1963 Bucknell Bison football team

The 1963 Bucknell Bison football team was an American football team that represented Bucknell University during the 1963 NCAA College Division football season. Bucknell finished second in the University Division of the Middle Atlantic Conference.

1963 Bucknell Bison football
ConferenceMiddle Atlantic Conference
DivisionUniversity Division
Record6–3 (3–1 MAC University)
Head coach
Captains
  • Thomas Boyd
  • William Swineford
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
1963 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
University
No. 2 Delaware x 4 –0 –08 –0 –0
Bucknell 3 –1 –06 –3 –0
Gettysburg 2 –2 –05 –4 –0
Temple 1 –2 –05 –3 –1
Lehigh 1 –3 –01 –8 –0
Lafayette 1 –4 –01 –8 –0
College–Northern
Upsala x 4 –1 –06 –2 –0
Wagner 4 –1 –06 –3 –0
Albright 2 –3 –03 –5 –0
Moravian 2 –4 –02 –4 –0
Wilkes 2 –5 –03 –5 –0
Lycoming 1 –5 –01 –7 –0
Juniata * 3 –1 –05 –3 –0
Susquehanna * 2 –1 –08 –1 –0
Hofstra * 0 –0 –03 –6 –0
College–Southern
Western Maryland x 4 –0 –06 –1 –1
Muhlenberg 4 –1 –05 –3 –0
Dickinson 5 –2 –05 –2 –0
Swarthmore 4 –2 –04 –3 –0
Drexel 3 –2 –05 –3 –0
Lebanon Valley 4 –3 –04 –3 –0
Pennsylvania Military 3 –5 –03 –6 –0
Ursinus 2 –4 –12 –4 –1
Haverford 2 –4 –02 –5 –0
Franklin & Marshall 1 –4 –01 –6 –0
Johns Hopkins 0 –4 –10 –6 –1
West Chester * 0 –0 –07 –1 –0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * – Ineligible for championship due to insufficient conference games
Rankings from AP Poll

In its sixth season under head coach Bob Odell, the team compiled a 6–3 record.[1] Thomas Boyd and William Swineford were the team captains.[2]

Bucknell's 3–1 record against division opponents seemingly set the stage for a thrilling season-ender against undefeated Delaware, with a share of the conference championship at stake. The season ended prematurely, however, with the assassination of John F. Kennedy the day before kickoff. Initially, Bucknell announced the game would be played, but late on Friday night – after most other conferences and colleges had decided to cancel their games, but too late to catch the Blue Hens before they arrived in Western Pennsylvania – they reversed that decision. Bucknell offered Delaware the option to make up the game after Thanksgiving, but Delaware coach Dave Nelson declined, saying waiting that long, and playing a football game with a national tragedy so fresh in everyone's memory, would be "anticlimactic".[3]

Bucknell played its home games at Memorial Stadium on the university campus in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 21 at Gettysburg
W 19–7 5,200 [4]
September 28 at Dartmouth*
L 18–20 10,000 [5]
October 5 at UMass*
L 0–21 8,100 [6]
October 12 Ohio Wesleyan*
W 31–6 5,000 [7]
October 19 Tuftsdagger*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lewisburg, PA
W 21–14 6,500 [8]
October 26 at Lafayette
L 13–14 5,500 [9]
November 2 Temple
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lewisburg, PA
W 14–3 7,500 [10]
November 9 at Colgate*
W 14–0 3,500 [11]
November 16 Lehigh
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lewisburg, PA
W 34–12 2,200 [12]
November 23 No. 1 Delaware^
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lewisburg, PA
Canceled [3]

References
  1. "Year-by-Year Results". 2019 Bucknell Football Media Guide. Lewisburg, Pa.: Bucknell University. p. 138. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. "Captains". 2019 Bucknell Football Media Guide. Lewisburg, Pa.: Bucknell University. p. 121. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  3. Bodley, Hal (November 23, 1963). "Hens, Bucknell Respect Kennedy". Evening Journal. Wilmington, Del. – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Bucknell Wins Opener". Sunbury Daily Item. Sunbury, Pa. September 23, 1963. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Dartmouth Tops Bucknell, 20-18". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. United Press International. September 29, 1963. p. S6.
  6. Bresciani, Dick (October 6, 1963). "UMass Clouts Bucknell, 21-0". The Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 91 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Ohio Wesleyan Bows to Bucknell, 31-6". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati, Ohio. Associated Press. October 13, 1963. p. 8F – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Bucknell Wins over Tufts, 21-14". The Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. United Press International. October 20, 1963. p. 81 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Lafayette Cops First by 14-13". Sunday News. Lancaster, Pa. Associated Press. October 27, 1963. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Frush, Charlie (November 3, 1963). "Undefeated Temple Rolls over Hofstra as Morelli Stars". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. S1 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Bucknell Blanks Colgate". Sunbury Daily Item. Sunbury, Pa. November 11, 1963. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Engineers Lose 8th, Set Mark". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. November 17, 1963. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
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