VMI took an early lead on a first-quarter picksix, but Bucknell took control in the third quarter, then held on for a 35-28 win in the Keydets’ home opener on Saturday.
Freshman Asa Locks took an interception 48 yards to the house to give VMI (0-2) the lead midway through the first quarter, and a 58-yard Hunter Rice TD run sent the teams into the half tied at 14, but Bucknell (1-1) took over from there.
The Bison took a 35-14 lead early in the fourth on the third of three second-half TD passes from QB Ralph Rucker, who was 28-of-37 for 340 yards through the air on the day.
A Rice 2-yard TD run with 8:13 to go made it a two-score game, and Ryan Von Brandt scored on a 17-yard TD pass from backup QB Chandler Wilson with 29 seconds left to get VMI within a touchdown.
Bucknell recovered the onside-kick attempt and ran out the clock.
Rice ran for 166 yards and two TDs on 18 carries for VMI.
“Defensively we didn’t play a very good game,” VMI coach Danny Rocco said. “We gave them a lot of different looks and to their credit, Bucknell sorted things out. Their quarterback is a good player. He distributed the ball well, found the open man and we didn’t really tackle well. And that was one of the biggest things defensively that was most frustrating, our inability to tackle.”
Up next: VMI heads down to Atlanta for a game against Georgia Tech. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
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Chris Graham
