BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University football team held 24th-ranked Kutztown University to just 285 yards of total offense - 200 yards below its season average - on Saturday afternoon but it was not enough as the Huskies dropped their third consecutive game by a 27-12 final at Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium. Bloomsburg dropped to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while the Golden Bears improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in divisional play.

Kutztown came into Saturday's contest averaging nearly 483 yards of total offense but was limited to just 95 yards rushing and 190 yards through the air against a stout Huskies' defensive unit. However, the Bloomsburg offense was limited to 201 yards of offense against the Golden Bears with 64 of those coming on the Huskies' final drive of the afternoon that led to their only touchdown with one minute left in regulation.

Bloomsburg came out and attempted nearly every trick in the book offensively to try to find a spark. In fact, on the opening drive of the game, the Huskies faked a punt facing a fourth-and-four from their own 31 but redshirt sophomore punter Jaco Sattamini (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) was tackled after only a one-yard gain to turn the ball over on downs. Kutztown took advantage as it drove two plays with Collin DiGalbo finding Diego Torres in the endzone from 21 yards out to put the first points on the board with 12:13 left in the opening quarter. Dean Krcic added the extra point to give the Golden Bears a 7-0 lead.

The Huskies' offense played keep away for the rest of the quarter as they put together a 21-play, 64-yard drive that stalled at the Kutztown 11. On the first play of the second quarter, sophomore Cameron Shollenberger (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) got Bloomsburg on the scoreboard with a 28-yard field goal that cut the Kutztown lead to 7-3 with 14:56 left in the first half. During the possession that took 12:24 off the clock, Bloomsburg converted four third downs and a fourth down.

Kutztown used a 72-yard kickoff return from Nyiem Nevarez to set up its next possession and five plays later, the Golden Bears were back in the endzone thanks to a 13-yard touchdown run from Keagan Harvin. Krcic added the point after to give Kutztown a 14-3 lead with 12:20 left in the first half. The Huskies responded, using a pair of nice runs from redshirt junior Nyfease West (Philadelphia, Pa./North Penn) and redshirt sophomore Khalil Nelson (Philadelphia, Pa./Mastery Charter Thomas) to get the ball to the Kutztown 13. However, the drive stalled again and Bloomsburg had to settle for a 37-yard field goal from Shollenberger and, with 8:14 left in the opening half, the Huskies trailed 14-6.

The Golden Bears scored again on their next possession as DiGalbo hit Abdul-Hassan Neblett for a nine-yard touchdown with 3:20 left in the opening half as the visitors took a 21-6 lead into the locker room at halftime.

DiGalbo started the scoring in the third quarter with his third touchdown pass of the afternoon - a nine-yard strike to Jake Novak - to extend the Golden Bears' advantage to 27-6 (Krcic missed the extra point) with 6:02 left in the third quarter. The score remained until the Huskies' last possession when redshirt freshman Logan Leiby (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) capped off the drive with a one-yard burst into the endzone with 1:02 left in regulation for the final margin.

Kutztown had 173 of its total yardage in the opening half as it built its 21-6 lead at the break. The Golden Bears were held to only 112 yards of total offense in the second half but the damage had been done. The Huskies managed just 87 yards of offense in the second half with 64 of those coming on the final drive of the game.

Nelson led the Huskies' ground game with 50 yards rushing on 13 carries while West added 33 yards on seven totes. Senior Michael Allen (Oley, Pa./Fleetwood) had two carries for 18 yards on a pair of reverses to get him more involved in the offense. Bloomsburg finished with just 75 yards rushing which was hurt by four sacks of Leiby for a loss of 28 yards. Throwing the ball, Leiby finished 16-of-29 for 126 yards and one interception. Allen caught seven passes for 65 yards while redshirt freshman Tristan Blasko (Coaldale, Pa./Panther Valley) emerged as a potential threat from the tight end position as he caught the first three passes of his collegiate career for 25 yards.. Allen added a pair of punt returns for 28 yards to finish with 111 all-purpose yards on the afternoon.

DiGalbo was the Golden Bears's leading rusher as he finished with 37 yards on eight carries. Neblett added 29 yards on a team-high 10 carries. DiGalbo was an efficient 19-of-27 for 190 yards and three touchdowns with Neblett hauling in a team-high five passes for 60 yards and a score.

Junior linebacker Aaron Trumino (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) paced the Huskies with seven total tackles while the trio of senior Alex Annan (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg), redshirt junior Koran Jordan (Reading, Pa./Conrad Weiser), and junior Alex Findura (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland) finished with five tackles apiece. Junior Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) broke up three passes while redshirt sophomore Nahzir Wilson (Philadelphia, Pa./New Foundations Charter) had the Huskies' only sack of the day. Luke Snyder led Kutztown with eight tackles and one of the team's four sacks.

It unfortunately doesn't get any easier for the Huskies next Saturday, October 12, as they head to 14th-ranked West Chester University looking to snap their three-game losing skid. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. from Farrell Stadium.