LANCASTER, Pa. – A 7-3 halftime lead against Franklin & Marshall did not hold up for the Susquehanna football team as SU fell 16-7 on the road Saturday afternoon.

After scoring a first-quarter touchdown, the Crusaders (3-5, 2-5) failed to get on the scoreboard again. The Diplomats (6-2, 5-2), meanwhile, scored in the second and third quarters to complete the comeback against SU.

Susquehanna managed 312 total yards of offense while holding Franklin & Marshall to 388 but quarterback Nick Crusco was sacked four times and threw two late-game picks that in part secured the Diplomats' win.

Crusco threw for 198 yards on 19 completions but finished with three interceptions. Diamente Holloway led the receiving corps with 10 catches for 122 yards but it was Chris Beals who caught the lone touchdown reception of the game.

SU struggled in the running game as Kyle Neuschatz was the team's leading rusher with 44 yards on six carries.

Tom McLoughlin led the defensive effort with 11 tackles – eight solo – and the Crusaders' lone sack of the game. Jim Barry racked up 10 tackles, including one for a loss, and C.J. Williams had five tackles and one pick, his second-straight game with an interception.

With 3:35 to play in the first quarter, Crusco found Beals for a seven-yard touchdown reception, capping off a nine-play, 59-yard drive that gave SU a 7-0 lead.

The Diplomats threatened to tie the game early in the second quarter but the SU defense stifled Franklin & Marshall at the Susquehanna six-yard line, forcing the Diplomats to settle for a field goal.

Neither team put points on the board for the remainder of the half and the Crusaders took their 7-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Franklin & Marshall took the lead for the first time all game on a Tanner Erisman 36-yard pass to Andrew DeStefano. The extra point hit off the goalpost, though, keeping SU within six (9-3) at the 14:03 mark of the quarter.

The Diplomats added another touchdown – and the extra point – on Dave Shellhammer's 10-yard run that put his team ahead 16-7 heading into the final quarter.

With 8:30 to play and the Crusaders on the Diplomats' 35-yard line, Crusco was picked off by Nathan English and on SU's next possession – which was the team's final offensive possession of the game – Crusco was intercepted again, this time at the Franklin & Marshall 14-yard line. With 3:27 to play, the Diplomats ran out the clock to end the game.

Susquehanna returns home to host McDaniel on Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. The team's senior members will be honored prior to the start of the game.