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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University offense looked strong with two touchdown-scoring drives to open its 2015 season, the 100th season of KU football. It led by 16 at halftime, but a rough third quarter let Assumption College back in the game as Kutztown dropped a shootout, 41-37, on Saturday afternoon in a non-conference game at University Field at Andre Reed Stadium.
 
The Golden Bears (0-1) put up 363 total yards in the first half to lead 23-7 at halftime. KU showcased great strength with multiple offensive formations and a tough defense up front that forced the Greyhounds (1-0) out of their rhythm.
 
The third quarter and executing down the stretch proved to be the difference makers. KU totaled just four yards of offense in the third quarter while Assumption took advantage with 21 unanswered points in to take a 27-23 lead early in the fourth quarter. KU had three drives in the third quarter, two of which ended in three-and-outs.
 
As offense picked up in the fourth quarter, it appeared clear that the last team to have the ball would most likely have the best chance to win the game. KU retook the lead with 10:16 to play with a 78-yard touchdown drive, but gave the lead right back with a 65-yard touchdown pass for Assumption on its first play of the next drive.
 
Notably, three of Assumption's touchdowns came on distances of 62, 36 and 65 yards.
 
Kutztown ran for 152 yards in the first half, but just 26 in the second half as it went to the air for most of its second-half production. Trailing 34-30 with 10:01 to play, redshirt senior quarterback Chad Barton (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) strung together 11 straight completions, capped with a TD pass to Kellen Williams (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) to give KU a 37-34 lead with 5:31 to play. It capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive.
 
KU ran for 178 yards on the day, marking its first loss since the beginning of last season in which it ran for at least 100 yards.
 
Assumption scored touchdowns on its final four drives, with its final one coming with 3:47 to play on a touchdown run to give it a 41-37 lead. KU started with poor field position after it fumbled the ensuing kickoff, as an eventual 4th-and-1 incompletion ended Kutztown's bid at winning the first-ever matchup between the two schools.
 
"We didn't make them drive the field today; there's no excuse for that," head coach Jim Clements said. "They just made big play, after big play, and we need to be better than that. After the way a couple of games fell last year, our motto this year has been to finish games: good teams know how to finish a game. I think we are a good team; we just have to put it together."
 
Craig Reynolds (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington) had a terrific opening game for his career as a Golden Bear. The redshirt freshman running back made an impact motioning into a slot receiver's role for a game-high 12 catches for 115 yards. It is the third straight year that a KU freshman has led the team with 10 or more catches in the season-opener.
 
"The coaches prepared us well all week and it feels great to be able to contribute like this," Reynolds said. "Our captains really motivated me to want to do well this week. I think we did play well, but we just weren't able to come out on top. It's a tough loss, but we have great coaches and players who have the ability to put this behind us and get us focused on the upcoming game."
 
Barton threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns to open his senior season, putting him over 3,000 career passing yards, the ninth player in school history to do so. He connected on 36-of-52 passes, a career-high for completions, by way of seven different receivers. He moved into 10th all-time in career pass attempts (463) and ninth in career completions (275).
 
Williams helped KU keep the chains moving in the second half and finished with nine catches for 88 yards. He eclipsed 100 career catches and now ranks 13th in school history with 101, the 14th player in KU's 100-catch club. The junior also moved into 14th in career yardage with 1,287.
 
Redshirt senior Kodi Reed (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) had seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown. He moved up to seventh in school history in career receptions with 140, surpassing KU Hall of Famer Darrien Peoples, and is now 30 yards shy of 2,000 career yards. He also moved into a tie for third all-time with his 20th career touchdown catch.
 
Saturday marked the first time since 2013 that two KU receivers hauled in 100 receiving yards.
 
Fellow senior Anthony Kelly (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) rounded out the top core of receivers with five catches for 35 yards, including a tremendous touchdown catch in the back corner of the endzone in the first half. He surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards and currently stands at 1,004. The TD catch moved him into a tie for 10th all-time at KU with 16 in his career.
 
Defensively, junior captain Zack Delp (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) led the way with 10 tackles. Darryl Mintz (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) and Tyler Pratt (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) had six tackles apiece in the secondary and Ronny Tomasetti (Dickson City, Pa./Mid-Valley) notched the team's lone sack of the game.
 
For Assumption, quarterback Brendan Tobey threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns on 22-for-31 passing. His top target was Deonte Harris, who hauled in 10 catches for 81 yards. Ashton Grant had himself a 100-yard game with 115 receiving yards on five catches. Running back Alex Shain ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by a 62-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
 
The Golden Bears hit the road next week for a rematch with Indiana University (PA) on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. KU upset then-nationally-ranked IUP last season at home, 44-7.