Justin Caliste
Tad Makowiecki
Senior Justin Caliste tied a school record with 12 catches for 166 yards after missing Gannon's last game at Cheyney.
28
Kutztown KUTZ 1-2 , 1-1
37
Winner Gannon University GAN 3-0 , 2-0
Kutztown KUTZ
1-2 , 1-1
28
Final
37
Gannon University GAN
3-0 , 2-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
KUTZ Kutztown 0 21 0 7 28
GAN Gannon University 14 6 3 14 37

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9/27/2014 | 2:00 PM

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Game Recap: Football | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Football Team Moves to 3-0 For First Time Since 1994 with 37-28 Victory Against Kutztown (Video)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Gannon 37, Kutztown 28
  • Records: Gannon (3-0, 2-0 PSAC), Kutztown (1-2, 1-1 PSAC)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. – Gannon University Field
  • The Short Story: Gannon overcame a 21-20 halftime deficit by out-scoring Kutztown 17-7 during the second half to post a 37-28 victory Saturday afternoon, moving to 3-0 for the first time since 1994. The Golden Knights ripped off 550 yards of total offense, the ninth-highest single-game total in school history.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Gannon took control early with a 14-0 edge during the first quarter. Redshirt junior Jesstin Hamm (Harwood, Md./DeMatha Catholic) got behind the Kutztown defense down the left sideline for a 66-yard touchdown reception from redshirt junior Liam Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local) on Gannon's second play from scrimmage.
  • Junior Brock Jones (Peninsula, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) completed a 10-play, 59-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run to give Gannon a 14-0 lead with 2:15 left in the first quarter. All but 10 yards during the drive came on the ground, including 35 yards from Jones.
  • Kutztown rallied with a 21-6 scoring edge during the second quarter due in part to Gannon miscues. After Gannon missed a field goal, the Golden Bears drove 80 yards on five plays to cut the deficit in half. Chad Barton's 52-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Kelly produced the points.
  • Gannon fumbled the ball away inside the Kutztown 20-yard line during its next possession. Three plays later, Barton hit Kellen Williams on a 78-yard scoring strike to tie the game with 5:49 left in the second quarter.
  • Kutztown had the ball again with a 4th-and-6 situation at the Gannon 38-yard line late in the first half. Junior Matt Astorino (Edinboro, Pa./General McLane) broke up the play, giving Gannon the ball back with 1:39 left. The Golden Knights went 62 yards in 1:12 to move back ahead. After two completions, Nadler rushed for five yards and Jones reached the endzone with 34 more. But a missed extra point kept the lead at 20-14 with 27 seconds left.
  • Kutztown appeared to begin running the clock out during its next possession, but a run play picked up 15 yards to the Gannon 46-yard line. The Golden Bears then went for it as Barton completed a 33-yard pass to Kelly and a 13-yard touchdown pass to Williams. The three-play, 61-yard drive took only 17 seconds and propelled Kutztown in the halftime break with a 21-20 advantage.
  • Gannon regained the lead with the only points of the third quarter on Karch Holland's (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) 37-yard field goal at the 3:07 mark.
  • Senior Justin Caliste (Roseville, Calif./Oakmont) extended the lead to 30-21 early in the fourth quarter. He took a swing pass from Nadler, exploded through three defenders untouched and raced down the right sideline for a 70-yard touchdown 23 seconds into the final quarter.
  • After a Gannon fumble on its next possession at the Kutztown 36-yard line, the Golden Bears clawed within 30-28 on Darrell Scott's 35-yard run straight up the middle for a touchdown with 8:23 remaining.
  • Gannon answered right back with a nine-play, 64-yard drive that lasted 4:14. The drive consisted of 47 rushing yards, capped by a Nadler two-yard screen to Jones that reached the endzone with 4:03 to play.
  • Kutztown was forced to punt the ball away on its next possession, before Gannon ran the last 3:20 off the clock with two first downs.

GAME NOTES
  • Saturday's contest was played in sunny conditions and temperatures that reached 80 degrees.
  • The game featured 948 yards of total offense, including 550 yards by Gannon and 398 yards by Kutztown.
  • Gannon out-gained Kutztown 219-47 on the ground.
  • The Golden Knights finished 12-of-18 in third-down conversions.
  • Gannon scored during four of five trips into the red zone.
  • The Golden Knights wore Kutztown down with a commanding edge in time of possession, holding the ball for 37 minutes and 12 seconds. Gannon produced a 22:49-7:21 edge during the second half. The Golden Knights limited Kutztown to only 3:04 of possession during the final quarter.
  • Kutztown scored 21 of its 28 points after two Gannon fumbles and a missed field goal.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 1994.
  • Gannon rolled up 550 yards of total offense, the ninth-highest single-game total in school history.
  • Jones rushed for career-high 177 yards and two touchdowns. It was the 17th-highest single-game total in school history. He has rushed for 438 yards and six touchdowns during the first three games.
  • Caliste made 12 catches for 166 yards, tying his career-high for catches and falling nine yards shy of career-high for yards. The 12 catches tied a school record set previously by Caliste against Slippery Rock in 2012 and Lee Castana against Canisius in 1997.
  • Hamm hauled in a career-high nine catches for 132 yards. His nine catches equaled the seventh-highest single-game total in program history.
  • Sophomore Matthew Gawlik (Strongsville, Ohio/St. Ignatius) recorded a sack for the third consecutive game.
  • Gannon's 37:12 time of possession was the program's most since holding the ball for 41:46 against Edinboro on October 12, 2013.
  • Kutztown was coming off a 44-7 rout of No. 20 Indiana (Pa.) last weekend.
  • Gannon moved to 2-0 in PSAC action for the second consecutive season. 

UP NEXT
  • Gannon begins a two-game road swing Saturday, September 27 at Clarion. The PSAC Western Division opener is scheduled for 2 p.m.
  • Clarion posted a 27-6 victory at Cheyney Saturday afternoon, improving to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in conference action.
  • Gannon snapped a four-game losing streak in the all-time series against Clarion with a 45-25 victory on the Golden Eagles' home field last season.
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Players Mentioned

Matt Astorino

#30 Matt Astorino

DB
5' 8"
Junior
Social Studies/Secondary Education
Justin Caliste

#5 Justin Caliste

WR
5' 5"
Senior
Criminal Justice
Matthew Gawlik

#95 Matthew Gawlik

DL
6' 3"
Sophomore
Business Finance
Jesstin Hamm

#7 Jesstin Hamm

WR
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Communication Arts
Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

RB
5' 10"
Junior
Business Entrepreneurship
Liam Nadler

#10 Liam Nadler

QB
6' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Political Science
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

K
5' 8"
Freshman
Undecided Science

Players Mentioned

Matt Astorino

#30 Matt Astorino

5' 8"
Junior
Social Studies/Secondary Education
DB
Justin Caliste

#5 Justin Caliste

5' 5"
Senior
Criminal Justice
WR
Matthew Gawlik

#95 Matthew Gawlik

6' 3"
Sophomore
Business Finance
DL
Jesstin Hamm

#7 Jesstin Hamm

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Communication Arts
WR
Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

5' 10"
Junior
Business Entrepreneurship
RB
Liam Nadler

#10 Liam Nadler

6' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Political Science
QB
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

5' 8"
Freshman
Undecided Science
K