Football Hosts Patriot League Opponent Richmond for Homecoming Game

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell will host its final game of its four-game homestand against Patriot League opponent Richmond on Saturday, Oct. 4 at noon at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. This will be the fourth time that the Bison and the Spiders meet, and the first time in 18 years. Richmond has defeated Bucknell in each of their three meetings thus far. Bucknell comes into the game 3-2 (0-1 PL) after a tight win over Saint Francis and Richmond comes in 3-2 (0-1 PL) off of a tight 13-12 victory over Howard.

After being down by one with just under eight minutes left in the game, Ralph Rucker IV rushed for 32 yards to set up Tariq Thomas for a 17-yard rush followed by a seven-yard rushing touchdown. Bucknell converted their two-point try to gain a 30-23 lead over Saint Francis with just about five-minutes left in the game. The Bison would ride that momentum to get the 30-23 victory over the Red Flash at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Senior Night. Saint Francis threatened to score with a big drive in the final two minutes of the ball game. The Red Flash had possession at the 20 with 7.5 seconds remaining, throwing deep to the end zone. Brad Gerken jumped the route and picked the ball with 1.5 seconds remaining, effectively sealing the game. Thomas rushed for 95 yards on 10 attempts and a touchdown as he surpassed 1,000 career rushing yards in the contest. Rucker went 15-for-26 and a touchdown, and he also rushed for a touchdown for the Bison. TJ Cadden led the Bison in receiving with six catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. Brandon Biagiarelli led the team in tackles with nine total.

Richmond enters the contest 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the Patriot League with its conference loss coming at the hands of Lehigh. In their last time out, the Spiders pulled off a fourth quarter comeback to win their contest against Howard 13-12. Down by two scores with 12 minutes left, Richmond had back-to-back fourth quarter interceptions that each resulted in quick touchdowns to rally back and take the win 13-12.

Media Notes:

When: Saturday, Oct. 4 at noon

Where: Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium — Lewisburg, Pa.

Watch: ESPN+

Radio: 1070 AM WKOK

Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com

Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

Media Notes: Bucknell

Follow on X: @Bucknell_FB

Bucknell at a Glance

Bucknell concludes its four-game home-stand on Saturday, Oct. 4 at noon as it takes on Saint Francis at Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium. The game will serve as the Bison's Homecoming Game.
This is the first time since the Bison's Patriot League Championship season of 1996, that there will be four home games in a row.
The Bison are coming off of a tight 30-23 win over Saint Francis that came down to the final minute of the game where Brad Gerken made a touchdown saving and game ending interception in the endzone to secure a Bison victory.
The Bison have had one Patriot League Player of the Week this season: Zachary Corna (Rookie of the Week,9/15).
The Bison were picked to finish fourth in the 2025 Preseason All-Patriot League Poll.
Alongside Ralph Rucker IV (PL OPOTY) and Tariq Thomas (PL ROTY), the Bison are returning two other Patriot League First Team selections in return specialist TJ Cadden and special teams standout Sam Milligan. Bucknell also returns two Patriot League Second Team selections in offensive lineman and 2024 Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year, John Ohnegian and punter Matt Schearer.
The Bison are entering their seventh season under head coach Dave Cecchini in 2025. Cecchini was voted the Patriot League Dick Biddle Coach of the Year during the 2021 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 season where the squad broke 13 individual records, seven team records and scored the most single-season points in program history.
Bucknell returned a total of 65 players from the 2024 season and lost 34 athletes from the roster.
The Bison welcomed 40 newcomers this season, including 32 freshmen. The additional eight players came from the transfer portal.
The Bison welcomed a host of new faces to the staff during the offseason; offensive coordinator Drew Folmar, tight ends coach P.J. Barr, defensive line coach Kentwan Balmer, running backs coach Jerome Smith, wide receivers coach Sam Costantino, linebackers and special teams coach Chase Murdock and Strength and Conditioning Coach Tim Warren.
Bucknell's 2025 captains are second-time captain and offensive lineman John Ohnegian, fifth-year quarterback Ralph Rucker IV, senior punter/kicker Matt Schearer and senior cornerback Terian Williams II.

Richmond at a Glance

Richmond enters the contest 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the Patriot League with its conference loss coming at the hands of Lehigh.
In their last time out, the Spiders pulled off a fourth quarter comeback to win their contest against Howard 13-12. Down by two scores with 12 minutes left, Richmond had back-to-back fourth quarter interceptions and two quick touchdowns right after to rally back and take the win.
Richmond's quarterback Kyle Wickersham is 50-for-73 on the season for a 68.49 completion percentage. He has three passing touchdowns on the season and has thrown two interceptions. Wickersham has also rushed for three touchdowns which leads the team in rushing touchdowns on the season.
Jamaal Brown leads the Spiders in rushing with 38 attempts for 188 yards.
Isaiah Dawson leads Richmond in receiving with 10 catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
Peyton Seelmann leads the defense with 49 total tackles (25 solo, 24 assisted). He has also recorded one tackle for loss, one sack, one pass breakup and four quarterback hurries.
Ned Gray, Richmond's punter, has punted 28 times for 1,087 yards and has a season-long punt of 50-yards. The punter has placed 9 inside the 20-yardline, recorded 4 touchbacks and 12 fair catches.
Jayden Alsheskie has been kicking field goals for the Spiders and is 3-for-3, with his season long being a 41-yarder.
Will Mcmanus handles kickoffs for Richmond and has 19 for 1,183 yards. He averaged 62.26 yards per kickoff and has recorded six touchbacks.

Bucknell / Richmond Series

This will be the first meeting between the two teams in 18 years.
Richmond leads the series overall 3-0.
In Richmond, the Spiders lead 2-0, in Lewisburg, they lead 1-0.
Richmond defeated Bucknell 45-14 in their last meeting which was on Sept. 22, 2007.

Inside the Record Book

QB Ralph Rucker IV re-invented the record books. Rucker is now Bucknell's single-season leader in touchdown passes (25), passing yards (2,826), completion percentage (.672), passing completions (244) and total offense (2,922) Rucker also leads Bucknell in single game passing yards (437) and single game touchdown passes (5 TD passes 3X). With this being his final season, Rucker holds career records in passing touchdowns (46), passing yards (6,421) and completion percentage (.647).
Sam Milligan ranks first in touchdown catches in a single game with four against VMI on Saturday, Sept. 13. He also ranks sixth all-time in receiving yards in a single game with 192 yards in that VMI win for Bucknell.
TJ Cadden tied for the longest kickoff return (100 yds) and holds the records for most punt return touchdowns in a season (2) and most total return touchdowns (3; two punt returns and one kickoff return).
Matt Schearer holds the record for season PAT's with 45.
As a 2024 team, Bucknell broke even more records. The 2024 team holds the records for; single season completions (277), single season passing yards (3,220), single season average passing yards per game (268.33), single season total yards (4,651), single season total plays (836), single season total points (346), single season first downs (252), single game total offense (428) and single season touchdown passes (28).

On Record Watch

Ralph Rucker is 152 passing attempts away from the career record for passing attempts.
Ralph Rucker is 8 yards away from the career total offense record.
Ralph Rucker is 29 pass completions away from the career record.
Matt Schearer is 10 field goals away from the career record.

Milestone Watch

Charlie Kreinbucher is 66 yards away from a career 500 receiving yards.
TJ Cadden is 235 yards away from 1,000 career receiving yards.

Bison Award Winners

Zachary Corna was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week (9/15) and was named a Stats Perform FCS Freshman Player of the Week Honorable Mention athlete (9/15).
Sam Milligan was named a Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention athlete (9/15/)
Terian Williams II was named a Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention athlete (9/8/).
The Bison returned six 2024 All-Patriot League Selections; Ralph Rucker IV, Tariq Thomas, TJ Cadden, Sam Milligan, John Ohnegian and Matt Schearer.
Rucker was the 2024 PL Offensive Player of the Year and Thomas was the 2024 PL Rookie of the Year.
Rucker was named the 2025 Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and 2025 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Third Team.
Five Bison were named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team; Rucker, Ohnegian, Aaron Davis, TJ Cadden and Milligan.

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 34 All-Patriot League First/Second Team awards as well as one First Team All-American.

Inside the 2025 Schedule

This is the 140th season of football at Bucknell. The Bison played their first-ever game in 1883 and have been playing a consistent schedule since 1887.
Bucknell is scheduled to play 12 games for just the fourth time in program history. The Bison will host six games and have six games on the road.
Bucknell opened the 2025 season with back-to-back away games at Air Force and Marist before going on a four-game home stand.
Senior Night took place on Sept. 27 against Saint Francis at 6 p.m. and Homecoming will be the final game of the homestand on Oct. 4 against Richmond at 12 p.m.
Bucknell's home opener was on Sept. 13 against VMI. The Bison then started Patriot League play against Lehigh on Sept. 20 at home, which was Bucknell's Family Weekend game.
After its home stand, Bucknell will head on the road for two games against Lafayette and Cornell.
The final four games of the season will all be against conference opponents. Bucknell will host Georgetown on Oct. 25, travel to Fordham on Nov. 8, take on Holy Cross at home on Nov. 15 and then end the season at Colgate on Nov. 22.

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 Air Force, 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.

Up Next

Bucknell will head back on the road after a month at home. The Bison travel to Lafayette to take on the Leopards at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Football Hosts Patriot League Opponent Richmond for Homecoming Game

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Players Mentioned

Brandon Biagiarelli

TJ Cadden

Aaron Davis

Brad Gerken

Charlie Kreinbucher

Sam Milligan

John Ohnegian

Ralph Rucker IV

Matt Schearer

Tariq Thomas

Terian Williams II

Football Hosts Patriot League Opponent Richmond for Homecoming Game

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Players Mentioned

Brandon Biagiarelli

TJ Cadden

Aaron Davis

Brad Gerken

Charlie Kreinbucher

Sam Milligan

John Ohnegian

Ralph Rucker IV

Matt Schearer

Tariq Thomas

Terian Williams II

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