The Ursinus Bears are out to an incredible start to the 2024-25 season, beginning the season 3-0 for the third straight year. So far, Ursinus has answered many of the questions facing them this offseason, dominating their nonconference opponents.
After the graduation of star all-centennial quarterback Jalen Bradford ‘25, who threw for well over 2,000 and 23 touchdown passes, it has been junior Tristain Machado’s time behind center. After going 12-23 with 97 yards as the backup quarterback last season, Machado ‘27 had his best game by far in the passing game as QB1 for the Ursinus Bears against Kean. Machado had his first 300-yard passing performance of his career at Ursinus College, going 22-36 with 323 yards and 2 touchdown passes to Aidan Donahue ‘27 and Markel-Roberts Jackson ‘26.
Junior running back Jason Bernard also had a huge game in week two. The junior scored a career high three touchdowns in critical short yard conversions. Bernard ‘27 was coming off a game against the Alvernia Golden Wolves, where he hit 99 yards and had himself a couple of touchdowns. “The Bus,” as he is widely known among his teammates, backed up Tony Holden ‘25 last season, who won the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Holden finished the year leading the entire Centennial Conference and 9th in Division 3 NCAA football with 1,316 rushing yards on 200 carries and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Fresh off a five-sack performance against Kean last season, defensive end Aaron Rios ‘26 is out to a monster start. Rios has 2 sacks, 19 tackles, and 4.0 tackles for a loss in three games so far. He’s been just one piece of a Bears’ defense that’s been crucial to their success, as shown against Kean. Defensive lineman Jaheim Oates ‘26 recorded a career-high seven tackles (one solo) and 0.5 TFL, while linebacker Matt Agar ‘27 ended with four tackles (one solo) and a sack.
On the third play of the first Kean possession, defensive back Nick Strusowski ‘28 ran an interception back 26 yards for a touchdown, swiftly increasing the score to 28-0. At 1:23 in the second quarter, Roberts-Jackson made a wild 31-yard catch over a Kean defensive back, giving the Bears another touchdown and a 35-0 halftime lead.
The big performance from Agar, specifically, is most impressive to note when you find out this is his first year of varsity action. Agar started to show what he was made of week one against Alvernia, when he set Ursinus up for a first-and-goal from the Golden Wolves’ 5-yard line, after intercepting quarterback Jaden Randall. Ursinus only managed one yard and first had to settle for a field goal, but after the effort was missed and an illegal substitution penalty was called, the offense was given another shot. With 7:05 remaining in the first half, Bernard made Alvernia pay with a 2-yard touchdown to put the score 34-3. In the last minute of the second quarter, Alvernia scored its first touchdown of the game, bringing the score to 34-10 at the half.
The Bears will take a trip to Allentown, PA and visit Muhlenberg College before a bye week and then a quick one game homestand in October vs McDaniel.
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