Jermaine Corbett runs for 166 yards and a TD as Merrimack beats Bucknell 31-21

Updated Sep. 14, 2024 9:12 p.m. ET

Associated Press

LEWISBURGH, Pa. (AP) — Jermaine Corbett ran for 166 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, Ayden Pereira was 11-of-15 passing for 147 yards and a score and Merrimack beat Bucknell 31-21 Saturday.

Pereira connected with Ty Yocum for a 30-yard gain that moved the Warriors into Bucknell territory and set up a 25-yard touchdown run by Corbett that made it 17-14 with 1:46 left in the first half.

Merrimack's defense forced a three-and-out on the opening drive of the second half before Brendon Wyatt caught a pass from Pereira in the right flat and raced 13 yards to the near pylon to make it a 10-point game with 10:43 left in the third quarter. Jay Thompson's strip-sack of Bucknell's Ralph Rucker IV was scooped up near midfield by Nicholas Lenon and returned for a touchdown that pushed the lead to 31-14 less than 3 minutes later.

Rucker threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Josh Gary that gave Bucknell (1-1) a 7-3 lead with 4:04 left in the first quarter and Rucker's 11-yard scoring run midway through the second put the Bison in front 14-10.

Michael Hardyway threw a 26-yard TD pass to Sam Milligan that capped the scoring in the closing seconds.

The Warriors had seven sacks, including four by Lenon and two by Thompson.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football