INDIANA, Pa. - Junior running back
Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley) ran for a season-high 167 yards and three touchdowns, helping No. 11 IUP football grind out 354 yards on the ground as the Crimson Hawks defeated visiting Bloomsburg 42-13 on Senior Day at George P. Miller Stadium.
The win capped off the regular season for the Crimson Hawks, who finish 9-1 overall and will await word from the NCAA on placement in the upcoming Division II playoffs. The NCAA will announce the 28-team field on Sunday, November 13 at 5 p.m.
Temple did nearly all of his damage in the first half, running 22 times for 164 yards and those three scores. Two of those touchdowns came in the second quarter with runs of 20 and 46 yards as IUP took a 21-6 lead into the locker room.
Getting his first career start, sophomore quarterback
Mike Pietropola (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro) finished 4-of-9 for 80 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also gained 69 yards on three carries, including a 58-yard burst for a touchdown.
The recipient of those passing yards was junior wideout
Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central), who had four catches for 80 yards and a score. Pegues' big highlight came in the third quarter, taking a shovel pass from Pietropola and streaking 60 yards down the left sideline for a score. That touchdown came less than three minutes after Pietropola's jaunt, and gave IUP a 35-6 lead in the first part of the third quarter.
Defensively, the Crimson Hawks forced two turnovers and held Bloomsburg on four goalline stands. Redshirt senior linebacker
Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) led the way with 14 tackles and recovered a fumble. Junior safety
Takhi Turner (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.) forced that fumble and had 10 stops. Redshirt junior corner
Jay Watkins (Chester, Pa. /Hyde School) picked off a pass and had three stops, while
Diamond Jones (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne),
Matt Mowad (Easton, Pa. /Easton), and
CJ Odegbo (Detroit, Mich./Southfield) tallied sacks.
A big special teams play gave IUP its final score, as freshman
Nick Amendola (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) blocked a Bloomsburg punt, whilesophomore
Anthony Davis (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) scooped up the loose ball and ran 18 yards for a touchdown. The block was the Crimson Hawks' eighth of the season, and it was their third special teams score.
The Crimson Hawks entered the week ranked fifth in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings. The top seven teams from each of Division II's four regions advance to the playoffs. IUP is seeking the program's 17th all-time NCAA playoff berth, second in a row, and third since 2012. The Crimson Hawks advanced to the regional final four seasons ago, and nearly up-ended eventual national runner-up Shepherd in the second round on the road last season.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP football on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPfootball.
