• Game Notes (.pdf)

#4/6 CAL U (3-0, 0-0) at CLARION (0-3, 0-0)
• When: Saturday, Sept. 25
• Where: Clarion, Pa.
• Stadium: Memorial Stadium (5,000)
• Kickoff: 6 p.m.
• TV: CUTV (tape delayed)
• Live Radio: WCAL (91.9 FM) I WCCR (92.7 FM)
• Live Video: American One (PPV)

SERIES BREAKDOWN
• All-Time Series: Cal U leads 39-38-3
• First Meeting: 1923 - Cal U won 65-0
• Last Meeting: Sept. 26 2009 @ Cal U - Cal U won 35-31
• Streak: Cal U +5

CAL U NOTES
• Cal U opens PSAC West play this week after earning a 45-20 victory against East Stroudsburg last weekend to improve to 3-0 this year. Meanwhile, Clarion remains winless after suffering a 28-24 loss to defending-PSAC Champion Shippensburg last week.

• Junior wide receiver #Chedrick Cherry# and sophomore running back #Lamont Smith# each scored two touchdowns, as the Vulcans posted a 45-20 win over East Stroudsburg. Cherry finished with a career-high 139 yards on only four receptions. The Vulcan defense registered five sacks and forced three turnovers, including a 32-yard interception return for touchdown by junior linebacker #Brett Diamond#. Cal U totaled 500 yards of offense and finished the game with a 16-minute advantage in time of possession.

• The Vulcans and Golden Eagles are meeting for the 81st time this weekend with Cal U leading the series by a slim 39-38-3 margin. Clarion is the second-most common opponent for Cal U. The Vulcans have won the last five games over Clarion after the Golden Eagles earned victories in five the previous six meetings dating back to 1999.

• After nearly guiding the program to the NCAA Playoffs in 2009, Jay Foster is in fifth season as head coach of the Golden Eagles. He was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year last season after leading Clarion to an 8-3 overall record and 6-1 mark in league play. Foster took the helm of the Golden Eagles after serving as the long-time defensive coordinator at Slippery Rock.

• After posting its best record since 1996, Clarion returns 19 starters (eight offensive, nine defensive, two specialists) from last year's team that finished second in the PSAC West standings. The catalyst for the offense is again senior Alfonso Hoggard, who led the conference in rushing yards per game and touchdowns last year. The 5-2 running back was recognized as the PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year after totaling nearly 1,800 all-purpose yards. The Golden Eagles also return senior wide receiver Jacques Robinson, who is one of only five players in school history with over 2,000 career receiving yards. After redshirting last season, sophomore Eric Coxon directs the offense and is averaging over 250 passing yards per game. On defense, senior safety Nick Sipes anchors the unit after ranking third in the conference with 112 tackles (52 solo) last year. This year, he has already made 29 stops (13 solo) and 5.0 tackles for loss (TFL). Fellow defensive backs Chris Wilson and Chris Smeltzer are tied for second on the team with 16 tackles. The special teams unit features a veteran kicker in senior Robert Mamula, who has made 26-of-37 field goals since 2008. Hoggard also is a viable threat in the return game, as he has nearly a combined 2,500 kick and punt return yards in his career.

• After being ranked in the preseason top 10 by both AFCA and D2Football.com, the Vulcans have maintained their No. 4 ranking in the AFCA Top 25 for three-straight weeks. Over the last three-plus seasons, Cal U has been ranked in the AFCA Top 25 poll for 39 weeks. The Vulcans also have been ranked No. 6 in the D2Football.com in the last four Top 25 polls.

• Cal U defends its fifth-straight PSAC West title beginning this weekend when it travels to Clarion. The Vulcans have won 20-straight overall games against PSAC West opponents, while also boasting a 15-game winning streak on the road in league play. Cal U last suffered a loss on the road to a divisional opponent on Oct. 1, 2005, losing 28-21 at Slippery Rock.

• In last year's meeting at rainy Adamson Stadium, the Golden Eagles held a 31-28 lead late in the fourth before Cal U scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 47-yard completion from quarterback #Josh Portis# to wide receiver #Chedrick Cherry# with 1:01 left in the fourth. Clarion then moved the ball to the Cal U 33-yard line before time expired. The victory preserved the season for the two-loss Vulcans, who won their next five games by an average of nearly 26 points to earn a spot in the PSAC Championship and eventually the NCAA Playoffs.

• Cal U has won its last five and seven of its last 10 PSAC West-opening games. Over the last five years, the Vulcans have won in dominating fashion in their PSAC West-openers, beating divisional opponents by an average of 47-11. Cal U has scored over 30 points in each of the last five PSAC West-openers.

• Cal U has won 55 of its last 65 games (.846) overall, dating back to the start of the 2005 season. The Vulcans have posted a 35-4 (.897) record in regular season games dating back to the 2006 campaign.

• Senior center #Nick Piccirillo# has established himself as one of the most durable players in school history. Since starting as a true freshman for the Vulcans in 2007, he has made a team-high 39 consecutive starts. In each of the last two seasons, Piccirillo has been selected to the All-PSAC West Second-Team.

• Cal U has won 15 of its last 18 games in the season's first month (August/September) under head coach #John Luckhardt#. Overall, the Vulcans have won 30 of their last 39 outings in August/September since 2002.

• After missing 13 games last season due to injury, redshirt junior cornerback #Patrick Swearinger# has started each game this year. He is among the team leaders with 13 tackles (nine solo) and is one of four players with one interception. Last week against East Stroudsburg, Swearinger led the team and established a career high with six stops (five solo).

• With his performance last weekend against East Stroudsburg, sophomore transfer #Lamont Smith# has rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back games. He is the first Vulcan to accomplish the feat in 30 games, as #Daine Williams# had four-consecutive 100 yard games late in 2007 (Nov. 3-Dec. 1). Smith currently ranks 11th in NCAA Division II rushing at 123.33 yards per game and is also sixth in scoring with 12.0 points per game.

• A special teams standout last year, St. Louis Rams wide receiver #Dominique Curry# became the first Vulcan to play in a NFL regular-season game since Perry Kemp in 1991. In last week's loss at Oakland, he appeared on special teams and made his first career tackle.

• Through the first three games, the Cal U defense has made the end zone foreign territory after halftime for opponents. Including the overtime game in the season-opener, the Vulcans have allowed only a combined 20 points after halftime this year. Meanwhile, the Cal U offense has been a juggernaut by scoring 70 points in the second half and overtime.

• Veteran linebacker #Brett Diamond# has proven to be a key leader for the defense in his three years as a starter. Only a junior, he has tallied 120 career tackles (66 solo), 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. The 6-2, 230-pound Diamond also has been an impact player while in pass coverage, recording five career interceptions. Last week against East Stroudsburg, he returned an interception 32 yards for his first career touchdown and also forced a fumble on a sack.

• The Vulcans feature a group of 24 seniors in 2010. The senior class has compiled a record of 39-7 and started a combined 228 games.