#3/3 KUTZTOWN VS. #11/12 SLIPPERY ROCK NCAA SECOND ROUND SATURDAY, NOV. 30, 2024 | 12:00 PM KUTZTOWN, PA. | ANDRE REED STADIUM

 

---

TICKETS
• Covered Reserved - $25
• Reserved - $15
• General Admission & KU Alumni - $10
• Non-KU students & Seniors (65+) - $5
• Children (2 and under) - FREE with paid adult

The first 250 KU students with ID will be admitted FREE.

All fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online in advance and use the mobile QR code for entry on game day. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS.
 

---

LIVE COVERAGE
Live Stats | Provided by Kutztown Sports Information
Live Streaming Video ($) | ESPN+ (subscription required)
Live Audio (FREE) | Provided by Kutztown University Radio (KUR)
 

---

GAME PREVIEW

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – They may be nearly 300 miles apart geographically, but Kutztown and Slippery Rock have developed a fierce rivalry on the gridiron over the last decade and a half.
 
Another chapter will be written Saturday when the unbeaten and third-ranked Golden Bears host the 11th-ranked Rock in the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship at Andre Reed Stadium.
 
Kutztown (11-0) completed its first unbeaten regular season in the modern era with a 21-14 victory at No. 17 California (Pa.) in the PSAC Championship Game back on Nov. 16, to claim its third PSAC title in the last four seasons. The victory extended Kutztown's Division II-best regular season winning streak to 20 games and vaulted the Golden Bears over Charleston (W.Va.) for the top seed in Super Region One.
 
Slippery Rock's (10-1) only loss to date came at the hands of California (Pa.), 28-7, on the road Oct. 19. The loss derailed a potential PSAC Championship Game rematch as Cal went on to win the West Division. Instead, the Golden Bears and Slippery Rock will meet for the first time since last year's Super Region One title game, a 28-16 victory for KU at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The Golden Bears boast one of Division II's top defensive units, ranking second in scoring defense (8.8 ppg), fourth in rushing defense (69.1 ypg), fourth in interceptions (18), fifth in total defense (223.5 ypg) and fifth in turnover margin (+1.45).
 
Kutztown has produced three shutouts, allowed 10 points or fewer six times and more than 20 points in a game just once. The Maroon and Gold have trailed for just 21:25 all season, a stretch that came between 7:14 of the first quarter and 0:49 of the second quarter when they fell behind 14-0 at East Stroudsburg, Sept. 28, before rallying for a 27-21 victory.
 
Though the overall offensive numbers don't jump off the page for KU, the Bears are still the second-highest scoring team in the PSAC at 30.5 points per game. They also rank third in rushing at 157.1 yards per game. They've been fantastic in the trenches on both sides of the ball where all five starting offensive linemen earned All-PSAC East honors (3 First Team, 2 Second Team) and three defensive linemen were named All-PSAC East First Team, including East Defensive Player of the Year Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown).
 
The Rock are making their sixth straight NCAA playoff appearance, the second-longest active streak among DII teams behind only Ferris State (10). Last season's quarterfinal matchup was the first between KU and SRU in the postseason, however they've met for the PSAC championship four times (technically a regular season game) since 2011. Kutztown is 4-1 in those PSAC championship and NCAA playoff meetings with The Rock. The Golden Bears have won four straight in the series and five of the last six games since 2017. Slippery Rock leads the all-time series, 11-7.
 
Slippery Rock will be hungry to reverse its recent slide against KU. To do so, it will need a big performance from quarterback Brayden Long, a 2023 Harlon Hill Trophy finalist. Long commands an offense that ranks third in the PSAC (28th in DII) in passing at 239.1 ypg and fourth in the PSAC (45th in DII) in total offense at 380.0 ypg.
 
Kutztown challenged the veteran signal caller in both meetings last year, intercepting him three times in the PSAC Championship Game and once (a 100-yard pick six) in the NCAA quarterfinals. Slippery Rock outgained KU by almost 300 yards in the NCAA quarterfinal game but struggled to convert in the red zone and turned the ball over three times.
 
Retter, a redshirt sophomore from Quakertown, Pa., has been a force throughout the fall for KU. He's totaled team-highs of 13.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and nine quarterback hurries, while making 42 tackles overall. He's also forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles and blocked two kicks. Linebacker Eden Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Governor Mifflin) leads the Bears with 54 tackles (26 solo), while fellow linebackers Jalen DeVose (Lansdale, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) (50) and Brandon Strausser (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) (44) rank second and third on the team, respectively.
 
Kutztown quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) continues to pile up wins. The redshirt sophomore from Manheim, Pa., is 23-1 as a starter dating back to last season and has thrown for 1,925 yards and 20 touchdowns against five interceptions this season. He's also rushed for 354 yards and three scores.
 
Behind Novak, the Bears have spread the ball around on offense. PSAC Championship Game MVP Jaedyn Stewart (Newfield, N.J./Delsea Regional) leads all rushers with 544 yards and has five TDs, while Steven Burkhardt (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City) has rushed for eight TDs and 466 yards. The trio of Stewart, Burkhardt and Novak have combined for more than 1,460 yards on the ground.
 
Mekhi Gibson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) paces the receivers with 522 yards (23.73 yards per catch) and seven TDs, while Noah Kracyla (Townsend, Del./Middletown) has come on strong with a team-high 36 catches for 510 yards and a TD. Kurtis Ravenel Jr. (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) has 34 catches for 418 yards and five scores but has been missed the last four games.
 
Not to be forgotten is Kutztown's special teams. Strong kicking, punting and return numbers make KU a threat in all three phases of the game. The Golden Bears' 13.8 yards per punt return are tops in the PSAC and 15th nationally, while their 24.5 yards per kick return rank second and 16th.
 
The Kutztown/Slippery Rock winner will face the winner of Ashland and California (Pa.) for the Super Region One title and a spot in the NCAA semifinals next Saturday, Dec. 7.