District college football roundup for Oct. 23, 2021: Cal (Pa.) makes comeback to down IUP

Cal (Pa.) made a furious comeback, blocking a punt with 35 seconds left and scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 11 seconds to go, to defeat IUP, 38-34, in the Coal Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

IUP took a 34-24 lead on a 35-yard field goal by Tyler Luther with 5:08 to play. Cal drove 81 yards on 12 plays, capped by a 18-yard TD pass from Noah Mitchell to Derek Lockhart on a third-and-15 play to make it 34-31.

After a failed onside kick, IUP went three and out. Dominic Solomon Jr. blocked the punt, giving Cal the ball on the IUP 40 with 35 seconds to go. Mitchell hit Lockhart for 11 yards, Cam Tarrant for 25 yards and Tyson Hill for 4 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 11 seconds left.

Mitchell was 30 for 43 for 359 yards and four touchdowns for Cal (7-0, 4-0 PSAC), which was held to 15 yards rushing. Lockhart caught nine passes for 153 yards and two scores and Tarrant caught 11 for 97 yards and two TDs.

Harry Woodbery was 21 for 38 for 305 yards and four touchdowns for IUP (4-2, 4-1). Malik Anderson rushed 14 times for 57 yards and four touchdowns. Irvin Charles caught seven passes for 143 yards and two scores.

Division II

Gannon 21, Edinboro 18 — Melvin Blanks ran for 239 yards and two touchdowns for his second-straight 200-yard rushing performance as Gannon (4-4, 3-2) beat Edinboro (1-6, 1-4) in PSAC play. Edinboro pulled to within three with 24 seconds left in the game on Jorda Castelli’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Simms, but Gannon recovered the ensuing onside kick. Kory Curtis threw for 116 yards and a touchdown for Gannon while Castelli tossed for 75 yards.

Seton Hill 49, Clarion 0 — Logan Wiland rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns to lead Seton Hill (4-4, 2-3) to the PSAC win at Clarion (0-7, 0-4). Jake McCormick threw for 154 yards and two touchdowns for the Griffins while defensively, Narrio Walks recorded eight tackles and returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown.

Slippery Rock 20, Mercyhurst 17 — D.J. Opsatnik’s 30-yard field goal with 1:24 left in the game lifted No. 17 Slippery Rock (7-1, 4-1) to the PSAC win at Mercyhurst (2-6, 1-4). Andrew Koester threw for 227 yards and a touchdown for the Rock. Joe Carter threw for 111 yards and a touchdown for Mercyhurst, but he was intercepted three times.

Division I FCS

Gardner-Webb 28, Robert Morris 17 — Gardner-Webb (3-4, 1-2) forced five turnovers and defeated Robert Morris (2-3, 1-2) in a Big South contest. Gardner-Webb jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on a 3-yard scoring run by Narii Gaither on its first drive of the game and a strip-sack by Ty French, then held off an RMU comeback bid. George Martin was 25 for 45 for 202 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions for the Colonials. James Westry had six catches for 73 yards and a score.

Sacred Heart 31, Duquesne 13 — Malik Grant rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns for Sacred Heart (5-3, 3-1) in its NEC win against Duquesne (4-2, 2-1). Garrett Owens picked up 113 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Dukes, who led 13-7 at halftime. Sacred Heart outgained Duquesne 416-196.

Division III

Carnegie Mellon 53, Thiel 0 — In the PAC, Kris Hughes scored on passes of 48 and 56 yards in the first quarter as Carnegie Mellon (5-2, 5-1) scored 37 points in that period to defeat Thiel (0-7, 0-6). Zachary Hamilton added 105 rushing yards for the Tartans. Carnegie Mellon’s defense limited Thiel to 77 total yards and six first downs.

Case Western 42, Geneva 38 — Drew Saxton was 32 for 48 for 393 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winning 9-yard scoring pass to Lucas DeCaro with 20 seconds left to lead Case Western (4-3, 3-3) past Geneva (2-5, 2-4) in a PAC matchup. Colt Morgan had 12 catches for 151 yards and a score for Case Western. Amos Luptak was 4 for 8 for 186 yards and three touchdowns and ran 37 times for 192 yards and another score for Geneva. Jared Ozias made two catches, a 62-yard TD pass and a 60-yard scoring strike.

DePauw 38, Allegheny 14 — Chase Andries threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns as DePauw (6-1, 6-0) amassed 560 yards of offense in its NCAC win at Allegheny (2-5, 1-5). Gus Baumgartner ran for 126 yards and a touchdown for DePauw while teammate Trey Shaw caught eight passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Trevor Brncic came off the bench to throw for 137 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns for Allegheny.

Saint Vincent 38, Waynesburg 7 — Brady Walker completed 24 of 34 passes for a career-high 371 yards and four touchdowns to lead Saint Vincent (4-3, 3-2) to a PAC win over Waynesburg (1-6, 1-5). Walker, a Gateway grad, is tied with Aaron Smetanka, currently Saint Vincent’s head coach, for the program’s all-time lead in career touchdown passes with 31. Molayo Irefin had 10 catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Saint Vincent outgained Waynesburg 480-241 and set a school record with four interceptions.

Westminster 23, Washington & Jefferson 18 — Tylon Eilam caught 11 passes for 174 yards and three touchcowns as Westminster (5-2, 5-1) upset No. 11 Washington & Jefferson (6-5, 5-1) in a PAC matchup. Cole Konieczka threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns for the Titans while Westminster’s defense recorded six sacks and held the Presidents to 174 yards.