ERIE, Pa. – No. 12 IUP football forced three turnovers and scored 42 points in the first half alone en route to a 48-3 blowout win over divisional rival Gannon at McConnell Family Stadium in Erie on Saturday.
 
The Crimson Hawks totaled 508 yards of offense, putting together a balanced day of 284 rushing and 224 passing yards. Leading the way was redshirt sophomore quarterback Lenny Williams, Jr. (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox), who had 334 total yards and three touchdowns while only playing the first half.
 
It's the second straight game, and fourth time this year, that IUP has put up more than 500 yards of total offense.
 
Williams went 7-of-7 through the air for 224 yards and two scores, adding 10 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown on the ground. It took him just six offensive drives, each resulting in an IUP touchdown, to earn those numbers.
 
The IUP defense ended up forcing five turnovers on the afternoon, picking off three passes and recovering a pair of fumbles. One of those fumble recoveries went for a first half touchdown, as sophomore corner Mikale Makle (Upper Marlboro, Md./Frederick Douglas) sprinted 58 yards for a score.
 
The Crimson Hawks are now 3-0 this season and 14-1 since 2011 when scoring a defensive touchdown.
 
The win was also the 50th for IUP head coach Curt Cignetti, who improved to 50-16 (.758) in his sixth year with the Crimson Hawks.
 
IUP is now 7-1 overall this year and 5-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division.
 
The Crimson Hawks scored three touchdowns in each of the first two quarters, opening up the scoring with a six-yard score by junior running back Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley). After a Gannon field goal, Williams sliced in from six yards out and Temple followed with a two yard touchdown run to give IUP a 21-3 lead after the opening quarter.
 
Makle made his mark with the 58-yard score on the fumble recovery on Gannon's ensuing possession, followed by scoring tosses by Williams to junior receiver Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central) and redshirt freshman JoJo Gause (Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney).
 
Pegues – like most IUP starters – saw limited playing time, but finished with three receptions for 110 yards and that score. Gause's catch was an eight-yarder, as Williams tossed it up to the 6-4 receiver, who came down with the score.
 
IUP safeties Steve Franco (Tyrone, Pa. /Tyrone ) and Takhi Turner (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.) picked off Gannon passes in the first half, with Franco's coming with the Crimson Hawks backed up at their own two-yard line midway through the second quarter.
 
The second half featured ball control offense by the Crimson Hawks, who passed just twice in the final 30 minutes of the game and possessed the ball for 21:48. Redshirt junior running back Drew Harris (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) added the final score of the game from two yards out in the fourth quarter.
 
Defensively for IUP, senior linebacker Nick Dubowski (Erie, Pa. /Cathedral Prep) had seven tackles, an interception, fumble recovery, and registered a half-sack. Franco tallied six tackles and broke up a pass in addition to his interception, while junior defensive tackle Jemal Averette (Upper Marlboro, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) had a sack and pass breakup on the day.
 
Sophomore safety Anthony Davis (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) had four solo stops and forced a fumble, and redshirt junior corner Jay Watkins (Chester, Pa. /Hyde School) had a team-high eight tackles.
 
The Crimson Hawks return home next weekend as they host Mercyhurst (2-7, 1-5).
 
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP football on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPfootball.