INDIANA, Pa -- The 16th edition of the Coal Bowl brings together IUP and California (Pa.), two teams looking to return to the state championship game. IUP last reached the state game in 2022, when the Crimson Hawks hosted.

IUP is coming off a loss to Slippery Rock, where penalties told the story as the Crimson Hawks were flagged 15 times for 151 yards. California enters the matchup following a dramatic finish against Clarion, scoring on a 56-yard catch-and-run on the final play against a prevent defense to win 31-28.

IUP ranks first in the PSAC West with a 2-1 conference record and controls its own path to the state game. California has two conference losses, falling to Seton Hill and Edinboro in back-to-back games. Before that streak, the Vulcans hadn't lost consecutive games since 2022, which was also the last time they dropped three PSAC contests in a season.The Crimson Hawks are looking to make it to and past the State Championship game for the first time in two seasons.

Quick Notes / Story Lines

• This is the 16th edition of the Coal Bowl, which began in October 2011.

• IUP has come up short in nine of the 16 games played since the Coal Bowl Trophy was introduced, including the last two matchups.

• IUP has won 59 of the 91 games overall in the series, which dates to 1927, including 48 of the 71 games played at Miller Stadium.

• The Crimson Hawks lost last year's meeting 16-13 in overtime. Cal's Anthony Beitko hit a game-tying field goal with five seconds left in regulation. IUP converted a field goal in overtime, but a 3-yard run by Davis Black sealed the win for the Vulcans.

• IUP averages 22.3 points per game in the 91 all-time meetings, including a 22-21 victory over Cal in 2022 — the smallest margin of victory for IUP in the series.

• IUP has scored more than its series average just seven times in the 16 Coal Bowl meetings. The Crimson Hawks' highest scoring output in the Coal Bowl era is 34 points, set in 2021, when Cal won 38-34 at Miller Stadium.

• IUP has not lost consecutive games since October 2024, when it fell to Slippery Rock and Edinboro in back-to-back weeks.

• Last Saturday's matchup against Slippery Rock marked the first time this season IUP scored fewer than 35 points in PSAC play and the first time the defense allowed 30 points.

• The Crimson Hawks are averaging 37.2 points per game, while allowing just 17 points per game — both second in the PSAC behind Kutztown.

• IUP leads the PSAC in passing offense, averaging more than 330 yards per game. Cal ranks ninth in the conference in passing defense, allowing just over 200 yards per game. The Crimson Hawks' offensive efficiency rating of 187.7 is the best in the PSAC.

• IUP's defense, ranked third in efficiency, will look to stifle the Vulcans' offense, which ranks 10th in the PSAC with a 127.5 efficiency rating — 50 points behind IUP.

Notebook

KEEP SLINGING IT
Quarterback Matthew Rueve has taken the PSAC by storm after transferring from Findlay. Rueve has taken the mantle and leads the PSAC in total passing yards (1,841), passing touchdowns (18), average passing yards per game (306.8), and completion percentage (70.2%). Rueve tied his career high passing touchdown performance against Millersville where Rueve torched the Millersville defense for six touchdowns and 443 yards. 

BIG TIME PLAYERS MAKE BIG TIME PLAYS
Maurice Massey set his career high for touchdown catches in a game, catching four of Rueve's six passes for scores. Massey's previous high was three against Gannon on Nov. 2, 2024, in Erie. He also set a career-high for his longest reception, but his 173 yards receiving was not a career-high, as he had 181 in his three-touchdown game against Gannon.
 
ALL HE DOES IS CATCH TOUCHDOWNS
Jeremiah Coleman has emerged as a solid receiving option for Matthew Rueve, having caught seven passes for 260 yards which includes four receiving touchdowns. Coleman had a career-high 123 receiving yards against Millersville converting both of his receptions into touchdowns. 
 
SPLASH PLAYS A PLENTY
There has been no shortage of splash plays by the IUP offense and special teams, as 11 of IUP's scoring plays have gone for at least 20 yards. The lone special team's touchdown, a punt return by Kalen Frazier, went for 60 yards against Lock Haven. It was the first punt return touchdown for IUP since 2014.  
 
GENERATIONAL DEFENSE
The offense may be getting a lot of the headlines, but the Crimson Hawk defense has been setting historic numbers under the radar. IUP ranks second in the PSAC in total defense, passing defense, while being ranked first in rushing defense. The Crimson Hawk defense only surrenders an average of 226.7 yards per game, of these yards, 79.80 are rushing yards, while the remaining 146.80 have been through the air. IUP has only given up 102 points on the season which marks second in the PSAC. In terms of getting to the quarterback and making splash plays, the Crimson Hawks have sacked the opposing quarterback 23 times for a loss of 161 yards so far. Tortorella is looking to shatter his defensively best season in 2012, which saw the Crimson Hawk defense only allow 257.9 yards per game. 

EXTREMELY EFFICIENT
Rueve leads the entire NCAA, no matter the division, with a 206.77 passing efficiency rating. The next closest in Division II is Gavin Sukup from University of Indianapolis with a 183.23 passer rating. The highest in Division I is Carlos Del Rio-Wilson from Marshall, who has recorded a 197.98 passer rating.

IT'S IN THE GENES
IUP Transfer quarterback Matthew Rueve has a long line of quarterbacks in his bloodline, most notably his cousin, former NFL quarterback Matthew Hasselbeck. Rueve followed in his uncle's footsteps to Boston College to start his collegiate career after being a three-star recruit and considered the  No. 1 pro-style passing prospect in the Ohio Class of 2020. Rueve's cousin and Matt's son, Henry Hasselbeck, is a quarterback on UCLA's roster. Rueve spent last season at the University of Findlay and was named second-team all-conference while passing for 2,646 yards and 26 touchdowns in his lone season as an Oiler.

FAMILIAR FACES
IUP offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. recruited Rueve to start his collegiate career at Boston College. The quarterback spent two seasons in Cignetti's offense before Junior moved on to take the OC job at the University of Pittsburgh. The duo will look to cook up some magic on the field named after Cignetti's father and IUP great, Frank Cignetti Sr.

DEPTH AT RECEIVER
The Crimson Hawks have of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the PSAC as well as Division II.    
Nine different Crimson Hawks have caught touchdown passes this season. Maurice Massey leads the way with six scores on 25 receptions. Promising freshman Jeremiah Coleman has caught four touchdown passes on seven receptions, including a 72-yard bomb that went into the endzone. Coleman is leading the way with 37-yards per reception, while nine other receivers are averaging double-digit yards per reception. 

THE STANDARD IS THE STANDARD
IUP has made three appearances in the NCAA Regionals under head coach Tortorella. However, the Crimson Hawks have not made an appearance there since the team's most recent PSAC Championship in 2022. IUP will look to end the longest NCAA Playoff drought under the current regime.