Rival IUP next hurdle for Cal U.
This is one game where coming away with some coal is a good thing.
California University, fresh off a rout of Slippery Rock, charges head-on into another PSAC West showdown when Indiana arrives Saturday night.
Kickoff in the annual Coal Bowl is 7 p.m. at Adamson Stadium.
Actually, the winner of the Coal Bowl receives a trophy, not a stocking stuffed with the black mineral.
The winner will be atop the conference standings and in great shape to reach the PSAC State Game. Indiana and Cal share the same records – 4-0 and 2-0 in the PSAC.
“Cal is playing at a high level right now in all phases of the game,” said IUP head coach Curt Cignetti. “On offense, their quarterback (Mike Keir) is playing well. The defense is flying around and their special teams have been really good.”
The Vulcans are coming off a 52-26 victory over Slippery Rock and IUP had to rally in the second half to earn a 47-39 victory over Seton Hill. The 52 points were Cal’s lowest total this season and the 39 points allowed by IUP made it the third time the Crimson Hawks allowed 28 or more points in a game.
“They are all big in this conference,” said Cal first-year head coach Gary Dunn. “There is not one game that’s bigger than the other. … We focused on (Slippery Rock) and now we focus on Indiana. … They are explosive, scoring a lot of points. I know their quarterback is doing a phenomenal job.”
IUP has the top rushing attack in the PSAC (293.5 yards) and quarterback Lenny Williams is averaging 223 yards passing and averages more than four yards per carry. Running back Samir Brown has seven TDs in four games.
Cal’s defense has scored four touchdowns and is the top defense in the PSAC, allowing 11.5 points per game.
“Going into the Coal Bowl, which is a rivalry, we have a few games of experience under our belt now,” said free safety Jordan Bowman. “It’s always a big game.”
Wide receiver Garry Brown and cornerback Aaron Terry have formed a potent 1-2 punch on special teams. Brown has 10 touchdowns, including one on a punt return. Another punt return for a score was nullified by a penalty. Terry and Brown average 14 yards a punt return and the former has one of Cal’s six interceptions.
“I don’t know what other people think about us,” Dunn said “I just know how we feel about ourselves. I feel good about how we’re playing.”
Kickoff: 2 p.m., Saturday
Washington & Jefferson had a bye week and routed Thiel, 62-14, the week prior. That allowed the Presidents to erase the disappointment of losing to Thomas More in Week 2. No rooms exists for a bad game if the Presidents want to earn an NCAA Division III playoff berth.
“Every game is must-win for us,” said W&J head coach Mike Sirianni.
Carnegie Mellon (2-1, 2-2) has one of the top running backs in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference in Sam Benger, who ran for 174 yards and scored four times in last week’s 49-26 win over Bethany. Benger leads the PAC with 168 rushing yards per game.
“They have a great running back and he helps make them one of the best teams in the conference” said Sirianni. “They’re big and they’re strong.”
Defensive end Brian Khoury leads the conference with six quarterback sacks.
W&J (1-1, 3-1) has the PAC’s top scoring offense, averaging 48.5 points per game. Quarterback Pete Coughlin has 1,156 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions in 105 attempts.
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
For the first time this season, Waynesburg University ran the ball well and it resulted in a victory over Grove City.
Aaron Jenkins rushed for 61 yards on eight carries and scored a touchdown and Whitney White added 59 on 13 as Waynesburg moved to 1-4, 1-2 in the conference. Tyler Perone completed 10 of 18 passes for 102 yards and a score. More important, he did not commit a turnover.
Geneva, 2-2, 1-1 in the PAC, relies on Trewon Marshall, who averages 119 yard rushing per game.