy, a program that Bucknell faced 14 times over a 27-year span at the beginning of the 20th century, represents the fifth FBS team the Bison have faced under sixth-year head coach Dave Cecchini. It's also the third time under Cecchini the Bison have opened the season against an FBS opponent. The Mids are in their second year of the Brian Newberry era. Navy's five wins during Newberry's first year at the helm were the most by the program since 2019.
Media Notes:
When: Saturday, Aug. 31 at noon
Where: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium – Annapolis, Md.
Watch: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 100.9 The Valley (WVLY)
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: NavySports.com
Media Notes: Bucknell | Navy
Follow on X: @Bucknell_FB
Digital Game Program
With a Victory the Bison would…
• improve to 94-44-1 all-time in season openers
• open the season 1-0 for the first time since the spring 2021 campaign
• move to 50-84-4 all-time in first road games
• improve to 3-4 in season openers under Cecchini
• defeat an FBS opponent for the first time in 12 tries
• move to 5-9-1 all-time against Navy
• defeat Navy for the first time since 1924
Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison were picked to finish seventh in the 2024 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll after finishing the 2023 campaign in a tie for sixth with a 4-7 (1-5 PL) record.
• Junior K Matt Schearer was named to the 2024 Preseason All-Patriot League Team for a second season in a row. The Bison also landed eight on the Phil Steele 2024 Patriot League Preseason All-Conference Team.
• Bucknell is entering its sixth season under head coach Dave Cecchini, who was voted as the Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year during the 2021 spring campaign for leading the Bison to a spot in the first-ever Patriot League Championship Game following the abbreviated season. Cecchini's team is coming off a record-setting campaign in 2023 that saw the offense average 38.8 points per game over the final four contests.
• Bucknell returned a total of 42 letterwinners in 2023, a group that includes two fifth-year seniors, 18 seniors, 14 juniors and eight sophomores. 11 Bison are three-time letterwinners, and fifth-year RB Danny Meuser is a four-time letterwinner. Bucknell lost 32 letterwinners last year.
• Bucknell welcomed 33 newcomers this season, including 27 freshmen. Five newcomers transferred to Bucknell.
• The Bison welcomed a host of new faces to the staff during the offseason: special teams coordinator/linebackers coach Brad Jarman, running backs coach Jalen Banks, defensive line coach Codey Cole, assistant offensive line coach/run game analyst Ashley Cornwell, defensive quality control/cornerbacks coach Roger Wright-Lester, and video coordinator Kiem LeGrant.
• Fifth-year senior OL Casey Stephenson, senior LB Brad Jamison, senior S Alex Smith Jr., and junior OL John Ohnegian were selected by their teammates to serve as team captains for the 2024 season. Stephenson is just the 12th multi-year captain in program history.
Navy at a Glance
• Navy enters its second season under head coach Brian Newberry, who previously spent four seasons as the Mids' defensive coordinator. Navy went 5-7 (4-4 AAC) in 2023 after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll, achieving its highest win total since 2019.
• Prior to 2020, Navy strung together 14 winning seasons between 2003 and 2017 and won 11 games in both 2015 and 2019.
• Navy was picked to finish 11th in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Preseason Media Poll.
• The Mids averaged 300.3 yards of offense and 17.7 points per game in 2023. It ranked 17th in FBS with 194.6 rushing yards per game. This season, first-year offensive coordinator Drew Cronic will lead the Mids' offense after going 28-17 in four seasons as head coach at Marist.
• Defensively, the Mids ranked 44th in FBS with 353.7 yards allowed per game and gave up an average of 22.4 points, which ranked 37th. Navy was also third in red zone defense and fourth in turnover margin nationally.
• Key returners on the defensive side for the Mids include senior LB Colin Ramos, who led the team with 110 tackles last season, and senior S Rayuan Lane III, who registered a team-best eight pass breakups along with four interceptions and 66 tackles.
• Offensively, the Mids are without their two leading quarterbacks from last season, but FBs Alex Tecza and Daba Fofana are back after combining for over 1,000 rush yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. Navy also returns Eli Heidenreich, who rushed for 214 yards and hauled in 19 receptions for 382 yards and four touchdowns.
The Bucknell/Navy Series
• Bucknell and Navy are meeting on the gridiron for the first time since 1925. The two programs met 14 times from 1898 to 1925, with Navy claiming nine of those games, Bucknell claiming four, and the 1906 matchup ending in a scoreless tie. All 14 previous games were hosted by Navy.
• Navy won the last meeting, 13-7, on Nov. 14, 1925 at Farragut Field in Annapolis.
• Bucknell last defeated Navy on Nov. 15, 1924 by a score of 6-0.
• Navy owns the longest winning streak in the series, defeating the Bison six consecutive times from 1913 to 1922. Bucknell won back-to-back games over Navy in 1902 and 1903 and at one point led in the series with a 3-2-1 record.
• The largest margin of victory by either team was a 70-7 victory by Navy in 1913. Amazingly, Bucknell had beaten the Midshipmen 17-7 just one year prior. Bucknell's largest margin of victory was 23-0 in 1902.
• Navy won the first-ever meeting, 11-0, on Oct. 8, 1898.
Inside the Bucknell Depth Chart
• Bucknell's projected starters on offense have made a combined 95 starts.
• Bucknell's projected starters on defense have made a combined 94 starts.
• On offense, one fifth-year (OL Casey Stephenson), three seniors, six juniors and one sophomore (OL Xavier Allen) are expected to start.
• On defense, eight seniors, two juniors and one sophomore (LB Gavin Willis) are expected to start.
• 10 Bison have made at least 10 starts entering Saturday's game. S John Schlendorf leads the team and is the only player with 20 career starts (22). OL Casey Stephenson is expected to make his 20th start on Saturday.
• Five Bison have starting streaks of 10 or more games in a row: Schlendorf (22), TE Charlie Kreinbucher (14), S Alex Smith Jr. (11), OL John Ohnegian (11) and LB Brad Jamison (11).
• Seniors Schlendorf and Smith Jr. have played in all 33 of the team's games over their three seasons.
Milestones to Watch
• Alex Smith Jr. is one tackle away from 100 in his career.
• Derrick Anderson Jr. needs 68 receiving yards to reach 500 for his career.
• Ralph Rucker IV is 463 passing yards away from 3,000 in his Bucknell career.
Bison Award Winners
• The Bison returned one All-Patriot League player, LB Brad Jamison.
• K Matt Schearer was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team in July. It was his second time being named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team after earning the honor in 2023 as well.
• Eight Bison were named to the 2024 Phil Steele Patriot League Preseason All-Conference Team: K Schearer (1st Tm), LB Jamison (2nd Tm), QB Ralph Rucker IV (3rd Tm), WR Eric Weatherly (3rd Tm), OL Xavier Allen (3rd Tm), OL Casey Stephenson (3rd Tm), OL John Ohnegian (3rd Tm) and S John Schlendorf (3rd Tm).
• The Bison lost First Team All-Patriot League CB Ethan Robinson as well as First Team All-Patriot League KR and Second Team All-League RB Coleman Bennett from last season.
• Bucknell returned one of its three Academic All-Patriot League honorees from last season: OL Ohnegian.
• Four current members of the roster have earned Patriot League Weekly Awards during their careers. QB Rucker was named PL Offensive Player of the Week last year (10/30), DL Aneesh Vyas was named PL Special Teams Player of the Week last year (9/25), K Schearer was named PL Rookie of the Week twice in 2022 (10/24 & 11/14), and DL Justin Fisher was named PL Rookie of the Week as well as HIMS National Freshman of the Week in 2021 (9/6).
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 24 All-Patriot League First/Second Team awards as well as one First Team All-American.
Inside the 2024 Schedule
• This is the 139th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first-ever game in 1883 and have played continuously since 1887.
• Bucknell is scheduled to play 12 games for just the third time in program history and for the first time since 2003. The Bison also played 12 games is 1916. Bucknell will host six home games for the first time since 2017.
• The Bison open the 2024 slate against FBS opponent Navy. It's the fifth FBS team Bucknell has faced under head coach Dave Cecchini and the third time it has faced an FBS foe in the season opener.
• Bucknell goes on the road again in week two to face VMI for a third season in a row. The Bison and Keydets split the previous two meetings.
• Bucknell hosts Merrimack for its home opener on Sept. 14 for what will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The Bison then host Marist a week later for Family Weekend on Sept. 21 and will look to make it three consecutive wins over the Red Foxes in as many seasons.
• The Bison open Patriot League play on the road at Lehigh on Sept. 28 before hitting the bye week. They return from the bye on Oct. 12 with a trip to Penn for the first of two back-to-back games against Ivy League teams. Bucknell hosts Cornell on Oct. 19 over Homecoming Weekend. It marks the 45th time in the last 46 seasons that Bucknell has had at least one Ivy League program on the schedule.
• A trip to Georgetown rounds out the month of October before the Bison play three of their final four games at home. The Bison and the Hoyas have played overtime games the last two years and have alternated wins over the last six meetings.
• Lafayette visits Lewisburg on Nov. 2, and Fordham comes to town Nov. 9 before Bucknell visits Holy Cross for its final road game. The regular season comes to a close at home against Colgate on Nov. 23.
• Bucknell's 2024 opponents went a combined 63-69 last season.
Facility Upgrades
• The Bison officially opened the doors to the Pascucci Team Center on April 15, 2024, completing a plethora of enhancements in and around Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium in recent years that were made possible through the generous support of Michael Pascucci '58, P'81, P'87, G'21, G'22.
• Standing prominently between the turf practice field and the north end zone of the stadium, the new facility is a 16,000-square-foot athletics hub that features a state-of-the-art strength and conditioning facility with an expansive weight room that overlooks the turf practice field. Adjacent to the weight room is a sports medicine center.
• Specifically designed to bridge the practice and game-day fields, the team center's south facade offers sweeping views of Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Inside, a spacious team meeting room and conference room allows teams to review film and gather for off-field training and learning events. A Bison Fuel station ensures convenient access to nutritious snacks, supplements and hydration.
• Earlier phases of the project included the installation of a modern LED video board at the south end zone of Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium in 2021 and the completion of a turf practice field in 2022.
• The Bucknell football team's locker room, located within Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, was also redone over the summer and includes brand-new lockers, a player's lounge, and more.
Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium's 100th Anniversary Season
• Bucknell Athletics proudly celebrates Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium's 100th anniversary season in 2024. Over the course of 10 decades, the historic landmark has played host to more than 450 football games along with countless other athletic events and community gatherings. The Bison will celebrate a century of tradition throughout the 2024-25 academic year, and the Oct. 19 home game vs. Cornell will serve as the football team's official Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium 100th Anniversary Game during Homecoming Weekend.
• 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 256-186-10 all-time at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
2023 In Review
• Bucknell went 4-7 (1-5 PL) during the 2023 campaign but saw noticeable improvements in several areas, including a potent offense that set several school records. The four wins were the most in a single season by the Bison since 2017.
• The Bison earned wins over VMI, Cornell, Colgate and Marist. The 49-34 victory over Colgate was arguably the team's best performance, as it posted 593 total yards and seven touchdowns. They were the most points the Bison had scored since 2003, and the 593 total yards tied for second in program history.
• Bucknell was also competitive in most of its losses, including a heartbreaking 50-47 overtime thriller against Georgetown, a narrow 27-21 loss at Fordham, and a solid first-half showing in the season opener at James Madison before the Dukes went on to start the season 10-0.
• Bucknell set program records for single-season passing yards (2,854), passing touchdowns (24), and average yards per game (259.45). Quarterback Ralph Rucker IV set records for single-season completions (211), passing yards (2,537), total yards (2,667) and tied the single-season passing touchdowns mark (21). He also set several single-game program highs.
• Bucknell got stronger toward the end of the season, averaging 38.8 points over the final four contests.
• Three Bison earned All-Patriot League honors at the end of the 2023 campaign. Cornerback Ethan Robinson landed on the First Team, linebacker Brad Jamison landed on the Second Team, and Coleman Bennett received First Team honors as a kick returner and Second Team honors as a running back.
How to Follow the Bison
• All of Bucknell's games this season will be broadcast on ESPN+ with the exception of the season opener at Navy, which will be shown on CBS Sports Network.
• 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 X (@Bucknell_FB) and Instagram (Bucknell_FB). Interact with the team using the hashtags #ACT and #rayBucknell.
Bucknell Football Partners with Vs. Cancer
• For a sixth consectuve season, the Bucknell football team is partnering with Vs. Cancer to bring awareness to pediatric cancer and raise funds for the cause.
• The Bison raised over $23,000 in 2023 and have totaled $98,500 since the partnership began in 2018.
• Bucknell's Sept. 14 home game vs. Merrimack will serve as the team's official Vs. Cancer Game. Help Bison football reach its fundraising goal and make a difference in the lives of children with cancer by donating to the Bucknell Vs. Cancer Team Page.
Up Next
• Bucknell remains on the road for its second game of the 2024 season when it travels to VMI on Saturday, Sept. 7. The Bison and the Keydets square off for a third consecutive season and look to settle the split following a 21-13 Bucknell win in 2023 and a 24-14 VMI win in 2022. Kickoff is schedule for 1:30 p.m. in Lexington, Va.
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