• Box Score
• Game Notes (.pdf)

CALIFORNIA (Sept. 27) – The No. 14 California University of Pennsylvania football team managed to hold on to a third-quarter lead to claim a 21-19 victory over rival No. 12 Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Saturday at Adamson Stadium.

With the win, the Vulcans move to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play after handing the Crimson Hawks their first loss of the season (3-1, 1-1 PSAC West). The victory marks back-to-back wins by Cal U over IUP for the first time since the 1981-82 seasons. It also snapped a 27-year losing streak to the Crimson Hawks at California.

The Vulcans took a 21-6 lead in the opening minutes of the third quarter when quarterback Kevin McCabe (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland/Virginia) connected with fullback Shawn Johnson (Yorktown, Va./Grafton) for a three-yard touchdown pass.

IUP responded with a touchdown in both the third and fourth quarters before the Cal U defense stopped a Crimson Hawk two-point conversion attempt with 5:27 left in the game. Following the Crimson Hawks' final touchdown, the Vulcans answered with an 11-play drive that covered the final five-plus minutes of the game. Cal U converted a crucial four-and-five play from the IUP 20-yard line with McCabe finding freshman wide receiver Josh Gumbert (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) across the middle for a nine-yard gain.

McCabe finished the game with 239 passing yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-35 attempts with no interceptions against an IUP defense that entered the game ranked No. 1 in total defense.

Gumbert posted a career game, leading all players with 103 receiving yards on five receptions.

Cal U took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when McCabe connected with wide receiver Marcel Pestano (Lehigh Acres, Fla./Lehigh/Pittsburgh) for an 18-yard touchdown; Pestano finished the game with five receptions for 60 yards.

After two IUP field goals in the second quarter trimmed the score to 7-6, McCabe threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Cory Garver (Cumberland, Md./Fort Hill/Delaware State). The touchdown was set up by a 42-yard completion from McCabe to Gumbert on third down near midfield.

The Vulcans looked to seize control of the game early in the second half when senior linebacker Brent Whiteleather (Rochester, Pa./Rochester/Duquesne) recovered a fumble near midfield on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter. The Cal U offense capitalized on the field position when Johnson scored his first career touchdown after a 23-yard reception by Pestano moved the Vulcans into the red zone.

After the Crimson Hawks cut the deficit to 21-13, IUP looked to continue its momentum before junior cornerback Terrence Johnson (Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills) intercepted a tipped pass for his third interception of the season.

IUP eventually made the score 21-19 on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Krewatch to Nate Morrow. However, Cal U responded with the 11-play drive highlighted by the fourth-down catch by Gumbert.

The Vulcans defense held the Crimson Hawks to only 19 points and 286 yards of total offense after IUP entered the game as the top-rated scoring offense and No. 9 in total offense.

Senior free safety Juan Butler (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) paced the defensive charge with 11 tackles (eight solo), while senior linebacker Jake Howell (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) finished with nine stops (three solo) and 2.5 tackles for loss (TFL). Whiteleather added five tackles with 2.0 TFL and senior defensive lineman Willie Walker (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa) added four hits (two solo) and 1.5 TFL.

Cal U continues divisional play on Saturday, Oct. 4, with a 2 p.m. kickoff against Clarion University at Memorial Stadium in Clarion, Pa. The Vulcans lead the all-time series against the Golden Eagles by a 38-37-3 margin after winning the last three meetings, including a 56-0 victory last season.

Notes:
Senior running back Daine Williams (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls/Howard) rushed for 108 yards on 23 attempts (4.7 yards per carry), his third 100-yard game of the season…Cal U went a perfect four-for-four on fourth downs after converting 7-of-18 third-down attempts…The Vulcans featured a distinct advantage in time of possession, maintaining possession for 35-plus minutes on 74 offensive plays…The Crimson Hawks started four drives on the Vulcans' side of midfield, but the Cal U defense allowed only 10 points on the four drives.