Bloomsburg 33, Shippensburg 31: special teams turn a 21-point deficit into a narrow win

FOOTBALL · PSAC · SEPTEMBER 26, 2026 · RETROSPECTIVE

Executive brief

Bloomsburg recovered from a 21–0 deficit to beat Shippensburg 33–31 at Redman Stadium on September 26, 2026. A blocked-punt touchdown, a fourth-quarter safety and Eli Zimmerman’s 76-yard return of the ensuing free kick transformed a game Shippensburg had controlled on the scoreboard.

Mayberry assessment: the decisive production came outside conventional offensive drives. Shippensburg converted early takeaways into touchdowns, but Bloomsburg found a different route back through special teams and a late safety. The Raiders’ touchdown with 23 seconds remaining narrowed the result without completing their own comeback.

How the lead developed

Shippensburg’s first three touchdown drives began at the Bloomsburg 23, seven and 39 after turnovers. Roman Jensen’s 29-yard pass to Landon Bailey supplied the first touchdown, Andre Weidman ran in from two yards for the second, and Jensen found Marcus Sweeney for a 30-yard score at 5:47 of the second quarter. That made it 21–0.

Bloomsburg reduced the damage before halftime. Declan Clancy finished a four-play, 75-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run at 3:41, and Peter Kashynski added a 37-yard field goal with 1:02 remaining. The Huskies entered halftime trailing 21–10 rather than three unanswered touchdowns.

Decisive possessions and returns

At 9:52 of the third quarter, Louden Murphy blocked a Shippensburg punt and Brady Ronan recovered at the Raiders’ 12 for a touchdown. The extra point brought Bloomsburg within 21–17. Shippensburg responded with a 20-play possession that covered 50 yards and consumed 8:54, but it ended in Wilson Ingerski’s 38-yard field goal rather than a touchdown.

Justin Wolfe’s 20-yard touchdown run at 13:55 of the fourth quarter tied the game at 24–24. The decisive separation came later: Shippensburg conceded a safety on a holding penalty at 5:17, and Zimmerman returned the ensuing free kick 76 yards for a touchdown at 5:05. In 12 seconds of game clock, a tie became a 33–24 Bloomsburg lead.

Shippensburg still produced an eight-play, 77-yard scoring drive, with Jensen finding Ethan Carlos for a 19-yard touchdown at 0:23. The extra point brought the Raiders within two, but Bloomsburg’s final possession ended the game.

Game profile and player impact

Bloomsburg finished with 332 total yards to Shippensburg’s 305. The Huskies gained 153 rushing yards, compared with 30 for the Raiders. Shippensburg led 23–19 in first downs and ran 80 offensive plays to Bloomsburg’s 56, but more snaps did not produce the winning score.

Jensen completed 28 of 51 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Chris Adegunle caught nine passes for 73 yards, and Sweeney added four receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. Bloomsburg quarterback Zayd Etheridge passed for 179 yards with two interceptions. Alex Achenbach led the Huskies with seven catches for 77 yards.

Zimmerman combined his decisive return with 84 rushing yards, while Clancy contributed 72 rushing yards and a touchdown. Luke Hines recorded two sacks and two forced fumbles for Shippensburg, helping create the early short-field opportunities. Bloomsburg’s defensive line also affected the game: Ian Donohue had two sacks, and Nahzier Booker added another.

Conference context

The official box score listed Bloomsburg at 3–1 overall and 1–0 in conference play, with Shippensburg at 1–3 and 0–1. The win therefore gave the Huskies a successful start to their conference record, while the Raiders had to absorb a league loss after building a substantial lead. These are game-day records, not updated standings.

What the result shows

Bloomsburg overcame four turnovers through a combination of recovery before halftime, a productive ground game and scoring outside its offense. Shippensburg’s early takeaways created excellent starting field position, but the Raiders could not make that advantage hold. The long third-quarter drive was especially important in context: it consumed almost nine minutes yet added only three points, leaving room for the Huskies’ return game and defense to decide the finish.