Last-Second Blocked Field Goal Helps Bucknell Football to 17-14 Win at Robert Morris

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Will Carney kicks a career-long 44-yard field goal Saturday at Robert Morris. (photo courtesy Craig Cavlovic)

Sam Nana-Sinkam Blocks Field Goal that Would have Tied Game

Sept. 13, 2008

Stats

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell's Sam Nana-Sinkam blocked a Garrett Clawson field goal attempt with three seconds left to seal a 17-14 Bison victory over Robert Morris Saturday at a wet Joe Walton Stadium. The Bison improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2003, head coach Tim Landis' first season at Bucknell.

The game was close throughout as neither team led by more than a touchdown. It looked like Bucknell was going to put the game away late in the fourth quarter when Marcello Trigg completed 25-yard 3rd-and-11 pass to A.J. Kizekai for a first down at the Robert Morris 16-yard line with just under three minutes on the clock. However, the Bison were unable to convert another first down and Will Carney had his 30-yard field goal blocked, giving the Colonials a chance to at least tie the game.

Robert Morris took possession and marched down the field, covering 74 yards in 10 plays. Additionally, a couple of penalties helped the Colonials cover the distance in less than two minutes.

Robert Morris had five chances to punch in a touchdown on that final possession, but the Bison defense came up big as Colonial quarterback Erik Cwalinski threw a couple incomplete passes, was tackled on a quarterback draw by Marques Morgan and the offense was whistled for an illegal formation penalty. That series of plays, all within the final minute, set up the potential game-tying field goal. Nana-Sinkam jumped from his middle line position and got a solid piece of Clawson's 22-yard low kick to clinch the victory.

Bucknell's defense, which limited Robert Morris to one touchdown in each half, was solid not just on the last drive as it forced three fumbles in the second half. The first fumble, which was forced by John von Paris, directly led to the game-winning score as on Bucknell's first possession following the turnover Nolan Applegate connected with Alex Odenbach on a halfback option pass. It was the second career completion, and the first career touchdown pass, for Applegate.

Bucknell's first score came midway through the second quarter when Alex Lair caught his first career pass as Trigg, who was a solid 10 of 16 passing for 130 yards and one touchdown, found him over the middle for a 10-yard touchdown. It evened the score at 7-7.

The Bison brought a 10-7 lead into the half thanks to a penalty by the Colonials. Will Carney attempted what would have been a career-best 49-yard field goal, but the kick was wide right. However, Robert Morris was whistled for a running into the kicker penalty, giving Carney another chance, this one from 44 yards. He connected on that field goal, which was the longest of his career and his first of the season.

The momentum Bucknell gained from Carney's boot was short-lived as Robert Morris' Myles Russ outran the Bison defense and scored on a 68-yard touchdown scamper on the second play of the second half.

Ryan Smith (60 yards) and Kizekai (50 yards) led Bucknell in rushing as the Bison piled up 190 yards on the ground. Overall, Bucknell had 346 yards, while Robert Morris had 375. Kizekai also caught three passes for 54 yards. Shaun Pasternak, who missed most of the second half after suffering a cut on his face, led the team for the second consecutive game with three catches for 60 yards.

Senior Todd Manjuck paced the Bison defense with eight tackles, while Rob Gerlach added six. Robert De La Rosa recovered two of Robert Morris' three fumbles, while Manjuck collected the other.

Cwalinski finished 15 of 25 for 265 yards and one touchdown for Robert Morris, while Russ rushed for 93 yards on 14 carries. The Colonials had just 42 yards on the ground outside of Russ's touchdown scamper.

Bucknell was 2-for-3 on fourth down in the game, with all three chances coming in the first quarter. On the very first drive of the game Trigg threw his first interception of the season one play after plunging over the line of scrimmage to move the chains. The one time the Bison did not convert on a fourth-down try it was inside the 5-yard line and had a chance to tie the score at 7-7.

The Bison, who have won three straight games dating back to last year, will go for a 3-0 start to the season for the first time since 1997 next week at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium against Cornell. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.