LEWISBURG, Pa. (Interstat) — Naiteitei Mose returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown with 12 seconds remaining to seal a 31-24 victory for Georgetown over Bucknell in a Patriot League thriller on Saturday at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.

The Bison, driving for a potential game-tying or go-ahead score, saw their hopes dashed when Mose, a linebacker from Euless, Texas, stepped in front of a Christopher Dietrich pass and raced untouched down the sideline for the clinching score. The play was automatically reviewed to confirm the runner was inbounds, but the call stood, sending the Hoyas to a .500 record.

Georgetown improved to 3-3 overall, while Bucknell fell to 4-3.

The game was a tale of two halves, with Georgetown building a lead and Bucknell mounting a furious comeback that ultimately fell short. The Hoyas controlled the first half, taking a 14-0 lead before the Bison found their footing.

Savion Hart was the engine for the Georgetown offense, grinding out 116 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. His first score, a 10-yard run with 5:48 left in the opening quarter, capped an efficient drive that featured a 31-yard burst from Hart and a 20-yard completion from quarterback Dez Thomas II to Jimmy Kibble.

Bucknell answered early in the second quarter. After a 49-yard run by Tariq Thomas set the Bison up at the Georgetown 6-yard line, Dietrich connected with tight end Charlie Kreinbucher on a 1-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 14-7.

The Hoyas responded immediately, marching 80 yards in just over two and a half minutes. The drive was highlighted by a 39-yard deep ball from Thomas to Kibble, setting up Hart’s second touchdown, a 1-yard plunge that restored the two-score lead at 21-7.

Bucknell then crafted a 15-play, 76-yard drive just before halftime. Dietrich finished it himself, scrambling for a 7-yard touchdown to pull the Bison within a score at 21-14 heading into the break.

Georgetown extended its lead on the opening drive of the second half. Thomas, who finished an efficient 16-of-21 for 188 yards, found Hassan Mahasin on a deep post for a 31-yard touchdown strike, pushing the Hoyas’ advantage to 28-14.

The defenses then took over, with both punters, Josh Leff of Georgetown and Matt Schearer of Bucknell, trading kicks and pinning their opponents deep. The stalemate was broken early in the fourth quarter when a muffed punt by Bucknell’s TJ Cadden was recovered by Georgetown’s Joel Mireles, leading to a 35-yard field goal from Thomas Anderson to make it 31-14.

Refusing to quit, the Bison mounted a rapid response. On the ensuing drive, Dietrich hit Michael Cadden on a screen pass that turned into a 49-yard gain. Two plays later, Dietrich found TJ Cadden for a 20-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 31-21 with 10:33 remaining.

After forcing a Georgetown punt, Bucknell embarked on a long, methodical drive that consumed over five minutes of clock but stalled inside the Georgetown 10-yard line. Schearer came on to boot a 27-yard field goal, making it a one-score game at 31-24 with just over three minutes left.

Georgetown’s offense managed to burn some clock but was forced to punt, giving Dietrich and the Bison one final chance with 42 seconds remaining from their own 47-yard line. After one completion moved the ball to the Georgetown 43, Dietrich dropped back on second down and targeted a receiver over the middle, but Mose read the play perfectly for the game-sealing interception and score.

Dietrich finished 18-of-30 for 222 yards with two touchdowns and the critical interception. Tariq Thomas was a workhorse for the Bison, rushing for 93 yards on 12 carries. TJ Cadden was a versatile weapon, catching five passes for 76 yards and a touchdown while adding 127 combined return yards.

For the Hoyas, Kibble was the primary receiving threat, hauling in eight catches for 115 yards.

The victory marked a significant upset. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a Bucknell victory, and its ELO system gave the Bison a 72.5 percent probability to win, though Georgetown had been a slight pregame betting favorite. The combined score of 55 points went over the betting over/under line of 56.5.

Georgetown looks to continue its momentum next Saturday when it travels to face Lehigh. Bucknell has a bye week before resuming play on Nov. 8 at Fordham.