CALIFORNIA (Sept. 14) – The Vulcans tied the score in the final minutes on Saturday afternoon before suffering a 35-28 loss to Kutztown with the game-winning touchdown being scored with 14.4 seconds left at Adamson Stadium in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover play.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania football team falls to 1-1 this season. The loss was the first for the Vulcans at home against a PSAC East member since Week 2 of the 2015 campaign. Meanwhile, the Golden Bears improve to 2-0 overall after making an appearance in the NCAA Playoffs last year.

Kutztown scored a pair of touchdowns in less than one minute early in the fourth quarter to take a 28-21 lead with 10:36 left to play. The teams then traded field position before Cal U mounted a pivotal 12-play scoring drive that was capped by a seven-yard touchdown run by senior running back Nelson Brown (Salisbury, Md./Wicomico) with 2:18 remaining. The Vulcans converted a trio of third downs on the drive, including a third-and-15 due to a roughing the passer penalty.

The Golden Bears started the ensuing drive at their own 40-yard line and overcame a pair of sacks on the opening three plays. Kutztown later converted a third-and-two with 39 seconds left and two plays later scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 34-yard pass by senior quarterback Collin DiGalbo with 14.4 seconds remaining.

Redshirt senior linebacker Julian Cox (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) tied for the team lead with seven tackles (all solo) and registered 3.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks. Sophomore defensive lineman Gerald Brown (Duquesne, Pa./West Mifflin) added seven stops (four solo) with 2.0 sacks and sophomore linebacker Israel Xavier (Cleveland, Ohio/Mayfield) posted seven tackles (two solo) with 1.0 sack and one pass break-up. Senior defensive back Lamont McPhatter II (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) also tallied seven stops (four solo) and scored on a 26-yard interception return, his second touchdown of the year.

Kutztown took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter after recording an interception on the previous play. The Golden Bears halted the next Vulcans drive with another interception near midfield before missing a 28-yard field goal with 3:58 left in the quarter.

Cal U tied the score early in the second quarter when sophomore quarterback Noah Mitchell (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) connected with senior Jordan Dandridge (Duluth, Ga./Duluth) for a four-yard touchdown. The Golden Bears responded on the ensuing drive with a one-yard touchdown by DiGalbo to take a 14-7 lead with 7:37 remaining before halftime. Cal U again tied the contest at 14-14 when McPhatter recorded his first interception of the year and returned the turnover for a touchdown. Kutztown threatened to break the tie before halftime after advancing inside the red zone before sophomore defensive back Jermal Martin, Jr. (South Philadelphia, Pa./Academy Park) registered an interception inside the end zone.

On the opening possession of the second half, Martin halted the Kutztown drive with his second interception of the game. The Vulcans threatened to break the tie on the ensuing drive before a second-and-goal pass was intercepted in the end zone off a deflection and returned to near midfield. Cal U later took its first lead of the game with 2:33 left in the third quarter when Mitchell found sophomore wide receiver Derrick Caraway (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) for a seven-yard touchdown, 21-14.

The Golden Bears forced a turnover on downs early in the fourth quarter after stopping the Vulcans on a fourth-and-one at the Kutztown 18-yard line. Facing a third-and-19, DiGalbo connected with Mason McElroy for a 64-yard touchdown with 11:43 left to play. The Golden Bears recovered a fumble on a strip sack and took a 28-21 on the first play of the drive on a 27-yard touchdown pass by DiGalbo.

Mitchell finished the game with 218 passing yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-36 attempts with three interceptions. Dandridge led all players with 88 receiving yards on five catches.

Cal U continues league crossover play on Saturday, Sept. 21, when it hosts Shippensburg at Adamson Stadium with kickoff starting at 1 p.m.

Notes:
The teams combined for seven turnovers (six interceptions) and Cal U has now forced 10 turnovers through two games this season … Nelson Brown reached the century mark for the 13th time in his career, posting 100 rushing yards on 25 attempts … Freshman Joey Hood (Annapolis, Md./DeMatha Catholic) averaged 43.0 yards on three punts with two punts being downed at the Kutztown 1-yard line … DiGalbo has accounted for 11 touchdowns (eight passing) in two games this year … Cal U limited Kutztown to 46 rushing yards after the Golden Bears totaled 319 rushing yards last week … McPhatter now has six career defensive touchdowns, including four interception returns for touchdowns – most in recent program history