Nov. 2, 2005

by Nick Nagel
Media Relations Assistant

In honor of 20 years of Patriot League football, the Patriot League will profile the seven current members of the League. Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh have played in all 20 seasons, while Fordham has played 16 seasons and Georgetown has participated in five campaigns. This week we look at the Bison of Bucknell University.

Bucknell is another one of the Patriot League's storied programs. They program was ranked 15th all-time in wins at the Division I-AA level entering the 2005 season with 545. During Bucknell's 122-year history the Bison have had many landmark wins. Though they began play in 1883, the Bison did get their first victory until the 1884 season, when they defeated Wyoming Seminary 12-4 on Oct. 20. Perhaps the biggest win in Bucknell history came in the 1935 Orange Bowl where the Bison rolled past Miami 26-0 in a game in which the first football photograph was transmitted over the wires by the Associated Press.

Bucknell joined the Patriot League in 1986 as a founding member. In 1989 and 1990, the Bison finished second in the League. They also finished second in the 1995 and 1997 seasons. In 1995, BU went 4-1 in conference play, falling only to League champion Lehigh, 30-27. In 199,7 the Bison went 5-1 in conference play, with their lone setback to League champion Colgate in the last game of the season.

The Bison's only Patriot League championship came in 1996. In that season Bucknell went 4-1 in conference play and 6-5 overall. Bucknell went through League play winning an overtime over Colgate, 28-27, and beating Lehigh, 7-6. BU's only conference loss came against Lafayette where the Bison fell, 23-7. Even though Bucknell won the Patriot League title in 1996, they did not qualify for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.

Bucknell has had five head coaches during its run in the Patriot League. George Landis led the Bison into League play coaching from 1986-88. Lou Maranzana then took over from 1989-94, before Tom Gadd led the Bison from 1995-2001, amassing a 48-28 record. Dave Kotulski then served as acting head coach in 2002 before current head coach Tim Landis took over. Landis entered the 2005 season with a 13-10 overall record.

A look at the record book for Bucknell will show many names familiar to Patriot League fans. Scott Auchenbach is the Bison's all-time leader in career passing yards with 5,256 from 1986-89. Bucknell's all-time leading rusher is Rich Lemon, who ran for 4,742 yards from 1993-96. Jim Horan is second all-time in career receiving yards with 2,110 from 1999-2002. Ed Burman is tied for the all-time lead in sacks with 25.5 in his career that spanned from 1993-95.

Going into the 2005 season, Bucknell was picked to finish fifth by the League's coaches and sports information directors receiving 40 points overall. Currently the Bison are 1-7 overall and 0-3 in League play after losing their top three quaterbacks to injury. . They return to action Saturday when they travel to Fordham for a Patriot League game slated for a 1 p.m start.

The Patriot League continues its look at 20 years of football next Wednesday when Holy Cross will be featured.