Air Force dominates Bucknell in Week 1 blowout, 49-13
Air Force overwhelmed Bucknell in a lopsided Week 1 matchup, cruising to a 49-13 victory. The Falcons scored consistently throughout the game, putting up 14 points in each of the first three quarters before adding 7 more in the fourth.
Air Force's offense was efficient, with quarterback Liam Szarka completing 47 passes. The Falcons' passing attack struck early and often, with Josh Johnson connecting on two touchdown passes: a 40-yard score to Quin Smith in the first quarter and a 62-yard touchdown to Cade Harris in the second quarter that proved to be the game's most impactful play.
Bucknell's offense struggled to keep pace. Running back Tariq Thomas led the Bucks with 80 rushing yards, while receiver AJ Bosch caught 9 passes. Ralph Rucker IV threw an interception to Roger Jones Jr. in the second quarter that derailed a drive, though Bucknell did manage a touchdown pass from Rucker to Sam Milligan in the period.
Air Force covered the 31-point spread and the game went over the 54.5-point total, finishing with 62 total points scored.
AI-generated recap · Aug 24, 2026
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bucknell | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
 Air Force | 14 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 49 |
Scoring Timeline
Drive Chart
Box Score
| Statistic | Bucknell | Air Force |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | 16-24 | 6-9 |
| Pass Yards | 169 | 159 |
| Rush Yards | 97 | 267 |
| Total Yards | 266 | 426 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| 3rd Down | 3-11 | 6-9 |
| Penalties | 6-50 | 5-56 |
| Possession | 28:22 | 31:38 |
Player Leaders
Player Leaders
Play-by-Play
Dylan Carson run for 6 yds to the AF 31
Kade Frew run for 12 yds to the AF 43 for a 1ST down
Dylan Carson run for 2 yds to the AF 45
Dylan Carson run for 1 yd to the AF 46
Josh Johnson pass incomplete to Quin Smith
Luke Freer punt for 43 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the BUCK 11
Tariq Thomas run for 11 yds to the BUCK 22 for a 1ST down
Tariq Thomas run for 5 yds to the BUCK 27
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to Josh Gary for 6 yds to the BUCK 33 for a 1ST down
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to Charlie Kreinbucher for 14 yds to the BUCK 47 for a 1ST down
Michael Cadden run for 3 yds to the 50 yard line
Ralph Rucker IV sacked by Isaac Hubert for a loss of 6 yards to the BUCK 44
Ralph Rucker IV pass incomplete to Josh Gary
Matt Schearer punt for 56 yds for a touchback
PENALTY BU Offside (Gerke,Thomas) 5 yards from AF20 to AF25. NO PLAY.
Cade Harris run for 9 yds to the AF 34 for a 1ST down
Kade Frew run for 14 yds to the AF 48 for a 1ST down
Josh Johnson run for 5 yds to the BUCK 47
Josh Johnson run for 4 yds to the BUCK 43
Owen Allen run for 3 yds to the BUCK 40 for a 1ST down
Josh Johnson pass complete to Quin Smith for 40 yds for a TD (Jacob Medina KICK)
Tariq Thomas run for 4 yds to the BUCK 26
Ralph Rucker IV sacked by Jackson Adams for a loss of 2 yards to the BUCK 24
Ralph Rucker IV pass incomplete to TJ Cadden
Matt Schearer punt for 44 yds , Cade Harris returns for 7 yds to the AF 39
Terrence Gist run for 4 yds to the AF 43
Liam Szarka pass complete to Tre Roberson for 29 yds to the BUCK 28 for a 1ST down
Terrence Gist run for 1 yd to the BUCK 27
Liam Szarka pass complete to Cade Harris for 18 yds to the BUCK 9 for a 1ST down
Cade Harris run for 9 yds for a TD (Jacob Medina KICK)
Tariq Thomas run for 3 yds to the BUCK 28
Tariq Thomas run for 13 yds to the BUCK 41 for a 1ST down
Logan Bush run for 4 yds to the BUCK 45
Ralph Rucker IV pass incomplete to Sam Milligan
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to TJ Cadden for 14 yds to the AF 41 for a 1ST down
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to AJ Bosch for 9 yds to the AF 32
Tariq Thomas run for 7 yds to the AF 25 for a 1ST down
Michael Cadden run for 1 yd to the AF 24
Ralph Rucker IV pass incomplete to TJ Cadden
(13:40) No Huddle-Shotgun Rucker IV,Ralph pass incomplete deep left to Anderson,Nate thrown to AF00, 1ST DOWN, PENALTY AF Pass Interference (Brown,Levi) 15 yards from AF24 to AF09, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Bucknell Penalty, False Start (Derrick Anderson Jr.) to the AF 14
Tariq Thomas run for 2 yds to the AF 12
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to Sam Milligan for 12 yds for a TD (Matt Schearer KICK)
Dylan Carson run for 17 yds to the AF 42 for a 1ST down
Bucknell Penalty, Defensive Holding (Brandon Biagiarelli) to the BUCK 44 for a 1ST down
Cade Harris run for 2 yds to the BUCK 42
Dylan Carson run for 4 yds to the BUCK 38
Liam Szarka run for 9 yds to the BUCK 29 for a 1ST down
Kade Frew run for 9 yds to the BUCK 20
Dylan Carson run for 6 yds to the BUCK 14 for a 1ST down
Cade Harris run for 9 yds to the BUCK 5
Liam Szarka run for a loss of 2 yards to the BUCK 7
Dylan Carson run for 5 yds to the BUCK 2 for a 1ST down
Dylan Carson run for 2 yds for a TD (Jacob Medina KICK)
Tariq Thomas run for 7 yds to the BUCK 32
Tariq Thomas run for 2 yds to the BUCK 34
Tariq Thomas run for 3 yds to the BUCK 37 for a 1ST down
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to Jack Bohm-Squicciarini for 11 yds to the BUCK 48 for a 1ST down
Ralph Rucker IV pass intercepted Roger Jones Jr. return for 3 yds to the AF 38
Josh Johnson pass complete to Cade Harris for 62 yds for a TD (Jacob Medina KICK)
Tariq Thomas run for 3 yds to the BUCK 28
Ralph Rucker IV pass incomplete to Nate Anderson
Ralph Rucker IV run for 4 yds to the BUCK 32
Matt Schearer punt for 40 yds, fair catch by Cade Harris at the AF 28
Kade Frew run for 6 yds to the AF 34
Dylan Carson run for 4 yds to the AF 38 for a 1ST down
Dylan Carson run for 1 yd to the AF 39
Cade Harris run for 10 yds to the AF 49 for a 1ST down Air Force Penalty, Offensive Holding (Tre Roberson) to the AF 39 for a 1ST down
Cade Harris run for 10 yds to the AF 49 for a 1ST down
Josh Johnson pass complete to Bruin Fleischmann for 7 yds to the BUCK 44
Cade Harris run for 9 yds to the BUCK 35 for a 1ST down
Josh Johnson pass incomplete to Tre Roberson
Kade Frew run for 11 yds to the BUCK 24 for a 1ST down
Josh Johnson sacked by Deuce Geter for a loss of 4 yards to the BUCK 28
Josh Johnson pass complete to Cade Harris for 3 yds to the BUCK 25
Josh Johnson pass incomplete to Tre Roberson
Jacob Medina 42 yd FG MISSED
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to Michael Cadden for 16 yds to the BUCK 41 for a 1ST down
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to Michael Cadden for 8 yds to the BUCK 49
Ralph Rucker IV sacked by Lukia Rawls Jr. for a loss of 4 yards to the BUCK 45
End of 2nd Quarter
Tariq Thomas run for 1 yd to the BUCK 26
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to TJ Cadden for 7 yds to the BUCK 33
Tariq Thomas run for 1 yd to the BUCK 34
Ralph Rucker IV run for no gain Ralph Rucker IV fumbled, recovered by AF Korey Johnson for a TD (Jacob Medina KICK)
Ty Stauffer run for 2 yds to the BUCK 27
Ralph Rucker IV pass incomplete to Nate Anderson
Ralph Rucker IV sacked by Isaac Hubert for a loss of 7 yards to the BUCK 20
Matt Schearer punt for 12 yds
Cade Harris run for 8 yds for a TD (Jacob Medina KICK)
Tariq Thomas run for no gain to the BUCK 25
Tariq Thomas run for 11 yds to the BUCK 36 for a 1ST down
Michael Cadden run for 1 yd to the BUCK 37
Ralph Rucker IV pass complete to Sam Milligan for 29 yds to the AF 34 for a 1ST down Bucknell Penalty, Illegal Block (AJ Bosch) to the AF 44 for a 1ST down
Tariq Thomas run for no gain to the AF 44
Tariq Thomas run for 6 yds to the AF 38
Michael Cadden run for 11 yds to the AF 27 for a 1ST down
Air Force Penalty, Personal Foul (Blake Fletcher) to the AF 11 for a 1ST down
Ralph Rucker IV run for 5 yds to the AF 6
Tariq Thomas run for 1 yd to the AF 5
(06:02) No Huddle-Shotgun Rucker IV,Ralph pass complete short right to Gary,Josh caught at AF00, for 5 yards to the AF00 TOUCHDOWN nullified by penalty, clock 06:00 PENALTY BU Pass Interference (Bosch,AJ) 15 yards from AF05 to AF20. NO PLAY.
Ralph Rucker IV pass incomplete to Jack Bohm-Squicciarini
Matt Schearer 37 yd FG GOOD
Terrence Gist run for 7 yds to the AF 32
Maguire Martin run for 4 yds to the AF 36 for a 1ST down
Terrence Gist run for 7 yds to the AF 43
(03:44) Gist,Terrence rush left for 6 yards gain to the AF49 (Goheen,Jack) PENALTY AF Illegal Formation 5 yards from AF43 to AF38. NO PLAY.
Kaden Cloud run for 5 yds to the AF 43
Terrence Gist run for 9 yds to the BUCK 48 for a 1ST down
Terrence Gist run for 4 yds to the BUCK 44
Terrence Gist run for 5 yds to the BUCK 39
Maguire Martin run for 4 yds to the BUCK 35 for a 1ST down
Gage LaDue run for 4 yds to the BUCK 31
Kaden Cloud run for 11 yds to the BUCK 20 for a 1ST down
Gage LaDue run for 6 yds to the BUCK 14
Gage LaDue run for 3 yds to the BUCK 11
Maguire Martin run for 2 yds to the BUCK 9 for a 1ST down
Gage LaDue run for 5 yds to the BUCK 4
Matt Long run for 2 yds to the BUCK 2
Gage LaDue run for 1 yd to the BUCK 1
Maguire Martin run for 1 yd for a TD (Reagan Tubbs KICK)
Logan Bush run for no gain to the BUCK 25
Christopher Dietrich pass complete to Owen Garwood for 10 yds to the BUCK 35 for a 1ST down
Logan Bush run for 1 yd to the BUCK 36
Christopher Dietrich pass complete to Kaleb Lampkins for 6 yds to the BUCK 42
Ty Stauffer run for no gain to the BUCK 42
Christopher Dietrich pass complete to Alex Brown for 7 yds to the BUCK 49 for a 1ST down
Christopher Dietrich pass complete to Owen Garwood for 7 yds to the AF 44
Christopher Dietrich pass complete to Caden Allard for 6 yds to the AF 38 for a 1ST down
Air Force Penalty, Personal Foul (Vinnie Canosa) to the AF 14 for a 1ST down
Christopher Dietrich sacked by Grady Forsythe for a loss of 9 yards to the AF 23
PENALTY BU False Start (Johal,Herschel) 5 yards from AF23 to AF28. NO PLAY.
Christopher Dietrich pass complete to Kaleb Lampkins for 7 yds to the AF 21
Christopher Dietrich sacked for a loss of 1 yard to the AF 22
Matt Schearer 39 yd FG GOOD
(00:33) Kneel down by Air Force at AF23 for loss of 2 yards.
(00:13) Kneel down by Air Force at AF22 for loss of 1 yard.