WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Bucknell intercepted the ball in the end zone with 1.5 seconds left to end Saint Francis' comeback hopes in non-conference football action on Saturday. The Red Flash fell 30-23 to the Bison.
>> Nick Whitfield Jr. went 31-for-44 for 377 yards passing and a touchdown for the Red Flash.
>> DJ Maultsby (nine catches, 141 yards) and Peyton Nelson (11 catches, 131 yards) both registered their first career 100-yard games.
>> Raphael Ekechi rushed for a pair of touchdowns. 
>> Colin Douglas paced the defense with eight tackles.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
Mike Darcy had an 11-yard catch to put the ball at the three-yard line with 12.5 seconds left. A pass interference call with 7.5 seconds on the clock pushed the ball back to the 18-yard line. A pass to the end zone was then intercepted, and the Bison kneeled down to escape with the victory.

After Ekechi gave the Red Flash a 23-22 lead with 7:22 left, Bucknell answered with a touchdown and two-point conversion to put the Bison ahead for good at 30-23 with 5:14 on the clock. 

FLASH MOMENTS 
Saint Francis' drive after the Bucknell touchdown started at its own 13, and the connection of Whitfield to Nelson gave the Flash hopes. The two connected five times for 47 yards including a 14-yard catch on second and 18 deep in the Red Flash territory. Ekechi also had a 13-yard run, and Darcy's catch gave Saint Francis a first and goal at its own three before the INT.

After the Bison scored consecutive touchdowns, the Red Flash orchestrated a 12-play, 81-yard drive to retake the lead at 23-22 with 7:15 left in the game on Ekechi's second TD run on a six-yard scamper. Maultsby was key to setting up the go-ahead score with two catches for 35 yards to reach 100 yards receiving for the first time in his career. The play was a 25-yard connection from Whitfield to also give the quarterback a new career-high in passing. 

At the start of the game, Saint Francis went nine plays and 63 yards to tie the game at 7 in the second quarter with 12:38 on the clock. The Red Flash gained 43 yards before the end of the first quarter on a 15-yard pass to Maultsby and a 28-yard completion to Nelson. 

Saint Francis took the lead at 14-10 going into the locker room at halftime thanks to a five-play, 59-yard drive in the final minute of the half. Maultby had two catches for 20 yards on the go-ahead drive, including a nice catch to keep his feet inbounds for the TD. Nahjee Adams also had a great reception and run for 20 yards to set up the Whitfield to Maultsby score. 

After connecting on a touchdown pass toward the end of the first half, Whitfield and Maultsby hooked up again in the first drive of the second half for 48 yards. That big play set up a Mac Plummer 21-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-10 early in the third quarter. 

The Red Flash's first offensive drive of the game was a five-play 45-yard drive. The big play in the drive was a 12-yard gain from Whitfield to Nahjee on a screen. Whitfield and Maultsby just missed a 28-yard TD connection on fourth and five, but Maultsby's right foot came down on the white line out of bounds. Whitfield was 6-for-7 on the drive.

FLASH NUGGETS
Whitfield threw for over 300 yards, becoming the first quarterback to hit that mark since Cole Doyle against Merrimack in the de facto NEC Championship Game against Merrimack on November 19, 2022. The redshirt junior has completed 57 passes in his last two games for 658 yards passing. After being the first player since Jason Brown to have 25 completions, Whitfield is the first player since Brown to have 30 completions in a game against CCSU on November 9, 2019. 

It marked the second-straight week a Red Flash receiver reached 100 receiving yards after Brenden Hodge had 131 yards against Delaware State seven days ago. 

Maultby, who dazzled the Saint Francis faithful against the Hornets with an acrobatic catch, continued to showcase his ESPN Top-10 worthy plays against Bucknell, finishing with a career-high 141 yards on nine catches and his first career touchdown.

Nelson had 11 catches for 131 yards. Nelson is the first receiver with 10+ receptions since Makai Jackson against Wagner on September 17, 2022.

Maultsby and Nelson both went over 100 yards receiving, marking the first time since the game against Merrimack that the Flash had two receivers reach that standard. Dawson Snyder (163) and Jackson (116) both went over the mark in the 2022 contest. 

Ekechi registered two touchdowns and finished with 41 yards rushing. He became the first Red Flash player with a pair of touchdown runs since Markell Holman against Delaware State on October 5, 2024.

Denzel Lambert added three catches for 48 yards, and Adams had four catches for 39 yards.

After having a career-high nine tackles last week, Douglas finished one short of his career high with eight tackles and has 24 tackles in his last three games. Kahmari Cook added a career-best seven tackles. 

Despite being separated by two hours and a120 miles, this marked the first meeting between the two teams.

NEXT ON TAP
Saint Francis heads into its first of two byes this season next week before heading to Duquesne in NEC play on October 11. Game time is 1 p.m. Read Full Article