Penn 32 - Bucknell 25: Redemption in overtime

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Penn kicker Evan Nolan had a chance at redemption Saturday against Bucknell. The Quakers' original starter -- sidelined after failing to convert his last four field-goal attempts -- saved the game for the Red and Blue, setting up the opportunity for a 32-25 double-overtime win over the gritty Bison.

Coming into the game for the first time, Nolan was staring down the uprights 42 yards away with the game on the line. In the first overtime session, Bucknell kicker Ryan Korn got a lucky bounce on a 47-yard field goal that deflected off the crossbar and through the uprights, which put the Bison on top, 25-22. The Quakers (3-1, 1-0 Ivy) then had the opportunity to lock up the win with a touchdown -- but the offense couldn't get it done. It was all up to Nolan to tie the game.

And this time Nolan delivered. The Bucknell fans fell silent as Nolan's kick effortlessly split the uprights, keeping Penn's hopes alive.

Penn quarterback Pat McDermott provided the difference in the second extra session, leaping over the pile on the 1-yard line to scratch out the winning touchdown. During Bucknell's last drive to score, the Quakers' defense demonstrated why it is so well regarded. Penn senior Greg Jones put the hammer down on the Bison with a critical sack of quarterback Daris Wilson, pushing him back to the 32-yard line. The senior signal caller was unable to do what he had done with ease all day -- make the big play.

Bucknell (3-2, 1-0 Patriot) lost at home to a non-conference opponent for the first time since 1996, when the Quakers pulled out a 30-21 overtime win at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.

A game that saw the Quakers miss two field goals and turn the ball over three times in the first half quickly turned into an emotional thriller, in which McDermott and his number one receiver, senior Dan Castles, both recorded career numbers. McDermott came to life, completing 32 of 55 passes for 384 yards, in addition to muscling his way to a pair of touchdowns.

"I had great protection all day; I don't think I hit the ground more than twice," McDermott said. "Guys were getting open down the field and we were calling the right plays."

Meanwhile, Castles logged a career-best 12 catches, almost all of which came at critical points in the game, including a pair of red-zone snares in double overtime. The senior finished the game with 132 yards.

"He was the difference-maker today," Bucknell coach Tim Landis said. "When they needed a play, he made it."

"He's either wide open or he's double, triple covered. If he's not open, it opens something else up," McDermott said of his top target.

But while the final result was positive, the situation in the early going was nothing short of disastrous for the Quakers. Penn missed an opportunity to draw first blood when Bryan Arguello's 32-yard kick nailed the left upright. The senior defensive back and interim kicker also sent a 30-yard attempt wide to the right later in the second quarter.

"We were really frustrated in the first half. We just left an awful lot of points on the field," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said.

"When you think it's going to be a close game and you think you're playing a good football team and you leave points on the board, it just sooner or later bites you in the rear end."

While the Quakers were struggling to do the little things right, Bucknell was capitalizing on a pair of big opportunities. Bucknell slotback Mike Cangelosi made himself stand out in an offense dominated largely by its quarterback, Wilson. Midway through the first quarter, Cangelosi took a shovel pass from Wilson and lofted a sideline pass to wide receiver Nisan Trotter, who scampered untouched into the end zone for a 66-yard score.

"I threw it as far as I could deep to the sideline, where only Nisan could catch it," Cangelosi said. "We had great protection up front on that one."

On the ensuing kickoff, Penn senior Duvol Thompson took off on what would have been a respectable kickoff return, fighting his way to the Penn 40-yard line. Under pressure, Thompson lost the handle, giving the Bison another easy shot at the Quakers' goal line. Three quick series set up Cangelosi's second score in as many minutes, as he took a handoff from Wilson across the line.

"We knew we would really have to take advantage of opportunities when we got them," Landis said. "I thought we did a pretty good job of that, but we just came up a little bit short."

Penn defensive lineman J.J. Stanton changed the tone of the game by picking off a Wilson pass at the Penn 40-yard line. The 6-foot-2 sophomore found room to run back to the Bucknell 3-yard line, setting up another opportunity for the Red and Blue. This time, though, they would cash in.

On third down, Penn scratched out a touchdown on the shoulders of McDermott. In a must-score situation, McDermott took care of business himself, just breaking the plane of the goal line before fumbling the ball. Landis protested from the sideline but to no avail. The score would be bittersweet, as Arguello sailed the extra point wide right.

"It was a huge play," Bagnoli said. "Instead of being down a considerable amount, and really being frustrated about it, we were able to take it in."

While the game had no real implications for the remainder of the Quakers' season, it was an important boost of confidence as the bulk of the Ivy season looms on the horizon.

But while this game may have been pegged as a final tune-up for the Ancient Eight campaign, Bucknell had other ideas. The Bison used their unconventional flexbone offensive system to tear off 137 rushing yards and 22 points in regulation, both high water marks against a Penn team that ranks third in Division I-AA in rushing defense.

"We should have scored more points, that's how we feel," McDermott said. "From the offensive side of the ball we don't think it should have gone to overtime, but it did and thank God we prevailed."

NOTES: The family-weekend crowd of 10,602 -- which included Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell and former Penn basketball player Adam Chubb -- was the largest in the history of Bucknell's Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium since its renovation in 1989. It was the second crowd of more than 10,000 -- the other was also against Penn.

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