SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Quarterback
Harry Woodbery tossed five touchdowns and the IUP defense forced four turnovers as the Crimson Hawks upset and embarrassed No. 6-ranked Slippery Rock in front of a Homecoming crowd Saturday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
The win put the Crimson Hawks on top of the PSAC West standings, winning their fourth straight to improve to 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the division. It was the first loss of the year for The Rock, which fell to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the division.
Considered underdogs heading into the rivalry matchup, the Crimson Hawks never trailed, using a big second quarter to take control of the game before halftime. The Hawks held a 211-60 advantage in total yardage in the first half, converting 11 first downs to SRU's one.
After a slow first quarter that included a 24-yard field goal by
Tyler Luther, IUP exploded for three second quarter touchdowns. Woodbery tossed his first touchdown one minute into the quarter, rolling right to find
Irvin Charles for a 23-yard score to take advantage of a SRU fumble.
The Rock responded with their own touchdown after an IUP turnover, but the Hawks came back to get a 2-yard rushing score from
Malik Anderson and another Woodbery-to-Charles connection, this one from five yards out to the back right corner with 36 seconds left before half.
The third touchdown of the quarter came after SRU's second turnover, an interception by freshman safety
Charles Ingram at midfield.
IUP took a 31-7 lead less than two minutes into the third quarter when Woodbery found
Duane Brown, who sprinted past the SRU defense for a 45-yard touchdown catch. Brown finished with six catches for 136 yards and that score.
The Hawks tried some trickery on the ensuing kickoff, as
Dylan Grubbs slipped an onside kick perfectly past the SRU special teams.
Daniel Deabner recovered at The Rock 33 and five plays later Luther connected on another 24-yard field goal.
Woodbery threw two more touchdowns - a 26-yarder to Charles and a 22-yarder to
Qashah Carter - sandwiched around two futile Rock touchdowns. Charles finished with five receptions for 64 yards and three touchdowns.
IUP picked off SRU's Andrew Koester two more times in the fourth quarter, with Ingram grabbing his second in the IUP end zone while cornerback
Bryce Gibson picked off another in the Hawks' territory.
The Crimson Hawks limited one of the top offenses in Division II to just 334 yards, 160 below their season average. Junior linebacker
Connor Kelly had a team-best 12 tackles and a fumble recovery. Ingram broke up a pass to go along with his two picks and
Darius Bruce broke up a pair of passes. IUP tallied a season-high three sacks, with
Tyrone Fowler Jr.,
Raunya Mitchell, and
Vaughn Wallace each getting to Koester.
Up next
The Crimson Hawks have their second big game in as many weeks next Saturday when they host rival Cal U (6-0, 3-0) in the 12th annual Coal Bowl.
Notes
The Crimson Hawks entered the game receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches poll and not ranked in the D2football media poll ... This was IUP's second win over a top-10 Slippery Rock team in the last four seasons, defeating a No. 9 Rock squad 34-17 in Slippery Rock in 2017 ... IUP is 2-1 against top-25 teams this season, defeating No. 18 Kutztown 29-26 and losing to No. 11 Shepherd 37-21 ... Woodbery's five touchdown passes tied an IUP single game record (Brian Eyerman, 2002) ... Carter broke former IUP All-American Akwasi Owusu-Ansah's career kickoff yardage record during a second quarter return, and now has 1,438 yards in his three-year career ... This was Brown's fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season ... Woodbery's second quarter interception was his first of the season (14:1 TD-INT ratio) ... The IUP defense has 10 interceptions this season, tied for the PSAC lead despite playing just six games.
SRU streaks snapped
Entering today's game, Slippery Rock had won 25 straight games against unranked teams and 19 straight against PSAC West opponents. The Rock's last loss to a divisional opponent came on October 21, 2017 (Edinboro).
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