EDINBORO, Pa. – Find a way.
No. 9 IUP needed every bit of that mentality Saturday afternoon.
The Crimson Hawks erased an early deficit, traded punches with Edinboro throughout the second half and ultimately came away with a 46-44 double-overtime victory at Sox Harrison Stadium to remain unbeaten.
Mason Maggs connected with Gavin Harrold for a 25-yard touchdown in the second overtime before D'Avay Johnson hauled in the ensuing two-point conversion, providing the deciding points as IUP improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in PSAC play.
Maggs delivered his biggest statistical performance of the season, completing 19 of 28 passes for 369 yards and four touchdowns. Jeremiah Coleman hauled in three passes for a game-high 112 yards, while JC Wilson added 86 yards on three receptions.
Connor Shamany caught two touchdown passes, Mason James scored twice and Landyn Moore added a rushing touchdown in the victory.
IUP struck first when Maggs found Shamany for a 6-yard touchdown midway through the opening quarter. Edinboro answered with 14 consecutive points, including a 40-yard fumble return for a touchdown, to take a 14-7 advantage.
The Crimson Hawks responded with a 91-yard scoring drive early in the second quarter. Maggs connected with James for a 28-yard touchdown to even the score at 14 before Edinboro carried a 17-14 advantage into halftime following a field goal with 32 seconds remaining.
IUP regained the lead in the third quarter after the defense provided the offense with a short field. Maggs found Shamany for his second touchdown of the afternoon, this time from 5 yards out, giving the Crimson Hawks a 21-17 advantage.
Edinboro trimmed the margin to one with a field goal late in the third before Moore extended IUP's lead with a 9-yard touchdown run early in the fourth.
The Fighting Scots responded again, scoring a touchdown and converting the two-point attempt to tie the game at 28 with 6:33 remaining.
IUP then put together a 10-play, 71-yard drive that took nearly five minutes off the clock. Preston Rathway capped the possession with a 37-yard field goal, putting the Crimson Hawks ahead 31-28 with 1:39 remaining.
Edinboro managed one final answer in regulation, driving into position for a 51-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime tied at 31.
James punched in a 1-yard touchdown on IUP's first overtime possession, but Edinboro answered with a 1-yard score of its own to send the game to a second overtime.
The Fighting Scots possessed the ball first in the second extra period and took a 44-38 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run. With two-point conversions required, IUP's defense kept Edinboro out of the end zone on the ensuing attempt, leaving the door open for the Crimson Hawks.
IUP needed only three plays to take advantage.
Maggs found Harrold for a 25-yard touchdown to pull the Crimson Hawks even at 44. IUP then went for the win, with Johnson securing the two-point conversion to finish the 46-44 road victory.
The Crimson Hawks piled up 435 yards of total offense despite running just 55 plays, averaging 7.9 yards per snap. IUP generated 369 yards through the air and finished a perfect 5-for-5 on its trips inside the red zone.
Defensively, Tasso Whipple led IUP with 11 tackles, while Noah Johnston added 10 tackles and a pass breakup. Tai'Don Strickland finished with nine stops. Trevor Lee and Mysir Mayo each recorded a sack, while Keyshawn McCaskill intercepted a pass.
IUP remains unbeaten through five games and returns home next week for its Homecoming matchup against Lock Haven.
