INDIANA, Pa. - The fifth-ranked Cal U Vulcans scored 21 fourth quarter points, including the game-winning touchdown with 11 seconds left, as the 23rd-ranked IUP football team lost 38-34 in the 12th annual Coal Bowl Saturday afternoon at George P. Miller Stadium.
The big fourth quarter completed a second half comeback for Cal U, which remained undefeated on the year and improved to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the PSAC West. With the Crimson Hawks leading 31-17 after an early fourth quarter touchdown, the Vulcans scored touchdowns on three straight drives over the final 11 minutes.
Cal U made it a 34-31 game with 1:40 to play on an 18-yard pass from QB Noah Mitchell to Derek Lockhart, but IUP recovered the ensuing onside kick and looked to drain the clock. After three straight running plays - and two Cal U timeouts - the Hawks lined up to punt with under a minute to play but
Dylan Grubbs' punt was blocked and the Vulcans took over at the IUP 40. A 25-yard pass three plays later put the ball inside the four before Mitchell connected with Tyson Hill for the game-winner.
Mitchell was named the Coal Bowl MVP, going 30-43 for 359 yards and four touchdowns, coming back from a fourth quarter injury to engineer those two late TD drives.
IUP led for nearly the entire afternoon, using three first half touchdown passes from quarterback
Harry Woodbery to take a 23-10 lead at halftime. Woodbery finished 21-38 for 305 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Wide receiver
Irvin Charles caught seven passes for 143 yards and two scores.
Charles caught his second touchdown pass less than a minute into the fourth quarter, a 5-yard back shoulder throw. Woodbery also connected with
Grant Smith (1 yard) and
Qashah Carter (22 yards) for first half touchdown tosses.
Defensive end
Tyrone Fowler Jr. had 2.5 sacks, with
Raunya Mitchell (one) and
Vaughn Wallace (0.5) contibuting to IUP's four sacks on the afternoon.
Up next
The Crimson Hawks will celebrate Senior Day next Saturday against Edinboro in their final home regular season game of the year. Kickoff is 2 p.m. at Miller Stadium.
Notes
IUP entered the game ranked No. 23 in the AFCA and No. 24 in the D2Football.com polls ... This was IUP's second straight top-10 opponent, and fourth top-25 game, of the season ... IUP is 2-2 in top-25 games, defeating No. 18 Kutztown and No. 6 Slippery Rock, while falling to No. 11 Shepherd and No. 5 Cal U ... IUP will get an idea of where its playoff hopes stand this week when the NCAA announces its initial Division II regional rankings ... This was Woodbery's second straight 300-yard passing game and fourth game of four-plus touchdowns this season ... Woodbery now has 20 total touchdowns (18 pass, 2 rush) in five games ... Charles has now caught at least one touchdown pass in all seven games this season, including five in the last two weeks ... IUP lost the turnover battle 3-0 with two interceptions ... Both teams totaled 422 yards - IUP had 305 pass and 117 rush, while Cal U had 407 pass and 15 rush ... IUP owned a 35:55-24:05 advantage in time of possession.
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