INDIANA, Pa. – After taking its final timeout with 26 seconds remaining and then taking a knee on 3rd down at the 3-yd line, No. 12 IUP failed to get off a snap for the potential game-winning field goal before time expired, as the East Stroudsburg University football team escaped George P. Miller Stadium with a 13-12 win on Saturday evening over the defending PSAC Champions.
The win for the Warriors (2-0) is the first over IUP in seven chances, since defeating the Crimson Hawks (1-1), 33-31, at IUP during the 1997 season. The win for ESU also snapped a 22-game losing streak against ranked teams. The Warriors last took down AFCA ranked No. 25 Virginia Union, 14-11, at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
The game featured a lengthy weather delay, which extended halftime by nearly 90 minutes.
Notables
- Stony Brook transfer Charlie McKee made his first career start at ESU, with Aaron Tobias sidelined with an injury. McKee was very efficient, completing 14-17 passes for 154 yards and a 59-yd touchdown to fellow FCS transfer Randy Fizer (Wagner) to put up the Warriors for good in the fourth quarter. McKee completed passes to eight different receivers.
- Tyriq Lewis paced the ground game again, rushing for 86 yards on 16 carries. McKee netted 22 yards on the ground.
- Graduate Student fullback Rourke Colligan punched in his first career touchdown for the Warriors to cap its first drive with six points.
- Fizer finished the game with a team-best 84 yards receiving. Tyrese Brandeon added a 25-yd reception.
- Matthew Davis posted his first career interception and, near the end of the first half to prevent any additional IUP points in the first half. He finished the game with seven tackles.
- Sergei Felizor was a tackling machine, leading the game with 12 total tackles, which included 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Dasean Dixon posted nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Deshawn McCarthy made his presence felt with eight tackles, including two sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss.
- Noah Hambrick broke up a pass and finished with six tackles.
- Daryn Blackwell and Aidan Hayward also sacked the quarterback on the evening.
- Colorado Mesa transfer Karst Hunter finished with 284 passing yards on 18-27 passing for IUP. The South Dakota native tallied a touchdown and interception. Reigning PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week, Quinn Zinobile made seven catches for 107 yards to lead the game.
- The Warrior defense held the nationally-ranked Crimson Hawks to just 1.4 yards per rush (52 yards) on 36 attempts.
- On 3rd down, ESU converted 5-of-9 attempts, while IUP was successful on 6-of-16.
- ESU's road win against a ranked opponent is the first since Warrior head coach and then quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger led the Warriors to a 52-39 win at Bloomsburg during the NCAA Semifinalist and Harlon Hill Trophy season in 2005.
How It Happened
- After winning the coin toss, ESU picked to receive with McKee at quarterback in his first start for the Red and Black. McKee and Lewis led the Warriors on a textbook 11-play, 75-yd drive that took 7:31 off the clock. Rourke Colligan pounded in his first career touchdown from two-yards out, as ESU led 7-0 early.
- After punts were traded, the Crimson Hawks were able to put together an 8-play, 66-yd drive which resulted in a 43-yd field goal from Nick Andrasi, cutting the IUP deficit to 7-3.
- The defensive battle continued. The final four drives in the opening half resulted in a pair of punts, a lost fumble from ESU and Davis' interception with 1:10 remaining in the second quarter. ESU would run out the clock, entering the locker room with a 7-3 lead.
- After the 77-minute weather delay, the Crimson Hawks took its first lead with a 39-yd touchdown from Hunter to Lockhart on its first drive of the second half. The PAT was missed, as IUP grabbed a 9-7 advantage.
- After three consecutive punts, IUP ran out 4:55 of clock with a 10-play, 55-yd drive, which cumulated in a 31-yd field goal from Andrasi. IUP led ESU, 12-7 with 13:33 left in regulation.
- Both defenses forced punts, with IUP pinning the Warriors on its own 7-yd line with 7:34 left on the clock, clinging to the 5-point lead. After a pass interference on 2nd down gave ESU a fresh set of downs, McKee found Brandon for the 25-yd connection to the ESU 41-yd line. McKee then found Fizer for the go-ahead 59-yd touchdown. Fizer broke a pair of tackles, picking up 18-yards after the catch and into the end zone.
- In an eerily similar final few minutes of the 2022 version of the game, IUP would gain possession with 5:58 on its own 25. Hunter was able to pick up a first down on 4th and 9 on the ESU 42-yd line to keep the drive alive. The Crimson Hawks continued to get closer and closer. McCarthy kept Hunter out of the endzone on a one-yd rush to the one-yd line.
- After taking its final timeout with 26 seconds left, Hunter took a knee. The Crimson Hawks – who looked like they thought had an additional timeout – furiously tried to setup a field in the waning seconds, but could not get the snap off in time. ESU escaped George P. Miller Stadium successful for the first time since 1997 with the thrilling 13-12 victory.
- The Warriors are one of three teams in the PSAC East to remain undefeated, joining Millersville and Shepherd on top of the standings.
Up Next
- The Warriors (2-0) return to Eiler-Martin Stadium on Sat., Sept. 16 for Family Weekend against Seton Hill (1-1). Kickoff is slated for 1:05 p.m. in the Poconos.
