This past Saturday, Bucknell football opened up Patriot League play with a statement win against Lehigh. The Bison battled constant adversity throughout regulation and fought to force the game into overtime.
Bucknell found themselves trailing 14-0 late in the second quarter before TJ Cadden ’27 took Lehigh’s kickoff all the way to the end zone for the first Bison touchdown of the game. This was Cadden’s third return touchdown this season, and it could not have come at a better time for the Bison. Bucknell capitalized on the momentum from Cadden’s return, as quarterback Ralph Rucker IV ’26 found Eric Weatherly ’26 for the team’s second touchdown of the quarter.
The Bison marched into the locker room tied 14-14, but the action was far from over. The second half was just as contentious as the first, with the two teams trading blows throughout.
One of Lehigh’s players led his team’s offensive charge with two rushing touchdowns in the half, but Bucknell consistently had an answer to Lehigh’s persistent attack. Rucker ran seven yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter, and Aaron Davis ’26 picked off Lehigh’s pass for a 79-yard interception return touchdown with just over six minutes left in regulation. Lehigh’s second touchdown came after the two minute warning and knotted the game at 28 a piece as the two sides headed into overtime to break the tie after a missed 52-yard field goal from Bucknell’s Matt Schearer ’26 as time expired.
Lehigh was awarded the first possession of overtime and cashed in for their third rushing touchdown of the game to put the pressure on the Bison. Rucker answered and connected with Weatherly for the second time to even the score once again. In the second overtime period, Bucknell had to settle for a 42-yard field goal from Schearer, leaving the door open for Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks took possession, looking for a touchdown, but the Bison defense had one more big play left in them. On first down, linebacker Brad Jamison ’25 made the game’s defining play and forced a fumble to take possession back for the Bison and end the game.
The 38-35 win moved the Bison to 3-2 on the season and to the top spot in the Patriot League standings. Despite only gaining 270 total yards of offense to Lehigh’s 500, the Bison’s versatile ability to score a touchdown on offense, defense and special teams was the difference in this contest. The grit and resilience displayed by the Bison is what has set them apart all season, and they’ll get some much needed rest over their bye week before returning to the field to face UPenn on Saturday, Oct 12.
