Football Upends Bucknell, 31-17

Lewisburg, Pa. – Many things were different this football season when compared to the past few years. But one thing remained the same. The Fordham defense held Bucknell to just 199 yards of total offense in defeating the Bison for the eighth straight season, 31-17, in a Patriot League game at Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium.
 
With the win, Fordham improves to 2-1 on the spring while Bucknell falls to 2-1.
 
Senior linebacker Glenn Cunningham led the defense, making eight stops, including two for loss and one sack, and he intercepted a pair of passes while freshman linebacker Mike Courtney made six tackles, 3.5 for loss, and returned an interception 49 yards for a score.
 
Offensively, junior wide receiver Fotis Kokosioulis, caught nine passes for 149 yards and one touchdown while sophomore wide out Dequece Carter hauled in seven for 111 yards and a score. Junior quarterback Tim DeMorat completed 32 of 42 passes for 335 yards and three scores.
 
The Rams trailed 17-10 in the third quarter and were threatening to score more when Cunningham stepped in front of a Logan Bitikofer pass in the Fordham end zone and returned it to the Fordham 27. That turnover resulted in a 50-yard touchdown pass from DeMorat to Kokosioulis that tied the game at 17 with six minutes left in the third.
 
Later in the quarter, Courtney intercepted a Bitikofer and returned it 49 yards for a score to put the Rams up for good.
 
Takeaways
• The game was a part of the Patriot League's second Pursuit of Anti-Racism Weekend as the League reaffirms its commitment toward the pursuit of anti-racism symbolized by the warm-up shirts worn by student-athletes and teams around the league.
• The temperature at kickoff was almost 60 degrees, one of the warmest days for a Fordham-Bucknell football game (the two teams have played in November since 2007).
 
• The 100-yard receiving game is Dequece Carter's second of the year and fourth of his career.
 
• The all-time series between Fordham and Bucknell is now tied at 18-18.
 
• The three interceptions thrown by Bucknell were the first of the season for the Bison.
 
• The Rams held Bucknell to a season-low 14 first downs and allowed the Bison to convert only one of 14 third down conversions.
 
By the Numbers
4 – Quarterback hurries by Anthony Diodato.
 
8 – Interceptions by the Fordham defense over the past two games.
 
9 – Receptions by Fotis Kokosioulis, tying his career-high.
 
11.0 – Tackles for loss recorded by the Rams, led by 3.5 from Mike Courtney.
 
46 – Net rushing yards by Bucknell.
 
149 – Receiving yards for Fotis Kokosioulis, a career-high (previous high was 136 at Yale in 2019).