Oct. 1, 2005
Final Stats
LEWISBURG, Pa.-Senior Dante Ross rushed for three touchdowns, threw for one more and recorded one interception on defense to lead the Bucknell football squad to a 27-7 victory over Marist Saturday at Christy Mathewson Stadium. Bucknell picked up its first win of the season with the victory to move to 1-3, while the Red Foxes dropped to 3-2 overall. Both Marist losses have come at the hands of Patriot League foes (Lafayette 40-21). The Red Foxes came into Saturday's game ranked in the top six in all three I-AA Mid-Major polls.
The Bison got on the board first when Ross, forced into action due to injuries to the Bison's top two quarterbacks, stepped under center and took an option play 39 yards for a touchdown to make the score 7-0.
The two teams traded field position for the rest of the first half, with neither team mounting a serious scoring threat. The Marist defense thwarted each subsequent drive by forcing the Bison to punt, while the Red Foxes' drives were snuffed out by a botched field goal snap and an interception by Bucknell senior linebacker James Lachman.
Marist junior defensive lineman Tim Aulet stopped Bucknell's last-ditch effort at the end of the first half when he sacked Bucknell reserve quarterback Ben Bouffard for a 10-yard loss and jarred the ball loose in the process. Senior defensive lineman Matt Grande picked up the ball and rumbled seven more yards before he was brought down by the Bison offense.
After Lachman tallied his second interception of the contest at the 13:56 mark of the third quarter, Ross found freshman wideout Daniel Zvara for a 37-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline to put the Bison up 14-0.
Ross made another big play for the Bison on defense, picking off senior quarterback James Luft in the end zone for the fourth time in the game to stop the Red Foxes yet again in the red zone. Bucknell took the ensuing drive and went up 21-0 at the 11:23 mark on a 23-yard scoring run by Ross.
The Red Foxes finally got on the board with 8:46 remaining in the game when sophomore running back Obozua Ehikioya, the reigning MAAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, rumbled 41 yards for his sixth touchdown of the season. The West Hempstead, N.Y. native now has 14 career touchdowns, which ties him for third on Marist's I-AA list with Chris Price (1999-2002).
Ross scored his last touchdown of the contest at the 1:13 mark of the fourth quarter on a one-yard plunge into the end zone for the game's final margin.
Saturday was a reversal of fortune for the Marist defense, who held Wagner to 39 yards rushing a week ago, only to yield 308 yards on the ground to the Bison in Saturday's meeting. The Red Foxes did, however, hold Bucknell to just 38 yards through the air, on 2-for-7 passing.
Ross amassed 268 yards on 31 carries with three touchdowns to lead the Bucknell ground attack, while Ehikioya paced the Marist rushing attack with 73 yards on 14 carries to go with the touchdown.
Luft had a rough day under center for Marist, completing 17 of his 33 attempts for 240 yards and four uncharacteristic interceptions. Luft entered Saturday's contest ranked 23rd nationally in pass efficiency at 145.8. Ross' 37-yard scoring completion was one of just two passes completed by Bucknell all day.
Senior wideout Guy Smith posted eight catches for 102 yards to lead Marist, giving him 113 career receptions and passing Jon Reed (1994-97) for the all-time school record in the category. Smith needs 27 yards next week to snap Reed's career receiving record (1,685 yards). Zvara's catch paced the Bucknell receivers.
Senior linebacker Mike Giummo led Marist with nine tackles, including one tackle for loss. David Frisbey paced Bucknell with 13 tackles, and one tackle for loss.
Marist will be back in action next Saturday at 1 p.m. when La Salle comes to Poughkeepsie for Homecoming.
