Bucknell Football hosted Lafayette this past Saturday amidst a three-game losing streak and was able to take down the Leopards 21-14 to snap it.
Bucknell got on the board on its opening offensive drive after quarterback Ralph Rucker IV ’26 got in the end zone. Tariq Thomas ’28 led the drive with consecutive runs for 45 yards and 16 yards, then Rucker took it himself later on from 19 yards out to put the Bison on the board.
Lafayette responded right back to even the tally at 7-7 and that score remained for the rest of the half. Eight of the final 10 combined possessions for both teams ended in a punt or turnover on downs.
Lafayette came out of the gates hot in the second half after both teams went cold for the majority of the first. The Leopards scored quickly on the opening drive of the second half to take its first lead of the game, 7-14.
The Orange and Blue responded early in the fourth to tie the game right back up. Rucker found Josh Gary ’26 for an 11-yard completion then Michael Cadden ’28 followed that up with a 10-yard run of his own. Rucker again used his legs to power into the end zone from one yard out to tie it up at 14 a piece.
After forcing a Lafayette punt on its next possession of the contest, Bucknell got right back into the endzone to take a 21-14 lead.
Rucker found Nate Anderson ’26 for a 36-yard connection after finding Eric Weatherly ’25 for a 14-yard completion before that. Rucker then found Weatherly again for the Bison touchdown.
Lafayette got the ball back and put together a slow and methodical drive with about five and a half minutes left. After eight plays, the Leopards found themselves on the Bucknell two-yard line, but a false start call brought them back to the seven with two minutes to go and Lafayette right on the outside of tying this game up, Bucknell forced a fumble on the Lafayette quarterback that was recovered by Gavin Willis ’27, sealing the game.
“We have been preaching all year that we want to win a championship and that every Patriot League game is a championship deciding game,” Willis said. “We’re in a position because of the win from Lehigh and against Lafayette last week where we have a chance to bring home a championship. Now we just have to finish what we started.”
Bucknell has a chance to win the Patriot League title if they can win out. Next up, the Bison will take on Fordham at home on Nov. 9.
