WORCESTER, Mass. — The Holy Cross football team cruised to a 34-3 win over Bucknell during Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 24.
The Holy Cross offense totaled a season-best 272 rushing yards, paced by sophomore running back
Joseph Williams, who was named the winner of the Turco Award as the Homecoming MVP. He finished the day with 144 yards on 18 carries, scoring the first touchdown of the game for the Crusaders. Junior running back
Datrell Jones had a career-best 80 yards on nine carries.
Junior receiver
Ty Curran scored a pair of touchdowns and totaled 67 yards on six receptions. Junior running back
Jake Croce also scored a touchdown on the ground, totaling 35 rushing yards.
The Crusader defense held the Bison to just three points, the lowest point total by a Holy Cross opponent since a shutout against Georgetown in the 2024 season. Senior captain
Adam Due led the effort, with 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Senior captain
Chisom Onwuzurigbo returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown, the first defensive touchdown by the Crusaders this year. That was one of three interceptions on the day, with picks also coming from sophomore linebacker
Tyler Georgs and freshman defensive back
Travon Chardonet.
Holy Cross has won three consecutive games in Patriot League play to improve to 3-2 in conference action.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After Bucknell marched down the field on its opening drive, the Crusaders held the Bison to a field goal, giving them a 3-0 lead with 10:14 left in the first.
- After a three-yard run by Williams and a 15-yard penalty on Bucknell, Williams broke free for a 47-yard touchdown to give the Crusaders a 7-3 lead with 9:42 to go in the first.
- A pass by Bison quarterback Chris Dietrich tipped off a receiver's hands and into the hands of Onwuzurigbo, who took the ball 36 yards back to the end zone to extend the Crusader lead to 13-3.
- An interception and 14-yard return by Georgs gave the Crusaders the ball back at the Bucknell 35-yard line. On the next play, junior quarterback David Lynch found Curran in the end zone to extend the lead to 20-3 with 5:51 left in the half.
- The Holy Cross defense continued to stymie the Bison throughout the second half. Senior edge rusher Carlo Crocetti had a third-down sack on Bucknell's first drive of the third quarter, and after the Bucknell punter mishandled a high snap, he was brought down at the Bucknell 20-yard line by Due and sophomore Lincoln Fisher. On the ensuing drive, Lynch and Curran connected again for an eight-yard score and 27-3 lead for the Crusaders with 3:10 left in the third.
- Early in the fourth quarter, the Holy Cross defense forced a three-and-out, and the Crusader offense strung together a scoring drive capped by a 15-yard touchdown by Croce to extend the lead to 34-3.
- Bucknell made its way to the Holy Cross 12-yard line, but junior edge Rushaune Vilane and junior defensive tackle Gabe Flores teamed up for an eight-yard sack and Chardonet secured an interception with 4:08 to go in the fourth quarter to keep the Bison off the board in the second half.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Williams posted his third consecutive game with over 100 rushing yards; he has elevated his career high in rushing yards in each of the last two games.
- Onwuzurigbo's interception was his first of the year and the third of his career. It also marked his first career pick-six.
- Due had his third game this year with double-digit tackles; he is averaging 12 tackles a game at Fitton Field this year.
- The Crusaders have won eight straight games against the Bison.
- Holy Cross has won four of its last five Homecoming contests.
- During the game, Holy Cross honored the 1986, 1991 and 2021 Patriot League Championship teams. Numerous program alumni, including Varsity Club Hall of Fame head coach Mark Duffner, joined the in-game celebration.
UP NEXT:
- Holy Cross continues its homestand with an Oct. 31 matchup against No. 25 Richmond.
- Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Fitton Field.
- Tickets can be purchased by visiting goholycross.com/fbtix or by calling 1-844-GO-CROSS.
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