Full Game Notes (PDF)

#17/18 CALIFORNIA (PA) (1-0) @ KUTZTOWN (0-1)
• When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022
• Where: Kutztown, Pa.
• Stadium: Andre Reed Stadium (5,600)
• Kickoff: 12 p.m.
• Live Video: PSAC Network (Kutztown Feed)
• Live Stats: Click HERE
 
SERIES BREAKDOWN
• All-Time Series: Kutztown leads 9-3-1
• First Meeting: Nov. 10, 1990 @ California - Kutztown won 28-23
• Last Meeting: Sept. 14, 2019 @ California – Kutztown won 35-28 I Recap I Box Score I Video Highlights
• Streak: Kutztown +2 I History

NOTES
• Cal makes its first road trip of the year on Saturday when it travels to face Kutztown. Last week, the Vulcans claimed a 35-15 victory against Fairmont State. Meanwhile, the Golden Bears suffered a 3-0 loss at Assumption after being limited to under 160 yards of offense.
 
• Senior Noah Mitchell set the all-time school record for passing touchdowns, as the Vulcans opened the year with a victory over Fairmont State. Mitchell finished with 212 passing yards and three touchdowns in the win. Junior JaQuae Jackson and freshman Eric Willis III combined for over 200 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while sophomore Eric McKan III recorded 152 rushing yards on 24 carries with one touchdown in his first career start. Cal limited Fairmont State to under 200 yards of total offense and totaled five sacks, including 2.0 sacks by junior linebacker Matt Tobey.
 
• The Vulcans and Golden Bears are meeting for the sixth time in the last 11 years after previously not playing since 1997. California last earned a victory at Andre Reed Stadium in 2012 when it scored the go-ahead touchdown with only 1:02 left in the fourth quarter.
 
• One of the winningest coaches in program history, Jim Clements enters his eighth season as head coach at Kutztown. He has a posted winning record in each of his seasons at the helm of the Golden Bears, leading the program to a 41-9 mark in divisional play. In 2021, Kutztown captured the PSAC Championship and advanced to the Super Region One Championship for the first time in school history.
 
• Kutztown was picked as co-favorites in the PSAC East following its first league title since 2011. The Golden Bears have posted an impressive 19-1 record in PSAC East play over the last three seasons. Offensively, Kutztown returns four All-PSAC East selections from last fall with a pair of first-team honorees on the offensive line in junior Devin Hannan and senior Albert Glasgow. Wide receiver Jerome Kapp, an All-PSAC East First-Team pick in 2021, has totaled over 1,300 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in three seasons with the program. Senior Darryl Davis-McNeil finished with 93 rushing yards on 21 carries last week after being an All-PSAC East selection in 2021. The offense is directed by a first-year starter at quarterback in junior Donny Blaine. He finished with over 500 passing yards and accounted for seven touchdowns in four games last year, including a pair of starts. The Golden Bears feature a first-year defensive coordinator after leading the PSAC in rushing defense and interceptions last year. Senior linebackers Amani Justice and Tyler Whary anchor the unit after being All-PSAC East honorees in 2021. Justice led the team with 106 tackles, while Whary ranked second with 78 stops and a team-best 14.0 TFL. Kutztown is having to replace AFCA First-Team All-American punter Dean Krcic, who averaged 42.4 yards per punt as a senior. Last week, the Golden Bears were held scoreless for the first time in 155 games, which dates back to Week 7 of the 2007 campaign.
 
• Cal climbed four spots in the latest AFCA Top 25 poll this week to No. 17 following a 35-15 victory against Fairmont State. The Vulcans are now one of three PSAC teams featured in the poll, as Kutztown fell out of the rankings from No. 13 following its season-opening loss. Defending-regional champion, and next week's opponent, Shepherd moved into the top five at No. 5 this week.
 
• Senior quarterback Noah Mitchell broke the all-time school record for passing touchdowns last week and is within reach of the all-time mark for passing yards. He started the year tied for the touchdown record before passing for three scores against Fairmont State. Mitchell enters the weekend just 309 passing yards shy of eclipsing Sam Mannery for the all-time school record.
 
• In the first game under new defensive coordinator Jawan Turner, the Vulcans allowed a scant 14 rushing yards on 24 attempts by Fairmont State. Cal registered five sacks in the victory that accounted for negative 34 yards. The Vulcans finished second in the PSAC and ranked among the top 10 in the country last season in rushing defense, allowing only 79.4 rushing yards per game.
 
• In the season-opener, Cal featured six players that made their first start with the program. Junior transfer Matt Charlton started at right guard after previously playing at Clarion from 2019-21, while fellow junior transfer Noah Hamlin started at defensive back after appearing in 18 career games at Cincinnati and Toledo.
 
• Cal returns four starters to the offensive line from last season with a slight adjustment. Senior Fritz-Kelly Edmond has shifted to right tackle after starting a combined 17 games at right guard as a sophomore and junior. Fellow seniors Noel Brouse (left tackle) and Bryce Perkins (center) have started 11-consecutive games, while sophomore Jaheim Bassham has made six-straight starts at left guard.
 
• The Vulcans have posted a 25-9 record against PSAC East teams since the start of the 2010 season. Under head coach Gary Dunn, Cal has notched a 12-3 record against Eastern Division teams while members of the league. The Vulcans are making only their third trip to Kutztown since 1998 with the previous two appearances (2012, 20218) both being decided by three points.
 
• Sophomore Eric McKan III opened the campaign with a career-high 152 rushing yards on 24 attempts with one touchdown against Fairmont State. Last season, he totaled 159 rushing yards on 51 carries over 10 games. The Washington, D.C., native became the first player to eclipse 100 rushing yards in a game since Nelson Brown accomplished the feat in Week 11 of the 2019 season. 
 
• Last week, junior wide receiver JaQuae Jackson set a career high with 10 receptions in the season-opener against Fairmont State. He also eclipsed the century mark for the third time in his career, finishing with 113 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Jackson led the team with 744 receiving yards and 58 receptions, plus scored eight touchdowns, last fall in his first year as a starter.
 
• Junior linebacker Matt Tobey established career highs in TFL and sacks last week versus Fairmont State. He registered 3.5 TFL and 2.0 sacks while collecting seven stops in the season-opening victory. In two career meetings against the Fighting Falcons, Tobey has tallied 16 tackles, 5.0 TFL and 3.0 sacks. The Central Bucks South product earned All-PSAC West honors in 2021 after totaling 67 tackles and 5.5 TFL.
 
• In the season-opener, freshman wide receiver Eric Willis III made an immediate impact while starting his collegiate debut. He finished with 93 receiving yards and two touchdowns on only three receptions. Willis scored on a 40-yard touchdown pass late in the first half before making a 50-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. He was the lone freshman to start in Week 1 for the Vulcans.
 
• The Vulcans finished with nearly a 10-minute advantage in time of possession in the victory over Fairmont State. Four of the five touchdown drives were eight plays or longer and a pair of drives lasted nearly eight minutes, including a 98-yard drive in the second half. The Vulcans converted 12-of-15 attempts on third downs in the win.
 
• Last week, sophomore linebacker Josh Miller earned his first career start and finished with six tackles and 1.0 sack. He recorded 10 stops as a true freshman last year and led the team with eight tackles on special teams. He is the younger brother of junior linebacker Gabe Miller, who set a career high with 39 tackles and 3.0 sacks in 2021.