CALIFORNIA (Oct. 8) – The Vulcans were in the red zone in the closing seconds before an offensive penalty resulted in time expiring on Saturday afternoon in a 22-21 loss to No. 18 IUP in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play at Adamson Stadium in the 13th edition of the Coal Bowl.

With the loss, the California (PA) football team falls to 3-3 overall with a 2-1 mark in divisional action. The Vulcans have lost three games this season by a combined nine points to teams that were the preseason favorites in the PSAC polls. Meanwhile, the Crimson Hawks improve to 5-0 this season and remain tied with Gannon for first in the PSAC West standings with 3-0 record.

Senior quarterback Noah Mitchell (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) finished with 249 passing yards on 23-of-34 attempts with one touchdown and one interception. He now ranks No. 13 all-time in PSAC history with 9,542 passing yards and is tied for No. 15 in league history with 82 passing touchdowns. Mitchell completed passes to eight different receivers on Saturday and went 6-for-10 for 66 yards on the game's final drive.

The Vulcans limited the Crimson Hawks to a season-low 98 rushing yards on 29 attempts after IUP entered play as the top rushing offense in the PSAC with nearly 215 rushing yards per game. Junior defensive back Micah Tillman (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville North) led the team with six tackles (four solo) and registered one interception with two pass break-ups. Junior linebacker Gabe Miller (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) added five stops (two solo) with 2.0 TFL and one fumble recovery, while junior defensive back Noah Hamlin (Clairton, Pa./Clairton) finished with five tackles (four solo) and two pass break-ups.

IUP advanced inside the Cal 5-yard line on the opening drive of the game before the Crimson Hawks took a 3-0 lead on a 21-yard field goal with 10:05 left in the first quarter. The Vulcans answered with an 11-play scoring drive that capped with a two-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell to sophomore tight end Junior McConahy (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) on third-and-goal. On the drive, Cal converted a pair of third-and-long and held possession for seven-plus minutes. The Vulcans forced a turnover on downs on the ensuing drive following an incomplete pass on fourth-and-one at the Cal 28-yard line.

The teams traded field positions with a pair of interceptions over five plays. Tillman halted the IUP drive with an interception at the Cal 22-yard line with 13:50 left before halftime. Midway through the second quarter, the Crimson Hawks were threatening inside the red zone before Miller recovered a fumble at the 13-yard line at the 4:13-mark. The Vulcans later entered the break with a 7-3 lead and held Crimson Hawk playmaker Duane Brown without a first-half reception.

On the opening drive of the second half, Cal stretched the lead to 14-3 on a three-yard touchdown run by sophomore Eric McKan III (Washington, D.C./Bullis (Md.) on fourth-and-one with 10:06 left in the third quarter. The drive started with a 33-yard reception by senior wide receiver Cam Tarrant (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills), who led the team with five catches and 67 yards on Saturday. Midway through the quarter, the Crimson Hawks cut the deficit to 14-10 on a one-yard touchdown run before the Vulcans countered with a score on their drive. Cal converted a pair of third downs on the drive before senior running back Mylique McGriff (Havre de Grace, Md./McDonogh) posted a nine-yard touchdown run with 29 seconds remaining in the quarter.

IUP answered in the opening minute of the fourth with a 27-yard touchdown pass before an unsuccessful two-point conversion pass, 21-16. Midway through the quarter, the Vulcans forced a turnover on downs at the Cal 33-yard line following an incomplete pass. The Crimson Hawks regained possession less than one minute later before mounting a 13-play play. On the eventual go-ahead drive, IUP converted a third-and-long on a 16-yard completion to Brown before wide receiver Hilton Ridley later made an eight-yard reception on fourth-and-five. IUP then took a 22-21 lead on a one-yard touchdown with 1:27 left to play.

The Vulcans started the final drive of the game at their 21-yard line and one timeout. Cal advanced to midfield on back-to-back completions and moved to the IUP 39-yard line on an 11-yard completion to McGriff before calling its final timeout with 39 seconds remaining. The Crimson Hawks later forced a third-and-17 before a defensive pass interference resulting in a first down at the IUP 41-yard line. Mitchell connected with sophomore wide receiver Malik Langley (Chester, Pa./Chester) for a pair of first downs on back-to-back plays before a short completion to McGriff. Cal then rushed to the line and executed a spike to stop the clock for a potential field goal. However, the officials flagged the Vulcans for an offensive penalty and resulted in a 10-second runoff thus ending the contest.

Cal continues PSAC West play on Saturday, Oct. 15, when it travels to face Seton Hill in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, at 6 p.m.

Notes:
The Vulcans hold an 8-5 edge in the history of the Coal Bowl, including a 5-1 mark at Adamson Stadium … Ridley was named Coal Bowl MVP after finishing with 161 receiving yards on eight catches with three receptions over 20 yards … Brown was limited to three receptions for 50 yards after averaging nearly 140 yards and nine receptions per game this season … Cal moves to 5-2 at home against nationally-ranked opponents under head coach Gary Dunn