Falcon Stadium had it all on Saturday — touchdowns, turnovers, a weather delay, and a wide receiver doing his best Bo Jackson impersonation. In front of 30,000+ fans, Air Force dismantled Bucknell 49-13 in a season opener that was equal parts clinic and chaos. Cade Harris scored three times, Josh Johnson looked more Top Gun than QB2, and the Falcons extended a mountain of streaks while barely breaking a sweat.
Let’s dive into how the blue and silver steamrolled the Bison — and what it all means.
If you’re looking for a breakout star to circle, underline, and slap a Falcon sticker on — it’s Cade Harris.
The senior wideout/running back hybrid exploded for three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving), racked up 149 all-purpose yards, and basically wrote the “Welcome to 2025” script with his feet. His 62-yard touchdown reception from Josh Johnson in the second quarter was a thing of beauty — a perfectly timed deep ball that hit Harris in stride like it was drawn up in Madden.
Then, just for good measure, Harris followed up a Bucknell shank punt with an 8-yard TD run on the very next play. Game. Set. Highlight reel.
Things were, believe it or not, respectable early. Bucknell forced a punt on Air Force’s first drive and then put together a respectable 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive to cut the early deficit to 14-7. Ralph Rucker IV — the Patriot League’s reigning passing king — hit Sam Milligan on a clean slant route for the Bison’s lone touchdown of the day.
But that was the last time Bucknell looked like they were in the same weight class.
Air Force responded like a program that’s allergic to losing in August (they literally are: now 13-0 all-time in August games). Fullback Dylan Carson barreled in for his fifth straight game with a rushing TD. Then came the play: Roger Jones picked off Rucker and handed Johnson a short field — and he immediately dropped a 62-yard bomb to Harris. Boom. 28-7.
By halftime, Air Force had racked up 341 yards of offense and four straight touchdowns. Bucknell? Just 150 total yards, one pick, and a long list of things to fix.
Momentum? Dead. Hope? Buried. The third quarter started with a fumbled QB sneak on fourth-and-inches at the Bucknell 34 — Air Force’s Mikhail Seiken popped the ball out, and Korey Johnson scooped it up and housed it. You could practically hear the Bison sideline exhale in defeat.
One play later — literally one — Bucknell punted the ball backward for a net of minus-12 yards. Harris cashed it in. In under 4 minutes, the Falcons turned a three-score game into a rout.
From there, the game became a showcase for Air Force’s QB depth chart. Maguire Martin came in and led a clock-chewing 17-play drive — the longest of the game — that ended in his first career touchdown.
Welcome to the show, kid.
Defensively, linebacker Blake Fletcher led the Falcons with a career-high 11 tackles, while Isaac Heubert added two sacks and made life hellish for Rucker in the pocket.
For Bucknell, Tariq Thomas ran hard (80 yards on 18 carries), and backup QB Christopher Dietrich looked solid in garbage time, going 6-for-6 on a late scoring drive that resulted in the Bison’s second field goal.
Head coach Dave Cecchini kept it real postgame, admitting Air Force is just “a really good football team.” But he was encouraged by how his squad competed at times, particularly in the trenches.
The Bison's touchdown drive in the second quarter was methodical and clean. Later in the game, their younger players showed resilience after a 45-minute lightning delay, piecing together two solid field goal drives. Dietrich’s perfect 6-for-6 cameo is worth monitoring as Bucknell moves deeper into its non-conference schedule.
Defensively, Biagiarelli’s 8 solo tackles and Deuce Geter’s first-half sack gave Bucknell a few bright spots amidst the Falcon fireworks.
For Air Force
This wasn’t just a win. It was an emphatic statement. Troy Calhoun’s squad now owns:
They’ll need this momentum heading into tougher matchups, with Utah State and Boise State looming. But with Johnson looking composed, Harris playing like a cheat code, and a defense that flies around like bees in a microwave — yeah, this team has Mountain West sleeper written all over it.
For Bucknell
Another year, another uphill Week 1 vs. an FBS team. But this was never going to be a must-win. What matters now is how they respond against Marist next week — and how quickly they can clean up self-inflicted wounds. Cecchini’s squad has the talent, especially at WR and RB, to do real damage in the Patriot League. But the miscues — penalties, turnovers, coverage busts — need to be addressed yesterday.
Air Force did what elite programs are supposed to do to overmatched opponents: hit early, hit often, and leave no doubt. This was a beatdown with style points, and the Falcons didn’t just win — they declared intent for 2025.
As for Bucknell? Get out healthy, fix the tape, and pretend you never saw Cade Harris in your nightmares. The Patriot League race starts now.
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