Late field goal gives Lehigh sixth straight loss
The Bison ended a 13-game losing streak
In terms of nature’s beauty, it doesn’t get much better than the picture-perfect, sunny, but not too hot or cold autumn day Mother Nature served up Saturday afternoon at Goodman Stadium.
In terms of the mood of the Lehigh football community, the day’s end featured nothing but dark clouds.
Matt Schearer’s 19-yard field goal with 20 seconds left gave Bucknell a 19-17 win over Lehigh.
It snapped a 13-game losing streak for the Bison and extended the Mountain Hawks’ skid to six games dropping them to 1-7 this season.
The Bison entered No. 123 in the country among 123 FCS members in terms of scoring offense and No. 121 in total offense.
Yet, Bucknell was able score 12 points in the fourth quarter, including nine in the final 2:05 to hand Lehigh perhaps its most disappointing loss of the season.
The game-winning drive came after the Bison (1-6) scored on Rushawn Baker’s 1-yard run. The extra-point kick was blocked to preserve a 17-16 lead but the Mountain Hawks couldn’t corral the ensuing onside kick, giving the Bison the ball at the Lehigh 47 with 2:01 remaining.
Bucknell moved 45 yards in 11 plays, advancing to the Mountain Hawks’ 2 to set up Schearer, who made a 48-yard field goal earlier.
Lehigh got the ball back with 12 seconds left and tried a play with multiple laterals, but Bucknell was able to hold off the Mountain Hawks for their first win since beating Cornell 21-10 on Oct. 2, 2021.
While saying it was “obviously a really disappointing result,” Lehigh coach Tom Gilmore said his team will keep fighting on.
“I’m really proud of this team because they’ve been put through a lot, not only this year, but the last couple of years,” Gilmore said. “We have a lot of guys who are working really hard. They’re putting great effort and a lot of great energy and enthusiasm into what we’re doing.”
Lehigh outgained Bucknell 255-215, but was hurt by 12 penalties for 110 yards.
Bucknell’s first score was set up by an interception that put the Bison at the Mountain Hawks 20. Four plays later, Baker ran it in for his first touchdown.
Lehigh got a 34-yard field goal by Dylan Van Dusen to get within 7-3 at halftime and then took the lead when Bethlehem Catholic product Nick Lucien recovered a blocked punt in the end zone. Johnny Foley got the block.
The Bison tied it at 10 on Schearer’s first field goal 40 seconds into the final period, but Lehigh got a fumble recovery and took advantage of the takeaway to get a 24-yard touchdown drive capped by Gaige Garcia’s 1-yard turn with 4:49 remaining.
However, the Lehigh defense, which has been a strength of the team all season, couldn’t get the stop to finish it off.
Bucknell got a 39-yard completion from Nick Semptimphelter to set up a Baker’s touchdown that closed the gap to 17-16, and Lehigh clung to that one-point advantage with the blocked PAT.
But the Bison got their own special teams play to set up the game-winning drive with Semptimphelter, the son of former Lehigh quarterback Scott Semptimphelter, getting a 24-yard completion to convert on third-and-11. That play got Bucknell to the 2 and while the Mountain Hawks defense regrouped to prevent a touchdown, the Bison were still able to get the game-winning field goal.
“I know how I’m feeling right now and I know how our guys are feeling,” Gilmore said. “But you know what, after today, we have no choice but to try to build on the positives, eliminate the mistakes and execute at a higher level to win football games.”
Lehigh also had to deal with the loss of freshman quarterback Brayten Silbor, who was taken off the field on a stretcher in the second quarter after taking a major hit on a quarterback sack. Silbor suffered what appeared to be a significant injury to his nonthrowing arm.
“We tried to stay focused on the game and what we needed to execute,” Gilmore said. “It was a very emotional time when Brayten got hurt. Anytime a player gets transported off the field, your thoughts obviously go to that player’s well-being.”
Gilmore said the plan was to use Silbor and Dante Perri at quarterback.
“Brayten was going to come in the game on the second or third series depending on how the game was going,” Gilmore said. “We knew we were going to do that. That was Brayten’s second series. It’s hard to say how it would have gone had he not been injured.”
Dante Perri completed 19 of 34 passes with an interception and 160 yards. Freshman Geoffrey Jamiel led the receiving corps with eight catches for 50 yards.
Lehigh’s ground game produced just 71 yards on 29 carries.
All-league and All-American candidate Mike DeNucci led the defense with 11 tackles, but Bucknell was able to go 3-for-3 on trips to the red zone despite converting just three times on 16 third-down attempts.
“I know how I’m feeling right now and I know how our guys are feeling, But you know what, after today, we have no choice but to try to build on the positives, eliminate the mistakes and execute at a higher level to win football games.”
Tom Gilmore, Lehigh football coach
What’s next
Lehigh has its bye week and returns to action at nationally-ranked Holy Cross on Nov. 5. Bucknell hosts Colgate at 1 p.m. Saturday.