Golden Bears open postseason at home against No. 13 Virginia Union Saturday - Kutztown University Athletics (2025)

Chris Sponagle/Kutztown University

Football 11.16.23 Matt Heffelfinger, Sports Information Director

TICKETS
$25 - Covered Reserved
$15 - Reserved
$10 - General Admission & KU Alumni
$5 - Non-KU Students & Seniors (65+)
FREE - Children under 6

Tickets can be purchased online HERE, or at the Andre Reed Stadium ticket booth starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

PARKING
$20 - Tailgate Permit (Lot E2)
$10 - General Parking (Lot F1)

Parking passes can be purchased online HERE. Lots open three hours before the start of the game. Tailgating can continue up to one hour after the game has ended.

LIVE COVERAGE
Live Stats | Provided by KU Sports Information
Live Streaming Video ($$$) | Provided by KUTV/KU Sports Information
Live Audio (FREE) or on 1670 AM | Provided by Kutztown University Radio

NOTE: The NCAA is requiring all schools to stream playoff football games behind a paywall beginning this year. The cost is $9.95 per game or $19.95 for access to all Division II football playoff games during the first three rounds. KUTV will still produce Kutztown home games, which are available through the Golden Bear Sports Network as normally promoted during the regular season by clicking HERE. Fans will have to purchase access upon selecting the game.

GAME PREVIEW

KUTZTOWN, Pa. –PSAC champion Kutztown University will look to start a prosperous playoff run when it opens the 2023 NCAA Division II Football Championship by hosting No. 13 Virginia Union in a first round game at Andre Reed Stadium this Saturday at noon.

The Golden Bears will be making their sixth all-time appearance in the national tournament and fourth since 2018, while Virginia Union is making its 11th trip to the tournament. Kutztown is 3-5 in its previous appearances, including wins in each of its last two tournaments (2019 First Round vs. Tiffin; 2021 Second Round vs. New Haven). The Panthers (10-1) are still searching for their first national tournament victory (0-10) after falling at home to Wingate, 32-7, last year.

Saturday's game could be a grind offensively, with Kutztown (9-2) and Virginia Union among the nation's best defenses. KU leads the PSAC and ranks in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense (14.0 ppg) and total defense (254.5 ypg), while sitting just outside the top 10 in rushing defense (11th) at 83.5 ypg.

The Panthers are one of few teams that can lay claim to ranking ahead of Kutztown in those categories. VUU features the top rushing defense in Division II, allowing just over 37 yards per game. The CIAA champions also lead the nation in red zone defense, rank third in total defense (220.5 ypg) and fifth in scoring defense (11.6 ppg).

It will be a test of wills for the offense, because despite both teams featuring standout defenses, the offenses prefer to move the ball via the run. Graduate Darryl Davis-McNeil (Roslyn, Pa./Abington), the PSAC Championship game MVP, paces Kutztown with 668 yards and seven touchdowns on 138 carries. The three-time All-PSAC East selection is coming off a 26-carry, 146-yard, 2 TD effort in the Bears' 31-7 win over Slippery Rock and is up to 2,500 yards (sixth in KU history) and 28 TDs (tied for fourth in KU history) in his career.

Junior Jada Byers, an All-American, is a force for the Panthers. He nearly put forth a 2,000-yard season in 2022, finishing just 80 yards shy and has already collected his second consecutive 1,000-yard season with 1,085 this fall. Byers also has 15 rushing TDs, which rank 10th in DII.

While Byers is the top man at 120.6 rushing yards per game, VUU's offensive line has been opening holes for anyone who touches the ball. Fellow backs Curtis Allen (659 yards) and Rashard Jackson (243 yards) join Byers in averaging more than five yards per carry.

Kutztown's defense was lights out against then-No. 4 Slippery Rock last Saturday, forcing three interceptions and holding The Rock 39 points under its 46.0 point per game average coming in. Head coach Jim Clements saw his offense complement the defense nicely with a good mix of runs and passes, and most importantly, ball protection. The Golden Bears did not commit a turnover for the third game in a row.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central), who was named PSAC East Freshman of the Year earlier this week, kept The Rock defense honest with his legs with 14 carries for 80 yards. As a team, Kutztown ran for 275 yards, but Novak connected on critical passes when needed. He found Mekhi Gibson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) and Tyreek Husser (Woodstown, N.J./Woodstown) for touchdowns and leading receiver Kurtis Ravenel Jr. (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) for a big fourth-down conversion.

The Golden Bears got important contributions in all three phases of their PSAC title victory. All-PSAC East First Team punter Nate Millard (Birdsboro, Pa./Daniel Boone) leads the conference with a 44.1 yard per punt average and has helped KU dictate field position throughout the season.

Kutztown comes into the game sitting just outside the AFCA Division II Top 25. The Golden Bears are receiving the most votes of any non-top 25 team with 46. KU made its season debut in the D2Football.com Top 25, checking in 23rd this week. Virginia Union is ranked 13th in the AFCA poll and 17th in the D2Football.com poll.

This will be the first ever meeting between Kutztown and Virginia Union on the gridiron. The winner will advance to the second round to face either Super Region One second seed Charleston (W.Va.) or New Haven on Saturday, Nov. 25.