SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The 16th-ranked Crimson Hawks outscored their rivals by 21 points over the last 31 minutes but an early onslaught by 9th-ranked Slippery Rock was too much as IUP dropped a 45-42 decision on the road at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The loss was the first of the year for the Crimson Hawks as they lost a battle of the unbeaten and Slippery Rock took control of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division.
IUP was forced to rally from a 31-7 deficit as The Rock scored on five of its first eight possessions and the Crimson Hawks were forced to punt five times in the opening half.
The Crimson Hawks (5-1, 2-1 PSAC) used a 9-play, 75-yard scoring drive capped by a 2-yard toss from QB
Quinton Maxwell to receiver
Duane Brown to reverse the momentum taken by The Rock. The score came with 30 seconds to play in the first half and made it a 31-14 ballgame heading into the locker room.
IUP received the second half kickoff and marched down the field with Maxwell and receiver
Dom McNeil connecting over the middle on an 8-yard scoring toss after a 6-play, 75-yard drive. The score made it a 10-point game at 31-21.
After a quick Rock touchdown extended their lead, the Crimson Hawks answered with another scoring toss to McNeil as Maxwell found the diving senior wideout on a 17-yard pass in the front corner of the end zone.
McNeil had a career game, catching 10 passes for 141 yards and two scores. All career-highs.
Another IUP touchdown came at the start of the fourth quarter as Maxwell found receiver
JoJo Gause for a 17-yard toss in the back corner of the end zone. The score came despite a penalty flag thrown on a Slippery Rock corner who interfered with Gause on the play.
Penalties were a big story of the game as the teams combined for 260 yards on flags. IUP was called for 14 penalties while SRU was tagged for 10. That doesn't count five times that penalties were called on both teams and the flags were off-setting. Ten of the 23 total penalties were personal fouls.
The Maxwell-to-Gause touchdown made it a 3-point game at 38-35 with 8:35 to play.
Slippery Rock (6-0, 3-0) then put together its best drive of the day, converting two third downs and a fourth-and-short before scoring a 12-yard rushing touchdown to take a 45-35 lead with 1:30 to play.
IUP limited SRU quarterback Roland Rivers to just 261 total yards and two touchdowns, but the signal caller converted key plays on that final 14-play, 75-yard scoring drive that proved too much for the Crimson Hawks.
With SRU facing a 3rd-and-6 from its own 45, Rivers scrambled and broke several tackle attempts of IUP defenders to complete a 5-yard pass to Cinque Sweeting. Rivers then converted a 4th-and-short on the following play to extend the scoring drive.
The Crimson Hawks had one final gasp, with Maxwell completing three long passes before sneaking in from 1-yard out to make it a 3-point game with eight seconds left. The ensuing onside kick went to Slippery Rock and the comeback ended.
Notes
The Crimson Hawks are No. 16 in the AFCA Coaches' and No. 21 in the D2Football Media Top 25 polls … IUP outgained Slippery Rock 456-410 but SRU finished with 230 rushing yards compared to IUP's 96 … Maxwell finished 26-50 for 360 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, rushing for a fifth score … Maxwell hit the 300-yard mark for the third straight game, believed to be the longest streak of 300-yard passing games in program history … Brown extended his streak to six straight games with a receiving touchdown … Brown finished with five catches for 44 yards and a score … IUP entered the game as the Division II leader with 22 sacks but managed just one (
Ernest Shockley) in the game … Running back
Samir Bullock had a team-high 71 yards on six carries.
Up next
The Crimson Hawks look to rebound next Saturday with a road game against Clarion (3-3, 1-2). Kickoff on Oct. 19 comes at noon.
Follow
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