ASHLAND, Ohio – Quarterback Lenny Williams Jr. and receiver Ricky Rogers connected for three touchdowns through the air as fourth-ranked IUP football defeated 15th-ranked Ashland 21-17 in a 2018 Thursday night season opener.
 
Williams and Rogers hooked up for touchdowns of six, 20 and 13 yards, with the final score giving the Crimson Hawks a 21-10 lead with 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
 
Ashland closed the gap to 21-17 with 4:25 to play, and had a chance to earn the win in the final minutes until a third down sack from end Deandre Easterling ended the threat.
 
Easterling finished with six tackles and 2.5 sacks on the night, leading the IUP defensive effort. On the other side of the defensive line, Dondrea Tillman added a pair of sacks.
 
Ashland limited the IUP running game as the Crimson Hawks finished with 139 yards on the ground and a 3.9 yard average. Williams responded with an efficient night through the air, completing 19-of-28 (67.9 pct.) for 214 yards and those three scores. He also gained a team-high 63 yards on nine carries, with four runs of 10-plus yards including a long of 20.
 
Rogers caught six passes for 73 yards and the trio of scores. It was his first game in an IUP uniform, coming to the Crimson Hawks as a grad transfer from West Virginia.
 
IUP's first score came after a time-consuming 11-play, 80-yard drive near the end of the first quarter, with Williams finding Rogers in the front right corner of the end zone.
 
A pair of Ashland scores gave the Eagles a 10-7 lead, but IUP went on top 14-10 heading to halftime with a late second quarter touchdown. Williams went 6-of-8 for 64 yards on the 75-yard scoring drive.
 
IUP's third touchdown came after another long possession, this one a 10-play 87-yard drive to start the fourth.
 
The Crimson Hawks left nine more points on the board, with two missed field goals and another mistake on a botched snap. Nico Ruiz was a bright spot in the kicking game, averaging 45.3 yards on three punts, pinning two inside the Ashland 20.
 
Up next
The Crimson Hawks return to Indiana for their home opener Thursday, September 6 against Millersville (0-1). The primetime kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at George P. Miller Stadium.
 
Notes
This is the second straight season opening win for IUP over Ashland, with the Crimson Hawks winning 26-23 with a 46-yard Dillon Sarka field goal as time expired in the 2017 matchup … IUP head coach Paul Tortorella is now 14-1 and 5-0 against top 25 opponents … This was IUP's fourth straight season-opening win, and 18th win in its last 21 dating back to 1999 … Williams has accounted for 82 career touchdowns (57 pass, 25 rush), six short of tying Brian Eyerman's (1999-02) record of 88 … This was Williams' ninth career game of at least three touchdown passes … Samir Bullock got the start at running back but was limited to just six carries with an injury … Justice Evans rushed for 54 yards on 15 carries and Chris Temple rushed for 11 yards in his first action since 2016 … Dom McNeil caught five passes for a game-high 79 yards … Ashland rushed for 216 yards, with Andrew Vaughn gaining 133 yards on 22 carries.
 
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