Saturday, October 22
Bethlehem, Pa.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
1-7 , 1-2
17
vs
19
Bucknell
1-6 , 1-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Bucknell
0
7
0
12
19
Lehigh
0
3
7
7
17
Photo by: Trent Weaver
Late Field Goal Lifts Bucknell Past Mountain Hawks 19-17
10/22/2022 5:15:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Bucknell's Matt Schearer kicked a 19-yard field goal with 18 seconds remaining to lift the visiting Bison to a 19-17 win over Lehigh Saturday at Goodman Stadium on Health Care Workers Appreciation Day, presented by Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute. The Mountain Hawks led 17-10 before the Bison scored nine points in the game's final 2:05 to claim their first win (1-6).
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Lehigh allowed just 215 yards of offense to Bucknell and scored on special teams for the second time in three weeks, but falls to 1-7 on the season. Both Lehigh and Bucknell are now 1-2 in Patriot League play.
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Offensively, the Mountain Hawks mustered just 255 yards and were hurt by three first-half turnovers.
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"This was a game we went into believing we could win and believing we would find a way to get the job done," Lehigh head coach Tom Gilmore said. "We obviously didn't get that done in the end. We were very inconsistent throughout the course of the game, but we put ourselves in a position to win. Bucknell came up with a big onside kick recovery after a blocked extra point. We thought we were in a great position there. They came up with the onside kick recovery and we missed an interception that was in our hands.
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"They made a couple of plays to get down on the goal line to kick the winning field goal," Gilmore continued. "Obviously a really disappointing result in a game where we could not capitalize on our opportunities."
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Late in the second quarter, a Bucknell interception set the Bison up at Lehigh's 20 yard line. Rushawn Baker opened the scoring with a three-yard touchdown run to put Bucknell up 7-0. Lehigh answered with an 11-play, 48-yard drive as a 34-yard field goal by senior Dylan Van Dusen left Lehigh down 7-3 at halftime.
ÂGallery: (10-22-2022) Football vs. Bucknell 10/22/22
Lehigh's special teams helped put the Mountain Hawks in front just over two minutes into the third quarter. After a bad snap on a Bucknell punt, senior Johnny Foley broke through to block the punt and junior Nick Lucien recovered in the end zone and the extra point gave Lehigh a 10-7 lead.
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Schearer connected on a 48-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10 early in the fourth quarter.
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Lehigh's defense then set up the Mountain Hawks to take the lead. Senior Dean Colton sacked Bucknell's Nick Semptimphelter and forced a fumble, which senior Michael Callahan recovered at the Bucknell 24. Seven plays later, sophomore Gaige Garcia scored on a one-yard touchdown run to put Lehigh back in front 17-10.
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Bucknell answered with a seven-play, 60-yard drive and Baker scored on a one-yard run to bring the Bison within 17-16, but senior Tommy Lewis blocked the extra point to keep Lehigh in front.
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The Bison recovered the ensuing onside kick and moved deep into Lehigh territory on a 24-yard completion on 3rd-and-11. The Mountain Hawks stopped Bucknell on three plays from inside the two-yard line, but Schearer's field goal put the Bison back in front.
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Lehigh's desperation final play with several laterals was stopped at the Bucknell 35.
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Garcia rushed 16 times for 41 yards and a touchdown as Lehigh managed just 71 yards on the ground. Junior quarterback Dante Perri completed 19-of-34 for 160 yards and an interception. First-year Brayten Silbor was 3-of-6 for 24 yards and an interception before leaving the game with an injury in the second quarter.
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First-year Geoffrey Jamiel was the top receiver with 70 yards on a career-high nine catches.
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Junior linebacker Mike DeNucci led the defense with 11 tackles and a tackle for loss. Lehigh held Bucknell to just 69 rushing yards, while Semptimphelter completed 13-of-28 for 146 yards.
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The Mountain Hawks will have their bye next weekend and will return to action at No. 6/9 Holy Cross, Nov. 5 with game time set for noon. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with audio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM in Easton and LVFoxSports.com.
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EXTRA POINTS… Lehigh honored its 1977 national championship team during Saturday's game as part of the 45th anniversary season of the program's lone national title… Lehigh had an 18-12 edge in first downs, while Bucknell led in time of possession 31:18-28:42… senior Nate Norris and junior Tim Bell joined Colton in recording sacks… Bell's was the first of his career… Lehigh finished with nine tackles for loss and five pass breakups… Bucknell is Lehigh's second most-played rival behind Lafayette… Lehigh leads the all-time series 49-34-3 and has won 20 of the last 25 meetings.
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Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Lehigh allowed just 215 yards of offense to Bucknell and scored on special teams for the second time in three weeks, but falls to 1-7 on the season. Both Lehigh and Bucknell are now 1-2 in Patriot League play.
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Offensively, the Mountain Hawks mustered just 255 yards and were hurt by three first-half turnovers.
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"This was a game we went into believing we could win and believing we would find a way to get the job done," Lehigh head coach Tom Gilmore said. "We obviously didn't get that done in the end. We were very inconsistent throughout the course of the game, but we put ourselves in a position to win. Bucknell came up with a big onside kick recovery after a blocked extra point. We thought we were in a great position there. They came up with the onside kick recovery and we missed an interception that was in our hands.
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"They made a couple of plays to get down on the goal line to kick the winning field goal," Gilmore continued. "Obviously a really disappointing result in a game where we could not capitalize on our opportunities."
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Late in the second quarter, a Bucknell interception set the Bison up at Lehigh's 20 yard line. Rushawn Baker opened the scoring with a three-yard touchdown run to put Bucknell up 7-0. Lehigh answered with an 11-play, 48-yard drive as a 34-yard field goal by senior Dylan Van Dusen left Lehigh down 7-3 at halftime.
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Lehigh's special teams helped put the Mountain Hawks in front just over two minutes into the third quarter. After a bad snap on a Bucknell punt, senior Johnny Foley broke through to block the punt and junior Nick Lucien recovered in the end zone and the extra point gave Lehigh a 10-7 lead.
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Schearer connected on a 48-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10 early in the fourth quarter.
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Lehigh's defense then set up the Mountain Hawks to take the lead. Senior Dean Colton sacked Bucknell's Nick Semptimphelter and forced a fumble, which senior Michael Callahan recovered at the Bucknell 24. Seven plays later, sophomore Gaige Garcia scored on a one-yard touchdown run to put Lehigh back in front 17-10.
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Bucknell answered with a seven-play, 60-yard drive and Baker scored on a one-yard run to bring the Bison within 17-16, but senior Tommy Lewis blocked the extra point to keep Lehigh in front.
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The Bison recovered the ensuing onside kick and moved deep into Lehigh territory on a 24-yard completion on 3rd-and-11. The Mountain Hawks stopped Bucknell on three plays from inside the two-yard line, but Schearer's field goal put the Bison back in front.
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Lehigh's desperation final play with several laterals was stopped at the Bucknell 35.
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Garcia rushed 16 times for 41 yards and a touchdown as Lehigh managed just 71 yards on the ground. Junior quarterback Dante Perri completed 19-of-34 for 160 yards and an interception. First-year Brayten Silbor was 3-of-6 for 24 yards and an interception before leaving the game with an injury in the second quarter.
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First-year Geoffrey Jamiel was the top receiver with 70 yards on a career-high nine catches.
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Junior linebacker Mike DeNucci led the defense with 11 tackles and a tackle for loss. Lehigh held Bucknell to just 69 rushing yards, while Semptimphelter completed 13-of-28 for 146 yards.
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The Mountain Hawks will have their bye next weekend and will return to action at No. 6/9 Holy Cross, Nov. 5 with game time set for noon. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with audio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM in Easton and LVFoxSports.com.
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EXTRA POINTS… Lehigh honored its 1977 national championship team during Saturday's game as part of the 45th anniversary season of the program's lone national title… Lehigh had an 18-12 edge in first downs, while Bucknell led in time of possession 31:18-28:42… senior Nate Norris and junior Tim Bell joined Colton in recording sacks… Bell's was the first of his career… Lehigh finished with nine tackles for loss and five pass breakups… Bucknell is Lehigh's second most-played rival behind Lafayette… Lehigh leads the all-time series 49-34-3 and has won 20 of the last 25 meetings.
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Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Team Stats
BUC
LEH
Total Yards
215
255
Pass Yards
146
184
Rushing Yards
69
71
Penalty Yards
56
110
1st Downs
12
18
3rd Downs
4
4
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
31:18
28:30
2nd Quarter
BUC 7, LEH 0
BUC - Baker,Rushawn 3 yd run (Schearer,Matt kick), 4 plays, 20 yards, TOP 02:15
BUC 7, LEH 3
LEH - Van Dusen,Dylan 34 yd field goal 11 plays, 48 yards, TOP 01:35
3rd Quarter
BUC 7, LEH 10
LEH - Lucien,Nick 0 yd punt return (Van Dusen,Dylan kick)
4th Quarter
BUC 10, LEH 10
BUC - Schearer,Matt 48 yd field goal 12 plays, 63 yards, TOP 05:57
BUC 10, LEH 17
LEH - Garcia,Gaige 1 yd run (Van Dusen,Dylan kick), 7 plays, 24 yards, TOP 03:20
BUC 16, LEH 17
BUC - Baker,Rushawn 1 yd run (), 7 plays, 60 yards, TOP 02:49
BUC 19, LEH 17
BUC - Schearer,Matt 19 yd field goal 11 plays, 45 yards, TOP 01:43
Game Leaders
CMP
19
TD
0
YDS
160
INT
1
CMP
3
TD
0
YDS
24
INT
1
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
DL
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LB
/ Football
WR
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RB
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WR
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WR
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DB
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LB
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