Bucknell University Athletics
Saturday, September 5
Lewisburg, Pa.
6 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Villanova
Bucknell Football Hosts #17/18 Villanova in Home Opener Saturday
9/1/2026 12:11:00 PM | Football
Bucknell Football vs #17/18 Villanova
Football
vs Villanova
Sep 5, 2026 at 6 p.m.
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SecsBucknell football is hosting #17/18 Villanova in its home opener and Military and First Responders Day game presented by Belfor on Saturday, Sep. 5 at 6 p.m. in Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. The game will also serve as senior night, where the Bison will honor the 17 members of their senior class.
Bucknell will be taking its second Patriot League opponent and first ranked opponent of the season on Saturday. This will be the first time that the two teams clash in a conference battle as the Wildcats are new to the Patriot League in 2026. The Bison and Wildcats have met 28 times since 1900 with Villanova leading the series with a 15-11-2 record. The last time the two programs met was in 2021, where the Wildcats commanded a 55-3 victory. The last Bison win came back in 1944 and Villanova has gone on an 11-game winning streak since. While the Wildcats do hold an overall lead, the record between the two teams in Lewisburg is tied 8-8.
GAME DAY GUIDE FOR FANS
Tailgating Policy | Clear Bag Policy | Join the Gridiron Club
NEW Clear Bag Policy
- Only small clutch bags (no larger than 4.5” by 6.5”) and bags made of clear plastic (any size) will be allowed inside Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
- Exceptions will be made for Bucknell employees and vendors whose work requires event-related supplies or equipment. In addition, strollers, diaper bags, and medically-necessary equipment are permitted, but will be subject to search upon request.
NEW Rusty Rail Biergarten
- Bucknell Athletics and the local brewery Rusty Rail have announced an exciting new partnership that will bring a beer garden to select Bison football games this fall. The new feature will be located on the west side of the Pascucci Team Center at the north end of Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. All fans are invited to the area but must be 21 years of age or older to purchase beer. Gates open 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
- The Rusty Rail Biergarten at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium will feature a mix of their flagship beers, including Fog Monster Hazy IPA, Hop Glitch Easy IPA, Golden Blonde, and Fool’s Gold Peanut Butter Hefeweizen. They will also have a rotating seasonal beer, which could include the Pumpkin Swirl/Waffle Sauce offering.
Military and First Responders Appreciation Game presented by Belfor
- Bucknell Athletics is showing their appreciation for all veterans, active-duty military, gold-star families, first responders, doctors and nurses with four free tickets per service member ID to kick off the season. Tickets can be claimed in advance online or at the ticket window on game day. The Bison football team will also have an honorary game captain for the contest.
Senior Night
- About 30 minutes prior to kickoff, Bucknell football will honor the 17 members of its senior class in a senior night ceremony on the Pascucci side of the field.
MEDIA LINKS
Watch: ESPN+ | Radio: 1070 AM (WKOK) | Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: bucknellbison.com | Media Notes: Bucknell | Follow on X: @Bucknell_FB
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BUCKNELL AT A GLANCE
- Bucknell is hosting its home opener, senior night and Military and First Responders game presented by Belfor on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. in Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. The Bison will take on No. 17/18 Villanova.
- The Bison are coming off of a 35-14 road loss to Richmond. In the loss, Sam Milligan and Michael Cadden each had a receiving touchdown. The Bison defense held the Spiders scoreless in the third quarter while forcing and recovering a fumble.
- Sam Milligan (WR) and Brandon Biagiarelli (LB) earned 2026 Preseason AllPatriot League Team honors.
- Ahead of the 2026 season, Milligan was named to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List and the 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Second Team.
- The Bison were picked to finish 10th in the 2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Poll.
- Bucknell returns just one of their four 2025 All-Patriot League players as Sam Milligan, who earned First Team All-Patriot League Special Teams NonSpecialist and Second Team All-Patriot League Wide Receiver returns for his senior season in 2026.
- The Bison are entering their first season under head coach Jeff Behrman. This new era of Bison football also comes with a mostly new coaching staff under Behrman with the lone returner to the staff being safeties coach McNeil Parker.
- Rounding out the coaching staff are new additions to the Bison family; Travis James (OC/OL), Jeffrey Long Jr. (DC), Rex Rover (WR/Recruiting Coordinator), Mac Austin (TE), Joe Collins (QB), Joseph Torok (RB), Anthony Trotta (DL), Jason Nelson (CB), Tyler Hughes (DOFO/Video Operations) and Kendrick O’Mary (strength & conditioning coach).
- Bucknell returned a total of 65 players from the 2025 season and lost 32 athletes from the roster. The Bison rounded out the roster with 35 newcomers ahead of the 2026 season.
#17 VILLANOVA AT A GLANCE
- No. 17/18 Villanova football is in its first season as a member of the Patriot League.
- The Wildcats are coming off of a 35-32 loss to fellow newcomer in the Patriot League, William & Mary. This loss puts Villanova 0-1 overall and in the league to start the 2026 season.
- William & Mary defeated Villanova in Week 0 in comeback fashion with a walk-off field goal being the final dagger. The season-opening loss snapped a nine-game season-opener win streak for the Wildcats. The game featured five lead changes and a combined 820 yards of offense. Running back Isaiah Ragland led the Villanova offense in scoring with 94 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
- Isaiah Ragland leads the team in rushing with 14 attempts for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
- Jake Hilton sits atop the Villanova receivers with four receptions for 132 including a 73-yard catch.
- Pat McQuaide played at the quarterback position in week 0 and went 17-for-30 for 270 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
- Omari Bursey led the defense with 15 total tackles (8 solo, 7 asst.) which included four tackles for loss, one sack and one quarterback hurry.
- Luke Myers handles punting for the Wildcats and has two punts for 85 yards with one inside the 20 and one that went over 50 yards.
- Dominic LeBlanc kicks field goals for Villanova and is 1-for-1 from 42 yards.
BUCKNELL / VILLANOVA SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 29th meeting between the two teams since 1900, when they first met.
Villanova leads the overall series 11-15-2, but the record in Lewisburg is tied 8-8.
The Wildcats are currently on an 11-game winning streak, with its most recent win being a 55-3 victory over the Bison in 2021.
ON RECORD WATCH
- Sam Milligan is two touchdown catches away from most touchdown catches in a career (18; held by Tom Mitchell’65, Lester Erb ‘90 and Will Carter ‘16).
MILESTONE WATCH
- Brandon Biagiarelli is 9 tackles away from 150 career total tackles
- Michael Cadden is 24 yards away from 500 career rushing yards
- Nick Hoying is six solo tackles away from 100 career solo tackles
INSIDE THE RECORD BOOK
- 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.
- Milligan is currently tied for third in career touchdown catches with 15 and is tied for second in season touchdown catches with 10 in 2025.
- 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).
2026 BISON AWARD WINNERS
- Sam Milligan was named to the 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Second Team and the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List.
- Milligan was named to the 2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Team
- Brandon Biagiarelli was named to the 2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Team
INSIDE THE 2026 SCHEDULE
- This is the 141st 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 fifth time in program history. With the additions of Villanova and William & Mary to the Patriot League, the Bison have a record-high nine conference games in 2026, with just five home games.
- The Bison open the 2026 season with back-to-back Patriot League night games. First up is Richmond on the road on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. and then Bucknell holds its home opener in Christy on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m.
- Week three features VMI on the road on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 1:30 before heading home to face Penn on Saturday Sept. 19 at 3 p.m. in Christy.
- Bucknell then faces an ACC opponent in Pitt for the first time since 1945, the last time these two teams met. They then have a bye week before getting back on the road to face Patriot League opponent Georgetown on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 12:30 p.m.
- On Saturday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. Bucknell hosts Lafayette at 3 p.m. in Christy before taking on Holy Cross and Lehigh on the road.
- The Bison then host Fordham on November 7, take to the road on November 14 against newly added Patriot League member William & Mary and end the season at home on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 1 p.m. against Colgate.
How to Follow the Bison
- All of Bucknell's games this season will be broadcast on ESPN+ with the exception of the Pitt game.
- All of the Bison's games will be broadcast on 1070 AM (WKOK). 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 #ThunderOn and #rayBucknell.
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