Football Falls to Pitt 59-0 in Acrisure Stadium

Saturday, September 26

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Noon

Bucknell University

1-4 , 0-2

Pittsburgh

4-0 , 1-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Bucknell	0	0	0	0	0
Pitt	14	21	7	17	59

Game Notes

9/26/2026 3:32:00 PM | Football

Box Score

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Bucknell football fell to ACC opponent Pittsburgh 59-0 on Saturday afternoon in Acrisure Stadium. The Bison are now 1-4 overall on the season.

Bucknell had a solid defensive effort in the contest despite the scoreline. Kato Meissner had the defensive highlight of the afternoon as he forced a fumble and recovered it himself, earning Bucknell the lone turnover of the game.

The Bison offense battled hard throughout the contest, but were unable to find points due to a tough Panthers defensive effort. Bucknell's offense earned a 43-yard field goal attempt in the first half, but Juan Garanton missed wide left, leaving the Bison scoreless.

Emmett Dowling, a freshman quarterback from Chicago, earned his first collegiate start under center in the game. He went 10-for-21 for 49 yards. Chris Dietrich saw a couple series at quarterback and went 4-for-7 for 56 yards.

Bucknell rushed for 33 yards compared to the Panthers 192. The Bison were led by Jack Sullivan, who notched a personal career high 10 rushes for 31 yards. The Bison put up 105 passing yards compared to the Panthers 574. TJ Cadden led Bucknell's receiver room with four catches for 33 yards.

On the defensive end, the Bison were led by Nick Hoying, who recorded eight total tackles, including four solo and one tackle for loss. Chris Flowers had a personal career-high seven total tackles on the afternoon. Calegero LoGrasso and Lucas Rost each had a pass breakup and Zach Corna recorded two quarterback hurries in the contest.

After Bucknell went three-and-out on its opening drive, Pitt opened scoring with an eight-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a Mason Heintschel to Censere Lee receiving touchdown.

The Bison offense then put together a five-play 38 yard drive that led them to the Pitt 37-yardline thanks to a 14 yard pass from Dietrich to TJ Cadden and a pass interference call on a deep ball attempt to Milligan. Bucknell was then forced to punt and the Panthers offense drove down the field on an 11-play, 80-yard drive, resulting in a three-yard receiving touchdown for Carson Kent and a 14-0 lead for the Panthers.

Bucknell drove its way down to the Pitt 30 yard-line ahead of the end of the first quarter. Starting the second, the Bison pushed and earned a 43-yard field goal attempt with 23-yards of total offense from Jack Sullivan, an 11-yard reception from Thomas Arth and a couple of Panthers penalties. Juan Garanton missed the 43-yarder wide left.

The Panthers went up 21-0 with a 10-play 75-yard scoring drive that culminated in a Heintschel to Demetrice McCray 8-yard receiving touchdown and Chadha extra point.

Chris Dietrich then entered the game for a drive at quarterback and put together a 7-play, 26-yard drive including a 12-yard reception for Michael Cadden and a seven-yard reception for TJ Cadden. The Bison were then forced to punt on 4th and 7.

Pitt extended its lead to 35-0 at halftime, scoring on its fourth and fifth consecutive drives. The first touchdown came off of a Heintschel to Lee reception and the second came on a three-play drive that ended with a 48-yard receiving touchdown for McCray, his second of the afternoon.

Coming out of halftime, the Bison defense earned its first stop of the afternoon as Kato Meissner forced a fumble and recovered it himself to give the Bison offense the ball at the Pitt 48-yardline. Bucknell was unable to make anything of the field position and the Panthers put together a 5-play, 79-yard scoring drive that ended with Lee's third receiving touchdown of the day on a seven-yard catch.

The Bison defense, aided by some Pitt penalties, then forced the Panthers to punt for the first time of the day after Nick Hoying and Shane Hulmes stuffed the Pitt running back on a 3rd and 2 opportunity.

The Panthers forced another Bison punt and went 11 plays for 66-yards, but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal from Chadha after McCray faced an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty and Brandon Biagiarelli stopped the quarterback rush short of the endzone on 3rd and 18.

The Panthers then tacked on another touchdown to make it 52-0 in the fourth quarter. With 25 seconds remaining in regulation, the Panthers scored one last time to make it a 59-0 final score.

Bucknell football will now have its bye-week before returning to Patriot League play on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 12:30 p.m. against Georgetown in D.C.