Football opened its home slate this past Saturday against VMI, where the Bison continued its momentum to pick up its second straight victory. The Orange and Blue took down VMI 35-28 to improve to 2-1 on the 2025 season.

Bucknell quarterback Ralph Rucker IV ’26 put together one of his best showings throughout his career with the Orange and Blue. The senior completed 21-of-28 (75%) passes for 405 yards to go along with five touchdowns. 

It was a slow start offensively for both squads, as both the Bison and VMI punted on their first two possessions of the contest. The Orange and Blue got the scoring going in a big way midway through the first quarter, as Rucker connected with Sam Milligan ’27 for a 45-yard touchdown on the first play of the possession to put the Bison up 7-0. 

VMI responded with an end zone find of their own on its next possession. Milligan lit up the opposition throughout the first half, as Rucker found the junior for a score twice more in the second quarter to send the Bison to the halftime locker room up 21-7. Milligan finished the first 30 minutes of action with nearly 100 yards receiving to go along with three touchdown catches.

The Keydets got within a touchdown of the Bison with an early end zone find in the third quarter, but the Orange and Blue responded later in the third after another monster play. Rucker found TJ Cadden ’27 for a 59-yard TD to put the Orange and Blue up 28-14 entering the fourth.

VMI made the Bison earn the victory, as the Keydets scored two touchdowns in the fourth to tie the game up 28-28 with five and a half minutes to go in the contest. Then, the offense led a clutch drive of over three minutes to take the lead with just under two minutes left. Rucker found Milligan yet again for his fifth touchdown of the afternoon on a 37-yard connection. The Orange and Blue held VMI scoreless over their last possession to take the victory 35-28.

Milligan finished the contest with seven receptions for 192 yards and four touchdowns, setting career-highs in all of those categories. The Bison put up 476 yards of total offense in the victory.

Next up for the Orange and Blue is a home matchup against Lehigh this Saturday at 6 p.m. EST.