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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Super Region I top seed and 12th-ranked Kutztown University hosts fourth-seeded and 18th-ranked New Haven University this Saturday, Nov. 27, for a 12:05 p.m., kickoff at Andre Reed Stadium in an NCAA second round football game.
 
Tickets for Saturday can be purchased online at the link above, or available to be bought in person at any of the ticket gates. A limited number of reserved seats in Section C (seat backs) are available for $15. All adult general admission seats are $10, all students with ID and senior citizens (65+) are $5 and children under the age of 6 are free of charge. General parking in lots F1 and E2 can be purchased online in advance for $5, while game day parking in those same lots is $10 (cash only). Standard tailgating permits for lot E2 are available for $25.
 
The Golden Bears (10-1 overall) are looking to advance to the quarterfinal round and Super Region I Championship game for the first time in program history with a victory over the Chargers (10-1), out of the Northeast-10 Conference.
 
The two teams last met 10 years ago, in the same game, a 44-37 win for New Haven against Kutztown on Nov. 26, 2011, in a second round matchup at DellaCamera Stadium. Since that game, both teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament three times, including this year, but neither advanced past the second round. The Golden Bears and Chargers have met three times in their histories (1994, 1995, 2011), New Haven has won all three meetings. It is KU's third straight appearance in NCAAs.
 
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion Kutztown enters on a nine-game win streak, its only loss coming at No. 15 Indiana (Pa.) by three points (29-26) on Sept. 11. KU went a perfect 7-0 in East Division play this season to earn its second straight outright PSAC East Division crown and fifth overall in program history. The PSAC championship was the program's second. Kutztown is one victory shy of matching the school record for wins in a season, having gone 11-2 in 2011 and 2019.
 
PSAC East Coach of the Year, Jim Clements, in his seventh season at the helm, has turned the Maroon and Gold into a regular in the postseason of late. KU played in its second consecutive PSAC championship game back on Saturday, Nov. 13, a 38-32 win over defending champion Slippery Rock. Clements has posted a 58-21 overall record that includes three unbeaten PSAC East seasons (2021, 2019 and 2016), and his teams have had winning records in all seven seasons under his direction. He is four wins shy of becoming the program's all-time winningest coach, as George Baldwin (1973-83, 85-87) finished his career on the KU sidelines with 61 victories.
 
Kutztown has the 10th-ranked scoring defense in Division II and second in the PSAC, allowing just 13.9 points per game. It also ranks second in total defense (267.5 yards per game) and first in rushing defense (76.4 yards per game). Defensive standouts in lineman Ryan Meyers (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley), linebacker Amani Justice (Salem, N.J./Salem) and defensive back Nick Palmer (Montville, N.J./Bergen Catholic) all earned All-PSAC First Team recognition, while linebackers Chris Thomas (Norwood, Pa./Interboro) and Tyler Whary (Hereford, Pa./Upper Perkiomen), along with defensive backs Antaun Lloyd (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) and Shawn Turber-Ortiz (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) received Second-Team honors.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, Kutztown has utilized the 'ground and pound' method to success. KU averages 197.9 rushing yards (second in the PSAC) and 188.9 passing yards for 380.8 total yards (fifth), and 26.5 points per game (seventh).
 
PSAC championship game MVP, Jeremiah Nelson (Jamaica, N.Y./Holy Cross) leads the attack with 523 yards on 83 carries, including three touchdowns. His 65.4 ypg ranks eighth-best in the PSAC. All-PSAC First Team running back, Darryl Davis-McNeil (Roslyn, Pa./Abington) has 512 yards and five scores. Jordan Davis (Franklin, N.J./Saint Joseph Metuchen) has rushed for 485 yards and three TDs on 94 attempts. Zaire Jones (Salem, N.J./Salem) has played in all 11 games and has 67 carries for 427 yards and a score. Senior quarterback Eric Nickel (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) leads the team in rushes with 97 and touchdowns with 11. Through the air, his favorite target, All-PSAC First Team wide receiver, Jerome Kapp (Barto, Pa./Boyertown) ranks ninth in the conference with eight touchdowns and has 37 receptions for 758 yards.
 
With a victory Saturday, Kutztown would advance further than any other team in program history.
 
On the bottom half of the regional bracket, No. 2 Shepherd hosts No. 3 Notre Dame (Ohio), also this Saturday, at noon.