HUNTINGDON, PA (November 13, 2021) -- The Susquehanna University football team scored five rushing touchdowns Saturday afternoon, blowing open a 24-0 lead at the half to retain possession of the Goal Post Trophy for the sixth-straight year as the River Hawks toppled Juniata College 65-0 in the regular season finale at Knox Stadium. With the win, SU finishes 8-2 overall and 7-2 in the Centennial Conference, and qualified for a Centennial-MAC Bowl Series game with pairings being announced in the upcoming days. 

The River Hawks got on the board first with 2:24 to play in the first quarter, as junior tailback Frankie Negrini scored the first of his three touchdowns on the day on an 11-yard scamper to finish an 8-play drive over 65 yards. Negrini would hit pay dirt again with 12:25 to go in the first half on a four-yard plunge to make it 14-0. Just before halftime, senior Michael Ruisch found Kyle Good for a 36-yard touchdown connection to make the score 21-0. The touchdown pass for Ruisch was his 63rd of his career, tying him with Mike Bowman '03 for the all-time record at Susquehanna. The touchdown catch was Good's eighth of the season, and 16th of his career moving him into fourth on the all-time list. 

It looked like the game would go into halftime with SU leading 21-0, but the River Hawks forced a punt and cashed in with a 30-yard field goal by Elijah Hoffman to make it 24-0 at the break. After the intermission, the River Hawks blew the game open with 27 points in the third quarter to put the game away. On the first drive of the second half, Negrini finished off a 16-play, 72-yard drive with a seven-yard score to make it 31-0. The 16-play scoring drive was the longest of the 2021 season for Susquehanna. 

After the SU defense forced another three-and-out, the River Hawks turned right around and scored on their next drive as Dashon Bundy took it in from a yard out to finish a five-play drive to make it 38-0. On the ensuring kick-off, the River Hawks once again forced a turnover on the kickoff as Tim Macko forced a fumble while was recovered by Naphtali Stine at the Juniata 24. Bundy added another rushing touchdown five plays later to put SU up 44-0. 

The SU advantage would continue to grow on the next drive on an interesting play, as a low snap on the punt forced Beckett Leary to scramble to get the kick off. Leary's punt was a low line drive that was picked up just seven yards down field by Jacob Erb and he raced 35 yards for a touchdown for SU's first punt return touchdown since Mitch Carsley took one back 71 yards against Juniata in 2018. In the fourth quarter, senior Mikey Giancaspro hit first-year Kyle Howes for a score, his first collegiate receiving score. The River Hawks would finish their scoring on another strange play, as Josh Parson recovered a bad snap in the end zone for SU's first defensive touchdown of the season. 

The shutout for the River Hawks was their second of the season, also blanking Moravian University back on September 18 with a 44-0 scoreline. It was the fourth-most points scored in a shutout win by Susquehanna and the most since a 68-0 win over Alfred in November 2, 1963. The 65-points was the most in the rivalry game against Juniata College, besting the 63 points scored by SU in both 1959 and 2019. The 65-point margin of victory is also the most since that win over Alfred in 1963. 

In dominating fashion, the River Hawks allowed Juniata to gain just 107 yards of total offense including only 71 yards passing Saturday. SU won the first down battle 26-9 on the day and won the turnover battle 4-1 as well. Juniata rushed the ball 35 times on the day for just 36 yards. Ruisch finished 21-of-38 for 238 yards and one score, while senior Michael Lefever posted five catches for 73 yards. Good added four grabs for 61 yards and his score, while Samuel Darrell and Eddie Nugent each also tallied four grabs. 

Negrini finished with 74 yards on the ground on 15 carries, and Bundy tallied seven totes for 45 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, senior linebacker Craig Roumes finished with seven tackles including one for loss, while Riley Gaughan tallied two sacks and three tackles. Senior Sal Gurnari also had a sack, and Aaron Beverly picked off a pass to add to his team-high nine pass break-ups this season. 81 of Juniata's 107 total yards came on their first and last drives of the game.

Up Next

• Susquehanna University will play in the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series next Saturday against an opponent to be announced Sunday evening with an official release. SU is 3-0 in the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series, earning a bid in each of the last three seasons. 

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