LOUISBURG — Senior QB Ralph Rucker IV and sophomore linebacker Gavin Willis, two of the driving forces behind Bucknell’s season-ending 48-34 victory over Colgate, were honored Monday with Patriot League awards of the week. Obtained. Rucker was named Player of the Week for the fourth straight week and fifth time this season, while Willis won Defensive Player of the Week for the third time.
In addition, freshman running back Tarik Thomas was named one of 25 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award, given to the Football Championship Division (FCS) Freshman of the Year.
Rucker capped off a record-setting season with one of the best performances of his career against Colgate. He completed 31 of 45 for 457 yards and five touchdown passes. Bucknell had never had a 400-yard passer in any game in team history. Rucker rushed for 387 yards last season against Colgate and has 824 yards in two career games against the Raiders.
This was Rucker’s second straight game with five touchdowns, tying a school record and helping him break the team record for TD passes in a season (25) and career (46). Scott Auchenbach held Bucknell University’s career record with 42 touchdown passes since 1989. Rucker also broke Bucknell’s single-season passing yards record with 2,826 yards and ranks second all-time with 5,363 career touchdown passes in just two seasons.
Defensively, Willis led the Bison with 12 tackles and contributed to two game-clinching takeaways. Colgate trailed by just seven points late in the fourth quarter when Willis hit a pass near the line of scrimmage that was deflected by teammate Caleb Looney. One play later, Rucker hit Eric Weatherly with a 44-yard touchdown strike to make the game 48-34 with 2:44 remaining. Willis then intercepted a pass on Colgate’s next possession, ending any thoughts of a Raiders comeback.
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