Bucknell Rallies in Third-Quarter Drive To Tie Favored Crimson Eleven, 26 to 26

The same play that led Cornell to its win over the varsity three weeks ago--a pitchout to a halfback going off tackle or around end--and a hard-driving fullback, Bob Ford, brought Bucknell back from a two touchdown half-time deficit to what perhaps should have been a Bison victory Saturday. An Official's mistake cost Bucknell the ball late in the fourth quarter when they were driving deep into Crimson territory.

At the end of the first half, the varsity seemed on its way to an easy victory. Bucknell had scored first, after a 64-yard march, but the Crimson completely dominated the rest of the half, driving for a touchdown each of the next three times it got control of the ball.

Had the varsity been able to hold onto the ball in the second half, they might have scored just as easily. But in the third period, a fumble and a pass interception twice cost the Crimson the ball in their own territory--once on the 23, once on the 32--and both times, Bucknell scored.

Three in 11 Minutes

After the Bisons had scored three times in a little over 11 minutes to go ahead 26-19, the varsity took the ball again. Once more they fumbled, but this time they recovered the ball and went on to drive 70 yards for as touchdown. "Bing" Crosby then kicked the point to tie the game.

Going into the game, Crosby had a perfect nine for nine conversion record. His conversion attempts after the first two touchdowns were both blocked, but end Lou Newell kicked the point after the third touchdown when Crosby was ineligible to return to the game.

Bucknell quarterback Jim Stewart kicked all the Bison's point-after attempts. After the second touchdown, he nearly missed the ball entirely, and on his fourth attempt, the ball bounced off the left goalpost well beneath the crossbar.

But while fumbles hurt the varsity, it was the exploitation of the Crimson weak spot--the ends--and Ford's hard running through center that tied the game. Ford scored all three third-quarter touchdowns for the Bisons, while 12 of Bucknell's 29 second-half running plays were aimed at Harvard ends. On the rare occasions when this combination failed, quarter-back Stewart dropped back and passed for a first down.

Pass Defense Weak

The Crimson pass defense was noticeably weak throughout the game, although Bucknell completed only four of ten passes for 76 yards.

Several times Bucknell receivers found themselves in the clear without even having to fake out a Crimson defender. Early in the game, Bison halfback Bob Sierer, a falnker on the left side, ran straight down the field and by the defending Crimson halfback only to have Stewart's pass bounce off his fingertips on the Harvard 30 with no one between him and the goal line. The varsity wasn't always as fortunate; passes played an important role in three Bucknell touchdown drives.

While Saturday's overall picture was far from bright, there were some developments that should brighton the rest of the varsity season. Wingback Dextor Lowis, who had decided to give up football because of a log injury suffered this summer, played a good game both on offense and defense. For the past two years. Lowis has been the varsity's outstanding pass receiver. His return makes the squad much stronger in that department, besides increasing Crimson depth in the wingback slot.

Both substitute tailbacks, junior Jim Joslin and sophomore Walt Stahurs, also turned in good performances. Joslin, looking like the player he was against Yale last year, ran 29 yards for a touchdown.