Maetzold Quarterbacks Fordham to Wild Victory Over Bucknell

maetzold

Michael Rezin/The Ram

By DAN GARTLAND
EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR

The conclusion of Saturday’s 23-21 Fordham victory over Bucknell was as wild as you’ll ever see.

With 55 seconds left, Fordham lined up in the so-called “victory formation” to take a knee and let the clock run out. Bucknell had only one timeout, so if Fordham kneeled the ball three times, the Bison would be unable to get it back.

Instead, Bucknell overpowered the Fordham offensive line and forced junior quarterback Peter Maetzold — who was pressed into action after an injury to starter Michael Nebrich — to fumble. The ball was recovered by Bucknell and all of a sudden the Bison had new life.

Five plays later, Bucknell was at the Fordham 34. Brandon Wesley, the Bucknell quarterback, looked deep left for receiver Josh Brake. The ball was underthrown, but Fordham’s Ian Williams drew a questionable flag for pass interference, setting up Bucknell in field goal range at the Fordham 19.

On the next play, Wesley ran to his right to set the ball up in the middle of the field. With eight seconds on the clock and no timeouts, Bucknell needed to spike the ball to stop the clock. Rather than taking the snap and immediately throwing the ball into the ground, Wesley took a few steps and sort of half-heartedly tossed the ball to the ground. It could have easily been ruled a fumble, at least Fordham head coach Joe Moorhead thought so.

He was visibly upset with the referees.

“I certainly have my interpretation of the rule, and what occurred, and what I saw, but at the end of the day we found a way to overcome it,” he said after the game.

After the spike, Bucknell lined up for a 37-yard field goal with two seconds on the clock. The low kick was blocked by Williams and Jordan Chapman, giving Fordham a thrilling victory and sending the capacity crowd at Jack Coffey Field into a frenzy.

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