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Jeff Uleau

Football by C.J. Hemerly, Assistant Sports Information Director

PREVIEW: No. 15 Kutztown Puts Undefeated Record on the Line at Shippensburg Saturday

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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The nationally-ranked and unbeaten 15th-ranked Kutztown University football team will look keep its unblemished record and win streak that spans two years intact when it travels on the road to take on Shippensburg University this Saturday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m. at SU Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division showdown.
 
The Golden Bears (6-0 overall, 3-0 PSAC) are off to their best record to start a season since they began the 2010 season 9-0. Dating back to last season, the Maroon and Gold have now won eight consecutive games. KU has now clinched its fifth straight winning season, the most in program history dating back to the streak of four straight from 1936-1939.
 
KU will look to continue the trend of being homecoming spoilers. The two teams have played each other on their respective homecoming weekends each of the last three years. The Maroon and Gold defeated the Red Raiders in 2016 (27-24 (OT2)) and SU took down KU 27-13 last season.
 
Kutztown was voted third in the PSAC Eastern Division preseason poll, while Shippensburg was picked second. KU currently sits atop of the East standings, tied with West Chester University. The Red Raiders (3-4, 1-2) are fifth.
 
The Golden Bears have their highest national ranking since the 2011 season when they were as high as No. 6.
 
This will be the 71st meeting between the two teams (Ship leads 49-19-2). SU holds a 30-4 home record over Kutztown. KU's 2016 victory was its first at Shippensburg in 21 years (1995). The two teams first met in 1929, with Shippensburg (the host) winning 26-12.
 
Kutztown is fresh off a 41-0 victory over Lock Haven last Saturday, Oct. 13, on its homecoming. Head coach Jim Clements won his 100th career game with the victory.
 
It was the first shutout of the season for the Kutztown defense, which ranks fifth in the PSAC allowing 22.5 points per game. KU forced six Bald Eagles turnovers (three fumbles, three interceptions). Jake Perry (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) had an interception that he returned for a 30-yard touchdown with 0:03 left in the second quarter, just 0:37 after Lee's touchdown grab, to cap off the scoring output on the day. Perry is seventh on the all-time career interceptions list at KU.
 
Shawn Turber-Ortiz (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) ranks first in the PSAC in solo tackles (37) and second in total tackles per game (9.8). Ahkee Cox-Cowan (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) ranks third in the conference with nine pass breakups. He ranks second in program history with 41 career.
 
On offense, redshirt-junior quarterback Collin DiGalbo (Secane, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) finished 13-for-20 through the air for 203 yards and one touchdown. He ran seven times for 45 yards and a score, becoming the program's all-time leading rusher in a career by a quarterback with 918 yards on the ground.
 
Redshirt-senior running back Craig Reynolds (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington) rushed for 46 yards and one touchdown. He ranks second all-time in KU history with 31 career touchdowns and sixth with 2,393 rushing yards. Reynolds also ended his day with 104 all-purpose yards and ranks third all-time at KU with 4,743 in his career.
 
Eleven different Golden Bears caught passes, marking the fourth straight week that double-digit players have tallied receptions. The receiving corps was led by Jack Pilkerton (La Plata, Md./La Plata (Golden West)), who tallied four catches for 71 yards. Josh Lee (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington (Thaddeus Stevens)) had two catches, including a 19-yard touchdown catch from DiGalbo in the second quarter.
 
A win Saturday could set up a top-15 nationally-ranked matchup at home with No. 12 West Chester next Saturday, Oct. 27.

 
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Players Mentioned

Ahkee Cox-Cowan

#4 Ahkee Cox-Cowan

CB
5' 9"
Junior
Collin DiGalbo

#17 Collin DiGalbo

QB
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Josh Lee

#23 Josh Lee

WR
5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
Jake Perry

#5 Jake Perry

DB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Jack Pilkerton

#42 Jack Pilkerton

TE
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Craig Reynolds

#13 Craig Reynolds

RB
5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
Shawn Turber-Ortiz

#34 Shawn Turber-Ortiz

DB
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Ahkee Cox-Cowan

#4 Ahkee Cox-Cowan

5' 9"
Junior
CB
Collin DiGalbo

#17 Collin DiGalbo

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
QB
Josh Lee

#23 Josh Lee

5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
WR
Jake Perry

#5 Jake Perry

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
DB
Jack Pilkerton

#42 Jack Pilkerton

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
TE
Craig Reynolds

#13 Craig Reynolds

5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
RB
Shawn Turber-Ortiz

#34 Shawn Turber-Ortiz

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
DB
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