• Game Notes (.pdf)

CAL U (3-2, 2-0) VS. IUP (3-2, 0-2)
When: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009
Where: George P. Miller Stadium (6,500)
TV: CUTV - tape delayed
Live Audio: WCAL 91.9-FM (Cal U) I WQMU 92.5-FM (IUP)
Live On-Line Video: B2 Networks - PPV

SERIES BREAKDOWN
All-Time Series: IUP leads 59-20-2
First Meeting: 1918 - IUP won 19-16
Last Meeting: 2008 @ Cal U - Cal U won 21-19
Streak:

CAL U NOTES

• Cal U returns to action on a three-game winning streak after last week's 35-31 last-minute victory over Clarion. IUP enters this weekend on a two-game losing streak, most recently falling on the road to rival Slippery Rock, 7-3.

• The Vulcans and Crimson Hawks are meeting for the 82nd time this weekend in the first-ever Coal Bowl. IUP is the most common opponent for Cal U. The Vulcans have won three of the last four games over the Crimson Hawks after IUP won 20-consecutive meetings (1985-2004).

• Quarterback #Josh Portis# connected with wide receiver #Chedrick Cherry# for the game-winning 47-yard touchdown with 1:01 left in the game last week, as the Vulcans won 35-31 over Clarion. Cornerback #Mike Brown# clinched the win with an interception near the endzone in the final seconds. Defensive end #Brandon Gordon# led the team with seven tackles (four solo) with 1.0 TFL and two pass break-ups.

• The long-standing rivalry between Cal U and IUP will feature a new element on Saturday, Oct. 3, as it marks the first-ever Coal Bowl between the two teams. The sponsor for the initial 2009 Coal Bowl is the Pennsylvania Coal Association. The winner of the game will receive the trophy on an annual basis. The trophy will feature a coal miner's lunchpail on top of it and will be displayed at the football stadium of the winning team until the next meeting between the two teams. The Coal Bowl game derived from an idea by brothers Barry and Bob Lippencott, a 2002 inductee in the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame. Barry was a standout end for the Crimson Hawks while Bob played linebacker for the Vulcans. The Lippencott family has a long history of working in the coal industry and felt the game would be an excellent platform to honor their families and the coal industries.

• Lou Tepper has a 28-9 record in his fourth year as coach of the Crimson Hawks and a 93-66-2 mark overall after having previously coached at Illinois (1991-96) and Edinboro (2002-05). While at Illinois, he guided the Fighting Illini to a pair bowl games and coached several future NFL players, including former Pro Bowl linebacker Simeon Rice (1996-2007). He graduated from Rutgers in 1967 after having played defensive back from 1965-67 and led the Scarlet Knights in tackles as a senior.

• IUP returns 34 lettermen and 13 starters from last year's team that finished 8-2 overall with the two losses by only a combined eight points. The Crimson Hawks feature one of top defenses in the PSAC, ranking second in total defense (266.6 yards/game) and third in rushing defense (95.4 yards/game). Senior linebackers Cosie Spigelmeyer and James Carlson lead the team with 35 tackles (21 solo) and 33 tackles (17 solo), respectively. All-American cornerback Akwasi Owusu-Ansah has a team-high two interceptions and 11 stops (eight solo). Offensively, junior running back Tobias Robinson leads the 16-team conference with 513 rushing yards and is the only player in the league to average 100 rushing yards/game (102.6). However, last week Robinson suffered an injury and was replaced by freshman Harvie Tuck, who ran for a game-high 86 yards. Veteran quarterback Andrew Krewatch returns for his senior season and already holds school career records for completions (638) and attempts (1,135), while ranking second all-time in yards (8,220) and touchdown passes (69). Junior kicker Craig Burgess anchors the special teams, making 70-straight extra-points and all four field-goal attempts this season.

• Cal U continues to defend its fourth-straight PSAC West title this weekend when it travels to IUP. The Vulcans have won 15-straight games against PSAC West opponents with its last divisional loss coming in 2006 against the Crimson Hawks. Cal U also enters the weekend with a 12-game win streak in road divisional games with its last loss coming at Slippery Rock in October 2005.

• This weekend's game features two of the premier cornerbacks in the nation with the Vulcans' #Terrence Johnson# and Crimson Hawks' Akwasi Owusu-Ansah. Last year, Johnson posted a team-high five interceptions and set a career high with 46 tackles (34 solo) to earn All-America laurels from the AFCA, AP, Daktronics, and Football Gazette. In 2008, Owusu-Ansah led the PSAC and ranked second in the nation with eight interceptions, including three against Gannon. Both players are also explosive players on special teams. Owusu-Ansah has totaled an impressive 35.5 yards/kick return with an 89-yard kickoff return for touchdown, while Johnson is averaging 27.7 yards/return while splitting kickoff return duties with two other players.

• The Vulcans have won 44 of their last 52 games (.846) overall, dating back to the start of the 2005 season. Cal U has posted a 28-4 record (.875) in regular-season games since the 2006 campaign.

• Over the last three weeks, Cal U has earned victories over the Golden Rams of West Chester, Golden Knights of Gannon and Golden Eagles of Clarion. In that span, the Vulcans have posted two second-half comebacks highlighted by last week's game-winning touchdown pass from graduate student #Josh Portis# to sophomore #Chedrick Cherry# with 1:01 left in the game.

• Senior running back #Freddie Bacco# leads the Vulcans in rushing this year with 349 yards and five touchdowns after splitting carries throughout his career. Bacco, who has started the last four games, finished with his second career 100-yard game last week against Clarion.

• Cal U head coach #John Luckhardt# is on the verge of reaching a personal milestone. Already the winningest Vulcan football coach, he is currently in sixth place among active NCAA Division II head coaches with 197 career victories. Only five active head coaches in Division II have reached the 200-win plateau.

• Cal U quarterback #Josh Portis# has established himself as one of the top dual-threat signal callers in the PSAC. He currently ranks fifth in the league with 227.0 yards of total offense per game with almost 1,000 passing yards and over 150 rushing yards. Portis is showing his maturation in the offense by throwing 10 touchdowns with no interceptions over the last 11 quarters.

• This weekend's game between Cal U and IUP features two of the top four rushing defenses in PSAC. The Crimson Hawks are third in the conference and first among PSAC West teams in rushing defense, allowing only 95.4 yards/game on the ground. IUP has held each of its last three opponents to under 100 yards rushing. The Vulcans are close behind in the league, yielding only 97.0 rushing yards/game and 2.9 yards/attempt.

• Senior wide receiver #AJ Jackson# continues to showcase his playmaking ability, scoring at least one touchdown in each of the last four games. He leads the PSAC with six receiving touchdowns and is among the conference leaders with 73.8 receiving yards/game and 5.8 receptions/game.