Bucknell Bison at Holy Cross Crusaders
· NCAA - Football
Daniel Porto field goal lifts Holy Cross to dramatic 40-38 win over Bucknell
The Crusaders remain alive to win or share the Patriot League championship for the sixth consecutive year. Holy Cross (5-6, 4-1) shares first place with Lehigh, which defeated Colgate 45-17 on Saturday. Holy Cross finishes at Georgetown and Lehigh hosts Lafayette in season finales next week.
Ralph Rucker IV threw three touchdown passes in the first half and Bucknell (5-6, 3-2) led by as much as 21-3. Jayden Clerveaux's short touchdown run for Holy Cross made it 21-10 at halftime and Joe Pesansky's 35-yard pass to Max Mosey on the second play of the third quarter got the Crusaders within 21-17.
A field goal and Rucker's fourth TD pass made it 31-17 in favor of Bucknell before things got hectic.
Ross Dansdill blocked a punt deep in Holy Cross territory and Cam Jones picked up the loose ball and took it the last two yards for a touchdown that got the Crusaders within 31-24 late in the third.
Clerveaux tied it with another short touchdown run, then Holy Cross took its first lead when Curtis Harris-Lopez picked off a Rucker pass and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown.
Rucker then rallied Bucknell with his fifth TD pass of the game, a 5-yarder to Eric Weatherly with eight minutes remaining.
Holy Cross turned it over on downs but forced a Bucknell punt before mounting a 64-yard, 11-play drive to set up a 23-yard field goal by Porto.
Rucker fumbled on the first play of Bucknell's final possession.
Rucker completed 33 of 42 passes for 339 yards. In addition to his five TDs, he was intercepted twice. Weatherly caught 10 for 129 yards and two scores.
How To Watch
How can I watch Bucknell Bison vs. Holy Cross Crusaders?
- TV Channel: Bison at Crusaders 2021 College Football, week 12, is broadcasted on ESPN+.
- Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
Scoring Summary
 |
TD | 1st Period 9:19 | Sam Milligan 23 Yd pass from Ralph Rucker IV (Matt Schearer Kick) |
|
TD | 1st Period 2:36 | Sam Milligan 15 Yd pass from Ralph Rucker IV (Matt Schearer Kick) |
 |
FG | 2nd Period 11:59 | Daniel Porto 28 Yd Field Goal |
|
TD | 2nd Period 7:30 | Eric Weatherly 18 Yd pass from Ralph Rucker IV (Matt Schearer Kick) |
|
TD | 2nd Period 0:32 | Jayden Clerveaux 2 Yd Run (Daniel Porto Kick) |
|
TD | 3rd Period 14:14 | Max Mosey 35 Yd pass from Joe Pesansky (Daniel Porto Kick) |
|
FG | 3rd Period 8:37 | Matt Schearer 30 Yd Field Goal |
|
TD | 3rd Period 6:27 | Nate Anderson 9 Yd pass from Ralph Rucker IV (Matt Schearer Kick) |
|
TD | 3rd Period 3:04 | Cam Jones 2 Yd Punt Return (Daniel Porto Kick) |
|
TD | 4th Period 14:19 | Jayden Clerveaux 1 Yd Run (Daniel Porto Kick) |
|
TD | 4th Period 11:49 | Curtis Harris-Lopez 56 Yd Interception Return (Daniel Porto PAT failed) |
|
TD | 4th Period 8:13 | Eric Weatherly 5 Yd pass from Ralph Rucker IV (Matt Schearer Kick) |
|
FG | 4th Period 0:59 | Daniel Porto 23 Yd Field Goal |
Statistics
 BUCK |
 HC |
|
|---|---|---|
| 27 | 1st Downs | 15 |
| 7-15 | 3rd down efficiency | 4-12 |
| 0-0 | 4th down efficiency | 0-2 |
| 434 | Total Yards | 336 |
| 339 | Passing | 186 |
| 33/42 | Comp/Att | 8/16 |
| 8.1 | Yards per pass | 11.6 |
| 95 | Rushing | 150 |
| 35 | Rushing Attempts | 41 |
| 2.7 | Yards per rush | 3.7 |
| 9-87 | Penalties | 6-70 |
| 3 | Turnovers | 1 |
| 1 | Fumbles lost | 1 |
| 2 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
| 33:39 | Possession | 26:21 |
Game Information
Location: Worcester, MA
Attendance: 11,357 · Capacity:
College Football News
College football conferences with the best bowl game records
The SEC is a dominant college football powerhouse, especially when it comes to bowl games. See which other conferences also have bowl success.
Sources: Steve Belichick expected to join North Carolina as DC
Steve Belichick is expected to join father Bill Belichick's North Carolina staff as the Tar Heels' defensive coordinator, sources told ESPN.
Mason Rudolph evades pressure, fires TD pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Mason Rudolph avoids getting sacked and throws a short touchdown pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
Heupel speaks on Vols' first CFP appearance, where to go from here
Josh Heupel discusses what No. 7 Tennessee needed to improve on for a better result in the first round of the CFP and outlines his vision for the future of the program.
College football SP+ rankings after first-round CFP games
After the first round of the College Football Playoff, the championship odds are more bunched than ever.