ASHLAND — The weather was no friend to the Ashland University football team in Thursday night’s season opener.
The opponent was no better.
Indiana University (Pa.) defeated the 12th-ranked Eagles 34-24 on Thurday night at Jack Miller Field after a 90-minute weather delay.
“It’s one of the best teams in the country there,” said Ashland coach Doug Geiser. “We’re both ranked for a reason. You can’t make the self-inflicted wounds we did on all three phases of the game, and expect to win a game like that, even in your home stadium.
“Credit to IUP. We beat ourselves in a lot of different things tonight.”
Ashland took the opening kickoff and converted the game’s first points when redshirt freshman kicker Nate Russell hit a 33-yard field goal. Then, with 7:19 left in the first quarter, the 22nd-ranked Crimson Hawks went up 7-3 when defensive end Mysir Mayo recovered an Eagle fumble in the end zone.
The Eagles came right back and re-took the lead at the 4:10 mark of the opening stanza, when junior quarterback Drew Novak found a wide-open sophomore wide receiver D.J. Harvey for a 20-yard major – and a 10-7 advantage.
When IUP came back with a 40-yard touchdown score from quarterback Mason Maggs to running back Leon Parson on a screen, the Crimson Hawks took a 14-10 lead into the second quarter. Parson then scored again with 8:30 to go until halftime, on a two-yard run, to extend the Crimson Hawks’ lead to 21-10.
At the 7:56 mark of the third quarter, IUP moved its lead to 28-10 when Maggs found wide receiver D’Avay Johnson for a 17-yard TD strike. Following a 30-yard field goal from Preston Rathway, the Crimson Hawks had a 31-10 lead with 2:23 to go in the third.
Novak came back with a 14-yard touchdown fade to junior wide receiver Issaiah Ramsey to cut the deficit to 31-17 on the last play of the third stanza, and when Novak hit a wide-open Harvey again in the end zone with 9:29 left in regulation, it became a 31-24 contest.
The Eagles’ momentum was stopped when Rathway hit a 34-yard field goal for a 10-point Crimson Hawks lead with 1:46 to go.
Novak, in his first collegiate start, was 16-for-27 for 258 yards, three touchdowns and an interception passing, and ran for 22 yards.
“I think he played like a warrior,” Geiser said. “The hidden value there is he’s a lot more mobile than people realize, and he was able to get out of some situations and make some plays with his legs.”
Freshman wide receiver Andrew McKnight grabbed four passes for 95 yards.
“He’s come in from training camp on, and has done a great job for us,” Geiser said. “He hasn’t played like a freshman. He’s been very, very mature. Catches the heck out of the ball, so we’re excited with what he can do in the future.”
Senior safety E.J. Teah paced the Eagle defense with a dozen total tackles (four solos) and a tackle for loss.
“He played like we expected him to play,” said Geiser. “I think he’s one of the best safeties in the country.”
Ashland played its 90th all-time game at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field on Thursday night (72-18 all-time).
The Eagles will stay at home to take on No. 7 Grand Valley State (2-0) at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12. The contest will be AU’s Hometown Heroes Day / Ashland Football Hall of Famers and All-Americans Recognition game.
