Gannon Golden Knights
Joe Mattis
The Gannon football team celebrates its first divisional title in school history after a 31-21 victory against IUP.
21
Indiana (Pa.) IUP 6-4 , 5-4
31
Winner Gannon University GAN 8-2 , 7-2
Indiana (Pa.) IUP
6-4 , 5-4
21
Final
31
Gannon University GAN
8-2 , 7-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
IUP Indiana (Pa.) 7 7 0 7 21
GAN Gannon University 7 7 3 14 31

Next Game:

East Stroudsburg University

11/15/2014 | 12:00 PM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Nov. 15 (Sat) / 12:00 PM
 East Stroudsburg University

Game Recap: Football | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Football Team Captures Share of PSAC West Championship with 31-21 Victory Against IUP (Video/Photos)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Gannon 31, Indiana (Pa.) 21
  • Records: Gannon (8-2, 7-2 PSAC), Indiana (Pa.) (6-4, 5-4 PSAC)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Gannon University Field
  • The Short Story: Gannon out-scored Indiana (Pa.) 17-7 during the second half en route to a 31-21 victory Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Gannon University Field. As a result, the Golden Knights finished as Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division Champions.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Gannon wasted little time getting the offensive jets going. After IUP won the toss and elected to kick, the Golden Knights immediately marched 75 yards on 11 plays for the contest's first score. The drive consisted of eight runs and two pass completions, capped by junior Brock Jones' (Peninsula, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) one-yard touchdown run 4:49 into the game.
  • Indiana (Pa.) produced back-to-back touchdown drives midway through the first half to forge ahead. The game-tying score came on C.J. Jackson's 55-yard touchdown pass from Chase Haslett with 2:38 left in the first half.
  • After forcing a Gannon three-and-out, IUP went 60 yards on nine plays to assume a 14-7 lead. Haslett's second touchdown pass was hauled in by Drew Carswell from 14 yards out for the go-ahead score 2:04 into the second quarter.
  • Gannon punched back on its next possession, chewing up 57 yards on nine plays. The Golden Knights converted a third-and-nine with a 14-yard pass from redshirt junior Liam Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local) to junior Jesstin Hamm (Harwood, Md./DeMatha Catholic). Later on third-and-14, Nadler connected with senior Justin Caliste (Roseville, Calif./Oakmont) for a 38-yard touchdown pass to knot the score at 14 with 9:08 left in the first half.
  • The two teams eventually went to halftime tied at 14, before the second half turned into a more defensive affair.
  • Gannon scored the only points of the third quarter when freshman Karch Holland (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) drilled a 37-yard field goal with 7:19 left in the frame, giving the Golden Knights a lead they wouldn't relinquish at 17-14. Gannon converted two more third downs during the drive.
  • The lead extended to double digits for the first time early in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Kailan Chavis (Charlotte, N.C./Hopewell) returned an interception to the IUP 40-yard line right before the end of the third quarter. After another third-down conversion, Nadler hit Hamm for their second scoring connection of the game. This one went for 18 yards to give the Golden Knights a 24-14 advantage 1:43 into the final stanza.
  • IUP refused to fold and immediately answered with a touchdown of its own. On third-and-five, Haslett hit Walt Pegues for 27 yards and a first down to the Gannon 14-yard line. Two plays later, the same duo hooked up for a five-yard touchdown pass to pull within 24-21 at the 10:28 mark.
  • The see-saw contest continued as Gannon needed only four plays to answer on its next possession. The big play came on first down when Nadler pulled the ball from Jones and hit a wide-open Hamm for a 59-yard pass to the IUP seven-yard line. Three plays later, Jones found pay dirt for the second time from two yards out, giving Gannon a 31-21 edge with 9:14 to play.
  • IUP's last two drives came to an end with an interception by sophomore Ryan Davis (Olmsted Falls, Ohio/St. Edward) and a sack by redshirt junior Joshua Wiechelt (Depew, N.Y./Depew) that ended the contest.

GAME NOTES
  • Gannon entered the game ranked third in the country in third-down conversion percentage and proceeded to convert 11 of 18 against IUP.
  • IUP entered the contest ranked third in NCAA Division II in rushing defense, allowing 66.6 yards per game. Gannon was able to churn out 150 yards on 39 carries.
  • Gannon out-scored IUP 24-7 during the final 42 minutes.
  • Jones produced his seventh 100-yard rushing performance in eight games with 106 yards and two touchdowns. He needs one more to tie the school's single-season record of eight set by Sterling Pierce in 1998.
  • Hamm set a career-high with 175 receiving yards, surpassing his previous high of 171 set against Mercyhurst last season. His nine catches tied a career-high set earlier this season against Kutztown.
  • Nadler extended his school-record total of 300-yard passing games to 11 with 304 yards and two touchdowns on a 20-of-36 chart.
  • Davis' fourth-quarter interception represented his first career pick.
  • Chavis' third-quarter interception was his team-best fourth of the season.
  • Senior Luke Rankie (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) tied a season-high with a team-high 11 tackles. He recorded two sacks in a game for the second time during his collegiate career.
  • Saturday's game was played with temperatures in the 40's with wind chills in the 30's due to wind gusts between 15-20 miles per hour. Part of the second half was played with light hail falling.
  • The contest was part of Senior Day as 15 Gannon student-athletes were honored prior to the game. Gannon fans also took part in Military Appreciation Day.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon captured its first divisional title in school history spanning two conferences in the PSAC and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
  • The Golden Knights finished tied for first place in the PSAC Western Division with Slippery Rock. However, the Rock will play in next week's PSAC title game due to its 31-28 victory against Gannon on October 4.
  • Gannon has won eight games for the first time since the 2003 squad went 9-1 as an NCAA Division II Independent.
  • Rankie jumped Dan Tomko (2003-06) and moved into sixth place all-time at Gannon with 271 career tackles. He needs three more to move into Gannon's all-time top five.
  • Caliste broke Gannon's single-season reception record, finishing the game with 67 catches. The previous record of 64 was set by teammate Abraham Ocasio in 2012.
  • Hamm moved past Pat Cain (2000-03) into seventh place all-time at Gannon with 1,281 career receiving yards.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon concludes the regular season Saturday, November 15 against East Stroudsburg at Gannon University Field. Game time is scheduled for 12 noon.
  • The Golden Knights are 0-2 all-time against the Warriors, but the two programs haven't met since the 2009 season.
  • The regular-season finale will be an important one to keep Gannon's hopes of an NCAA Division II Tournament bid alive.
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Players Mentioned

Justin Caliste

#5 Justin Caliste

WR
5' 5"
Senior
Criminal Justice
Kailan Chavis

#15 Kailan Chavis

DB
5' 10"
Sophomore
Undeclared
Ryan Davis

#36 Ryan Davis

LB
6' 1"
Sophomore
Mechanical Engineering
Jesstin Hamm

#7 Jesstin Hamm

WR
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Communication Arts
Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

RB
5' 10"
Junior
Business Entrepreneurship
Liam Nadler

#10 Liam Nadler

QB
6' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Political Science
Abraham Ocasio

#86 Abraham Ocasio

WR
6' 3"
Senior
Psychology
Luke Rankie

#44 Luke Rankie

LB
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Management and Marketing
Joshua Wiechelt

#3 Joshua Wiechelt

LB
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Accounting
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

K
5' 8"
Freshman
Undecided Science

Players Mentioned

Justin Caliste

#5 Justin Caliste

5' 5"
Senior
Criminal Justice
WR
Kailan Chavis

#15 Kailan Chavis

5' 10"
Sophomore
Undeclared
DB
Ryan Davis

#36 Ryan Davis

6' 1"
Sophomore
Mechanical Engineering
LB
Jesstin Hamm

#7 Jesstin Hamm

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Communication Arts
WR
Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

5' 10"
Junior
Business Entrepreneurship
RB
Liam Nadler

#10 Liam Nadler

6' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Political Science
QB
Abraham Ocasio

#86 Abraham Ocasio

6' 3"
Senior
Psychology
WR
Luke Rankie

#44 Luke Rankie

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Management and Marketing
LB
Joshua Wiechelt

#3 Joshua Wiechelt

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Accounting
LB
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

5' 8"
Freshman
Undecided Science
K