Full Game Notes (PDF)

#15/25 CALU (5-0, 2-0) @ GANNON (2-3, 1-1)
• When: Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021
• Where: Erie, Pa.
• Stadium: McConnell Family Stadium (2,500)
• Kickoff: 12 p.m.
• Live Video: PSAC Network (CUTV Feed) I CUTVSports1 (YouTube) I PSAC Network (Gannon Feed)
• Live Radio: WERG (90.5 FM)
• Live Stats: Click HERE
 
SERIES BREAKDOWN
• All-Time Series: Cal U leads 10-1 I History
• First Meeting: Oct. 18, 2008 @ Gannon – Cal U won 42-24 I Recap I Box Score
• Last Meeting: Oct. 19, 2019 @ Gannon – Cal U won 54-14 | Recap | Box Score I Video Highlights
• Streak: Cal U +1

NOTES
• Cal U makes its second trip to Erie County in three weeks on Saturday by traveling to face Gannon. The Vulcans claimed a 37-0 victory over Mercyhurst last week on Homecoming. Meanwhile, Gannon suffered a 28-23 loss at IUP after scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
 
• Cal U scored a pair of touchdowns on interception returns and junior quarterback Noah Mitchell passed for three touchdowns, as the Vulcans earned a 37-0 win against Mercyhurst on Homecoming. Cal U recorded its third shutout of the season while limiting the Lakers to 106 yards of total offense. Mitchell posted his third 300-yard game of the year, finishing with 304 passing yards on 24-of-35 attempts. Sophomore linebacker Matt Tobey led the team with eight tackles, while linebacker Noah Dillow and defensive back Kavon Morman scored on interception returns.
 
• The Vulcans have won all but one meeting against the Golden Knights since Gannon joined the PSAC in 2008. Cal U has scored at least 34 points in all six road meetings in the series.
 
• After joining the program in 2019 as the offensive coordinator, Erik Raeburn is in his second year as head coach at Gannon. He joined the Golden Knights after serving three seasons as head coach at Savannah State, a then-FCS program. Raeburn enjoyed success at the NCAA Division III level prior to his tenure in Georgia, leading Coe (Iowa) and Wabash (Ind.) to a combined 135 victories.
 
• Gannon was picked seventh in the preseason PSAC West poll after posting a 1-3 mark while playing an independent schedule in the spring. The Golden Knights feature a transfer at quarterback in Kory Curtis, who spent time at Ohio State before playing the last two seasons at the FCS level with Bryant (R.I.). He ranks fifth in the PSAC with 1,220 passing yards this year, plus sits third in the league with 14 passing touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Sam East leads the team with 22 receptions and 284 receiving yards, while the tandem of freshman Damerisse Freeman, Jr. and sophomore Johnny Freeman have combined for 25 catches and over 450 receiving yards. Gannon also features one of the top running back tandems in the PSAC with junior Melvin Blanks and freshman Antonio Wright. Blanks ranks second in the league with 455 rushing yards, while Wright has totaled 224 yards on 40 carries. Defensively, Gannon allows over 30 yards per game while surrendering 170 rushing yards per game. Freshman linebacker Trey Baker leads the team with 42 tackles (14 solo) after collecting 14 stops last week. Sophomore defensive back Chris Farnsworth and junior linebacker Keith Thompson have combined for 65 tackles, while sophomore linebacker Nigel Reddick has posted 30 tackles (13 solo) with a team-leading 4.0 TFL. On special teams, freshman Chaz Davis has totaled nearly 300 combined return yards and sophomore Isaac West is averaging 36.1 yards per punt.
 
• The Vulcans climbed 10 spots in the latest AFCA Top 25 poll this week to No. 15 following a 37-0 victory against Mercyhurst. Cal U is one of three PSAC teams featured in the poll, as IUP dropped out despite earning a victory over Gannon. The Vulcans made the biggest climb in the national rankings after debuting in the poll last week. Cal U boasts its highest ranking since sitting at No. 5 in the 2017 campaign.
 
• Cal U posted its third shutout of the season last week versus Mercyhurst. The Vulcans lead NCAA Division II and rank third overall among all NCAA divisions in scoring defense this season at just 5.2 points per game (minimum three games). Cal U has recorded its most shutouts in a year since posting four during the 1958 undefeated campaign (8-0).
 
• Through five games this year, the Vulcans have scored 117 points in the first half while holding their opponents scoreless prior to halftime in each game. Overall, Cal U has yielded just 26 points this year with only two touchdowns being scored by opposing offenses.
 
• Sophomore linebacker Noah Dillow was tabbed the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week for the second time this season. Last week, Dillow posted seven tackles, 1.0 TFL and a 12-yard interception return for a touchdown in the shutout victory over Mercyhurst on Homecoming. Dillow leads the team this season with 39 tackles (15 solo) and has tallied 6.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, three pass break-ups and one blocked kick.
 
• Last weekend, junior quarterback Noah Mitchell eclipsed the 300-yard mark for the fourth time this year and the ninth time in his career. He finished with 304 passing yards on 24-35 attempts with three touchdowns and one interception. Mitchell also surpassed Kevin Russell (1982-84) and Michael Keir (2013-17) for fourth place all-time in school history with 6,727 passing yards.
 
• The Vulcans scored a pair of defensive touchdowns against Mercyhurst last week in just over a minute, as junior defensive back Kavon Morman and sophomore linebacker Noah Dillow returned interceptions for points. Cal U has scored 44 points off turnovers this season, while opponents have yet to score off a turnover by the Vulcans.
 
• Freshman kicker Anthony Beitko continues to lead the PSAC and all NCAA Division II kickers with 50 points this season. He ranks second in the nation with 2.20 field goals per game after converting 11-of-12 attempts this season. Beitko converted the second-longest field goal in the league this season with a 48-yard kick at Edinboro two weeks ago. Beitko also has recorded eight touchbacks on kickoffs this campaign.
 
• The Vulcans recorded 5.0 sacks last week in the shutout victory over Mercyhurst. Cal U ranks second in the PSAC and among the top 10 in NCAA Division II with 4.00 sacks per game. Redshirt sophomore Gabe Miller leads the team with 3.0 sacks, while 12 other players have been credited with at least 0.5 sack this season. The Vulcans sit second in the nation by allowing opponents to convert just 19.4 percent on third down.
 
• Last weekend, senior wide receiver Tyson Hill surpassed the 100-yard mark for the second time this season. He posted 125 receiving yards on only four catches, including a 72-yard reception - the team's longest offensive play of the season. Hill ranks fourth in the PSAC with a team-leading 446 receiving yards this year. He also currently sits fifth all-time in school history with both 150 receptions and 2,433 receiving yards.
 
• Sophomore linebacker Matt Tobey led the team with eight tackles against Mercyhurst. He also notched 1.0 TFL, 0.5 and one pass break-up last week versus the Lakers. In his first season as a starter, Tobey sits second on the team with 32 tackles (12 solo) while tallying 4.0 TFL, 1.5 TFL and one interception. The Central Bucks South product has made at least seven stops four times this fall.
 
• Senior offensive lineman Eric Hudanick was recently named a semifinalist for the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is presented to the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation. He is one of 15 players from NCAA Division II to be chosen a semifinalist for the honor. Hudanick is the team's active leader with 37 career starts and was selected a CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-American over the summer.
 
• Cal U enters the weekend ranked fourth in the country in rushing defense, allowing a scant 48.6 yards per game. Last week, the Vulcans yielded just seven rushing yards on 23 attempts by Mercyhurst. Cal U has surrendered over 50 rushing yards just once this season. Additionally, the Vulcans lead NCAA Division II in total defense by surrendering just 135.6 yards per game.