Shippensburg University’s football team began their Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division schedule with a 31-17 win over Bloomsburg University.
SU’s offense exploded for 423 total yards, including 344 yards from redshirt-freshman Sam Johnson III. Johnson III also added three touchdowns and was 29-43 on the day without an interception.
The Raiders led the game the entire way and led 31-3 at the end of the third quarter. Bloomsburg’s offense was held to just 122 total yards after their first eight drives by redshirt-sophomore linebacker Matt Feeney and the Shippensburg defense.
Feeney set a single-game school record with 6.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and led the team with 10 total tackles.
SU started the scoring on their second possession of the game with an 11-play, 97-yard drive, capped off with a Johnson III 17-yard touchdown pass to sophomore fullback Jake DeLuccia.
The teams traded field goals to make the score 10-3 in the middle of the second quarter, but another Johnson III touchdown pass to senior running back Khalid Dorsey and a 1-yard touchdown run by redshirt-sophomore running back Nasai Moon made the score 24-3 at halftime.
The Raiders finished scoring on the day in the third quarter, as Johnson III threw his final touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Ian Sheehan from six yards out, swelling the lead to 31-3.
Bloomsburg would score two touchdowns in the final frame, but it would not matter as the Raiders went on to win 31-17.
Sheehan and sophomore wide receiver Redd Douglas each hauled in a team-high eight receptions, and Douglas finished with 124 receiving yards. Sheehan tallied 81 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt-sophomore tight end Cole Balint finished the game with six receptions for 28 yards despite coming into the game with just five career receptions. Running backs Dorsey and Moon combined for 79 rushing yards on the day.
Redshirt-junior defensive back Nasir Greer grabbed his first career interception late in the fourth quarter, which was the game’s only turnover by either team.
Feeney’s 6.5 TFLs all came in the first three quarters of the contest and ended up as 17 total lost yards. He breaks the record for TFLs in a game which was previously held by Jake Metz, set in 2013 against Seton Hill.
This was Shippensburg’s first win at Redman Stadium since Halloween Night in 2013, when they defeated Bloomsburg 34-18 in a nationally broadcast game.
The Raiders will return home next week when they take on nationally-ranked Shepherd University at 1 p.m. at Seth Grove Stadium.
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