KUTZTOWN, PA (October 13, 2010) – After securing its first winning season since 2003, the undefeated and nationally-ranked Kutztown University football team celebrates homecoming against Millersville University in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division game on Saturday, October 16 at University Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. (GAME NOTES)
This is the beginning of a three-game homestand for Kutztown.
Off to their best start in school history, the Golden Bears (6-0 overall, 3-0 PSAC East) are ranked 23rd in the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) Top 25 poll and 25th in the d2football.com media poll. It's the first time since 2001 that the Golden Bears have appeared in the AFCA coaches' poll.
The game will be broadcast on WEEU-830 AM based out of Reading beginning at 12:50 p.m. with the pregame show. Fans throughout the world can listen to the game at www.kubears.com. In addition, the game will air live on KUTV, which is Service Electric Channel 24 and Hometown Utilicom Channel 28 in Kutztown and eastern Berks County. The game will be replayed on Sunday, October 17 at 6:00 p.m., Monday, October 18 at 3 p.m. and Tuesday, October 19 at noon.
Kutztown will be facing a Millersville (2-4, 0-3) squad looking to break a three-game losing streak and earn its first PSAC East victory of 2010.
With another victory, the Golden Bears will tie a school record for wins in a single season with seven. The 1977 and 2000 teams each finished with seven victories. The Golden Bears are one of two PSAC teams without a defeat and the only perfect Eastern Division team. Kutztown has never started a season 7-0.
While the Golden Bears are chasing history, they are also looking to remain in a three-way first place tie in the PSAC East with Bloomsburg and C.W. Post, who also have 3-0 divisional records. West Chester is also lurking with a 2-1 mark in the division.
Kutztown is one of 10 Division II schools without a defeat in 2010. The other unbeaten schools are Albany State, Abilene Christian, Augustana, California (Pa), Grand Valley State, Minnesota-Duluth, North Alabama, Shepherd, and West Virginia Wesleyan.
This will be the 84th meeting between the two teams. Millersville leads the all-time series, 57-23-3. Millersville won last year's contest in double overtime, 41-35, in a game played in a steady downpour and featured a lengthy lightning delay in the fourth quarter.
Millersville and Kutztown have played some close contests in recent years. Since 2000, five games have been decided by three points or less. Additionally two of the last three games between KU and MU have gone into multiple overtimes. KU edged Millersville, 26-23, in triple overtime in 2007 before losing a double overtime thriller last year.
Last week, Kutztown raced to a four touchdown lead early in the fourth quarter and held off a furious East Stroudsburg rally to claim a 38-31 victory to end a nine-year losing streak to the Warriors. Meanwhile, Millersville committed four turnovers as it dropped a 49-21 decision to C.W. Post.
Kutztown has soared to the top of the PSAC with an offense that is ranked second in the PSAC in scoring (39.5 points per game) and third overall (400.3). The Golden Bears have scored 30 or more points in every game this season and have produced points in 21 of 24 quarters. The Golden Bears are ranked third in the PSAC in passing offense (256.0).
Meanwhile, the Golden Bear defense has been equally strong. Kutztown is second in the PSAC in sacks per game (3.17), third in scoring defense (16.0), fifth in rushing defense (124.5) and seventh in total defense (343.4). The Golden Bears have also thrived on special teams. They are the top-ranked unit in the PSAC in kickoff coverage (43.4 net average) and punting (35.7 net average). KU is second in kickoff return average (24.5) and punt return average (17.1).
Kevin Bolinsky has recorded at least one sack in every game this season and leads the PSAC in sacks (8.5). He is also tied for first in tackles for loss per game (1.67). Joel Irwinis KU's top tackler with 44 stops. He has 197 career tackles.
Last week, sophomore quarterback Kevin Morton fired three touchdown passes extending his streak to 11 games with at least one scoring toss. He has 33 touchdown passes for his career and is poised to move ahead Mike de Marteleire, who has 34, and into third place on the all-time KU list. Morton has thrown 18 touchdown passes this season. Morton leads the PSAC in passing efficiency (154.7) and he is second in passing average per game (256.0), total offense (300.2).
Sophomore running back Josh Mastromatto finished with 90 rushing yards, six catches and two touchdowns. Erik Frazier (Philadelphia, PA/Germantown), who is tied for eighth in receptions per game (4.3), had a 26-yard touchdown catch against ESU. Kutztown has three receivers with at least 20 catches this season: Frazier (26), Josh Smith (22) and Colby Tuell (21).
The Golden Bear defense will have its hands full with Millersville's offense. Millersville averages 22.8 points per game. Behind quarterback Bill Shirk and wide receivers Jamal Smith and Matt Egenrieder, the Marauders are fourth in the PSAC in passing offense (254.2).
Shirk is third in the PSAC in passing average (254.2), fourth in passing efficiency (139.8) and fifth in total offense (243.7). Smith leads the PSAC in receiving yards per game (109.7) and is second in receptions per game (6.3). Smith has caught touchdown passes for the Marauders. In last year's contest against KU, Smith caught four touchdown passes.
Smith returned a kickoff for a touchdown against C.W. Post and finished with 70 yards receiving on five catches. He has now scored 33 career touchdowns and has scored at least one by passing, receiving, rushing and on kick return.
While Millersville enters the game ranked 16th against the run (223.5), 15th in total defense (401.2) and tied for 14th in scoring defense (32.2), the Marauders have been formidable against the pass. They have the conference's fifth best pass defense (177.7). Pat Maloney leads Millersville with 53 tackles and is tied for fourth in the PSAC in tackles per game (8.8). Shane Gross (50 tackles, 8.3 per game) and Jeff Longley (48, 6.0) also rank in the top 10 in the PSAC in tackles per game.
Both teams continue PSAC East play next weekend. Kutztown remains home to host C.W. Post beginning at 6:05 p.m. Millersville will play its final home contest of the season against East Stroudsburg beginning at 1:30 p.m.
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