Box Score BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – On the opening night of the 2011 college football season, this eastern Pennsylvania town lost a consonant. Bloomsburg became, "Boomsburg," as the Ashland University Eagles and Bloomsburg Huskies lowered the boom and knocked the "L" out of each other.
In the end, the ninth-ranked Huskies won, 27-20. This game was played in the same fashion as the first three meetings in the series – it was intense and hard hitting. It featured two teams that have legitimate designs on the 2011 postseason.
Ashland trailed in this game, 17-0 after three quarters. The Eagles made an impressive run to tie game, 17-17 with just under six minutes left in regulation, but couldn't finish off the Huskies in the game's final five minutes. The Huskies took the lead for keeps with 4:29 remaining in the contest on a 1-yard run by sophomore tailback, Franklyn Quiteh, a first team All-America in 2010.
The setback was AU's third in four games with the Huskies. This was Ashland's first loss since Sept. 25, 2010 at Northern Michigan. The Eagles ended last season with a seven-game winning streak.
AU entered the game with a highly-touted defensive unit while the Huskies brought an experienced offense and a rebuilt defense to the field. That BU offense had the upper hand in the early part of the game, striking for 10 first-quarter points. Neither team could score in the second quarter.
BU scored on its first possession, using 5:42 to drive 89 yards in 12 plays. The Eagles got a heavy dose of Quiteh throughout the first half. Most of his damage in the first two quarters came on the early drives. He pounded away at AU on that opening drive, which ended with quarterback Pat Carey connecting with wide receiver Kyle Fisher on a fade to the left corner of the end zone. Dan Fisher's extra point gave the Huskies a 7-0 lead with 6:33 to go in the quarter.
Quiteh, who led the nation in rushing a year ago with 2,015 yards, had a circus catch on BU's second drive, twisting and turning while working against safety Tyler McFarlin (Ashland, Ohio) and hauling in a 40-yard pass. The Ashland defense stiffened deep in BU territory and Dan Fisher came on to kick a 26-yard field goal with two minutes to go in the quarter. That was all the scoring for the first half.
BU had another good chance to score, advancing far into the AU red zone early in the second quarter. That drive was snuffed out when junior defensive back Donnie Dottei (Toledo, Ohio/Whitmer) intercepted a Carey pass at the AU 2. Dottei was a presence throughout the half. He had five tackles (three solo) by halftime.
AU couldn't get untracked offensively in the first half. BU outgained the Eagles, 201-81 over the first two quarters and limited senior tailback D.J. McCoy (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) to 28 yards on seven carries. McCoy was injured in the first half and did not play in the second half. Entering the game, he had rushed for 100 or more yards in eight consecutive games.
BU sacked Ashland quarterback Taylor Housewright (Ashland, Ohio) twice in the first half. The Huskies had the ball for 17:32 over the first two quarters.
On the first play of the second half, it appeared as if the Huskies would break open the game. Quiteh, rumbled 60 yards through the Ashland defense. However, the Eagles stripped the ball at the end of the run and recovered the ball at the AU 18. The run did send Quiteh over 100 yards for the game. In last year's game against Ashland he had 140 yards on 35 carries. In this game he had 144 yards on 24 carries.
A special teams breakdown helped Bloomsburg increase its lead to 17-0. With 5:33 left in the third quarter, McFarlin mishandled a punt at the AU 9. McFarlin and several Huskies battled for the loose ball, which rolled into the end zone, where it was recovered by the Huskies. Dan Fisher added the extra point.
Down 17 points and minus McCoy, the Eagles found themselves in a major jam. The Eagles used two true freshmen – Anthony Taylor (Arlington, Va./Washington-Lee) and Jordan McCune (Bellville, Ohio/Clear Fork) – plus junior Justen White-Reid (Akron, Ohio/Copley) at tailback. Couple that with a receiving corps that entering the game, didn't have a player who had started at the position, and Ashland had an offense as young as any it had put on the field during the tenure of head coach Lee Owens.
The Eagles reached the end zone with 12:59 remaining in regulation, McCune scoring on a 1-yard run. That dive ended an impressive 13-play, 91-yard drive. Senior Gregg Berkshire (Ashland, Ohio) booted the 119th extra point of his career. That made him the school's all-time leader as he moved past Jeff Groza. Berkshire's PAT made it, 17-7.
The Eagles drew to within 17-10 with 7:20 left in the game when Berkshire knocked home a 22-yard field goal. AU had fourth-and-inches at the BU5, but was in no position to gamble. The drive went 66 yards in 11 plays.
Bloomsburg's Kyle Fisher fumbled on the ensuing kickoff and Ashland's Jacob Lerman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) recovered at the BU 20. That set up a 9-yard McCune touchdown run with 5:45 left in regulation. Berkshire's extra point tied the game, 17-17.
Berkshire's kickoff went back to Kyle Fisher. The wide receiver-returner didn't appear to be burdened by his previous gaffe. He gathered in the ball and returned the ball 78 to the AU 20. The touchdown-saving tackle was made by McFarlin.
That sprint set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Quiteh with 4:29 to play in regulation. Dan Fisher's extra point put BU in front, 24-17.
The Eagles committed a mental blunder on the next play. Dan Fisher kicked off to the AU 25 and no Ashland player fielded the ball. The Huskies fell on the ball and started another drive. That possession led to a 37-field goal by Dan Fisher with 3:35 to go. Bloom led, 27-17.
The Eagles fought back to get a 39-yard Berkshire field goal with 1:32 to play. That got AU to within, 27-20. Bloomsburg recovered the ensuing on-sides kick and that sealed the verdict.
McCune finished with 77 yards on 13 carries and Taylor had 66 yards on 11 trips. Housewright was 17-of-28 for 106 yards. The Eagles outgained the Huskies, 345-305.
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