The Bison football team fell short to preseason Patriot League favorite Colgate at the Oct. 15 home game by a margin of 27-7. John Chiarolanzio ’20 made his quarterback debut for the Orange and Blue in the hopes of contributing to a Bison win.

Bison football had tallied a big win over Patriot League competitor Holy Cross on Oct. 8, boosting their season record to 2-3 and 1-0 over Patriot League schools.

“Our league games are basically playoff games,” head coach Joe Susan said. “Our players understood that we were in a position to control our own destiny,” Susan said.

Colgate dominated the first half, outgaining the home team in yards 198-79 despite being flagged six times for 50 yards. Colgate completed two field goals and a touchdown to give the Raiders a 13-0 lead at the end of the second quarter.

The second half saw the debut of quarterback Chiarolanzio.

“When I first went onto the field, I just tried to take a deep breath and tell myself to calm down, play football, and have fun. I was nervous at first, but my whole team supported me and kept me calm,” Chiarolanzio said.

Chiarolanzio completed a game best 42-yard pass to Will Carter ’17 during the first drive. The run ended with Jack Chambers ’19 narrowly missing a 30-yard field goal.

The Bison’s next offensive possession covered 71 yards on 10 plays, ending with a touchdown by Andrew Owers ’19 that closed the gap to six points with 1:55 remaining in the third quarter.

Colgate dominated the fourth quarter scoring two touchdowns in the last six minutes to secure an end score of 27-7.

Despite falling short on the scoreboard, the Bison held Colgate below its season average of 32.4 points per game. Brice Sydnor ’19 stood out among defenders with a career-high 12 tackles and one interception. Bret Berg ’17 finished with eight tackles, one forced fumble, one pass breakup, and averaged 40.5 yards on two punts.

The team will host Lafayette on Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. for the University’s homecoming game.

“Our team must be able to put this one behind them and understand the position we have put ourselves in. Every league opportunity is a critical one for us,” Susan said. “I trust that our senior leadership will demand this and we will be prepared for a traditional rival in Lafayette,” Susan said.