Oct. 3, 2009

Stats

Josh Portis threw four touchdown passes, including two each to Terrance Moore and A.J. Jackson, to lead California to a 41-28 victory over IUP at Miller Stadium and drop the Crimson Hawks to 0-3 in the PSAC West for the first time since 1982.

California won its fourth in a row since losing its first two games of the season and stayed in a first place tie with Edinboro in the PSAC West with 3-0 records. IUP is 3-3 and lost its third in a row for the first time since dropping five straight in 1982.

The Vulcans have won three in a row over IUP, the first time they have accomplished that feat since winning four straight from 1958-61. The 41 points also mark the most that California has scored versus IUP in the 81-game history of the series. The win came in the inaugural Coal Bowl, with California claiming the Lippencott Brothers Coal Miners Pail Trophy.

Portis only completed 9 of 24 passes but threw for 197 yards and the four touchdowns while Moore also threw one pass and connected with Jackson on a 32-yard touchdown. Jackson had five receptions for 102 yards, and Windell Brown carried 12 times for a team-high 55 yards.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Pat Smith went the distance in relief of four-year starter Andrew Krewatch, who has been suffering from shoulder tendonitis which has limited his effectiveness this season. After a slow start, Smith finished with 17 completions in 32 attempts for 176 yards and a touchdown to Javon Rowan and also rushed 10 times for 33 yards and a score.

Tobias Robinson fell one yard short of his fourth 100-yard game of the season, gaining 99 yards on 25 carries. Harvie Tuck joined Smith with a rushing touchdown and gained 30 yards on the ground while Akwasi Owusu-Ansah scored on a 53-yard punt return.

IUP cut a 24-7 halftime deficit to 24-14 on its first possession of the third quarter, marching 74 yards on 10 plays with Smith scrambling for the final eight yards for his first career rushing touchdown.

But California made it 34-14 on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Portis to Jackson and a 34-yard field goal by Mark Domonkos. After Jovan Martinez fumbled the kickoff after the Domonkos kickoff, Moore took a lateral from Portis and found Jackson in the end zone to make it 41-14 with 8:22 left in the game.

Owusu-Ansah scored his second touchdown of the season with his punt return that made it 41-21 with 5:52 left in the game. It was the fifth touchdown of the All-America cornerback's career, including two on kickoff returns, two on punt returns and one interception return. He had an 89-yard kickoff return for a score in the season opener at Southern Connecticut State.

Smith threw for 36 yards and ran for another 34 in a 14-play, 86-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Rowan that rounded out the scoring with seven seconds remaining. Craig Burgess booted his fourth extra point and extended his streak to 74 in a row and is 91 of 92 in his career.

Portis had scoring passes of 7 and 67 yards to Moore in a span of 2:11 in the first quarter to give the Vulcans a 14-0 lead. Robinson and Tuck combined for 52 rushing yards in a 15-play, 70-yard drive that Tuck culminated with a five-yard run that brought IUP within 14-7 early in the second quarter.

But California expanded its lead on a 37-yard field goal by Domonkos and a 24-yard pass from Portis to Jackson to take a 17-point lead into locker room.

IUP will look to get back on the winning track when it hosts Edinboro in its homecoming game. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.