Football | 9/14/2018 11:30:00 AM

BLOOMSBURG (1-1, 0-0 PSAC East) at MERCYHURST (0-2, 0-0 PSAC West)
Saturday, September 15, 2017 - 1:00 PM
Tullio Field - Erie, Pa.

BLOOMSBURG GAME NOTES

GAME COVERAGE
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RELATED LINKS
Bloomsburg - Schedule | Roster | Statistics
Mercyhurst - Schedule | Roster | Statistics

SERIES HISTORY
Series tied at 3-3
Streak: Mercyhurst 1W

Last Meeting: September 19, 2015 at Bloomsburg (Mercyhurst 20, Bloomsburg 14)
First Meeting: September 13, 2008 at Bloomsburg (Bloomsburg 24, Mercyhurst 0)
Largest Bloomsburg Win: September 13, 2008 at Bloomsburg (24-0)
Largest Mercyhurst Win: November 13, 2010 at Mercyhurst (56-37; PSAC Championship Game)

LAST WEEK
Bloomsburg trailed 21-7 early in the second quarter and could not quite complete a rally as the Huskies dropped a 21-16 decision to visiting Edinboro University on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium. The Huskies had a chance to win the game but had to drive 85 yards over the final 47 seconds of regulation following a key 48-yard punt from Edinboro's Levi Becker that was downed at the Bloomsburg 15-yard line. Erik Benjamin (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) drove the Huskies to the Edinboro 36-yard line after finding Jay Popson (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) on a 17-yard pass play on which Popson got our-of-bounds with two seconds left on the clock. Benjamin had one final chance for a pass into the endzone but he was unable to get the throw off as Ryan Bischof came through the line and sacked Benjamin ending the contest. It was Edinboro's second sack of the drive - the only two sacks allowed by the Huskies during the game and the first two sacks allowed on the young season. Hakeem Sillman (Philadelphia, Pa./Frankford) led the Huskies with 20 carries for 104 yards on the ground - his second consecutive 100-yard rushing effort. All told, Bloomsburg had 154 yards rushing on the afternoon. Benjamin completed 18-of-36 for 173 yards but was picked off three times. Michael Allen (Oley, Pa./Fleetwood) caught a team-high six passes for 55 yards while Popson hauled in five catches for 49 yards. Bloomsburg managed 327 yards of total offense while limiting Edinboro to just 258 yards of offense. Defensively, Nate Monroe (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) led the Huskies with 10 total tackles while Alex Annan (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) had eight stops, two tackles for a loss, and one-and-a-half sacks. Dexter Jordan (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) had two interceptions on the day to go along with six tackles while Marquis Seamon (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) also registered a pick.

Mercyhurst dropped a 24-20 contest to non-conference opponent Tiffin on Saturday at Tullio Field. Garrett Owens scored two touchdowns -- one rushing and one receiving -- to lead the Lakers. He rushed 17 times for 111 yards and also had four receptions for 32 yards. Quarterback Doug Altavilla finished 20-of-29 for 205 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Austin Hence had six grabs for 69 yards. On defense, linebacker Alex Zacharyasz was the leading tackler with 11 stops, including one-and-a-half tackles for a loss. Fellow linebacker Corbin Kessler had 10 total tackles, including a half-sack, and two pass breakups. Linebacker Rocky Owens contributed nine tackles, including a sack while defensive back Dante' Redwood and linebacker Chris Peluso finished with eight stops each. Redwood broke up two passes. Defensive lineman Xavier Martin added a sack and fellow linemen Matthew Hudson and Jehrod Gregory combined on a sack. Hudson also had a forced fumble.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
- Saturday's contest marks the seventh meeting between Bloomsburg and Mercyhurst but the first since September 19, 2015. The series is even at three wins apiece. The Huskies are 2-2 in Erie against the Lakers with both losses coming two weeks apart in the 2010 season. Mercyhurst handed Bloomsburg a 56-37 loss in the PSAC Championship game on November 13 and then ended the Huskies' season with a 28-14 decision in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

- Senior Hakeem Sillman (Philadelphia, Pa./Frankford) leads the conference, and is third in the country, by averaging 216.0 all-purpose yards through the first two weeks of the season. Sillman is also second in the PSAC (15th in the country) in rushing yards per game (123.0) and is second in the conference (20th in the country) in yards per carry (6.65).

- The Huskies closed out the 2017 season 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.

- Bloomsburg has scored at least one point in 175 consecutive games dating back to a 21-0 home loss against Shippensburg on September 13, 2003. Meanwhile, the Huskies also have a streak of 114 consecutive road games of scoring at least one point dating back to a 30-0 loss at Millersville on October 10, 1998.

- Getting off the field may be a big factor in the outcome of Saturday's game. The Huskies have limited Merrimack and Edinboro to convert just 8-of-30 (26.7%) third-down opportunities which ranks third in the PSAC and 26th in the country. The Lakers have allowed Hillsdale and Tiffin to convert 21-of-34 (61.8%) of their third downs. Mercyhurst is last in the PSAC through the first two weeks of the season in that department.

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