CALIFORNIA, Pa. -- IUP will travel to California, Pa., for the latest chapter in a series that dates back 100 years, renewing one of the longest-standing matchups on the Crimson Hawks' schedule. Cal has won two of the last three meetings between the programs, but IUP earned the most recent victory with a win over the Vulcans last season at George P. Miller Stadium.

The series has produced several tight finishes in recent years, with all but one meeting since 2021 decided by one possession. IUP's last road victory against Cal came in 2022, when the Crimson Hawks escaped Adamson Stadium with a 24-22 win.

The matchup has also been evenly contested between the programs' current head coaches. IUP head coach Paul Tortorella and Cal head coach Gary Dunn have split their eight previous head-to-head meetings, with Saturday's game marking the ninth meeting between the two coaches as the PSAC West rivals add another chapter to their century-old series.

THE MATCHUP

October 24, 2026 | 5:00 PM | Adamson Stadium

IUP Crimson Hawks (5-2,2-2 PSAC West)

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California (Pa.) Vulcans

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GAME DAY LINKS

Streaming: PSAC Digital Network | Radio: U92.5 FM | Live Stats: SideArm Stats | Game Notes: IUP

QUICK NOTES

• IUP enters the week looking to rebound from back-to-back losses for just the fifth time under head coach Paul Tortorella. In nine seasons at the helm, Tortorella and the Crimson Hawks have never lost three consecutive games, consistently finding a way to respond following difficult stretches. IUP will look to continue that trend this week against Cal and get back in the win column.

• The first meeting between IUP and Cal came in 1926, beginning a series that has now reached its 100th year. IUP leads the all-time series between the two PSAC West rivals, with this season also marking the 17th edition of the Coal Bowl as the programs battle for the Coal Pail. IUP took the Pail home last season following a 38-30 victory over Cal at George P. Miller Stadium. Cal has won two of the last three meetings, while the Crimson Hawks will look to make it consecutive victories over the Vulcans and retain the Coal Pail for another season.

• Cal head coach Gary Dunn and IUP head coach Paul Tortorella bring a combined 19 seasons of head coaching experience at their respective programs into Saturday's matchup. Dunn is 79-31 in his nine-plus seasons leading the Vulcans, while Tortorella owns a 73-25 record in his eight-plus seasons at the helm of the Crimson Hawks. The two veteran coaches have helped establish their programs as consistent contenders in the PSAC West throughout their tenures.

• IIUP has developed one of the top special teams units in the PSAC despite replacing all four specialists entering the 2026 season. Kicker Preston Rathway has become the first player in program history to connect on two field goals of 50 yards or longer in a career, while punter Gavin Mentzer is putting together a record-setting season of his own. Mentzer currently owns the best single-season punting average in IUP history, helping the Crimson Hawks consistently flip the field and establish an advantage on special teams.

• IUP head coach Paul Tortorella and Cal head coach Gary Dunn have split their previous eight head-to-head matchups, with each coach earning four victories. The series has been particularly tight in recent years, as all but one meeting since 2021 has been decided by one possession. The Crimson Hawks have won two of the five matchups during that stretch, including last season's 38-30 victory at George P. Miller Stadium.

STORY LINES

THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MATCHUP

IUP and California (Pa.) will celebrate the 100th year of their rivalry in 2026, with the series between the two PSAC West programs dating to 1926. A century after the programs first met, the Crimson Hawks and Vulcans will renew a rivalry that has remained highly competitive, particularly in recent seasons.

That balance has continued during the tenures of IUP head coach Paul Tortorella and California head coach Gary Dunn. Since Tortorella took over the Crimson Hawks in 2017, the two coaches have split their eight head-to-head meetings, with each earning four victories. The even record has added another layer to a matchup between two programs that have regularly found themselves battling near the top of the PSAC West.

The series has been especially close since 2021. All but one of the meetings during that stretch have been decided by one possession, leaving little separation between the two teams. The lone double-digit result came in 2023, when California earned a 30-20 victory over IUP at George P. Miller Stadium.

With a century of history behind the matchup and the recent meetings consistently coming down to the closing stages, the Crimson Hawks and Vulcans will add another chapter to one of the PSAC West's longstanding rivalries this weekend.

HE'S A FRESHMAN

IUP freshman kicker Preston Rathway made program history over the past two weeks, becoming the first player in IUP history to convert two field goals of 50 yards or longer in a career. Rathway accomplished the feat in consecutive games, connecting from 51 yards against Lock Haven before drilling a 50-yard field goal against Slippery Rock.

Both kicks came at George P. Miller Stadium, giving Rathway the two longest made field goals in stadium history. His 51-yarder against Lock Haven established the stadium record before he followed with another 50-yard make one week later against The Rock.

Rathway has provided the Crimson Hawks with a long-range option in the kicking game during his first collegiate season, with his back-to-back 50-yard field goals putting his name in both the IUP and Miller Stadium record books.

THE DO-IT-ALL SPECIAL TEAMER

IUP redshirt freshman punter Gavin Mentzer has taken the term "flipping the field" to heart this season, emerging as one of the Crimson Hawks' most valuable weapons on special teams. Through 34 punt attempts, Mentzer is averaging 44.8 yards per punt, a mark that would set the IUP single-season program record if the season ended today.

Mentzer has consistently combined distance with field position throughout his first season handling the punting duties. He owns a season-long punt of 66 yards, has placed 12 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line and has recorded eight punts of 50 yards or longer.

His contributions extend well beyond punting. Mentzer has become a Swiss Army knife for the IUP special teams unit, also handling kickoff duties and serving as the holder on field goal and extra-point attempts. He has recorded 35 kickoffs with seven touchbacks this season.

With his ability to impact field position in several different roles, Mentzer has provided consistency for an IUP special teams unit that entered the season replacing all four of its primary specialists from a year ago.
 

BACK WHERE IT ALL STARTED

IUP wide receiver D'Avay Johnson returns this weekend to a stadium he called home for three seasons before becoming a Crimson Hawk. Johnson began his collegiate career at California (Pa.), where he developed into a consistent receiving threat for the Vulcans before making the move to IUP.

During his three seasons at California, Johnson hauled in 96 receptions for 1,564 yards and 11 touchdowns. He averaged more than 44 receiving yards per game during his time with the Vulcans and established himself as a proven playmaker in the PSAC West.

Johnson has continued to find the end zone since joining the Crimson Hawks, quickly becoming one of quarterback Mason Maggs' most trusted red-zone targets. Through seven games this season, Johnson has 18 receptions, with four of those catches going for touchdowns, while averaging 30 receiving yards per game.

His ability to make plays in scoring situations has added another weapon to the IUP passing attack. Johnson now returns to California for the first time as a Crimson Hawk, looking to make an impact against the program where he spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career.

STOP THE BLEEDING

IUP has rarely allowed a losing streak to extend beyond two games under head coach Paul Tortorella. In his eight-plus seasons leading the Crimson Hawks, IUP has lost back-to-back games just five times.

More importantly, the Crimson Hawks have consistently found a way to stop the skid there. IUP has not lost three consecutive games in a season since Tortorella took over as head coach at the beginning of the 2017 campaign.

That streak will be tested this weekend as IUP looks to respond following consecutive losses to Lock Haven and Slippery Rock. The Crimson Hawks will attempt to continue a trend that has held throughout Tortorella's tenure and avoid their first three-game losing streak under the ninth-year head coach.

THE COAL BOWL

The 2026 matchup between IUP and California (Pa.) will mark the 17th edition of the Coal Bowl, adding another chapter to the longstanding PSAC West rivalry between the two programs.

IUP captured last season's Coal Bowl with a 38-30 victory at George P. Miller Stadium. The Crimson Hawks leaned on a productive passing attack led by Coal Bowl MVP Devin Whitlock, while then-freshman running back Leon Parson found the end zone twice in the victory.

Recent meetings between the programs have been tightly contested. California has won two of the past three matchups, including a 16-13 victory the last time the Crimson Hawks traveled to California. IUP's most recent road victory in the series came in 2022, when the Crimson Hawks escaped with a 24-22 win.

With the teams trading close victories in recent seasons, the 17th Coal Bowl will provide another opportunity for IUP to retain the trophy while looking for its first victory at California since 2022.

100-FOR-100 INITIATIVE

IUP football is celebrating its unofficial 100th season in 2026 with the launch of the "100 For 100" campaign, an initiative aimed at raising more than $100,000 to support the current and future needs of the program.

IUP's football record book dates to 1927, with the Crimson Hawks compiling 619 victories, 23 PSAC West titles, five PSAC championships, 21 NCAA playoff appearances and two national championship game appearances over nearly a century of football.

The "100 For 100" campaign gives former players, alumni, families, fans and supporters an opportunity to help build on that tradition and provide resources for the program's next century.

Donate for the 100-for-100 Initiative