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For the third consecutive year, VMI walked off the field having watched Bucknell celebrate a victory. Saturday's 35-28 loss to the Bison was eerily familiar – not just in location and opponent, but in the crushing nature of how it unfolded.
The Keydets have now dropped three straight to Bucknell, with the last two coming by identical 35-28 scores. What makes this loss a little more painful was how close VMI came to flipping the script, rallying from a 21-7 halftime deficit to tie the game 28-28 with just over five minutes remaining.
Saturday's contest turned into an old-fashioned shootout, with both quarterbacks putting up video game numbers. Bucknell's Ralph Rucker IV completed 21 of 28 passes for 405 yards and five touchdowns, while VMI's Collin Shannon completed 21 of 38 for 362 yards and three scores.
The difference came down to efficiency. Rucker averaged 14.5 yards per attempt compared to Shannon's 9.5, finding his favorite target Sam Milligan for four touchdown passes - a new Bucknell single-game record. Milligan's 192 receiving yards on seven catches terrorized the VMI secondary throughout the afternoon.
Trailing 21-7 at the half, VMI showed the resilience that has defined many of their performances under Rocco. The Keydets outscored Bucknell 21-7 in the second half, turning what looked like a blowout into a nail-biter.
The rally began with a spectacular 73-yard touchdown strike from Shannon to Noah Grevious, who finished with six catches for 186 yards. VMI's ground game, led by Leo Boehling's 66 yards on 19 carries, helped control the clock and keep drives alive.
Owen Sweeney emerged as Shannon's most reliable target in crucial moments, hauling in six catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns, including a 14-yard score that tied the game at 28-28 with 5:17 remaining.
With the game deadlocked, both offenses had opportunities to seize control. VMI's defense, which had struggled early, began generating pressure and forced Bucknell into several difficult third-down situations.
But when it mattered most, Rucker delivered the knockout punch. Facing a third-and-one with under two minutes remaining, he scrambled for the first down to keep Bucknell's drive alive. Two plays later, he found Milligan in the corner of the end zone for a contested 37-yard touchdown that proved to be the game-winner.
VMI has one final chance but was derailed by a holding penalty and a bad snap, ultimately falling short on a fourth-and-31 attempt.
While the offensive fireworks provided entertainment, VMI's defensive performance raises concerns. The Keydets allowed 476 total yards, including 405 through the air, to a Bucknell squad that finished 6-6 last season.
This is the second game this year with VMI giving up over 400 yards of total offense, with the lone game not giving up 400 yards was against DII Ferrum College.
Stephen Dean III led the defensive effort with a career-high 14 tackles, while EJ Wilborne recorded his first career interception. But individual performances couldn't mask the unit's struggles against an efficient passing attack.
Shannon's 362 yards marked the first 300-yard passing game by a VMI quarterback since 2021, suggesting the aerial attack has found some rhythm. If the defense can find similar consistency, the Keydets may yet surprise some people in SoCon play.
The Keydets face a crucial stretch ahead, beginning with a road trip to Richmond this coming weekend. With conference play looming, VMI needs to translate competitive performances like Saturday's into actual victories to avoid falling behind in what appears to be a wide-open SoCon this year.
