Box Score

PITTSBURGH -- Duquesne scored on each of its first three drives and four of the first five, but would not score again as visiting Bucknell held on for a 28-19 win Saturday evening on Rooney Field in both teams' 2007 opener.

The Dukes took the opening kick-off and methodically drove down field on a 12-play, 63-yard drive that took 6:15 off the clock. Mark Troyan's 33-yard field goal gave the Red and Blue an early 3-0 advantage.

After forcing the Bison to go three and out, Duquesne took over again and drove into Bucknell territory on a 36-yard completion from Scott Knapp to Bruce Hocker to the Bucknell 19 yard line. The Bison defense held again as the Dukes settled for a Troyan 39-yard field goal and a 6-0 lead on a seven-play, 44-yard drive.

Bucknell answered with a scoring drive of their own, going 68 yards in six plays, capped by a 45-yard touchdown strike from Marcello Trigg to A.J. Kizekai to take a 7-6 advantage.

Duquesne responded quickly. After an eight-yard rush by Greg Hough on first down, Knapp aired it out to Michael Rasky, who scampered 72 yards into the Bucknell end zone to make the score, 13-7 on the last play of the first quarter.

The Bucknell offense wouldn't be outmatched as the Bison found pay dirt again on its next possession. Trigg hit Josh lee from 26-yards out to put BU up, 14-13.

Both teams turned the ball over on their next possession and Duquesne made the most of the Bison blunder. Knapp found Hocker down the left sideline for a 52-yard touchdown strike on the first play after the turnover. The Bison would finish the first half scoring though as Corin Erby ran in from four yards out for a 21-19 Bucknell lead.

The Duquesne defense set the tone for the second half as both team's defenses clamped down. After returning the second half kick-off to the Duquesne 32, the Bison marched the ball to the one yard line and had a first and goal situation. Bucknell was stopped four straight times from the one-yard line as linebacker Derron Thomas made his presence felt with three straight stops before fellow linebacker John Simmons turned the Bison away on fourth and goal.

Erby scored again on BU's next possession though to take a 28-19 lead which held up to be the final score. The Dukes, who put up 276 yards of offense in the first half, only mustered 96 yards in the second half. On the flip-side Bucknell managed 138 first half yards before tallying 171 in the second stanza.

Knapp completed 14-29 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns. Hocker and Rasky each had over 100 yards receiving and a score. Hough led the DU rushers with 83 yards on 16 carries.

BY QUARTER     1    2   3    4     FINALBUCKNELL       7   14   7    0        28DUQUESNE      13    6   0    0        19

LEADERS

Rushing (Att./Yds./TD)
DU - Hough (16-83-0); BU - Erby (19-40-2), Trigg (20-40-0)
Passing (Att./Comp./Int./Yds./TD)
DU - Knapp (29-14-0-286-2); BU - Trigg (14-8-1-156-2)
Receiving (Att./Yds./TD)
DU - Hocker (4-104-1), Rasky (3-105-1); BU - Kizekai (2-68-1)
Tackles (Tot./Solo)
DU - Thomas (18/10); BU - Collage (5/4), Slater (5/3)

GAME NOTES

Box Score

• The Dukes are 11-5 in season-openers since 1992 with all five losses coming against Bucknell
• Bucknell won the time of possession battle, 36:27 to 23:33 and owned a 19:40 to 10:20 advantage in the second half
• Pitt transfer Derron Thomas (Forrestville, Md. / Eleanor Roosevelt) totaled 18 tackles (10 solo) and had a 10-yard sack
• Defensive back Paul Mulbah (Greenbelt, Md. / Eleanor Roosevelt) was credited with four tackles (three solo), including 2.5 tackles for a loss of seven yards, an interception and a pass break-up.