One final tune-up: Penn football takes on Bucknell in final non-conference game

October is bison hunting season, and Penn football will get a taste of it this upcoming Saturday.

The Quakers (1-2, 0-1 Ivy) will wrap up their non-conference slate with a matchup against a familiar opponent in Bucknell (3-2, 1-0 Patriot). The Saturday afternoon affair marks the 29th faceoff between the two teams. Despite winning the past nine iterations of this faceoff, the Red and Blue have no plans to take anything for granted. 

Bucknell has one of the best special teams players in the nation this season: wide receiver TJ Cadden. As the Bisons’ go-to punt and kick return specialist, Cadden has already scored three kick return touchdowns — more than any other college football player this year. The Quakers will have their hands full stifling a newly-revamped Bucknell attack.

“They have a very explosive offense,” coach Ray Priore said. “They have weapons all over the place. And last year, when we played them up there, it was a tight game through the first half, and we were fortunate enough to win the game, and we'll have to work hard to get it done [this year].”

On the offensive side of the ball, Penn is coming off a game where the team managed over 200 yards of offense. This week in practice, they've focused on the fundamentals and hit the reset button ahead of Saturday's clash.

“We started on Monday [and have had] a great week of practice preparing for Bucknell,” senior quarterback Aidan Sayin said. “We can't dwell on the past. Obviously, we’re letting it motivate us, but we need to work on getting better every day.”

Sophomore running back Malachi Hosley saw his streak of five consecutive 100-yard games come to an end against the Big Green. Even with a subpar performance by his standards, Hosley was able to punch in both of Penn’s scores on the day. Ahead of the matchup with the Bisons, Hosley is focused on making sure the last game was simply an outlier. 

“[We’re looking] to just pick it up,” Hosley said. “I know my guys up front — they get the job done. We're looking for 200 [yards].”

In last year’s game against the Bisons, Sayin led the Quakers to a 37-21 win off with a 354-yard, three touchdown performance. The 2023 matchup also marked the emergence of then-sophomore wide receiver Jared Richardson, who recorded 139 yards and two touchdowns off of 12 receptions. 

Sayin has looked good if not better than last season, and his supporting cast has also improved, following the reintroduction of senior wide receiver Julien “Juice” Stokes to the lineup after he missed all of last year due to injury. Lined up alongside Richardson, the two are hoping to pick things up again after recording season lows in yardage this past weekend in Hanover. 

“I love playing with him,” Stokes said of Richardson. “We just come out and we're competitors. He fires me up because he's talking, talking with his jaw, and it gets me going. We're both trying to help the team and just make plays, so it's very exciting playing next to him.”

The Quakers will aim to earn a victory over the Bison, just as they do every week. But with the contest marking the Red and Blue's final non-conference game, it will also serve as a last chance to clean things up before diving into the thick of Ancient Eight play. 

“It’s always focused on getting a win,” Priore said. “And obviously we are trying to prepare ourselves for the League … so we want to get on the right path right now with a real good win and keep that going.”

The Quakers are set to take the gridiron on Franklin Field on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.