Despite a strong defensive effort, dismal special teams play and an offense lacking in production, the Georgetown football team (1-4 overall, 0-3 PL) lost 35-19 to Bucknell (3-1 overall, 1-0 PL) Saturday on Harbin Field.
“It was a frustrating game,” Head Coach Bob Benson said. “But our defense played great.”
It’s not often that a coach compliments the defense when the team loses by 16 points, but considering that the Hoyas’ defense accounted for six turnovers-two of which resulted in defensive touchdowns-and kept the Hoyas within reach until the fourth quarter, his praise may have been well-placed.
“We have struggled offensively,” sophomore quarterback Keith Allen said. “If I was a defensive player, I’d be frustrated.”
By locking down Georgetown junior running back Kim Sarin, Bucknell’s defense was able to sit back and stop a predictable passing scheme.
“We wanted to force them into some second and third and long situations,” Bucknell Head Coach Tim Landis said in an email. “We thought it was very important to stop the option game and force them into throwing the ball.”
The Hoyas’ defense disrupted Bucknell’s option-driven offense early by penetrating into the backfield and recovering a fumble by Bucknell senior quarterback Daris Wilson on the Bucknell two-yard line. This play set up first-year running back Emir Davis’ one-yard touchdown run that put Georgetown up 7-0. This touchdown was the only score the offense tallied for the remainder of the game.
Bucknell tied the score in the second quarter on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Wilson. The Bison were looking to go ahead on their next drive, pushing to the Hoyas’ five-yard line. Bucknell was poised to score when first-year defensive back Matt Barbiasz picked off a Wilson pass and ran it back 99 yards for a touchdown, the longest interception return in Hoyas’ football history. Barbiasz was named Big East Rookie of the Week for his effort.
“Georgetown has a very good defense, and they are extremely active and play hard,” Landis said. “They forced us into some turnovers by stemming their fronts and moving around. I was impressed.”
However, Georgetown failed to convert the extra point attempt, which afterward would prove pivotal.
The Hoyas’ lead was short-lived. Junior kickoff specialist Dante Ross returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. Ross repeated the feat to open the second half when he returned a kickoff 85 yards for another score.
“It was a game of big plays and fortunately for us we were able to make more of them,” Landis said.
Georgetown’s special teams play, a rare bright spot on a thus far dismal season, was unable to match Bucknell’s performance.
“Special teams hurt us badly,” Benson said. “When you fail at two out of three aspects, you go home the loser.”
The Hoyas were unable to put together a decent offensive drive all afternoon.
“The effort was 100 percent, but the execution was not,” Allen said.
Nonetheless, the Hoyas were still in the game going into the fourth quarter, courtesy of junior strong safety Maurice Banks’ 11-yard interception return for a touchdown.
“I was sitting on the number two receiver,” Banks said. “So when he went on a sprint out, I jumped on it.”
Down 21-19, (instead of by one due to the previously missed extra point,) the Hoyas elected to try for a two-point conversion, but failed.
Senior quarterback Andrew Crawford replaced Allen in the final quarter, but fared no better. Bucknell would not allow Georgetown the lead and pulled away, adding two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
“It’s frustrating because we were close,” Benson said. “[Our] defense did their best, special teams devastated us and offensively we struggled.” On paper, it would seem as if the defense could not hold the Bison since they allowed 35 points and 330 total yards. Yet the unexpected scores from Barbiasz and Banks gave the Hoyas a fighting chance and kept the game within reach.
