ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon football team celebrates Homecoming Weekend Saturday, October 20 by hosting 14th-ranked California (Pa.) at Gannon University Field. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division contest is scheduled for 12 noon.
Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for non-Gannon students and senior citizens.
All Gannon students, staff and faculty are admitted free of charge by showing their school ID at the gate.
Gannon has dropped to 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the PSAC West with six consecutive losses after a season-opening 36-33 victory against Lake Erie. The Golden Knights play three of their final four games at home, concluding the campaign with back-to-back home games against 20th-ranked Indiana (Pa.) and LIU Post.
Abraham Ocasio enters Saturday's game with 46 receptions for 681 yards and eight touchdowns. The sophomore can break Gannon single-season records with four more catches (49 / Sam Culberth / 2003), 127 more yards (807 / Lee Castana / 1997) and two more touchdowns (9 /
Lawrence Coleman / 2011). He also has three 100-yard performances, needing one more to tie Lee Castana's school record of four set during the 1997 campaign.
Liam Nadler became the second player in school history to throw for 2,000 yards in a season after tossing a school-record 428 yards last Saturday against Mercyhurst. The redshirt freshman enters Saturday's contest with 2,071 passing yards.
Justin Caliste returned his third career punt for a touchdown last week, racing 65 yards for a score. The sophomore is now one of only two players in school history to have three career punt returns for a touchdown, equaling Steve Trejchel's (1989-90) mark.
California (Pa.) brings one of the PSAC's most dominant programs during the last decade to Gannon University Field Saturday afternoon. The Vulcans have qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament five consecutive seasons (2007-11). Cal is the fourth school in PSAC history and first since West Chester (2004-08) to play in five straight postseasons. No program in PSAC history has played in six consecutive NCAA Division II Tournaments.
First-year head coach Mike Kellar's club is ranked 14th in the latest American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 Poll. The first NCAA Division II regional rankings are scheduled to be released Monday, October 22.
California (Pa.) is among the PSAC's top three in net punting (2nd, 36.38), passing offense (3rd, 342.14) and total offense (3rd, 467.14).
Peter Lalich ranks fifth nationally in total offense, producing 353.50 yards per game. Mike Williams leads the PSAC in receptions per game (7.00) and receiving yards per game (104.00). Trey Johnson is the PSAC's leader in punt return average (10.88) since Caliste's eight returns aren't enough to qualify his 18.6 average.
Gannon is still looking for its first-ever victory against California (Pa.). The Vulcans have won all four contests since Gannon joined the conference prior to the 2008 campaign. Cal has scored at least 33 points during all four games and has produced a 28.5 average margin of victory.
