Three-Game Football Homestand Starts With Bucknell

Dan Swanstrom
The Roger J. Weiss '61 Head Coach of Cornell Football

PRE-SNAP READ

• Cornell begins a three-game homestand when it hosts Bucknell for its final non-confernece game of the season on Saturday, Oct. 18.

• Nick DeLuca and Matt Miller will have the call on ESPN+.

• Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

THE SERIES

• Cornell and Bucknell have met 60 times dating back to 1888, with the Big Red leading the all-time series  with a 44-16 record.

• Cornell and Bucknell have split each of the last 10 meetings, including last seasons 34-21 Big Red win in Lewisburg, Pa.

• The last time Bucknell visited Ithaca was during the 2023 season, the Bison came out on top, 21-13.

• Cornell is 34-8 all-time at home against the Bison.

A WIN OVER BUCKNELL WOULD...

• Give the Big Red a 45-16 all-time record over the Bison.

• Improve Cornell to 317-259-14 all-time in the month of October.

• Give Cornell its first win of 2025 and first since defeating No. 24 Dartmouth 39-22 on Nov. 19, 2024.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION

• Bucknell has an explosive passing attack led by QB Ralph Rucker IV, who's completing 68% of his passes for 1,510 yards and 10 TDs with a solid 161.25 rating. The receiving duo of Sam Milligan (640 yards, 5 TDs) and TJ Cadden (495 yards, 5 TDs) provides reliable targets.

• The Bison are efficient when reaching the red zone - converting 64% of red zone opportunities into touchdowns (18-of-28) and scoring on 93% of red zone trips overall, showing they capitalize when they get close.

• Bucknell is averaging only 3.6 yards per carry (128.9 YPG), well below the 5.8 YPC they're allowing. RB Tariq Thomas leads with 380 yards but the run blocking needs improvement, as evidenced by 184 yards lost on rushes.

• The Bison show vulnerability on defense - giving up 208.9 rushing yards per game at 5.8 YPC while generating only 8 sacks compared to surrendering 24. They're allowing 36.3 PPG and 488.9 total yards per game.

• Matt Schearer is a effective - hitting 90% of field goals (9-10) including a 50-yarder, converting 20-of-21 PATs, and averaging 43.1 yards per punt.

OBSERVATIONS FROM WEEK FOUR

• The Cornell defense continues to play well -- currently ranking 30th in all of FCS and third in the Ivy League in total defense.  They held nationally-ranked Harvard, who came into the contest with the second-most points and yards per game in all of FCS, to a season-low 34 points and 413 yards of total offense. Without the 14 points directly resulting from Cornell turnovers (fumble return TD and pick-six), this would have been a 20-10 game.

• Turnovers once again proved devastating for Cornell. The Big Red lost a fumble on the opening drive that Harvard returned 36 yards for a touchdown. Bass-Sulpizio threw an interception that was returned 39 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, effectively sealing the game. Cornell's two turnovers (1 fumble lost, 1 interception) directly resulted in 14 points for Harvard. The Big Red have allowed a defensive touchdown in three of four games this season.

• Cornell converted just 5-of-13 third-down attempts (38.5%), while Harvard was much more successful at 10-of-17 (58.8%). Third down continues to be a point of emphasis for the Cornell offense who is averaging a first down on 33.33% of third down chances.

HIGH-VALUE KURTZ-ENCY

• Cornell junior tight end and All-American Ryder Kurtz is among the best pass catchers in the Ivy League through four weeks, hauling in 17 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns, which ranks seventh among all pass catchers and first among all tight ends.   

• Through his 13 game career he is averaging 4.1 receptions per contest, while hauling in six touchdown passes.

• His six career touchdown catches are the most  by a tight end in Cornell football history.

NEARING 1K

• Senior wide-out Doryn Smith is nearing 1,000 career recieving yards as he currently sits at 917 following the Harvard game.

• Smith will become the 28th player in Cornell football history to surpass 1,000 career recieving yards.

• He also has 81 receptions, 30th all-time at Cornell.

RANKING SUMMARY

• The Big Red rank 30th nationally and third in the Ivy League in total defense, while giving up the second-fewest passing yards per game in the league at 174.3, which ranks 19th in all of FCS.

• Cornell ranks 11th in FCS in fewest penalties, with only 27 flags thrown against the Big Red.

• Cornell trails only Harvard for the top spot nationally in first down defense, allowing only 70 first downs through four games.

• Big Red opponents score only 77.8 percent of the time once they reach the red zone, ranking the Big Red third in red zone defense in the Ivy League.

• After recording a career-best four pass break-ups in the loss to Harvard, Braylon Howard ranks third in the nation with 1.50 passes defended per game.

• Alan Zhao's field goal percentage of 66.7 percent ranks first among qualified Ivy League kickers.

IVY PRESEASON POLL

• After earning a share of the Ivy League crown in each of the past two seasons, Harvard has been selected as the preseason favorite in the 2025 Ivy League Football Preseason Poll. The poll was conducted among 16 media members who regularly cover Ivy League football.

• Harvard, one of three teams to share last season’s title, received 114 points and garnered nine first-place votes. Dartmouth, which also claimed a share of the title the last two seasons, edged out Yale for second place with 105 points and four first-place votes. Yale followed closely with 103 points and three first-place selections.

• Columbia, fresh off its first Ivy League title since 1961, was picked fourth with 72 points.

• Rounding out the poll were Princeton (55), Penn (49), Cornell (42), and Brown (32).

PHIL STEELE PRESEASON ALL-IVY

• A total of eight Cornellians were selected to the Phil Steele All-Ivy preseason teams.

• Wideout Samuel Musungu and long snapper Nolan Albright were selected to the first team.

• Ryder Kurtz (TE), Alan Zhao (K), and Caden Lesiewicz (P) made the second team, and Max Van Fleet (DL), Joey Cheshire (LB), and Jeremiah Lewis (RB), were selected to the third team.

• The eight preseason honree's for the Big Red are the most since placing nine on the 2023 Phil Steele Preseason All-Ivy Teams.

NEXT UP

• Cornell continues its three game homestand when it welcomes Brown to Schoellkopf Field on Saturday, Oct. 25.

• It will be the 72nd all-time meeting between the Big Red and Bears. Brown leads the all-time seris 39-31-1, with a 18-16-1 record in Ithaca.

• Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.

• Schoellkopf Field has been an indelible mark of Cornell football since it opened in 1915 and this year will be the 109th season at the home field. 
• A gift from Willard Straight ‘01 and the family of Henry (Heinie) Schoellkopf ‘02 made the construction possible for the current stadium. 
• The Big Red’s first year on the field was one of its best, going 9-0 and winning the national championship. 
• In 1915, General Electric Company completed work on a flood searchlight system for the field, and in 1924 a construction project was completed to bring capacity from 9,000 to 21,500 by adding the famed Crescent. 
• In 1947 that capacity was increased to 25,597 and a press box was added. 
• In 1971 a gift was made to put artificial turf on the field, and it was resurfaced three times, the last time in 1999. 
• A new press box was built in 1986.
• The 2008 season saw the installation of FieldTurf synthetic grass to replace the artificial turf. 
• In 2016, the West Stands were demolished and the field was moved 15 feet toward the Crescent while replacing the FieldTurf to be ready for more construction at the site, lowering the capacity to 21,500 in the process.

Few collegiate football programs have the storied history of Cornell University. With more than 130 seasons of football in the books, the Big Red has collected five national titles, won over 650 games and has had legendary players and coaches perform on historic Schoellkopf Field. Names such as Glenn "Pop" Warner and Heisman Trophy finalist and NCAA record-breaker Ed Marinaro have suited up for Cornell, while seven College Football Hall of Famers (including Warner, Gil Dobie and Carl Snavely) and multiple-time Super Bowl winner George Seifert have set the strategy as head coaches. A new era begins in 2024 when Dan Swanstrom takes the helm.