Bucknell Football Rallies to Defeat Cornell in Home Opener, 15-9

Wilson Rushes for 139 Yards and Winning Score

Nisan Trotter's 49-yard catch set up Bucknell's winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Sept. 18, 2004

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Quarterback Daris Wilson ran for 139 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown with 3:40 left in the game to lead Bucknell to a 15-9 victory over Cornell in the Bison's home opener Saturday night at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.

Bucknell (1-1) rushed for 292 yards and outgained Cornell 408-279, but three turnovers and a pair of blocked field goals kept the Big Red in the contest.

Cornell, playing its season opener under first-year head coach Jim Knowles, took a 9-7 lead on A.J. Weitsman's 28-yard field goal with 4:51 to play. Weitsman replaced starting kicker Trevor MacMeekin, who had earlier missed two field goals and an extra point.

Moments after falling behind for the first time all night, Wilson, who also completed 7 of 9 passes for 116 yards, connected with wide receiver Nisan Trotter on Bucknell's biggest pass play of the night, a 49-yard hookup that brought the Bison to the Cornell 21. Wilson then sprinted 20 yards around right end to the 1, and the senior quarterback dove across the goal line one play later.

Wilson connected with Ian Nutt on a 2-point conversion to make it 15-9. Cornell made one first down on its ensuing possession but couldn't convert a 4th-and-3 on its own 34, and the Bison ran out the clock.

Bucknell took a 7-0 lead on Wilson's 16-yard pass to Nutt with 4:39 left in the first quarter. After Joel Sussman's first of two blocked field goals, Cornell answered with a 12-play, 72-yard drive that ended with Andre Hardaway's 2-yard touchdown run. But MacMeekin, who had already missed field goals of 30 and 50 yards, hooked his extra-point attempt and the Bison retained a 7-6 lead into halftime.

D.J. Busch completed 19 of 38 passes for 193 yards, but Cornell was held to just 86 yards on 30 carries. Chad Nice had six catches for 84 yards.

Wilson had his fifth career 100-yard rushing game, while Blamah Sarnor added 84 yards on 17 carries. Trotter finished with 84 receiving yards on four catches.

Bucknell returns home next Saturday to face Columbia, while Cornell hosts Yale.