KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Seventh-ranked Kutztown begins 2025 the way it did in 2024, hosting a non-conference, season opener against Assumption out of the Northeast 10 Conference under the lights. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m., Thursday night inside Andre Reed Stadium.
 
The game can be viewed on the PSAC Sports Digital Network, linked above, while also listened to via Kutztown University Radio. Live stats can be followed along through kubears.com, and linked above.
 
Individual and season tickets, parking passes and tailgate permits for the 2025 Kutztown University football season are on sale now! Visit kubears.com/tickets to purchase tickets. For more information, call the University Box Office at 610-683-4092 on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 11 a.m.-3 p.m. or email boxoffice@kutztown.edu.
 
The Golden Bears won the opening matchup 24-6 on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. It was the first Thursday night game since 2014. Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) ran for 87 yards, highlighted by an 80-yard first quarter touchdown scamper, and threw for 129 more along with a score. Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) was a menace on defense with seven tackles, a sack and two fumble recoveries, including one in the end zone with 9:11 remaining that pushed KU's lead to 24-6. The Maroon and Gold have won the last three matchups in this series.
 
Head coach Jim Clements, entering his 11th season in charge, currently boasts a 20-game regular season win streak, dating back to Sept. 16, 2023. It is the longest current streak in all of Division II and tied for fourth across all levels of college football behind three Division III programs in Mount Union (75), North Central (47), DePauw (25) and the University of Oregon (20) at the Division I level.
 
Kutztown finished last season with an 11-1 overall record and won their second straight PSAC championship, third in the last four seasons and fourth overall in program history. They earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Championships for the second consecutive season and fifth in the last six, winning 11 games in-a-row to begin the season.
 
KU was voted first in the PSAC East preseason poll, while the Greyhounds were picked third in the NE10. Retter, a redshirt-junior defensive lineman, along with redshirt-senior offensive lineman Billy Everitt (Abington, Pa./Abington) and Ryan Schernecke (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) were included in the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List this preseason. Retter was on the First Team Defense, Schernecke was a part of the Second Team Offense and Everitt was Honorable Mention on offense.
 
The Greyhounds, who finished the 2024 season 6-4 overall and 5-3 in conference, return six All-NE10 selections from 2024, including OL Matthew Connolly, LB Owen Fitzgerald, DL Tindell Frick, DL Jepthe Jean, QB Jay Kastantin and K Massimo Sgambati.
 
One of the least penalized team's in the country, Assumption ranked fifth in penalty yards against (408) and ninth in penalty yards per game (40.8).  Additionally, the Greyhounds' three interceptions thrown were the fifth fewest in NCAA Division II.
 
The game is sponsored by Giant and is the Morgan's Message game. Kutztown's next game is scheduled for next Saturday, Sept. 13, at Edinboro at 1 p.m.