Venue & Game Details
Matchup: Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash vs. Bucknell Bison
Kickoff Time: 3:00 PM ET
Venue: Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Capacity: ~13,100
Broadcast: ESPN+
Weather Forecast (Lewisburg, PA)
Kickoff Temperature: ~74°F (23°C)
Conditions: Partly sunny, mild
Wind: 5–8 mph from the northwest
Precipitation: ~10% chance of light showers
Impact: Excellent early fall football weather; no disruptions expected.
Injury Report
Saint Francis Red Flash:
QB Nick Whitfield Jr. – healthy, 571 passing yards, 1 TD, 5 INTs.
RB Raphael Ekechi – healthy, 93 rushing yards.
WR Bryce Hodge – healthy, 159 receiving yards.
No major injuries reported.
Bucknell Bison:
QB Ralph Rucker IV – healthy, 1,058 passing yards, 8 TDs, 4 INTs.
RB Tariq Thomas – healthy, 208 rushing yards, 2 TDs.
WR Sam Milligan – healthy, 429 receiving yards, 5 TDs.
LB Gio Calgaro – healthy, team-leading 47 tackles.
Key Player Matchups
QB Nick Whitfield Jr. (SFU) vs. Bucknell Secondary
Whitfield has struggled with turnovers (5 INTs).
Bucknell’s defense has been opportunistic, led by safety D. Geter (33 tackles).
QB Ralph Rucker IV (Bucknell) vs. SFU Defense
Rucker is averaging 264 ypg with 8 TDs.
SFU has allowed 30+ points in 3 of 4 games.
WR Sam Milligan (Bucknell) vs. SFU Corners
Milligan has 5 TDs in 4 games.
SFU’s secondary has been vulnerable to explosive plays.
RB Raphael Ekechi (SFU) vs. Bucknell Front Seven
Ekechi leads SFU’s ground game but averages just 31 ypg.
Bucknell allows under 150 rushing ypg.
Recent Team Form
Saint Francis (0–4)
L 39–10 vs. Delaware State (Week 4)
L 31–7 @ Central Connecticut State (Week 3)
L 45–6 @ Buffalo (Week 2, FBS)
L 29–0 @ UL Monroe (Week 1, FBS)
Strengths: Experience at QB, some defensive playmakers.
Weaknesses: Offense averaging just 5.8 ppg.
Bucknell (2–2)
L 41–24 vs. Lehigh (Week 4, Patriot League)
W 35–28 vs. VMI (Week 3)
W 34–23 @ Marist (Week 2)
L 49–13 @ Air Force (Week 1, FBS)
Strengths: Balanced offense, efficient QB play.
Weaknesses: Defense allows 33.3 ppg in losses.
Conference vs. Conference
Saint Francis (PA): Northeast Conference (NEC).
Bucknell: Patriot League.
This is a non-conference FCS matchup.
Series History
All-time series: Bucknell leads 12–3.
Last meeting: 2023 – Bucknell won 21–13 in Loretto, PA.
Trend: Bucknell has won 4 of the last 5 meetings.
Betting Trends
Saint Francis Red Flash:
0–4 ATS in 2025.
1–6 ATS in last 7 road games.
4 of last 5 games have gone Under.
Bucknell Bison:
2–2 ATS in 2025.
4–1 ATS in last 5 home games.
3 of last 5 games have gone Over.
Historical Betting Results
2023: Bucknell -3 covered in 21–13 win (Under cashed).
2022: Bucknell +7 covered in 19–17 win (Under cashed).
2021: Saint Francis -2.5 covered in 45–35 win (Over cashed).
Game Odds
Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash 48
Bucknell Bison – 11
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
