• Box Score
• Game Notes (.pdf)
EDINBORO, Pa. (Sept. 20) – The No. 14 Vulcans scored the eventual game-winning touchdown with 4:54 left in the fourth quarter before the defense forced a three-and-out, as the California University of Pennsylvania football team edged No. 23 Edinboro University, 35-31, at Sox Harrison Stadium on Saturday night in front of over 7,000 fans.
Sophomore Windell Brown (Duquesne, Pa./Duquesne) gave the Vulcans the lead late in the fourth on a four-yard touchdown with 4:54 remaining in the game, 35-31. On Brown's touchdown plunge, the Fighting Scots were called for a personal foul which was enforced on the kickoff. After starting the ensuing drive deep in its own territory, Edinboro was forced to punt with 3:20 left in the game. Cal U then collected two first downs before running out the clock.
Brown was one of four different Vulcan players to score in the contest, as Cal U moves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action. Three of the Vulcans' first four games this season have been against teams that were ranked in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll at the date of the game.
Senior running back Daine Williams (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls) led the ground game for Cal U with 140 rushing yards on 17 attempts, including the game's first touchdown with 12:07 left in the first quarter, 7-0. Edinboro trimmed the deficit on a field goal on the ensuing possession before the Vulcans increased their lead to 14-3 on a four-yard score by Brown with 3:57 left in the opening quarter.
Cal U continued its momentum when junior cornerback Terrence Johnson (Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills) intercepted a Trevor Harris pass at the Vulcans' 18-yard line on the next drive. The Vulcans converted the turnover into points when Kevin McCabe (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) connected with Marcel Pestano (Lehigh Acres, Fla./Lehigh) for 17-yard touchdown strike with 14:54 left before halftime, 21-3.
McCabe finished the game with 274 passing yards on 18-of-31 attempts with two touchdowns and an interception. Pestano posted a game-high 96 receiving yards on five receptions.
The Fighting Scots managed to trim the deficit to 21-17 at halftime with touchdowns from Harris on two-straight drives.
Harris and the Edinboro claimed their first lead of the game in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Harris, the reigning PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year, finished the game with 208 passing yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-27 attempts.
The Vulcans seized control of the game on the Fighting Scots next possession when Johnson recovered a fumble caused by junior defensive end Willie Walker (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa) at the Edinboro 29-yard line. Using the short field, Cal regained the lead at 28-24 when McCabe found junior wide receiver AJ Jackson (Lehigh Acres, Fla./Lehigh) for a three-yard score. Jackson finished with 77 yards on a game-high seven receptions.
Harris again gave Edinboro a lead with a 27-yard touchdown scramble, 31-28, with 5:59 left in the third quarter. The junior signal caller finished the game with a career-high 91 rushing yards on 14 attempts.
Again, Cal U appeared to have responded on the ensuing possession with a McCabe-Pestano touchdown; however, the Vulcans were called for pass interference and were forced to punt.
The Fighting Scots looked to perhaps seal the victory with almost 11 minutes left in the game with a fourth-and-goal from the Vulcans' four-yard line. However, the Cal U defense stiffened and forced a turnover on downs.
After the Vulcans swung the field-position battle, Brown capped a four-play, 43-yard drive with the game-winning touchdown with 4:54 left in the game.
Senior linebacker Jake Howell (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) led the Cal U defense with nine stops (six solo), while fellow linebacker Brent Whiteleather (Rochester, Pa./Rochester) added seven tackles with 1.0 tackles for loss (TFL). As a unit, the Vulcans collected seven TFL and featured four different players recorded five tackles.
The Vulcans continue PSAC West play on Saturday, Sept. 27, when they host No. 12 Indiana University of Pennsylvania at Adamson Stadium for Family Day. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. and the game will be broadcasted live on FSN Pittsburgh.
Notes:
The Vulcans were successful on all five of their red-zone attempts … Cal U was called for 11 penalties for 105 yards, including a pass interference that negated a touchdown … The two teams combined for 418 rushing yards on 58 attempts … Pre-season All-American linebacker Darren Burns (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) made his first start of the season after missing time due to an injury and collected five tackles (four solo) and 1.0 TFL ... The Cal U-Edinboro marked the first college night footbal game in the history of Sox Harrison Stadium
