Start spreading the news. The Georgetown Hoyas and the Bucknell Bison, the Patriot League’s traditional cellar dwellers, will meet this Saturday for a game which could decide who is at the bottom of the league’s standings at the end of the season.
Georgetown comes into the game facing both good and bad news. The good news is that the Hoyas defeated Bucknell last season, 20-17. The bad news is that Bucknell has greatly improved.
“Bucknell’s a much improved team from last year, and they’re currently 3-2,” sophomore quarterback Keerome Lawrence explained. “It should be a great game.”
For the Hoyas to repeat last year’s success against Bucknell, Lawrence will need to bolster the Hoya’s anemic rushing attack as he did last week, when he ran for 98 of the team’s season high 168 rushing yards in the 27-7 loss to Penn. Lawrence’s ability to run the ball has not been an issue—he leads the squad with 223 rushing yards on the season.
His ability to throw and hold onto the ball, however, is questionable. Lawrence was only 10-19 through the air for 57 yards and a touchdown. He threw one interception and fumbled the ball four times, two of which were lost.
“He’s getting better and better,” head coach Kevin Kelly said. “He’s still got things to work on. He’s got to work on his passing, and he knows that.”
Lawrence will be aided by the return of freshmen quarterback James Brady, who returns from an injury that limited him to one series in the Penn game. Brady is the team’s leading passer with 534 yards. He’ll have to perform well for the Hoyas to have any chance—Georgetown threw 46 times in its victory against Bucknell last season.
Defensively, the Hoyas will need to stop a formidable Bucknell offense. Junior quarterback Marcello Trigg has passed for eight scores and run for five more this season. A collaborative rushing attack, led by junior A.J. Kizekai, consists of five players that have already eclipsed the 100 yard mark this season.
Kick-off is set for 1:00 p.m. on Harbin Field.
