Penn kicks off milestone season in dominant fashion in season-opening win over Bucknell
In a game that cemented a century and a half of Quakers football, the offense fueled a charge against the Bison.
Penn football kicked off its 150th season against Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pa., on Saturday night.
The game was one of firsts, with new Penn head coach Rick Santos opening a new chapter for the program after Ray Priore’s departure and freshman quarterback Miles Teodecki making his debut on the collegiate field.
On Bucknell’s Family Weekend, Penn won 20-7, with two touchdowns in the first quarter.
Penn (1-0) won 33 of its last 38 games against Bucknell (1-3), which is also entering the season with new head coach Jeff Behrman, and won 10 straight against them since 2003, with their latest matchup being in 2024.
In the first game under Santos’ leadership, the team showcased its renewed offensive line with Teodecki at the helm and a defense built on speed.
Teodecki settles into role
The freshman quarterback made a strong debut to his collegiate career, showcasing his ability to run and roll out of the pocket or throw long passes.
“Getting your first college win is always special,” Teodecki said, adding, “I got to see my parents for the first time in a couple [of] weeks so that was awesome.”
Teodecki focused on his rush game in the first quarter, setting off on a 36-yard run, using a fake handoff play that he used again at the 1-yard line to secure his first touchdown. But the quarterback got loose, flinging a 37-yard pass to freshman wide receiver Mason Page to secure Penn’s second touchdown at the end of the first quarter.
“Props to the offensive line for playing their [expletive] off all game,” Teodecki said, “Obviously, we did some good things, had some success in some aspects, but we’re a couple plays away from scoring 14, 21 more points in that game.”
Teodecki showed poise and excellent vision. On a third-and-20 in the second quarter, he took his time before seeing sophomore wide receiverLuke Johnson to complete a 25-yard pass and get a first down.
But the freshman Teodecki still looks to improve, saying, “I think I can just be a little more comfortable in operating the offense,” he said, “getting them comfortable and making sure they’re good with their alignment, assignment.”
Defense stifles Bucknell
As senior defensive back Josh Narcisse said, Penn’s defense was “fast, violent, relentless.” The defensive line quickly collapsed onto the opponent, blocking Bucknell’s attempts to run the ball.
“That’s something we really harped on all fall camp is that we were going to be the most physical team it could be,” sophomore linebacker Luke McIlhon said.
The defensive line used its speed to pressure Bucknell quarterback Chris Dietrich, who was sacked onthe first drive of the game. The Bison eventually sent in freshman quarterback Emmett Dowling to replace the junior Dietrich at the start of the second half..
“We didn’t really care who was in the game,” McIlhon said, “We were gonna play the same regardless.”
In the first half, the Bisons only had one first down to Penn’s 12. Penn kept Bucknell to just 40 rushing yards compared to the Quakers’ 170 and only 1 of 14 third down conversions to the Quakers’ 9 of 19.
McIlhon made a key interception in the third quarter that cemented the defense’s prowess.
“[I] saw the ball come at me, right to my hands, got the pick,” McIlhon said.
When his teammates all surrounded him after the play, celebrating the interception, he said, “I’ve never seen so much juice like that. It was so cool to be in the middle of that. It’s really cool how much juice our team has brought, and how much energy we have on the sidelines.”
Teodecki said, “This one’s great. We’re gonna go celebrate, but on to the next one.”
Up next
Penn will play its first home game against defending Patriot League champion Lehigh next Saturday at 1 p.m. In their last matchup, Penn lost 30-44 on Sept. 27, 2025 at Goodman Stadium.
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