Mercyhurst Game Notes

Live Audio (Mercyhurst)
Live Video (IUP)
Live Stats

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University football team, still in search of its first victory of the 2014 season, will head to Indiana, Pennsylvania on Saturday, September 27, for a showdown against the Crimson Hawks of IUP at George P. Miller Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and fans can hear all of the action on Mercyhurst's radio station, WMCE 88.5 FM, or online at wmce.fm, beginning with the pre-game show at 3:45 p.m.

The Lakers (0-3, 0-2 PSAC West) have lost three straight meetings to the Crimson Hawks (2-1, 1-1 PSAC West), who now holds a 4-2 lead over Mercyhurst in the all-time series. Last season, IUP held the Lakers to just six points and 257 yards of total offense in a 28-6 victory over Mercyhurst at Tullio Field. The Lakers' last victory over the Crimson Hawks came in 2010 when Mercyhurst defeated IUP, 28-27 in Indiana. That season, the Lakers went on to win their first-ever conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals.

Last week, the Lakers had their best offensive output, from a yardage standpoint, in a 38-22 loss against then-#15 Bloomsburg in the team's home opener at Tullio Field. However, Mercyhurst turned the ball over six times, resulting in 28 Bloomsburg points, to drop to 0-3 on the season. The six turnovers were the most by a Laker team since turning the ball over eight times in a 59-42 loss at Notre Dame College in the 2012 season opener. Two of the turnovers were interception returns for touchdowns - the first time that has happened against a Mercyhurst team since September 30, 2000 against Indianapolis.

Mercyhurst enters 0-3 for the first time since 2006 when it was still a part of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Despite the loss and the turnovers, there were certainly some positives from last Saturday. Mercyhurst generated 368 yards of total offense against the Huskies, by far the most in a game this season. Redshirt junior Brandon Brown-Dukes headed in the right direction, picking up his first 100-yard game of the season, and the 12th of his career. He finished with 102 yards on 23 carries after recording just 97 yards on 30 carries in the first two games combined.

Defensively, the Lakers played well, limiting the Huskies to 256 yards of total offense. If you subtract a 60-yard touchdown run by Bloomsburg's Eddie Mateo, Bloomsburg had just 196 yards on its other 55 plays from scrimmage. Senior free safety Colin Kimball had a huge day, recording nine tackles, one tackles for a loss, and one interception. He also had a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter - the first of his career. His interception was the ninth of his career - tying him for eighth on the school's all-time list.

Redshirt junior Brendan Boylan made his first career start at quarterback and completed 18-of-32 for 173 yards and two touchdowns while adding 35 yards on 11 carries on the ground. However, Boylan was responsible for five of the six turnovers (three interceptions, two fumbles). He is listed as the starter on the Lakers' two-deep for this Saturday's matchup.

IUP enters week four after holding off Lock Haven's upset bid last week, 21-16. The week prior, however, the Crimson Hawks were hammered by Kutztown, 44-7, for their only loss of the season. In the season opener, IUP handled St. Augustine's, 44-19.

True freshman Luigi Lista-Brinza leads the Crimson Hawks in rushing, totaling 253 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Chase Haslett is the Crimson Hawk quarterback and has completed 38-of-72 for 450 yards and four touchdowns. He has, however, been picked off five times this season. 

IUP is 29-2 in its last 31 openers against PSAC West rivals, dating back to 1983. The only two losses during that time was against Slippery Rock in 2011 and Mercyhurst in 2009.