LEWISBURG, Pa. (Interstat) — Penn scored 20 points and Bucknell scored 7 as the visiting Quakers defeated the Bison in an NCAA Football Championship Division game at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Penn improved to 1-0. Bucknell fell to 1-3. The Quakers built their advantage with a fast start and held the Bison to a single touchdown. Bucknell’s defense kept the game within reach, but Penn’s offense and special teams did enough to leave Lewisburg with the win. The game was played at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, with Penn as the visiting team and Bucknell as the home team.

Penn scored 14 points in the first quarter and six in the second. Bucknell scored seven in the first quarter. The Quakers opened the scoring when M. Teodecki rushed up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown with 3:23 remaining in the first quarter. M. Walters made the extra point. Penn struck again late in the opening period when Teodecki completed a deep middle pass to Mason Page. The 37-yard touchdown came with 38 seconds left in the first quarter, and Walters converted the extra point. The two early touchdowns gave Penn a lead it never surrendered. Penn added six points in the second quarter, while the Bison’s defense kept the game from turning into a rout.

Bucknell’s lone touchdown came on a dramatic defensive play. Teodecki’s pass was intercepted by N. Olson at the Bucknell 23, and Olson returned it 77 yards for a touchdown. J. Garanton made the extra point, bringing the Bison within a touchdown. The play changed the momentum briefly, but Penn’s defense settled in and prevented Bucknell from reaching the end zone again. A 27-yard field goal attempt by Walters in the second quarter was no good, leaving the Quakers to rely on their defense and field position.

Penn’s defense produced several key stops. Zach Darche led the Quakers with seven tackles and one quarterback hurry. Josh Narcisse added five tackles. Ezra Fearon and Cole Olsztyn each recorded four tackles. Connor Martin contributed two tackles and one sack. Luke McIlhon had one tackle and one interception. Raashed Hall and Jack Sacchetti each had one tackle and one quarterback hurry. Derek McCrum made three tackles, while Jayden Drayton recorded three tackles to go with his return work. Shane Throgmartin, Duncan McPherson, Cole Erickson, Luca Lopez, Brock Cornell, Devin Malloy, and DJ Brown each finished with one tackle. Liam Forster, Ty Cortes, Joey Holliday, and Trevor Pajak each made two tackles. Jack Sacchetti, Raashed Hall, and Connor Martin each made plays behind the line of scrimmage, and Luke McIlhon’s interception helped end a Bucknell threat.

The Quakers’ passing game spread the ball around. Luke Johnson caught six passes for 75 yards, pacing the Penn receivers. Mason Page had one reception for 37 yards and a touchdown. Dante Barone caught a 10-yard touchdown pass on his only reception. Simon Cofrancesco had three catches for 17 yards. Jack Donnelly added two receptions for 10 yards. Ronan Johannson caught one pass for 11 yards. Connor Johns had one reception for 9 yards. Tommy Lafayette rushed seven times for 22 yards and caught three passes for 28 yards. Donte West carried 17 times for 39 yards. Sean Williams Jr. rushed six times for 25 yards. The balanced effort helped Penn control possession and keep Bucknell’s defense on the field.

Special teams also played a role for Penn. Nate Kashey punted seven times for 275 yards, helping Penn manage field position. Jayden Drayton returned one kickoff for 42 yards and four punts for 15 yards. Drayton also contributed three tackles. Walters handled the kicking duties and made his extra-point attempts. The Quakers’ coverage units limited Bucknell’s return opportunities and forced the Bison to drive long fields.

Bucknell’s defense kept the Bison in the game. Nick Hoying led all defenders with 11 tackles. Brandon Biagiarelli and Lucas Rost each recorded eight tackles, with Rost adding one quarterback hurry. Shane Hulmes had seven tackles, one sack, and one quarterback hurry. Jason Morbitzer made six tackles. England Allen finished with five tackles and two quarterback hurries. Takai Whitmore added three tackles. Deuce Geter recorded three tackles. The Bison generated pressure in the backfield but could not turn those stops into enough points. Bucknell’s defense also got pressure from Rost and Allen, who combined for three quarterback hurries.

Bucknell’s offense found some success through the air and on the ground. Sam Milligan caught three passes for 43 yards. Jerry Harrison had one reception for 20 yards and one tackle. Tom Arth caught three passes for 9 yards and made one tackle. Jack Bohm-Squicciarini had one reception for 8 yards. Chad Martin caught one pass for 1 yard. Michael Cadden rushed six times for 16 yards and caught one pass for 1 yard. Ty Stauffer carried 11 times for 31 yards and caught one pass for 2 yards. In the fourth quarter, Cadden broke loose for an 18-yard touchdown run, but the play was nullified by a holding penalty against Bucknell. The penalty erased the Bison’s best chance to tighten the game.

Penn’s win came in its season opener, while Bucknell dropped its third game of the season. Bucknell entered the game after a 14-3 victory at Virginia Military Institute on Sept. 12. The Bison had opened the season with a 35-14 loss at Richmond on Aug. 29 and a 17-16 home loss to Villanova on Sept. 5. Penn will next host Lehigh on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. Bucknell will travel to Pittsburgh on the same date. The Quakers will then begin a stretch of Ivy League games, starting at Dartmouth on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Bucknell will continue its schedule at Georgetown on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Bucknell 26, Penn 21. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Penn with a 67.3 percent probability to win. Bucknell had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -3. The total score of 27 went over the over/under line of 48.5.