The No. 23 Ashland Eagles football team began their season on Sept. 4 when they visited the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
This game was seen as one of the more highly anticipated season openers for the Eagles in recent memory, with Ashland entering the 2025 season as the reigning Great Midwest Athletic Conference champions. AU is projected to win the conference once again, but had a tough task to begin their season, against an IUP team that had beaten the Eagles in all five of their previous matchups. That toughness showed, with the defensive units for both teams shining through.
After a scoreless first quarter, IUP scored nine points to give them a 9-0 lead. Quarterback Matthew Rueve and running back Randy Washington connected on a 55-yard touchdown pass at the 6:15 mark of the second period. After a missed extra point, the Crimson Hawks scored a field goal courtesy of Nick Andrasi, who nailed a 44-yard kick with 69 seconds remaining.
The Eagles picked it up in the second half, with senior quarterback Cameron Blair finding sophomore tight end
Jonathan Merrimee for a 25-yard touchdown, cutting the IUP lead to 9-7. Ashland got on the scoreboard with 5:31 left in the third quarter. After a long offseason of speculation, Blair won the starting QB spot in this season opener. 10 of his 23 passes were completed for 102 yards, with only one interception for the game.
Then with 2:10 left in regulation, the Eagles took a 13-9 lead when junior tailback Ty’aris Stevenson scored on a 1-yard run. This completed a 10-play, 70-yard drive that took 5:33 off the clock for Ashland.
IUP still had one last chance to come up with the win. But junior cornerback Isaac Brooks saved the day when he picked off a Crimson Hawks pass with two minutes remaining to clinch the victory.
The Eagles are 1-0 for the first time in three seasons, with their defense getting the job done. The nine points for IUP is the fewest that Ashland has allowed in a season debut since 2016, when they defeated Mercyhurst 48-0 at home.
Ashland’s next matchup will take them to the University of Indianapolis for their second and final non-conference regular season game on Sept. 13. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. against the Greyhounds.
