Final Stats

IUP took advantage of two early Bloomsburg fumbles to build a 10-0 lead, but it was seven Crimson Hawk miscues that proved to be their undoing in a 47-20 loss to the Huskies in a PSAC crossover game Saturday at Redman Stadium.

IUP lost for the first time in three games while Bloomsburg won its second in a row after a season-opening loss to Ashland. The Huskies have won four straight in the series, the first time IUP has dropped four consecutive games to the same opponent since Clarion won five times in a row from 1977-81.

Bo Napoleon (Carson, Calif./Carson) was intercepted five times, including one that was returned 60 yards for a touchdown by Mike Varanavage. The interception total was one shy of the school record set by Scott McGuigan vs. Liberty in 1982. The Crimson Hawks also lost a pair of fumbles and were held to just 262 yards of total offense.

The Bloomsburg defense also scored in the fourth quarter when Dan Haverstock scooped up a fumble and returned it 68 yards for the Huskies' final touchdown of the game with 5:02 remaining.

The margin of defeat was the largest inflicted on IUP since a 27-0 loss to the Huskies in 2005, and it was the highest point total allowed since a 52-19 loss to Catawba the previous season. The Crimson Hawks also saw their eight-game winning streak vs. PSAC East teams come to an end.

Teddy Blakeman (Penn Hills/Penn Hills) led IUP on the ground with 73 yards on 18 carries and scored both Crimson Hawk touchdowns. James Johnson (Philadelphia/Glen Mills) added 67 yards as both he and Blakeman saw the majority of playing time at tailback after starter Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) suffered a foot injury in the first quarter and did not return.

Napoleon completed 12 of 32 passes for 128 yards is his first start for the Crimson Hawks, who lost Pat Smith (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) for the rest of the season when he broke his thumb after striking the helmet of an East Stroudsburg player in last week's 23-17 win over the Warriors. Javon Rowan (Erie/Cathedral Prep), who missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury, led the IUP pass catchers with four receptions for 39 yards.

Franklyn Quiteh overcame a pair of lost fumbles to lead Bloomsburg with 91 rushing yards on 22 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns. Pat Carey completed 13 of 19 passes for 237 yards and touchdowns to Ben Weaber and Kyle Fisher.

The Huskies fumbled a punt at its own 23 and Larry Federoff (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) recovered for IUP, leading to a 35-yard field goal by Craig Burgess (Medina, Ohio/Highland) and a 3-0 lead just 4:33 into the game. Quiteh coughed up the ball on Bloomsburg's next possession when he was hit by Johnny Franco (Altoona/Tyrone), and Carl Thornton (Beaver Falls/Beaver Falls) recovered at the Husky 42.

Napoleon hit Mychal Skinner (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area) for gains of nine and 15 yards, and a 16-yard completion to Ben Simmen (Oakdale/West Allegheny) moved the ball to the seven. Blakeman went in on the next play to give the visiting Crimson Hawks a 10-point lead.

Skinner caught a total of three passes for 39 yards and moved into eight place in IUP history with 115 career receptions and ninth in receiving yards with 1,880.

The Huskies struck quickly on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Carey to Fisher, but IUP got three of those points back when Burgess booted a 29-yard field goal to make it 13-7 with 5:36 left in the first half. Burgess has made 8 of 9 field goal attempts so far this season and increased his school career record to 39. He also extended his streak of consecutive extra points made to 96.

Bloomsburg took its first lead of the game on a six-yard run by Quiteh and, following Napoleon's first interception of the afternoon, went 63 yards in just over a minute and took a 21-13 lead into halftime when Quiteh scored his second touchdown in a span of 1:25.

Varanavage picked off Napoleon's first pass of the third quarter and took it the distance to make it a 15-point lead just over two minutes into the second half. Dan Fisher kicked field goals of 43 and 34 yards, the latter making it 34-13 with 11:41 left in the game.

Cory Lanterman (Streetsboro, Ohio/Streetsboro) fumbled a punt and Wallace Jamison recovered for Bloomsburg at the IUP 9. Two Quiteh rushes gained seven yards before Carey hit Weaber to increase the Husky lead to 40-13 at the 6:13 mark. After the Haverstock fumble return, IUP got on the scoreboard for the final time when Johnson had runs of 24 and 15 yards to set up a four-yard touchdown by Blakeman with 2:52 left to play.

Mike Scott (Frankford, Pa./North Catholic) led the IUP defense with 11 tackles, one more than Jeff Vaughn (Canton, Ohio/McKinley), and also broke up a pass. Mike Katch (Lansdale/North Penn) recorded his second sack of the season. Varanavage paced the Huskies with 11 tackles. Solomon Oliver had two of Bloomsburg's five interceptions.

The Crimson Hawks will look to get back to their winning ways next Saturday when they host Slippery Rock in the PSAC West opener for both teams. At halftime IUP will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 1990 team that reached the Division II national championship game for the first time.