On Saturday, the Hoyas hit the road for the first time in a month, as the team traveled to Lewisberg, Penn., to face the Bucknell Bison. Unfortunately for Georgetown, the change of scenery did not yield a different result.

In a closely contested dogfight, Georgetown was unable to outlast its Patriot League foe, falling to the Bison by a score of 14-6. With the loss, the Hoyas remained winless in their first five games, and dropped to 0-3 in conference play.

Though the Hoyas led for the majority of the game, their inability to capitalize on scoring chances prevented them from building a substantial lead, which allowed Bucknell to overtake Georgetown late in the game. Fourth-year Head Coach Kevin Kelly was clearly unhappy with the lack of offensive production.

“We didn’t score touchdowns – and that was the difference in the game,” Kelly said.

Offensive problems have plagued the Hoyas all year, as the team is averaging a mere 7.4 points per contest.

“We’re studying what we’re doing and trying to find a way to remedy the situation,” Kelly said. “We’ve got to find a way to be more consistent. We’ve got to find a way to stay on schedule and continue getting first downs.”

Though the Blue and Gray have consistently found themselves on the losing side of things this season, they have done an excellent job thus far of avoiding early-game sluggishness. Similar to earlier games this season, the Hoyas came out of the gates firing. After Bucknell opened the game by advancing the ball down to the Georgetown 31-yard line, the speedy Hoya defense came up with a stop on fourth down.

Freshman quarterback [Isaiah Kempf](https://www.thehoya.com/sports/freshman-quarterback-makes-fast-impression/) and the Georgetown offense were able to capitalize on the change of possession, as Kempf engineered a 12-play, 45-yard drive that resulted in a 41-yard field goal from senior kicker Jose-Pablo Buerba. Kempf was a perfect 3-for-3 on the drive, which was highlighted by a 19-yard pitch and catch to sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Kayal, who is listed on the team roster as a defensive back.

On the very next drive, the Georgetown defense came up big once again. A Bucknell runner coughed up the ball, and senior defensive end and co-captain [Chudi Obianwu](https://www.thehoya.com/sports/practice-or-gameday-obianwu-brings-heat/) recovered the fumble at the Bison 20-yard line, giving the Hoyas excellent field position.

This is not the first time Obianwu has been in the center of the action; he has been wreaking havoc on the defensive line all year.

“I believe he’s one of the best defensive lineman in the league,” Kelly said. “He’s done everything for us. He’s been a leader by example – and a vocal leader.”

Following the turnover, the Georgetown offense, starting deep in Bucknell territory, looked to extend its lead. The Hoyas, however, once again fell victim to red-zone woes, and were forced to settle for another Buerba field goal.

The staunch Hoya defense did not break throughout the rest of the first half, holding the Bison to only 90 yards of total offense. Although they failed to convert on yet another scoring chance, the Hoyas entered the half with a 6-0 lead and were in position to earn their first win of the season.

Georgetown kept up the defensive intensity at the start of the third quarter, as the teams traded possessions for the majority of the period, without either offense being able to accomplish much.

After Georgetown’s third punt of the quarter, however, the Bucknell offense finally awoke and put together a seven-play, 67-yard drive that resulted in a Bison touchdown. The successful extra point gave Bucknell a 7-6 lead.

The defense, which played well all game, forced Bucknell to punt on the opening drive of the fourth quarter, granting Georgetown an opportunity to strike back. The Hoyas were able to reach midfield, but a Bucknell interception cut the drive short. To add insult to injury, the Bison then drove the length of the field and extended their lead to 14-6.

The Hoyas had two more chances to score but were unsuccessful on both drives.

“It was a tale of two halves,” Kelly said. “Obviously we were winning 6-0 at halftime, but we didn’t have much production offensively in the second half.”

Senior safety Travis Mack led the defense with 11 tackles, and junior linebacker Nick Parrish contributed nine tackles to the Hoyas’ defensive effort.

At 0-5, the Blue and Gray would have to go undefeated the rest of the way to finish the season above .500. Despite the lack of success from his team so far, Kelly continues to remain positive.

“We’ve got to take it one at a time,” he said.

The Hoyas will have another chance to garner their first victory of the season next Saturday, as they will travel to Bethlehem, Pa., to face a winless Lehigh squad.

“We’ve got two teams this weekend that are very hungry,” Kelly said. “We are both struggling, and we both need and deserve this victory.”

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