HAMILTON – Bucknell outscored Colgate 27-0 in the second quarter to break open a tight game and went on to a 49-34 victory over the Raiders on Saturday at Andy Kerr Stadium.
The Bison put up 258 yards of offense in the second quarter and scored each time they had the ball. The only stop Colgate was able to make in the first half was an Owen Goss block of a Bucknell 24-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining in the first quarter preserving a 13-7 Raider lead.
For the second consecutive week Colgate marched the length of the field for a touchdown on its first possession. Quarterback Michael Brescia, after missing the previous three weeks due to injury, completed three of four passes for 25 yards on the drive and covered the last 26 yards on a QB draw up the middle for a 7-0 Raider lead.
Bucknell answered immediately following a kickoff return to the Bison 30, covering the distance in 11 plays. The Bison did most of the damage through the air completing five of six passes for 62 of the 70 yards including a 20-yarder for the tying score.
The Raiders responded quickly. Following the kickoff, on a 2nd-and-3 play, Chris Gee twice appeared stopped in the backfield but broke free each time and scampered down the Bison sideline for 68 yards. The PAT failed and Colgate held a 13-7 lead.
Late in the first quarter the Bison drove 70 yards to the Colgate 7 where the drive stalled. Goss blocked the 24-yard field goal attempt with seven seconds left. Bucknell scored touchdowns on four consecutive second-quarter possessions for a 34-13 halftime advantage.
Colgate was able to get a stop after the second-half kickoff and following a Bison punt drove 63 yards in nine plays. Brescia completed the drive with a 13-yard pass on which Brady Hutchison made a circus catch in the back corner of the endzone. The point after brought the Raiders to within 34-20.
Bucknell responded with a 56-yard drive that stalled and resulted in a 29-yard field goal upping the lead to 37-20.
Colgate moved the ball to its own 46 where a Brescia pass was tipped and intercepted by the Bison. On the first play from scrimmage Bucknell completed a 49-yard pass and run for a 43-20 lead. The kick was blocked by Goss, for his third blocked kick of the afternoon.
On the next Colgate possession, Brescia scored on a 38-yard run capping a three-play, 67-yard effort. A 24-yard pass from Brescia to Gee was the big play prior to the touchdown.
Bucknell was again unstoppable opening the fourth quarter, scoring on a 37-yard touchdown straight down the middle of the field. The conversion pass was incomplete for a 49-27 Bison advantage.
Colgate completed the scoring on a 6-yard Jake Stearney pass to Nick Wamp with 2:33 left in the game. Stearney engineered a 12-play, 61-yard drive for the score completing seven of nine passes for 51 yards. The PAT made the final score 49-34.
Drew Frankel led the Colgate defenders with nine tackles, including five solo stops. In addition to his three blocked kicks, Goss had three solo tackles and an assist. Brescia completed 21-of-35 passes for 184 yards. Gee had 106 yards rushing on just eight carries.
The Bison victory drops Colgate's record to 3-5 overall and 1-2 Patriot league. Bucknell improves to 3-5 on the season and 1-3 in the Patriot League.
"Credit to Bucknell," said Fred '50 and Marilyn Dunlap Head Coach Stan Dakosty. "They did a great job today. Their offense played great. Obviously our defense has to play better. Their quarterback did a great job and their receivers made some big-time plays but we have to counter. We have to get our guys in position to make big plays and that all starts with me.
"We weren't ready, we weren't prepared, and that all starts with me. We've got three games left. Everyone that wants to win is going to show up and we're just going to keep fighting. That's the only thing we can do."
UP NEXT
Colgate will travel to Easton, Pa., next Saturday, to face Lafayette in a Patriot League Contest. Kickoff is slated for 12:30 p.m.
