INDIANA, Pa. – No. 13 IUP had three runners go over 100 yards and picked off Clarion quarterback Jeff Clemens three times in getting a 42-17 win over the visiting Golden Eagles Saturday afternoon.
(Photo of Kyle Evans. Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)
Chris Temple ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns, Samir Bullock added 126 yards and one touchdown and quarterback Lenny Williams scampered for 115 yards and two scores to help IUP become the third team in the last four games to score at least 40 points on Clarion’s defense.
Meanwhile, Jay Watkins, Takhi Turner and Kevin Clarke each picked off Clemens, making his third straight start in place of the injured Connor Simmons.
Clemens, a redshirt freshman from North Allegheny, struggled mightily against the Crimson Hawks ballhawking defense going 11 of 32 for 125 yards with a touchdown and the three picks. He was also sacked three times.
Clarion (2-6 overall, 1-4 PSAC West), losers of four straight and six of seven, led 14-7 at halftime and 17-14 following a Phil Esposito 41-yard field goal with 7:38 to play in the third quarter.
But IUP (6-1, 4-1), behind two Williams scoring runs and one each from Bullock and Temple, scored the game’s final 28 points in a little over a quarter starting with Williams’ go-ahead 6-yard run with 3:38 to play in the third ending a 10-play, 75-yard drive following the Esposito boot.
A transfer from Temple, Williams also was 10 of 15 passing for 183 yards including a 68-yard pass to Allen Wright early in the third quarter that tied the game at 14.
Clarion, which trailed 7-0 early following a 28-yard run by Temple, took the halftime lead thanks to a 68-yard Kyle Evans touchdown run and a 13-yard pass from Clemens to Seneca Williams. The Williams score came with just 58 seconds left in the first half.
Thanks to the long run, Evans led Clarion with 112 yards on 13 carries. Leading rusher Delrece Williams was held to four yards on eight carries.
Record-setting receiver Matt Lehman was held to just two catches for 12 yards.
Clarion did get a big game on defense from Jacob Craig, who had 16 tackles.
The Golden Eagles return to action at noon Saturday when it hosts Slippery Rock in a game that kickoff off a season-ending three-game homestand for Clarion.
IUP is back in action at noon Saturday at Gannon.
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