Football | 10/5/2018 11:52:00 AM

BLOOMSBURG (2-3, 1-2 PSAC East) vs #13/#19 WEST CHESTER (5-0, 2-0 PSAC East)
Saturday, October 6, 2018 - 2:06 PM
Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium - Bloomsburg, Pa.

BLOOMSBURG GAME NOTES

GAME COVERAGE
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RELATED LINKS
Bloomsburg - Schedule | Roster | Statistics
West Chester - Schedule | Roster | Statistics

SERIES HISTORY
West Chester leads the all-time series, 49-27
Streak: Bloomsburg 1W

Last Meeting: October 14, 2017 at West Chester (Bloomsburg 20, West Chester 19)
First Meeting: October 10, 1925 at West Chester (West Chester 13, Bloomsburg 0)
Largest Bloomsburg Win: October 25, 2014 at Bloomsburg (41-10)
Largest West Chester Win: November 7, 1958 at West Chester (56-0)

LAST WEEK
Bloomsburg suffered its worst loss in six years as it dropped a 44-10 decision at Kutztown in front of nearly 6,700 fans on Family Day at Andre Reed Stadium. The setback was the Huskies' third straight to the Golden Bears in the series and it dropped Bloomsburg to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC East. Kutztown, meanwhile, improved to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in divisional play. Bloomsburg's last loss by at least 34 points came at Shippensburg in the opening round of the 2012 NCAA Division II playoffs when the Huskies suffered a 58-20 loss to the Red Raiders on November 17, 2012. It was the third consecutive setback to Kutztown in the all-time series - the first time Bloomsburg has lost three straight meetings against its rivals since the 1979-81 seasons. The Huskies mustered only 196 yards of total offense which included just 73 yards on the ground - just the seventh time in 63 career games under head coach Paul Darragh that Bloomsburg did not reach the century mark in a game. Part of the issue was that the Kutztown defense sacked Erik Benjamin (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) five times for a loss of 31 yards. Meanwhile, Kutztown generated 488 yards of total offense against a Huskies' defense that came into the game ranked second in the PSAC in total defense through the first four weeks of the season. Bloomsburg's only touchdown came with 1:44 left when Benjamin called his own number from a yard out, capping off a 16-play, 68-yard drive. It was Benjamin's fifth rushing touchdown of the season. Alex Gooden (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara) led the Huskies' rushing attack with 11 carries for 59 yards. Benjamin finished 14-of-31 for 123 yards and hooked up with Michael Allen (Oley, Pa./Fleetwood) seven times for 66 yards on the night. Kutztown outgained Bloomsburg, 488-196, on the night. The Golden Bears had an edge in both rushing (200-73) and passing (288-123) while also holding the ball for more than 31 minutes - the first time the Huskies did not win the time of possession battle this season. Defensively, Kenny Brown (Upper Darby, Pa./Harriton) posted a career-high 11 tackles (nine solo) on the night to lead the Huskies. Nate Monroe (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) added nine tackles while Alex Annan (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) chipped in with eight. Marquis Seamon (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) picked off his third pass of the season and also added five tackles and a tackle for a loss.

A.J. Long threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns while Lex Rosario caught 13 passes for 193 yards and a score to lead West Chester to a 28-21 victory over visiting Shippensburg before 5,883 fans at John A. Farrell Stadium. West Chester remains unbeaten on the season, but not before Jarey Elder intercepted a pass at midfield with 1:53 to play that squashed Shippensburg's final comeback bid. The Golden Rams racked up 473 yards of total offense. However, 13 penalties for 118 yards hampered their efforts all day – taking a pair of touchdowns off the board and another interception by Elder, who finished with two in the game. Long was 27-for-36 for 356 yards. He threw TD passes to Rosario, Dan Neuhaus, and Rasheem James. Neuhaus' TD catch was his first reception of the year as he returned from an injury that caused him to miss the first four games of the season. Rosario's 13 catches is the fourth-best single-game effort in school history and the most since Kevin Ingram caught 14 passes in a game in 1999. His 193 yards put him in the Top 10 single-game totals in school history as well. Long led all rushers with 87 yards on 16 carries. He had a 70-yard touchdown run called back on a hold. James finished with 55 yards receiving on five catches. Tyler Morrissey led West Chester with 10 tackles, including one sack and QB hurry. Nate Barnes registered nine tackles, intercepted a pass, and was credited with a QB hurry.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
- Saturday's contest versus West Chester is the 77th in the series, with Bloomsburg's record in the first 76 games standing at 27-49: 19-20 at home and 8-29 on the road, since the first game in 1925. Bloomsburg's record against  the Golden Rams in the first 46 games through 1990 was a dismal 8-38, but in the past 30 meetings, the Huskies are 19-11. Bloomsburg has faced the Rams 14 times at Homecoming with a record of 5-9 but has won five of the last seven.

- The Huskies closed out the 2017 campaign with a 7-4 record - Bloomsburg's 19th consecutive winning season dating back to 1999. It is the third-longest streak in PSAC history, behind West Chester's 31 (1940-42, 1945-72) and Clarion's 22 (1964-85). The 19 straight seasons with at least six victories, however, continues a PSAC record. Bloomsburg has now posted a winning record in 23 of the last 24 years.

- The Huskies are 2-3 through five games for the first time since the 2007 season. However, that season, the Huskies went on to win the final five games of the year to finish 7-3. Bloomsburg has not started a season with four losses in its first six games since 1998 - the last year that the Huskies finished below .500.

- Bloomsburg has scored at least one point in 178 consecutive games dating back to a 21-0 home loss against Shippensburg on September 13, 2003. The Huskies have rattled off 89 consecutive home games with at least a point dating back to that loss to the Red Raiders in 2003.

- West Chester comes into the game with the PSAC's top defense as it allows only 12.8 points per game and 250.6 yards of total offense to its opponents. It ranks first in the country in rushing yards allowed (38.2) and is tops in the nation in sacks (4.8 per game). Bloomsburg, on the flip side, is at (or near) the bottom in scoring (18.8), passing offense (133.8), and total offense (303.4). One thing to note: the combined record of West Chester's first five opponents is 4-21 while the combined record of Bloomsburg's first five opponents is 12-12.

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