BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Fairmont State University football team hit the road to face Bloomsburg University. Balanced offensive play by the Huskies led them to a 35-7 victory over the Falcons.

Bloomsburg (1-0) started with the ball deep in its own territory but with an effective rushing attack, started to move the ball. After a five-yard gain, the Huskies had a 3rd and 2 at their own 48 but Izuchukwu Igwe clogged up the line and forced the home squad to punt.

Fairmont State (1-1) with its first possession of the game slowly got the offense going as Will Adkins found Winston Page for a 16-yard reception. With the ball on their own 44, the Falcons looked to move into Bloomsburg territory but were stopped three yards short of the line to gain and punted the ball back.

After first down completion of 11 yards, the Huskies handed the ball off. On the play, the ball carrier lost the ball as Howard Williams recovered the fumble and set up Fairmont State at the BU 49. The home squad mixed the run and pass game together and after a 15-yard quarterback scramble into the endzone, the Huskies went ahead 7-0 with 35 seconds left in the first.

The Falcons were unable to get anything going on their next drive as they went three-and-out as Bloomsburg started from its own 30. BU once again went back to the ground game as it accounted for 50 of the 70 yards on the 14-play scoring drive to go ahead 14-0 with 6:42 left in the half.

Starting on its 33, Fairmont State went for the deep shot down the far sideline as Adkins connected with Gage Michael for a 49-yard pickup. After two runs and a short pass, the Falcons faced a 3rd and 5 from the five. Adkins took the shotgun snap and moved around the pocket before finding Kobe Harris in the endzone to make it a 14-7 contest with 4:31 on the clock.

Bloomsburg seemed to have something going with a 45-yard pass to quickly move into Fairmont State territory. However, a false start then an eight-yard sack by Tyrees Smith brought the punting unit back on the field.

A personal foul on the defense moved the Falcons near midfield but they were unable to convert on a 4th and 2 at the 50 as the Huskies took over once more. A 33-yard run setup the hosts on the FSU 17 as Ben Ries found Jerry Griffen-Batchler in the far corner of the endzone for the touchdown with 11 seconds to go.

Down 21-7, Fairmont State kneeled the ball to end the half and head into the locker room.

Coming out of the half, the Falcons started the ball and went back to the running game with three-straight runs to pick up 15 yards. Unfortunately, the drive stalled after two incompletions to bring out the punting unit.

The Huskies wasted little time to find the endzone as on the third play of the drive they scored on a 34-yard reception. With 11:55 to go in the third quarter, Bloomsburg led 28-7.

Fairmont State looked to get the ball moving as Leonard Farrow and Elijah Tidwell picked up nine and 14 yards on the ground, respectively. After a pass interference and a 10-yard completion to Michael, the Falcons had 1st and 10 at the Bloomsburg 22. Back-to-back incompletions along with a sack brought out the kicking team as Emmanuel Richardson attempted a 47-yard field goal. The kick had the distance but missed to the left as the Huskies took over at their 30 with 9:28 on the clock.

Bloomsburg went straight to the ground game with six-straight runs and 70 yards later scored once more to go ahead by 28 (35-7) with 6:09 left in the third.

On the ensuing kickoff, Farrow received the ball at the five and returned it to the FSU 40 before he lost the ball as the Huskies recovered the loose ball. The hosts used up 5:59 of the clock, extending the drive into the fourth quarter but a pass to the far corner of the endzone was picked off by Williams to give the ball back to the Falcons.

The offense struggled to get anything going as it went three-and-out and gave the ball back to Bloomsburg. BU once again pieced together another a long drive as it used 10 plays over 6:09 but were stopped on the doorstep as the Fairmont State stopped three-straight runs from the one-yard line.

Taking over in the shadow of their own endzone, the Falcons moved into Bloomsburg territory as Adkins went 5-5 for 57 yards. With 4th and 4 from the Huskies' 26, Adkins threw to Jermaine Bradford as he made the reception but was pushed out of bounds a yard short of the line to gain. Bloomsburg took over at its own 26 with 4:41 remaining.

Bloomsburg was nearly able to run out the clock as it picked up a first down but ultimately punted the ball back to Fairmont State with 17 seconds left. LeJay Hatcher ran the final play of the night with a six-yard carry as the clock ran out with the Falcons falling by the 28-point difference.

Adkins finished the night with 177 yards and a touchdown on 18 completions. Michael led the receivers with 62 yards on three catches while Harris reeled in the lone touchdown and finished with 34 yards.

Fairmont State returns to Duvall-Rosier Field on Thursday, September 19 for a special "Blackout Game" against Glenville State University. The Mountain East Conference opener starts at 7:00 p.m.