By Alex Kurtz
The Susquehanna football team fell 14–7 on the road to nationally-ranked, conference-foe Franklin & Marshall on Saturday, Sept. 22 in Lancaster.
Freshman quarterback Michael Ruisch led Susquehanna in passing yards, going 22–44 for 172 yards and an interception.
Ruisch also added a rushing touchdown, which was Susquehanna’s only score of the game.
Susquehanna’s offense started the game well, scoring on a 75-yard drive that was capped off with a three-yard touchdown run by Ruisch to put the River Hawks up 7–0. Junior wide receiver Mitch Carsley also had a 23-yard catch on the drive.
After a lackluster first quarter, Franklin & Marshall senior quarterback Tanner Erisman put together a long drive of his own and found senior wide receiver K.J. Pretty for a seven-yard touchdown pass to tie the game.
The drive was saved from being turned over thanks to a personal-foul penalty on Susquehanna, which gave the Diplomats a new set of downs.
The Diplomats almost took their first lead of the game on a 26-yard field goal after a Susquehanna three-and-out on the previous drive, but River Hawks junior defensive lineman Kashief Hyatt blocked the kick.
With the swing in momentum, the River Hawks marched down the field once again on a long drive and got down to the Franklin & Marshall one-yard line.
Ruisch, after rushing for 46 yards on the drive, attempted a quarterback sneak to punch in a score. The freshman would fumble on the one-yard line and the Diplomats would recover, effectively stalling out the drive.
Franklin & Marshall would kneel after the fumble recovery to end the first half with the score tied at seven.
Both defenses stifled any form of scoring threat and the game would remain 7–7 at the end of the third quarter.
That would be the closest either team came to a score in the fourth quarter and the game would go into overtime squared at seven.
Franklin & Marshall would waste no time putting in their first score of the period, as they would score on the second play of overtime.
Ruisch would throw an interception on the following drive, which ended the game. With the win, Franklin & Marshall stays undefeated on both the season and conference play, while Susquehanna falls to 2–2 and 1–2 in the conference.
The River Hawks return to action at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29 when they travel to Carlisle, Pa. to face Dickinson College.