LEWISBURG, Pa. – Lafayette football opened the Patriot League portion of the schedule with a convincing 24-14 win over Bucknell on Saturday afternoon in the 100th game between the two schools.
 
Junior Rent Montie was solid in his first start of the season at quarterback, completing 16-of-21 for 122 yards. Montie, who stepped in for an injured Ryan Schuster in week four, was aided by a timely running game in wet conditions at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Montie rushed for 34 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Jamar Curtis and sophomore Jermaine Conyers combined for 99 yards on the ground.
 
Defensively, sophomore A.T. Ntantang picked off a pair of passes and returned one for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. He helped lead a balanced defensive effort as Saiku White had seven tackles and DaRon Gilbert and Marco Olivas had six stops apiece. Lafayette held Bucknell to 307 total yards (108 rushing and 199 passing).  
 
As the game opened, the Leopards dodged a bullet on the initial kickoff with Bucknell returning the kick 90 yards for a TD. The return was called back due to a holding penalty.
 
On Bucknell's second offensive drive of the game, the Lafayette defense continued to stop the run, stuffing a 4^th-and-1 at the Lafayette five-yard line. Jyaire Stevens and Gilbert were among a cadre of Leopard tacklers who gave the ball back to the Leopards with 4:54 left in the first quarter.
 
On the subsequent possession, Montie converted a 3^rd-and-3 at the Lafayette 40-yard line for a first down. Lafayette took the ball down to the seven-yard line before Jakob Trestik booted a 25-yard field goal.  
 
Special teams played a pivotal role late in the second quarter. The offense moved the ball, converting two third downs and a fourth down before settling for a 21-yard Trestik field goal. The attempt that drilled the right upright and kept the score at 3-0.
 
The Leopard defense forced a three-and-out and a punt which Curtis muffed, allowing Bucknell to take over at the Lafayette 23-yard line. The Bison took advantage following a two-yard touchdown run by Rushawn Baker. The PAT missed wide right and Bucknell led 6-3 with 2:13 left in the half.
 
The kick return unit made its presence felt, as Neriyan Brown ran the kickoff 50 yards to the Bucknell 45. The field position boost was what the offense needed. The Leopards responded with a seven-play drive highlighted by an 18-yard strike from Montie to Elijah Steward and a 20-yard pass to Gilbert. The Maroon and White capped the drive with Montie's one-yard sneak out of a timeout. Lafayette led 10-6 at halftime. Montie was 10-of-11 for 102 yards in the first half.
 
In the second half, Ntantang picked off Bucknell near midfield, changing the possession at the Bucknell 45. On 3^rd-and-7, Leopard offensive coordinator T.J. DiMuzio, emptied the backfield and ran the QB draw. Montie zipped through a cavernous gap up the middle, covering 44 yards for the score. It was the longest run of his career, netting his second career rushing TD. Trestik's PAT was true and Lafayette led 17-6 just three minutes into the second half.
 
Deep into the third quarter, special teams continued to affect the game for the Leopards. Malik Hamm blocked a 40-yard field goal attempt to keep the 11-point margin intact, his second blocked kick in as many weeks.
 
The Leopard seniors kept coming up with plays as Gilbert picked off a pass in the end zone with 12 minutes left in the game.
 
Four minutes later Ntantang put away the game with his second interception of the day. The pass was tipped by the Bucknell receiver and Ntantang returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, the Leopards' first pick-six of the season.
 
Bucknell added a late score with two minutes left. Chris Carasia recovered the Bison's onside kick and the Leopards offense finished off the clock for the 24-14 final.
 
Lafayette returns to action on Oct. 8, hosting Princeton at 12:30 p.m.
 
NOTES: A.T. Ntantang's pick-six was the first for a Leopard since Major Jordan ran one back for 50 yards at Holy Cross on Nov. 6, 2021. It was the first two-interception game of the season, with Billy Schaeffer the last do it on Sept. 25, 2021.

Lafayette is now 20-17 all-time in Patriot League openers, dating back to 1986.