College football preview capsule: Seton Hill vs. Cal (Pa.), Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021
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NCAA Division II
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Seton Hill (4-4, 2-3 PSAC West) vs. No. 4/14 Cal (Pa.) (7-0, 4-0 PSAC West)
4 p.m., Saturday at Adamson Stadium, California
Series: Cal (Pa.) leads, 8-0.
Last meeting: Cal (Pa.) 28, Seton Hill 14 (2019)
About Seton Hill: The Griffins blanked winless Clarion, 49-0, on Oct. 23.
Seton Hill already doubled its win total from 2019 and has won multiple league games in consecutive years for the first time since 2014-16.
The Griffins rank third in the PSAC and are among the top 15 in the country in scoring defense at 15.5 points per game. Additionally, Seton Hill is fourth in the league in total defense, allowing 271.8 yards per game.
Senior linebacker Jaylen McDuffie leads the team with 76 tackles after totaling double-digit stops five times. Senior Narrio Walks has 72 tackles, and fellow senior Jayden Emberton-Gaines has posted 45 stops after being a 2019 All-PSAC West Second-Team selection.
McDuffie and senior Justice Griffin are tied for the team lead with 8.5 tackles for losses, while junior Damonte Pratt paces the team with three interceptions.
Offensively, Seton Hill sits in the bottom four of the 16-team league in scoring offense at 16.8 points per game.
Senior running back Logan Wiland ranks second in the PSAC with 872 rushing yards and leads the league with eight rushing touchdowns. He has eclipsed the century mark in four straight games and scored three touchdowns twice in the past three weeks.
The Griffins have utilized a pair of quarterbacks this season who have combined for just over 1,000 passing yards and five touchdowns. Senior Taro Gaither leads the team with 402 receiving yards on 30 catches with three touchdowns.
On special teams, senior Hunter Miller is averaging 35.8 yards per punt and has placed eight punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
Head coach: Daniel Day (14-15, fifth season).
About Cal (Pa.): The Vulcans used a fourth quarter rally to defeat IUP, 38-34, on Oct. 23. They scored 21 points in the fourth quarter and scored the winning touchdown following a blocked punt with 11 seconds left.
Junior quarterback Noah Mitchell was named MVP of the Coal Bowl after finishing with 359 passing yards and four touchdowns. He completed 30 of 43 passes. Mitchell connected with senior wide receiver Tyson Hill for the game-winner.
Seton Hill and Cal (Pa.) did not compete last year because of a covid-19 issue.
Mitchell has completed 189 of 272 passes for 2,245 yards and 17 touchdowns. JaQuae Jackson has 44 catches for 541 yards and six touchdowns.
Sophomore linebacker Noah Dillow has 47 tackles, including 20 solo. Matt Tobey has 39 tackles, 12 solo.
Kicker Anthony Beitko has 13 field goals and 27 extra points.
Head coach: Gary Dunn (41-12, sixth season)