September 5, 2025/Midnight
Erie, PA. – The Gannon Golden Knights football team fell to the Davenport Panthers 21-12 on Saturday afternoon. Despite controlling the clock and a standout defensive performance, the Golden Knights left their home opener winless. Following the loss, head coach Erik Raeburn remained optimistic saying, “When we put the film on, there’s going to be lots of good things.” This article will discuss analytics and takeaways from Gannon’s season opener.
New Gannon quarterback Anthony Harris, who transferred from Maine University, had a solid debut as a Golden Knight. The senior completed 22 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 114 yards rushing on the ground. He had a fumble loss and an interception returned for a touchdown, which contributed to the team’s struggles.
What Gannon’s offense did very effectively was drive down the field. Not only did the unit have seven drives in opponent territory, but also 422 yards of total offense. Despite having 25 first downs and five redzone trips, Gannon only scored twice. Capitalizing on missed opportunities will be a key factor in finding success next week.
Gannon’s defense had a strong performance against Davenport. The Panthers were held to 263 total yards and only three third-down conversions. Ifaenyi Ijezie recorded his first sack while Delvon Beam intercepted Davenport’s quarterback D’Wan Mathis.
Turnovers were key to the Golden Knights’ loss. A fumble minutes on Gannon’s 15-yard line into the game set up the Panthers to score the opening touchdown. A long, sustained offensive drive in the second quarter held Gannon within reach of the endzone. A pick-six return touchdown extended Davenport’s lead and swung all momentum. A 31-yard field goal was missed at the end of the half. All of the Panthers’ 21 points were set up by turnovers.
The Golden Knights will attempt to win on the road next week, taking on Saginaw Valley State. The Cardinals also lost, in their season opener to Northeastern State last week. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m. in University Center, MI.
