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CALIFORNIA (Oct. 30) – The No. 12 California University of Pennsylvania football team rallied from a 15-0 fourth-quarter deficit to tie the game and earn a thrilling 18-15 overtime victory against rival IUP on Saturday afternoon in the second-annual Coal Bowl at Adamson Stadium.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 8-1 overall and remain tied with Mercyhurst for first place in the PSAC West standings with a 5-1 mark in divisional play. Cal U has now posted two fourth-quarter comebacks this season with both games being decided in overtime. Meanwhile, IUP falls to 4-5 this season with a 2-4 record in league action.

Trailing 15-7 in the final minutes of the game, Cal U capped a game-tying 61-yard scoring drive to even the game with 5.2 seconds remaining in regulation. The drive culminated with a 1-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Josh Portis (Woodland Hills, Calif./William H. Taft/Maryland) to junior wide receiver Chedrick Cherry (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) that cut the deficit to 15-13. On the ensuing PAT attempt, Portis again found Cherry in the end zone to even the score and force overtime.

The Vulcans opened overtime with possession and moved the ball down to the 1-yard line to set-up senior kicker Marc Domonkos (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCort/Lock Haven) with the eventual game-winning 17-yard field goal. On the Crimson Hawks' overtime possession, they were unable to move the ball from the 25-yard line and forced Craig Burgess to attempt a 42-yard field goal that missed wide left.

Portis finished the game with 210 yards and two touchdowns on 21-of-31 attempts. For the season, he has now passed for over 1,900 yards with 22 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 237 pass attempts.

After the two teams battled to a scoreless first quarter, the Crimson Hawks took a 6-0 lead (PAT missed) when sophomore Harvie Tuck had a 1-yard touchdown plunge with 3:12 left before halftime. The 19-play drive spanned 12-plus minutes and featured a trio of fourth-down conversions, highlighted by a 10-yard pass from senior punter Jared Kaufmann from the IUP 39-yard line. The Vulcans threatened to score on the ensuing drive, but a 27-yard field goal attempt by Domonkos missed wide right.

IUP took the 6-0 lead into halftime and limited Cal U to only 52 yards of total after dominating the time of possession (20:20-9:40).

Following halftime, the Crimson Hawks stretched the lead to 13-0 after junior Terrell Washington blocked a punt by Derek Fiorenza (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan/Villanova) and returned the loose ball seven yards for a touchdown. Cal U then lost a fumble on its next drive before IUP flipped the field with a punt to the Vulcans' 2-yard line. The Crimson Hawks then recorded a safety with a sack of Portis in the end zone, 15-0, with 10:18 left in the third quarter.

Late in the third quarter, the momentum started to shift when junior Erik Harris (New Oxford, Pa./New Oxford) made his third interception of the season (sixth career) at the Vulcans' 18-yard line. After switching sides of the field with the start of the fourth quarter, Cal U marched 80-plus yards on 11 plays for a scoring drive, as Portis found redshirt freshman Mike Williams (Hershey, Pa./Milton Hershey) for a 19-yard touchdown with 10:11 left in regulation. During the drive, Cal U converted three third downs with Williams catching two third-down passes.

The Vulcans' defense forced the Crimson Hawks to punt after running only 12 total plays on their next two drives, which gave Cal U possession with 2:16 remaining. Facing a 4th-and-4 near midfield, Portis connected with sophomore tight end Blake Williamson (Houston, Pa./Chartiers-Houston) for a 12-yard gain in IUP territory. In the final minute of the fourth quarter, Portis set-up a first-and-goal from the 2-yard line after picking up 13 yards on a third-and-10. Portis then found Cherry for a touchdown and two-point conversion with 5.2 seconds left.

Defensively, junior linebacker Brett Diamond (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) equaled his career high with 10 tackles (three solo) and 2.5 tackles for loss (TFL). Junior defensive back Shawn Anderson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) and sophomore defensive back Rontez Miles (Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills) each tallied nine stops, while senior defensive lineman Sam Fikaris (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/Mayfield) registered a season- and career-high 3.0 TFL.

Cal U concludes PSAC West play on Saturday, Nov. 6, when it travels to face Edinboro at Sox Harrison Stadium for kickoff at 1 p.m. The Vulcans have won the last five meetings against the Fighting Scots, including a 38-14 Homecoming win last year.

Notes:
Sophomore running back Lamont Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic/Phoenix) led the team with 55 rushing yards on 20 carries after not playing last week … IUP held a nearly 10-minute advantage in time of possession (35:25-24:35) after holding the ball for 12:44 in the second quarter … The Crimson Hawks converted three-of-five fourth downs … Senior offensive tackle Jack Range (Ottawa, Ontario/Foothill), who is 6-7, 300-pounds, made a fourth-quarter reception on a deflected pass … After starting 36 games at left guard in his career, senior Dan Jordan (Tionesta, Pa./Redbank Valley) made his first career start at left tackle