LEWISBURG, Pa. – Trailing 21-7 in the third quarter, the VMI Football Team mounted a valiant comeback, tying the game at 28-28 with five minutes to play before Bucknell responded one last time with Sam Milligan's fourth receiving touchdown of the game to give the Bison the 35-28 victory.
"It's painful to come up here again and lose in a one-score game," said VMI Head Coach
Danny Rocco. "I was proud of the way we fought back…Their quarterback is really good, so I have to tip my cap to that. I give them credit for finishing the game."
Key Stats
-
Collin Shannon throws for a career-high 362 yards (21-38), becoming first VMI quarterback to throw for over 300 yards since 2021
- Keydet offense totals 401 yards of total offense, Bucknell totals 476
- Ralph Rucker IV throws for five touchdowns, four to wide receiver Sam Milligan
-
Stephen Dean III records career-high 14.0 tackles;
Kouri Crump totals 10.0 tackles
-
Noah Grevious sets career highs of 186 yards with a career-best 73-yard reception
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Owen Sweeney hauls in two touchdowns;
Nana Utsey punches in first career touchdown
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Leo Boehling records career-highs in rushing yards (66), attempts (19), receptions (4) and receiving yards (38
-
EJ Wilborne records first career interception;
Jacob Moore has 5.0 tackles, 3.5 TFLs
-
Donovan Burnett,
Carson Gue each get first career sack
-
Joe Comello has career-high 6.0 tackles and a break up
What's Next
The Keydets (1-2, 0-0 SoCon) remain on the road, visiting Richmond next Saturday with kick scheduled from 2:00 p.m.
Rocco's Remarks
On the Halftime Adjustments
"We came out with passion and really good execution. We made a few adjustments with our R-P-O game and run game. We took a couple of shots that we hit downfield. Defensively we were playing their run game well and eliminated the big plays for the first part of the second half. They dialed it up at the end and I give them credit for finishing the game. Disappointed we are sitting here at 1-2 going home."
On Moving Forward
"There's a lot to learn from. We need to go watch the film, make the corrections and get ourselves ready to go to Richmond next week."
How it Happened
First Half
- Both teams were locked in defensively, forcing three and outs until a 45-yard connection from Rucker to Sam Milligan opened the scoring
- Shannon and the offense would respond with a 12-play, 69-yard drive capped by an
Owen Sweeney 18-yard reception to even the score at 7-7
- Early in the second quarter Bucknell strung together a 94-yard drive, highlighted by four third-down conversions to jump in front by seven (14-7, 4:58, 2
nd quarter)
- Bison get another possession, ending with Milligan's third receiving touchdown of the half to cap off an 85-yard drive (21-7)
Second Half
- The teams traded possessions to open before Shannon connected with Grevious for a 73-yard receiving touchdown to cut the deficit to seven
- After Bucknell jumped in front 28-14, Shannon worked his magic to extend plays, setting up an Utsey three-yard score (28-21, 14:54, 4
th)
- The Keydet defense would hold strong with the VMI offense taking over on their own 48, moving down the field and tying the game when Shannon connect with Sweeney for his second score of the game
- Rucker and the Bison would run some clock before once again turning to Milligan who hauled in a heavily-contested catch with under two minutes to play (35-28)
