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Cornell University Athletics

Josh Gary advances the ball for Bucknell.
Courtesy of Bucknell Athletics

Know Your Foe: Bucknell

10/15/2024 11:00:00 AM

Cornell football looks to close out the nonconference slate when it travels to Lewisburg, Pa. for a meeting with Bucknell on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 1 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Cornell dropped both nonconference games so far this season, the first in the season opener at Colgate and the second at home against UAlbany.

Bucknell Notes: 

  • Bucknell enters the week 3-3 with losses to Navy, Merrimack, and Penn. The Bison have beaten VMI and Marist, and topped Lehigh in overtime so far this season.

  • Freshman running back Tariq Thomas has been a force for the Bison. He is coming off the heels of his second Patriot League Rookie of the Week nod after carrying the ball 21 times for 57 yards and a pair of scores against Penn.

  • On the season, Thomas leads Bucknell in carries (73) and rushing yards (263). Running back Paul Neel has scored two touchdowns and totaled 191 yards this season. Quarterback Ralph Rucker IV has also tallied two rushing touchdowns through six games.

  • Rucker has passed for 1,266 yards, tallying 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He has completed over 68 percent of his passes, connecting on 117-of-171 of his tosses.

  • Junior wide receiver Eric Weatherley has caught 34 passes for 382 yards (fifth in the Patriot League) and three touchdowns (tied for fifth in the Patriot League). Junior Josh Gary also has three scores this season. His have come on 24 catches for 256 yards. The Bison have six receivers averaging over 10 yards per catch.

  • Sophomore linebacker Gavin Willis has a team-leading 52 tackles (third in the Patriot League). He has 2.0 tackles for a loss, totaling 21 yards. He has also gathered two fumbles.

  • Junior cornerback Aaron Davis has two interceptions this year, including a pick-six against Lehigh.

  • Matt Schearer is the primary punter and place-kicker for the Bison. He averaged over 44 yards per punt on 21 attempts. He is only 1-for-7 on field goals so far this year. 

The Series

  • Cornell is 43-16 in the series, which began in 1888. 

  • Cornell has lost five of its last six against Bucknell after winning seven straight from 2007-13. 

  • Bucknell has won the last three games in the series. This marks the longest Big Red losing streak ever in the series.

  • Cornell is 9-8 against Bucknell in Lewisburg.

Cornell vs. the Patriot League

  • The Big Red is 136-89-7 all-time against Patriot League teams. 
  • Cornell has won four of its last seven games against Patriot League teams. 
  • The Big Red has winning records against five of the seven Patriot League teams: Bucknell (43-16), Fordham (4-3-0), Holy Cross (5-0-0), Lafayette (14-8-2) and Lehigh (17-9-2). Cornell and Georgetown are tied (2-2), along with Cornell and Colgate (51-51-3),

2024 Bucknell Head Coach

Head Coach: Dave Cecchini 

    Record at Bucknell: 16-38 (six seasons)

    Overall Record: 33-76 (11 seasons, five at Valparaiso)

    Patriot League Record: 9-19 (six seasons)

2024 Bucknell Football Information

2024 Captains: Linebacker Brad Jamison, offensive lineman John Ohnegian, safety Alex Smith Jr., and offensive lineman Casey Stephenson

2023 Record: 4-7 (1-5 Patriot)

    Home/Away/Neutral: 1-4/3-3/0-0

2023 Patriot League finish: 7th

Starters Returning/Lost: 12/10

Offensive Starters Returning/Lost: 6/5

Defensive Starters Returning/Lost: 6/5

Bucknell Football Historical Information

First Year of Football: 1883

Overall All-Time Record: 618-632-51

Overall Patriot League Record: 83-128-1

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