ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon football team can scratch few things off its to-do list. The Golden Knights received four rushing touchdowns from an individual for the first time in school history while defeating rival Edinboro Saturday afternoon for the first time ever. Combined with Slippery Rock's 42-16 victory against Indiana (Pa.), Gannon also moved into sole possession of first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division for the first time since joining the league in 2008.
After losing the first seven games in the all-time series, Gannon held the ball for a commanding 41 minutes and 46 seconds en route to 55-14 victory against the Fighting Scots before 1,506 fans on a sunny day that saw game time temperatures in the mid-70's.
Gannon was as evenly balanced on offense as a team could be, out-gaining Edinboro 611-258. It was the second-highest single-game total in school history, behind only a 639-yard effort during a 36-33 victory at Lake Erie in the season opener.
The control began on the ground where
Jansen Jones (Rochester, N.Y./Penfield) broke a school record with four rushing touchdowns. The redshirt senior became the second player in school history rush for over 200 yards twice during the same season, finishing with 209 yards on 35 carries. He had 218 yards during the season opener at Lake Erie. Kevin Cloherty is the only other Golden Knight to accomplish the feat in 2001. Jones also became the seventh player in school history to surpass the 2,000-yard plateau for his career.
When Jones wasn't running the ball,
Liam Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local) was torching the Edinboro secondary. The redshirt sophomore went 26-of-38 for 350 yards and zero interceptions, tying Darmel Whitfield's (2001-04) school record for career 300-yard passing games with seven.
And the unsung hero Saturday afternoon probably came on the defensive side of the ball. The Golden Knights produced season-lows in points allowed (14), total offense allowed (258) and rushing yards allowed (66). The rushing total was the lowest by an opponent since Lock Haven had minus 15 yards on October 15, 2011.
Edinboro and Gannon initially went toe-to-toe through the first 15 minutes and 27 seconds, trading a pair of touchdowns each. Nadler and Jones scored Gannon touchdowns during the first quarter on short runs.
Jeremy Donaldson's four-yard score 27 seconds into the second quarter brought Edinboro even at 14-14, but it was all Gannon after that. The Golden Knights rattled off the final 41 points of the contest to run away with the decision.
A
Donnie Mann (Hastings, Minn./Hastings) 37-yard field goal and a Nadler one-yard keeper with 1:55 remaining in the first half pushed Gannon into the intermission with a 24-14 edge.
Gannon salted the game away with a 31-0 scoring advantage during the final 30 minutes. Mann opened the second-half scoring with a 39-yard field goal, before Jones scored on runs of 31 yards and six yards to bump the lead to 41-14 after three quarters. Nadler's third rushing touchdown and Jones' fourth ground score during the fourth quarter accounted for the final 41-point victory.
The difference represented the third-largest margin of victory in school history behind only a 47-0 win against Millersville (Sept. 17, 2011) and a 56-12 verdict against Ashland (Oct. 20, 1950). Gannon's seven rushing touchdowns easily surpassed the program's previous single-game record of five accomplished nine times.
Abraham Ocasio (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) and
Justin Caliste (Roseville, Calif./Oakmont) were Nadler's top targets, hauling in six passes each. Ocasio picked up 89 yards while Caliste added 61 yards. Seven different Golden Knights had receptions against the Fighting Scots.
Luke Rankie (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) headlined the defensive unit with 10 tackles, reaching double digits for the second consecutive game and third time this season.
Ke'Shaun Allen (Woodbridge, Va./Gar-Field) and
Nick Pipitone (Newmarket, Ontario/Huron Heights Secondary) chipped in eight stops each.
Gannon improved to 4-2 overall, creating its best six-game start since the 2003 NCAA Division II Independent squad was 5-1. The Golden Knights remained undefeated in PSAC West action at 3-0. The squad sits in sole possession of first place with one-game leads over Indiana (Pa.), California (Pa.) and Slippery Rock. Edinboro dropped to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
Head coach
Brad Rzyczycki's club has little time to rest with its next game scheduled for Thursday, October 17 against rival Mercyhurst at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
NOTES: Caliste moved into third place all-time at Gannon with 3,402 career all-purpose yards ... Jones moved into ninth place in career all-purpose yards (2,467) ... Ocasio moved into third place in career receiving yards (1,417) ... Jones moved into sixth place in career rushing yards (2,170) ... Nadler moved into second place in career passing yards (4,647) despite playing only 17 career games.
