• Game Notes (.pdf)
 
VIRGINIA STATE (0-0) @ CAL U (0-0)
• When: Saturday, September 6, 2014
• Where: California, PA
• Stadium: Adamson Stadium (6,5000)
• Kickoff: 1 p.m.
• Live Radio: WCAL (91.9 FM)
• Live Video: America One (PPV)
• Live Stats: Fan Stats I Media Stats
 
GAME INFORMATION
• General Admission: $10 adults/$5students/FREE 12 and under
• Chairback Seats: $15 adults/$10 students
• Parking: $3
• Directions to Adamson Stadium I GPS Address: 170 California Road, Brownsville, PA 15417
 
SERIES BREAKDOWN
• All-Time Series: First Meeting
• First Meeting: Sept. 6, 2014 @ California
 
CAL U NOTES
• Cal U opens the 2014 campaign on Saturday afternoon when it hosts Virginia State for the first time in program history. The Vulcans have won eight of their last 10 season-openers, including six victories at Adamson Stadium over the last decade.
 
• The Vulcans have missed the NCAA Playoffs and tied for third place in the PSAC West standings in each of the last two seasons. Under third-year head coach Mike Kellar, Cal U returns 13 starters from last season highlighted by a pair of preseason All-America candidates in senior offensive lineman Jack Abercrombie and senior punter Andrew Cerett. Abercrombie is one of four returning starters along the offensive line. The Vulcans return four starters from a defense that ranked among the top 10 in the country in scoring defense, passing defense and passing efficiency defense.
 
• Last season in his first year as head coach, Latrell Scott guided the Trojans to a five-win improvement and the top record in the CIAA North. He served as head coach at Richmond for one year (2010) after serving as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator for the Spiders from 2005-06. Scott has also spent one season on the staff at both Tennessee (2008) under Phillip Fulmer and Virginia (2009) under Al Groh as the wide receiver coach.
 
• Last year, Virginia State recorded its winningest season in two decades by finishing with a 9-1 overall record. The Trojans boasted the CIAA's top rushing offense in 2013, averaging over 200 yards per game, but reserve quarterback Tarian Ayres is the team's leading returning rusher. However, Virginia State returns four of its top reception leaders from last season headlined by the duo of senior Gene Holloman, Jr. and junior Jaivon Smallwood. Holloman ranked among the top 10 in the CIAA with 48 receptions, while Smallwood tied for fourth in the league with seven touchdown receptions. Junior center Ronnie Ransome anchors the offensive line after earning All-CIAA First-Team honors last season. Virginia State returns its top-five tacklers from a unit that ranked second in the league in scoring defense, total defense and rushing defense. The Trojans also scored a CIAA-best six defensive touchdowns. Senior linebacker Brandon Robinson led the team with 56 tackles (46 solo), while sophomore linebacker Geo Feggins and senior defensive back Andre Rawls both recorded 8.0 TFL and 3.0 sacks. On special teams, the Trojans will feature a new kicker and punter after ranking last in the CIAA with an average of 34.2 yards per punt.
 
• The Vulcans are 3-1 against schools that are current members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). This weekend marks the first time in program history that Cal U has played a regular-season game against a CIAA member. The Vulcans have faced CIAA-members Elizabeth City State (2011), Fayetteville State (2009) and Winston-Salem State (2011) in the NCAA Playoffs in recent years.
 
• The Vulcans were picked to finish second in the preseason PSAC West poll after receiving three first-place votes. Cal U had earned at least a share of the top spot in the preseason divisional poll every year from 2005-12. Meanwhile, Virginia State was picked to finish first in the CIAA North after closing last season with eight-consecutive victories. The Trojans were picked to finish 10th overall in the preseason CIAA poll in 2013.
 
• The Vulcans own a 53-40-1 (.569) record in season-openers since 1916, winning eight of their last 10. As a head coach, Mike Kellar has won all four of his season-openers including twice against Southern Virginia while at Concord (2009-10).
 
• Cal U returns four starting offensive lineman that combined to miss only one start last season. Senior center Jack Abercrombie, a preseason D2Football.com First-Team All-American, is the team's active leader with 24 career starts and has received All-PSAC West status while playing right guard and center in his career. Junior right guard Jeremy Seaman and sophomore right tackle Tyler Peerson started all 11 games last season, while senior Mike Price made a combined 10 starts at left tackle and left guard in 2013.
 
• The Vulcans feature two players on active rosters with NFL teams at the start of the regular season. Former All-American offensive linemen Rishaw Johnson (2011) and Eric Kush (2008-12), who both started in Week 17 last season, are currently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively. In addition, former wide receiver CJ Goodwin (2013), defensive back Dewey McDonald (2013) and defensive back Rontez Miles (2009-12) are members of NFL practice squads.
 
• The Vulcans replace all three starting wide receivers from last season, including a pair of All-PSAC West honorees. Junior wide receiver Kowan Scott returns as the team's active leader with 45 catches, as the departed trio combined for nearly 300 receptions and over 4,000 yards in their careers. Sophomore Garry Brown is the only other wide receiver on the roster to record a catch, totaling five receptions - including two touchdowns - last year as a true freshman.
 
• One of the most versatile players in the PSAC, senior Jeff Knox, Jr. is scheduled to play linebacker in 2014 after leading the team in rushing last year. Knox split time in the secondary and at running back in each of his first two seasons before playing offense exclusively last season. A native of Pittsburgh, he opens the year with over 60 tackles, nearly 1,000 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns in his career.
 
• After starting a pair of quarterbacks last season, the Vulcans open the 2014 campaign with junior James Harris entrenched as the starter. He passed for nearly 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season with the program. Harris passed for over 200 yards in five games last year while throwing only five interceptions in almost 175 attempts. Harris played three seasons and made almost 70 starts for the Wake Forest baseball team before transferring to Cal U.
 
• Senior offensive lineman Mike Price enters his second year as a starter for the Vulcans. From 2009-10, he played in a combined 11 games as a reserve offensive lineman for Virginia, including nine games in 2009 when Virginia State head coach Latrell Scott served as the wide receivers coach for the Cavaliers. Price is one of four players in recent years to transfer from Virginia to Cal U (defensive back Mike Brown, quarterback Peter Lalich, quarterback Kevin McCabe).
 
• Cal U returns both of their starting cornerbacks from last season in junior Rodney Gillin and sophomore Aaron Terry. Last year, the Vulcans led the PSAC and ranked eighth in the country in passing defense after allowing 171.4 yards per game. Gillin, who has made 17 career starts, ranks second among returners with a career-high 43 tackles (36 solo) last season. Terry earned All-PSAC West Second-Team laurels after leading the team with four interceptions.
 
• Senior kicker Cody Nuzzo enters the year as the school's all-time leader with 135 PAT made attempts and 45 field-goals attempted. He also ranks first among kickers, and fourth overall, with 207 points after leading the team in scoring in each of the last two years. Nuzzo, who was featured on the preseason Fred Mitchell Award Watch List, is only four field goals shy of tying former All-American Tyler Lorenz (2006-07) for the career school record of 32 field-goals made.