BLOOMSBURG – The Bloomsburg University football team has not only been able to break open big plays on offense this season, but it's hard-nose defense up front has refused to allow opponents  to gain momentum off any big runs as well.  The fourth-ranked Huskies get the chance to continue that trend this weekend in the first of two straight road matchups.
 
Bloomsburg (7-0 overall, 4-0 PSAC East) makes the trip to Cheyney University (1-6, 0-4) on Saturday, Oct. 20 in hopes of keeping its undefeated season alive for a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup.  Kickoff at O'Shields-Stevenson Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
 
The Huskies offense had six plays go for over 30 yards in last week's 48-27 victory over East Stroudsburg, four of which went for touchdowns.  Along with its normal dominance on the ground, Bloomsburg also used its passing attack to catch the Warriors defense off guard and capitalize for some long strikes.
 
Senior Ryan Dickerson (Harleysville/Souderton) and junior Glenn Hutton Jr. (Sicklerville, NJ/Paul VI) were two of Bloomsburg's many playmakers last week.  The wide receivers have stepped up in a major way these last two weeks and are coming off career-high games against ESU.
 
Hutton Jr. brought in touchdown passes of 37 and 68 yards last week to a career-high 120 yards receiving.  Dickerson brought in BU's longest passing play of the season with a 73-yard catch-and-run on his way to a career-best 117 yards.
 
The passing day through the air was one that had not been done in some time for the Huskies.  The last time Bloomsburg had two receivers with more than 100 yards was in 2000 against Saginaw Valley.  BU quarterback Tim Kelly (Camp Hill/Cedar Cliff)'s four touchdown passes were the first since Dan Latorre threw four against West Chester in 2007.
 
Defensively, BU allowed just one pass to stretch over 30 yards last week.  It frustrated ESU's quarterback, the reigning PSAC East Athlete of the Week, by nearly eliminating the running game and continuing to bring pressure around the outside.
 
More impressive, the Bloomsburg defense has not allowed a run this year longer than 24 yards through seven games.  It allows an average of 96 yards on the ground per game, good for third in the PSAC and 13th in Division II. 
 
The win last week marked the first time in school history Bloomsburg has scored 30 or more points in seven straight games to open a season.  Bloomsburg is one of two 7-0, 4-0 teams in the PSAC (Shippensburg), and one of 10 undefeated schools in Division II. BU's eight-game winning streak dating back to last season is tied for the third-longest ac­tive streak in Division II.
 
Bloomsburg has won seven games for the 14th consecutive year, setting an all-time PSAC record.  It broke the tie with Indiana (PA), which had 13 straight seven-win sea­sons from 1984-1996. The current 14-year streak for the Huskies is the second-longest in all Division II behind NW Mis­souri.  Only nine other programs in all levels of the NCAA can match Bloomsburg's consistency.
 
Saturday will be the 53rd meeting between Bloomsburg and Cheyney. The Huskies have won 22 straight games against the Wolves, the longest streak in school history against a single opponent. The last Cheyney win over Blooms­burg was in 1989 (31-28). Bloomsburg has not lost at Cheyney since 1982, winning 14 straight games. Last year's 45-10 win was the 200th career vic­tory in head coach Danny Hale's career.
 
BU is led offensively by the top rusher in Division II, Franklyn Quiteh (Tobyhanna/Pocono Mountain West).  Averaging 177.43 yards on the ground, Quiteh is coming off a career-high 282-yard performance against ESU, the second most in school history. In doing so, Quiteh be­came the first player in BU history to run for 1,000 yards in each of his first three sea­sons.  His 43 carries marked the first time that a Husky had 40 or more since 1997.
 
Along with rating third on the BU all-time rushing list, Quiteh has worked his way up the PSAC ranks as well.  The junior has rushed for 4,449 yards in two and a half seasons in the maroon and gold.  He is sixth in PSAC history and can move into fifth with a 236-yard outing against Cheyney, passing former Shippensburg Red Raider and current Green Bay Packer John Kuhn's mark of 4,685 set in 2004.  
 
As a team, BU is second in Division II in rushing at 349.29 yards per game.
 
Kelly's progression throughout the season has helped the Huskies open up their offense. His impressive 158.7 passing efficiency ranks third in the PSAC and 12th in Division II.  The redshirt freshman has thrown for 1,233 yards on 54.2 percent passing with 16 touchdowns.  Just as important, Kelly has thrown just four interceptions this year, including none in the last two games.

A significant reason why Kelly has had the time to toss his long TD passes has been due to the work of his savvy offensive line.  BU has not allowed a sack in three games in 2012 including each of the last two games.  Overall, BU has al­lowed six sacks this season, tied for the second lowest in the PSAC. Since 1999, BU is 34-2 when not allowing a sack.
 
On the defensive line, Larry Webster (Hagerstown, MD/Elkton) continues his aggressive play up front and has recorded a PSAC-leading 8.5 sacks this season, including six solo sacks.
 
Fellow senior Jarrett Pidgeon (Barnegat, NJ/Southern Regional) has had three double-digit tackle games this season and is fourth in the conference with 62.  He's coming off a 12-tackle outing against ESU and has been the heart of the BU run defense.  Pidgeon and the Huskies defense have forced 26 three-and-outs this season (3.71/game) including a season-high six against Stonehill and LIU Post.
 
Cheyney has been led offensively by its quarterback Blaze Wasserleben.  Along with passing for 414 yards and three touchdowns, the junior has run for 391 yards and a score.  However, Cheyney's seven interceptions and 18 fumbles lost have plagued the Wolves into a six-game skid after their season-opening 34-21 victory over Lincoln (PA).
 
After its contest with Cheyney, Bloomsburg makes its way to undefeated Shippensburg for what is expected to be one of the top games of the week.  Kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 27 is set for 1 p.m.  Cheyney hits the road for its final three games of the season beginning with West Chester next week beginning at 1 p.m.