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Complete
Box Score
California, PA -- The weather was ugly
for Saturday's game at California(Pa.), and as far as Edinboro
head coach Lou Tepper was concerned, so was his team's
performance. The result was a 36-26 loss to the Vulcans, dropping
Edinboro's record to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the PSAC West.
California(Pa.) is now 4-2 and 2-1, respectively. Edinboro entered
the game ranked 17th in the AFCA Top 25 and 11th in the
D2Football.com poll. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak.
The Fighting Scots were attempting to improve
to 3-0 in league play for the first time since 1995. But a defense
that entered the game ranked first in total defense (173.6 ypg.)
and rushing defense (40.8 ypg.) and third in scoring defense (6.0
ppg.), but was not up to the task against a high-powered Cal
offense that came in averaging 41.8 ppg., seventh in Division II.
Tepper wasn't about to place the blame solely
on the defense, however. "I'm really embarrassed with our
play today in three phases," he commented afterwards. "We
lost the turnover battle and we were heavily penalized. Our
special teams did not perform well. We take pride in special teams
and special teams were horrible today. We were one of the least
penalized teams in the conference heading into today. Defensively
I felt we were off balance most of the day. The offense moved the
ball better than I thought we could, but the turnovers … It
was ugly."
Edinboro committed three turnovers in all, and
was penalized seven times for 63 yards. California(Pa.) gained 404
total yards, and while the Fighting Scots finished with a
respectable 369 total yards, they were held to 127 yards on the
ground.
Despite all of this, Edinboro was driving for a
potential winning score before a pair of interceptions in the
final two minutes put a severe damper on its playoff hopes.
Trailing 29-26 after Cal took the lead midway through the fourth
quarter, the Fighting Scots put together an impressive drive that
started from their own 31. With backup tailback Kelvin Collins
(Glen Burnie, MD/Old Mill) doing most of the damage, Edinboro
moved down to the Cal 17, as Collins carried four times for 23
yards. But on a 2nd-and-9 play the Scots were called for illegal
procedure, followed by an incomplete pass. Facing 3rd-and-14 from
the 22, a short pass from Justin Bouch (Brackenridge,
PA/Highlands) that would have moved the Scots into closer
field goal range, bounced off the hands of an Edinboro receiver
and was intercepted by Antwjuan Cox. Cox not only returned the
pickoff 58 yards, but a personal foul against Edinboro at the end
of the play moved the ball to the Edinboro 17.
Cal standout running back Antoine Bagwell
scored on an 18-yard run three plays later to give the Vulcans a
36-26 lead with 1:48 to play.
Bouch would direct the Scots on another drive,
moving the Scots to the Cal 21 with just under a minute to play.
But once again Cox intercepted a pass that bounced off a
receiver's hands to spoil Edinboro's final comeback bid. The day
ended on a cruel note for Bouch, who deserved a better fate
after opening the day with 11 straight
completions. The first broke Edinboro's career record for
completions, as he now has 504. The senior ended the day
completing 23 of 36 passes for a season-high 242 yards with a TD,
but three interceptions.
The game started on an ominous note for the
Scots, as Cal took the opening kickoff and drove to the Edinboro 6
as QB Joe Ruggiero completed five of six passes for 62 yards. But
on a 3rd-and-goal play, Chris Avery (Berea, OH/Berea) stepped
in front of a Ruggiero pass at the one and returned it 99 yards
for a touchdown. It was the second-longest return in Edinboro
history, and the 18th in Avery's career, one shy of the school
record. Kody Robertson's (Columbus, OH/Hilliard Davidson) extra
point was no good, the start of a long day for the junior
placekicker. He would miss another PAT and a 38-yard field goal,
although he worked with three different holders during the game.
Cal came back on its next possession to take a
7-6 lead, the start of seven lead changes in the game. Brandon
Lombardy accounted for the score on a one-yard plunge.
Edinboro retook the lead with 9:08 to play in
the second quarter thanks to a seven-play, 65-yard drive. Bouch
completed all four of his attempts on the drive for 41 yards, the
final completion covering four yards to C.J. Trivisonno
(Kirtland, OH/Kirtland) for a touchdown. Trivisonno enjoyed a
career-best day with 6 catches for 68 yards. The extra point again
failed and Edinboro led 12-7.
The Vulcans followed with an eight-play,
59-yard drive, with Ruggiero hooking up with D'Monn Baker for a
five-yard scoring pass and a 14-12 halftime lead.
With leading rusher Ulysee Davis (Bryan's
Road, MD/Bishop McNamara) enjoying limited success in the wet
conditions, Edinboro turned to Collins in the second half. He paid
immediate dividends, as the 230 lb. senior bulled his way in from
six yards out for the first of his two touchdowns early in the
third quarter. Collins, a transfer from Bowie State, would finish
with a season-high 90 yards on 17 carries, all in the second half.
This time the extra point was good, giving the Scots a 19-14 lead
with 11:17 remaining in the third period.
For the fourth straight time, the Vulcans
answered an Edinboro score with a score of its own. This drive
covered 63 yards in 10 plays, with Ruggiero throwing his second
touchdown pass, a 12-yarder to Bagwell. Ruggiero then hooked up
with Tony Hoski for a two-point conversion and a 22-19 lead.
Trailing 22-19 entering the fourth quarter, the
Scots took their final lead of the game early in the fourth
quarter as the offensive took control and paved the way for an
11-play, 80-yard march. Collins provided most of the push with
seven carries for 42 yards, but the drive also included a 27-yard
completion from Bouch to Trivisonno down to the Cal 31. Four
straight Collins runs followed, the final from seven yards out for
a touchdown.
Cal made it five-for-five on scores following
Edinboro scores, with Ruggiero throwing his third touchdown pass.
This one covered 23 yards to Nate Forse, who ended the day with 10
catches for 121 yards. Ruggiero was six of seven for 70 yards in
the 77-yard drive, capping a day in which he completed 24 of 35
passes for 294 yards.
Edinboro returns to action next Saturday,
October 15 at Indiana(Pa.). Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. |
