Full Game Notes (PDF)

#16/16 CAL U (4-1, 1-1) @ #4/3 IUP (5-0, 2-0)
• When: Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017
• Where: Indiana, Pa.
• Stadium: George P. Miller Stadium (6,500)
• Kickoff: 2:05 p.m.
• Live Video: WatchESPN
• Live Radio: WCAL (91.9 FM) I WQMU (92.5 FM)
• Live Stats: Click HERE

SERIES BREAKDOWN
• All-Time Series: IUP leads 61-27-2
• First Meeting: 1918 - IUP won 20-2
• Last Meeting: Nov. 26, 2016 @ California - Cal U won 44-23 I Recap I Box Score
• Streak: Cal U +2

NOTES
• Cal U will play its second-straight game on the road against a top-25 opponent on Saturday when it travels to face No. 4 IUP in the Coal Bowl. The Vulcans suffered a 47-44 overtime loss at Slippery Rock last weekend, while the Crimson Hawks rolled to a 57-14 win at Seton Hill.

• The Vulcans scored 17-straight points in the first quarter and rallied to score another 17-unanswered points in the fourth quarter before suffering a 47-44 overtime loss at Slippery Rock. Senior quarterback Michael Keir finished with 326 passing yards with classmates Tom Greene and Luke Smorey both totaling over 100 receiving yards. Cal U took a 44-37 lead with 2:14 left in regulation before Slippery Rock tied the score with 42 seconds remaining. In overtime, the Vulcans missed a 48-yard field goal following a third-down sack, while The Rock converted the game-winning, 36-yard field goal.

• A longtime assistant coach with the program, Paul Tortorella has posted a 5-0 record as head coach of the Crimson Hawks. Tortorella was appointed acting head coach in January after spending the previous 22 seasons as the defensive coordinator. IUP ranked third in the country with 24 interceptions and 35 caused turnovers last year after being the country's top-ranked total defense and scoring defense in 2012.

• The preseason favorite in the PSAC West, IUP leads the league and ranks among the top 10 in the country in scoring offense, rushing offense and total offense. Sophomore Samir Bullock anchors a rushing offense that averages 283.6 yards per game and has scored 14 rushing touchdowns. He sits second in the PSAC with 680 rushing yards while averaging 7.39 yards per attempt. The Crimson Hawks also return one of the top playmakers in the country in junior quarterback Lenny Williams, Jr., who missed three-plus games last year due to injury. A two-time Harlon Hill Trophy nominee, he leads the league with a 68.3 completion percentage and averages over 250 yards of total offense per game. Senior wide receiver Allen Wright, a converted cornerback, leads the team with 26 receptions, while sophomore Dom McNeil paces the team with 388 receiving yards on 18 catches and fellow sophomore JoJo Gause has caught four touchdowns. The Crimson Hawks lead NCAA Division II with a plus-2.20 turnover margin per game after forcing 15 turnovers. Sophomore linebacker Nick Amendola leads the team with 39 tackles and has a pair of fumble recoveries. Senior defensive back Max Redfield has added 38 stops and three interceptions after previously starting at Notre Dame. On special teams, sophomore Dillon Sarka has made seven-of-nine field goals, including the game-winning, 46-yard attempt as time expired in a season-opening win over Ashland.

• The Vulcans dropped 11 spots to No. 16 in the latest AFCA poll after sitting at No. 5 for four-consecutive weeks. Cal U has been featured in the national rankings for 15-consecutive polls dating back to last September. The Vulcans were one of three teams in the top 15 of last week's poll to suffer losses last weekend, as the new rankings kept only four teams in the same position.

• Cal U is facing a nationally-ranked opponent for a consecutive week after facing five top-25 teams last season. The Vulcans have posted a 6-3 mark against nationally-ranked teams since the 2014 campaign. Cal U and IUP are meeting with both teams featured in the top 25 for the seventh time since 2006 and the Vulcans have posted a 5-1 record in those meetings.

• Last week, sophomore defensive back Lamont McPhatter posted a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter at Slippery Rock. He is the first player in recent program history to record an interception in four-consecutive games. McPhatter also became the first player to score on an interception return since former defensive back Jordan Bowman accomplished the feat, also against The Rock.

• The Vulcans matched their season high of 4.0 sacks and added five quarterback hurries last week at Slippery Rock. Senior linebacker Corey Bopp tallied a career-high 2.5 TFL and tied his career high of 1.5 sacks in the contest, while senior Cameron Tarver and junior Malik Akins both recorded 1.0 sack. Through five games, eight of the team's nine sacks this season have occurred on the road.

• Senior Will Brazill leads all kickers in NCAA Division II this year with 57 total points, which ranks sixth-best among all players. He is tied for the national lead with 2.20 field-goals made per game after converting a career-best three field goals in each of the last two weeks. Brazill, who has missed just once on 36 combined kicks (field goals, PAT) this year, has scored at least nine points in all five games this season.

• Last week, the Vulcans played their first overtime game since a 24-21 loss at Bloomsburg in September 2014. Cal U has played only five overtime games over the last decade with its last overtime win coming during the 2011 campaign versus Mercyhurst. The Vulcans and Crimson Hawks went to overtime in the second-annual Coal Bowl in 2010.

• Senior wide receivers Tom Greene and Luke Smorey both finished with over 100 yards last week at Slippery Rock. Greene led all players with 132 receiving yards on six catches for his third 100-yard game of the season, while Smorey made seven receptions for 103 yards in his first 100-yard performance since his sophomore year. It marked the first time the Vulcans featured multiple 100-yard receivers in a game since 2015.

• Last week, senior linebacker Luke Hrapchak recorded 12 stops at Slippery Rock to become the eighth player in recent program history to eclipse 200 career tackles. He is tied for ninth in the PSAC with 45 tackles this year while tallying at least five tackles in each game. Hrapchak, who enters the weekend with 205 career stops, led the team with 101 tackles as a junior to become the first player since 2009 to collect at least 100 stops in a year.

• Cal U matched its season high with seven offensive plays that went at least 20 yards last week at Slippery Rock. The Vulcans have tallied a combined 25 'explosive plays' this season, including 14 over the last two weeks. Cal U scored for the first time on an 'explosive play' at Slippery Rock when redshirt freshman Tyson Hill caught a 49-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Greene and Smorey lead the team with eight 'explosive plays.'

• Last week, junior running back Jimmy Wheeler made his first start since his freshman year. He finished with 77 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries at Slippery Rock. It marked his most rushing yards and attempts in a game since late in the 2015 season, while he also recorded the first multi-touchdown game of his career. Wheeler has rushed for over 1,000 yards in his career and added 600-plus yards as a kick returner.

• The Vulcans blocked a PAT attempt in the third quarter last week at Slippery Rock. Junior Malik Akins recorded his second career blocked kick, as Cal U retained possession of the lead at 24-23 with 6:36 left in the quarter. Cal U has now tallied one blocked kick in three-consecutive games, marking the longest such stretch since 2013. In the last meeting versus IUP, Cal U collected three blocked kicks (punt, field goal, PAT).

• The Coal Bowl will feature two of the most efficient quarterbacks in NCAA Division II. IUP junior Lenny Williams, Jr. is the country's active leader with a 167.55 passing efficiency in his career with only seven interceptions on 462 pass attempts. Meanwhile, Cal U senior Michael Keir ranks fifth in the nation with a 159.56 passing efficiency behind 50 touchdowns and 15 interceptions on 548 career attempts.