CALIFORNIA(PA) Vulcans (2-1, 0-0 PSAC West) at EDINBORO Fighting Scots (0-3, 0-0 PSAC West)
 California(Pa.) Game Notes
Radio:  WFSE 88.9 (Streamed on www.edinboronow.com)
TV:  ETV (Streamed on www.edinboro.tv)

The Game Story
Edinboro returns home for its third game in the first four weeks at Sox Harrison Stadium, hosting California(Pa.). The Fighting Scots are still in search of win number one after last week's 56-12 loss at East Stroudsburg. Edinboro opened the season with a 30-10 loss to Saint Joseph's(Ind.), followed by a 20-13 setback to Shippensburg.

This marks the opening of divisional play in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Last year crossover games within the conference counted in the league standings, but that is not the case this year. 

The Fighting Scots are looking to snap a string of three straight losing seasons. That marks the first time with three consecutive losing campaigns since a stretch of six straight losing seasons from 1997-2002.

Edinboro is staring at another demanding schedule in 2015. Eight of the 11 teams on the 2015 slate posted winning records, with Slippery Rock and Gannon winning nine games, Saint Joseph's and California(Pa.) eight games, and Mercyhurst seven. The combined record of the eleven 2015 opponents is 65-56, but the combined records of the eight teams with winning records was 59-29. 

California(Pa.) comes in with a 2-1 record. The Vulcans opened the year with a 35-16 win at Virginia State, before suffering a 20-13 loss at home to Bloomsburg in week number two. A week ago they jumped out to a 34-10 halftime lead before holding off Shippensburg in a 34-26 win.

Edinboro looks to snap a ten-game losing streak to California(Pa.). The Fighting Scots last defeated the Vulcans in 2004, 42-28. A year ago Cal prevailed 34-16 at Adamson Stadium.

The Edinboro defense lost a key member after just one week when Mike Shansky was lost for the season with an injury. The senior was a two-time All-PSAC West second team selection at linebacker, and was Edinboro's leading tackler a year ago. 

The Fighting Scots began the 2015 season with six starters returning on offense and six more on defense. While head coach Scott Browning knew youth would play a major role this year, that has become even more evident, particularly on defense. The defense has started as many as five freshmen in a game already, and as many as ten freshmen are seeing consistent playing time on the defensive side of the ball. The 2015 roster features 38 true freshman and 10 redshirt freshman. A year ago a total of 43 games were started by true freshman.

Edinboro was picked to finish seventh in the PSAC West in the coaches' preseason poll after being picked to finish sixth the previous two years. The Fighting Scots finished in a tie for sixth in 2014. California(Pa.) was 8-2 a year ago. The Vulcans were picked to finish fourth in the PSAC West in the coaches preseason poll.

On TV/Radio
The Edinboro-California(Pa.) game can be heard live on WFSE FM 88.9, with Mike Fenner providing the play-by-play and Tyler Trumbauer the commentary. In addition, all Edinboro radio broadcasts will be aired by the Keystone Sports Network. The games will be broadcast on ESPN 92.7 FM in Erie and WWCB 1370 AM in Corry, Pa., in addition to being streamed live. Edinboro student television station ETV will televise the game, as well. Go to www.edinboro.tv for more information. 

The All-Time Series 
California(Pa.) leads 44-35-2
California(Pa.) holds a 44-35-2 lead in the all-time series with Edinboro thanks to winning the last ten meetings.  After two straight years playing at Cal's Adamson Stadium, the series moves back to Sox Harrison Stadium. Four of the losses during the ten-game streak have come at Sox Harrison Stadium. The last time Edinboro defeated Cal was 2004, a 42-28 win at Sox Harrison Stadium.    

The Last Meeting 
California(Pa.) 34, Edinboro 16 
Cody Harris scored on a pair of short touchdown runs in the second half but it wasn't enough to overcome a 28-0 halftime deficit.  California(Pa.) scored on four of its first five possessions, but the Boro defense settled down to hold the Vulcans to a pair of field goals in the second half. Cal had 271 yards in the first half while Edinboro was held to 104 yards, including minus 27 yards rushing. The Edinboro offense was held in check until the fourth quarter when Harris directed the Fighting Scots on scoring drives of 79 and 91 yards. He accounted for both touchdowns on runs of one and two yards. Edinboro added a safety with just under two minutes to play when Joel Fulton blocked a punt out of the end zone. Harris completed 29 of 42 passes for 312 yards, but he was under constant pressure all afternoon. Edinboro quarterbacks were sacked seven times as the Scots finished with minus 12 yards rushing, the third-lowest total in school history. California(Pa.) finished the day with 382 yards while Edinboro ended with 325 yards. 

Last Week 
East Stroudsburg 56, Edinboro 12 
East Stroudsburg scored on seven of its first eight possessions in a PSAC crossover contest at Eiler-Martin Stadium. It marked Edinboro's first road game of 2015. A year ago Matt Soltes burned the Fighting Scots for 502 yards and six touchdowns passing. The senior enjoyed another outstanding day as he threw for 438 yards and five TDs. East Stroudsburg would piece together drives of 82 and 69 yards in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead, and tacked on 59, 80 and 67-yards drives in the second quarter for a 35-0 lead.  The Warriors totaled 337 yards in the first 30 minutes, while Edinboro had 114 yards. Edinboro would score twice in the third quarter, on a 41-yard pass from Jake Sisson to Alex Caratelli, and a six-yard run by Jon Girvin. However, the Scots couldn't slow down the ESU offense, as the Warriors led 49-12 after three quarters and scored a final touchdown in the fourth period. ESU finished with 565 total yards while Edinboro was held to a season-low 283 yards. Edinboro threw for 154 yards and ran for a season-high 129 yards. Sisson, making just his fourth career start, completed 14-of-28 passes for 141 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Cory Bell paced the ground game with seven carries for 56 yards, with Sisson adding 43 yards on four scrambles. Caratelli caught 3 passes for 57 yards, with Connor Hollenbeck adding 3 catches for 19 yards. 
     
California(Pa.) 34, Shippensburg 26
The Vulcans erupted for 27 points in the second quarter to grab a 34-10 lead at the half, then held off a Shippensburg rally in the second half. Junior defensive back Aaron Terry capped the second-quarter outburst with a 97-yard punt return for a touchdown as time expired. He then sealed the victory with an interception after Shippensburg had reached the Cal 30 late in the game. Sophomore John Franklin III rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns on 27 attempts, all career highs. He helped the Vulcans take a 34-10 lead at halftime after rushing for 94 yards on 19 carries, including two scores, in the first half. In his third career start, Franklin eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the first time. James Harris, meanwhile, threw a pair of touchdown passes and accounted for 202 yards passing. The Cal defense recorded seven sacks.
          
The Coaches
Scott Browning (Ohio State '81) took over as Edinboro's 13th head coach on January 5, 2006, and in his first six seasons he tied the record for most wins by a coach during that period.  Browning is in his tenth season with a 57-46 record, and is in his 30th season as a member of the Edinboro staff.  With the season-opening 35-34 win over Walsh in 2013, he became the third coach at Edinboro to reach 50 wins, joining Tom Hollman and Bill McDonald.   The 2014 win over Clarion was his 55th, moving him into sole possession of second place in career victories.  Browning was certainly no stranger to Fighting Scot football when he was hired as head coach, serving as an assistant coach for the previous twenty years. While at Edinboro he has coached the offensive linemen, defensive backs and running backs, along with serving as the offensive coordinator.  Browning became the first head coach at Edinboro to debut with a win since McDonald in 1969 when the Fighting Scots opened the 2006 season with a 28-14 win at West Chester.  He went on to lead Edinboro to a 6-5 finish, the most wins ever by a first-year coach.  That was followed by a 7-4 finish in 2007.  His next two Fighting Scot editions recorded a school-record tying nine wins.  In 2008 Edinboro ended the year at 9-2 and was ranked 20th in the final AFCA Top 25.  The Fighting Scots had a 9-4 record in 2009, making the NCAA playoffs for the first time in his tenure.  Edinboro would end the year 24th in the AFCA poll.  The Boro posted back-to-back 7-4 finishes in 2010 and 2011.  The 4-6 finish in 2012 represented Browning's first losing season as head coach.  

Mike Kellar (Fairmont State '96) is in his fourth season as the head coach at California(Pa.), taking over for legendary John Luckhardt.  His first Cal edition finished at 8-3, followed by a 7-4 record in 2013, and 8-2 a year ago. He now owns a record of 25-10 at Cal. This is Kellar's second stint at California(Pa.) after originally serving as the offensive coordinator from 2004-08.  He spent two years as the head coach at Concord, finishing with a 6-5 record in 2009 and an 8-3 record in 2010, before returning to Cal as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator in 2011.

Browning Comments ... on the Fighting Scots
"We just made too many mistakes. We ran into a quarterback who played his best game of the season and made great play. We had a chance early on. We recovered a fumble to start the game, then we turned it right back over. Too many mistakes, physically and mentally."

Browning Comments ... on the Vulcans
"Cal is good in every area. Offensively, they are capable of running the football, or be a big-play offense. They have an outstanding quarterback and receivers who are big and fast. Defensively, they are very physical up front, and very athletic in the secondary. They have superb return people on special teams. They aren't fancy, just very good."



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