Melvin Blanks
Joe Mattis
0
Gannon GAN 2-6 , 1-4
35
Winner Indiana (PA) IUP 7-1 , 4-1
Gannon GAN
2-6 , 1-4
0
Final
35
Indiana (PA) IUP
7-1 , 4-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
GAN Gannon 0 0 0 0 0
IUP Indiana (PA) 14 14 7 0 35

Game Recap: Football | | David Rung, Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Rushes For 168 Yards, But IUP Takes PSAC West Contest

THE RUNDOWN
  • Final Score: No. 19 Indiana (Pa.) 35, Gannon 0
  • Records: Gannon (2-6, 1-4 PSAC West) | Indiana (7-1, 4-1 PSAC West)
  • Location: Frank Cignetti Field at George P. Miller Stadium — Indiana, Pa.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
KEY SEQUENCE
  • IUP held a 14-0 lead after its first two drives, but the Gannon defense made corrections and forced punts the next two times the hosts got the ball. The Crimson Hawk defense had its own response though, ripping momentum away with an interception return for a touchdown early in the second quarter to go up by three scores.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • A big kickoff return started the game off on the right foot for IUP, which needed just five plays to cover 46 yards and get the first score of the game. After a Gannon three-and-out, the Crimson Hawks struck quickly again with three straight passes, the final going 28 yards to take a 14-0 lead just over six minutes in.
  • The Gannon offense got off to a good start on its second drive of the game, with Jimmy Keefe (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/St. Edward) hitting Joey Cox (Costa Mesa, Calif./Calvary Chapel) for a 25-yard gain. Despite that possession stalling, the Golden Knight defense stepped up, with Jeremy Mensah (Laurel, Md./Riverdale Baptist) getting a stop on third down to force an IUP punt.
  • When the hosts got the ball back, Malik Bridgeman (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga College HS) stuffed a run on first down from the Gannon 35-yard line to start the ball moving backward. An IUP fumble was hopped on by the offense, but that led to another punt from near midfield as the first quarter neared an end.
  • After the Hawks' defensive score, the unit forced a Gannon punt, which was followed up by a 10-play drive that ended in a 28-0 lead for IUP midway through the second quarter.
  • From there, Gannon embarked on an impressive drive, eating up much of the rest of the half with 14 plays. Melvin Blanks (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) started it off with a 16-yard run, then picked up a tough yard on 3rd and 1 to keep the drive alive. Passes of 17 yards to Cox and 10 to Sam East (Jackson Township, N.J./Saint John Vianney) moved the ball inside the IUP 30, and Johnny Freeman (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) picked up three yards to give the Knights a 4th and 2 from the 21, but the fourth-down attempt fell incomplete.
  • Blanks looked to get the third quarter off to solid start for Gannon, and rumbled 23 yards up the right sideline to get the ball out to the Golden Knight 42. The sophomore got another big hole and covered 36 yards to set the Knights up deep in IUP territory, but an illegal procedure penalty brought it back, and the Hawks forced a punt.
  • IUP took nearly five minutes off the clock with a 12-play march to add to its lead on the ensuing drive. Gannon got an extra chance after its punt was muffed by the Crimson Hawks, but the IUP defense forced a three and out.
  • Both defenses played well down the stretch, with Chris Farnsworth (Bristol, Pa./Milton Hershey) forcing a second IUP turnover when he won a jump ball near his own goal line to pull in his first career interception and stop another Crimson Hawk threat. A steady diet of Zevin Holley (Fredericksburg, Va./Stafford) on the ensuing drive helped the Knights get into the red zone for the first time, but a sack and a fourth-down stop ended the chance, and IUP ran out the clock.
     
GAME NOTES
  • The Gannon punt team kept the Golden Knights' turnover streak alive in the third quarter, as Tyler Tiggs (Cleveland, Ohio/Mayfield) pounced on the muffed ball to make it nine consecutive games that Gannon has forced at least one turnover out of their opponent.
  • Farnsworth became the seventh Gannon defender to pull in an interception this season. The Knights, which entered the game sixth in the nation in interceptions, have now picked off 13 passes.
  • Gannon found some success on the ground on offense, rushing for 168 yards on 37 carries. That's the second-highest total for the Golden Knights this season, and the second-most the IUP defense has allowed on the year.
  • Blanks led with 87 yards on 14 carries, and Zevin Holley (Fredericksburg, Va./Stafford) added 78 on 13 totes. Both backs averaged at least six yards per carry.
  • Tre McNeill (Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle College HS) led the Gannon defense in tackles for the third straight game, recording six stops. Dorian Jones (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) and Lawson Paden (Linden, N.J./Linden) each made five tackles, and Bridgeman had two tackles for loss.
  • Gannon was shut out for the first time since a 41-0 defeat against No. 14 California in 2012.
 
UP NEXT
  • Gannon makes its shortest road trip of the season, heading across town to face rival Mercyhurst next Saturday.
  • Live video, live stats and live audio will be available for the noon kickoff at Saxon Stadium.
  • The Lakers sit at 3-5, and 1-4 in PSAC West play after a 27-15 defeat on the road at California (Pa.) Saturday.
  • Mercyhurst holds a 15-6-1 lead in the all-time series, picking up a 38-21 win at McConnell Family Stadium last season to retain the Niagara Cup.
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