ERIE, Pa. (Oct. 31) – The Vulcans scored 35-unanswered points in the first half and forced six turnovers on Saturday afternoon to earn a 42-21 win at Gannon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania football team improves to 6-3 overall with a 4-2 mark in divisional play. The Vulcans are now tied for third place in the league standings with one game left in league play and sit one-game back of a two-way tie for first place. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights fall to 6-3 this season behind a 3-3 mark in league play.

Senior quarterback James Harris (Woodstock, Ga./Etowah) finished with 263 passing yards on 18-of-27 attempts and four total touchdowns (one rushing). In the first half, he directed five scoring drives and completed 13-of-16 attempts for 246 yards with three passing touchdowns. Harris eclipsed Kevin Russell (1982-84) for third place all-time in school history with 6,734 passing yards and is now tied for fifth place with 49 touchdown passes.

Senior wide receiver Kowan Scott (Easton, Pa./Wilson) led all players with 151 receiving yards on seven catches with two touchdowns. Scott also moved into third place in school history with 2,464 career receiving yards, which is the most by a wide receiver since the late 1990s. Junior wide receiver Garry Brown (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville South) finished with a team-high eight receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown, while becoming the ninth player in school history with 2,000 career receiving yards.

On the game's opening possession, the Vulcans capped a nine-play drive with a three-yard touchdown pass from Harris to Brown. Gannon committed a penalty on its first offensive play before redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Cameron Tarver (Columbus, Ohio/Central Crossing) recovered a fumble following a strip sack by senior defensive lineman Errol Brewster (Harlem, N.Y./Springbrook (Md.)) on the ensuing play. Cal U capitalized on the turnover when Harris connected with Scott for a 24-yard touchdown with 7:59 left in the first quarter. On the ensuing drive, the Golden Knights advanced inside the red zone before being forced to settle for a field goal. However, a poor snap on the attempt resulted in an incomplete pass and the Vulcans took over on downs. Cal U stretched the lead to 21-0 on the first play of the drive, as Harris and Scott connected for an 89-yard touchdown with 4:13 remaining in the quarter.

The Vulcans continued to increase their lead early in the second quarter when sophomore John Franklin III (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) scored on a 10-yard touchdown run. Following a missed goal on its next possession, Cal U stretched the lead to 35-0 with 3:26 left in the first half on a 15-yard touchdown run by Harris – his first since the 2013 season. The Vulcans recovered a fumble deep in Golden Knights territory on the ensuing kickoff before being forced to punt after losing 15 yards on the drive. Gannon cut into the deficit on its final drive of the first half with a 10-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds left before halftime.

On the opening possession of the second half, junior defensive back Jordan Bowman (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) halted the drive with an interception at the Gannon 38-yard line. The Vulcans turned the ball over on downs before the Golden Knights posted a four-yard touchdown run with 9:28 left in the third quarter to trim the deficit to 35-14.

The Vulcans scored their final touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter when freshman running back Jimmy Wheeler (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) scored on an 11-yard touchdown run with 14:11 left to play. The teams traded field position until late in the quarter when Gannon scored on a three-yard touchdown pass to make the score 42-21 with 2:03 remaining.

Bowman and fellow junior defensive back Arnel Farmer, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) each led the team with seven tackles, while sophomore linebackers Corey Bopp (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) and DeVonte Suber (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) both posted six tackles. Brewster and sophomore defensive lineman Justin Baker (Ashburn, Va./Briar Woods) each registered 2.0 sacks in the victory.

The Vulcans close out PSAC West play on Saturday, Nov. 7, when they host Mercyhurst on Senior Day at 1 p.m.

Notes:
Wheeler rushed for a game-high 103 yards on 12 attempts, marking his second 100-yard game of the season … Cal U committed a season-high 18 penalties for 164 yards and the two teams were flagged a combined 31 times for 271 yards … The Vulcans finished with a four-plus minute advantage in time of possession after controlling the clock for nearly 11 minutes in the second quarter … Cal U matched its season high with 7.0 sacks … Gannon quarterback Liam Nadler, who started his 42nd-straight game on Saturday, left the game in the second quarter due to injury … The Vulcans have played four-straight games against teams that were featured in the initial NCAA Super Region One rankings (2-2)