PREVIEW | No. 3 Golden Bears square off with No. 2 Harding for spot in national championship game

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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The third-ranked Kutztown University football team is back in the NCAA Division II semifinals for the second time in three years and will look to make history on Saturday when it faces No. 2 Harding (Ark.) at Andre Reed Stadium at 3:30 p.m., live on ESPN+, for a spot in the national championship game.
 
The Golden Bears are Bisons are two of the three remaining unbeaten teams in Division II along with top-seed Ferris State. All three teams enter the semifinal weekend sporting 14-0 records. Despite being below Harding in the national polls, Kutztown held an edge in the metrics used by the championship committee to determine how the final four teams were reseeded ahead of the semifinal round. The Golden Bears received the No. 2 seed and the right to host a national semifinal game for the first time in program history.
 
TICKETS
Covered Reserved – $30
Reserved – $20
General Admission & KU Alumni – $10
Non-KU Students & Seniors (65+) – $5
Children (6 and under) – FREE with paid adult
 

KUTZTOWN NOTES

HEADLINES

• Kutztown is playing its record 10th game at Andre Reed Stadium this season and fifth in a row dating back to the PSAC Championship game on Nov. 15. The Bears’ most home games in a season prior to 2025 were eight in 2019 and 2021.
• This marks the latest in a calendar year Kutztown has ever played a game in its 109-season history, surpassing its semifinal appearance at Colorado School of Mines in 2023, which took place on Dec. 9.
• Kutztown is playing its 15th game of the season, matching a program record set back in 2023 (12-3). The Golden Bears have already set new single-season records for wins in a season (14), consecutive wins (14) and points scored (618).
• Kutztown and Harding are the only teams in Division II to rank in the top five in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Bisons average 44.7 points per game (third) and give up 9.6 per game (first), while the Golden Bears score 44.0 points per game (fourth) and yield 11.6 per game (second).
• The winner of Saturday’s semifinal will advance to the NCAA DII national championship game at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas, next Saturday, Dec. 20. No. 1 seed Ferris State (14-0) hosts No. 4 Newberry (12-1) in Saturday’s other semifinal at noon.

FINAL FOUR PLAYING
Kutztown is playing in the national semifinals for the second time in three seasons and for just the second time in program history. KU fell at No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 35-7, in 2023. This is the first time Kutztown has ever hosted a semifinal game.

FIRST-TIME OPPONENT
This is the first ever meeting between the Golden Bears and Bisons and the first time in program history Kutztown has faced a team out of the Great American Conference (GAC).

RUSHING PROWESS
Kutztown and Harding are both run-heavy teams, the Bisons more so than any other team in the country. Kutztown went over 3,000 yards rushing for the season as a team in last weekend’s 52-29 quarterfinal round victory over No. 24 Frostburg State. The Golden Bears have set new single-season records for rushing yards (3,076), rushing touchdowns (49) and their 219.7 rushing yards per game are currently the fifth most in school history.

Harding has already broken its own NCAA all-division rushing record with 6,308 yards, surpassing the 2023 team’s total of 6,160. The Bisons have run the ball 801 times and average 7.9 yards per carry.

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
The Golden Bears surpassed 600 points scored on the season (618) for the first time in team history with their third consecutive 50+ point performance in the playoffs in a 52-29 quarterfinal win over No. 24 Frostburg State. KU has put together three straight 50+ point games for the first time in its 109-season history and is outscoring its opponents a combined 159-48 in the postseason. The Bears have reached the 50-point mark four times in 2025, second most behind the 2012 team’s five.

THE UNBEATENS
Kutztown and Harding are two of just three undefeated teams in DII, joining No. 1 Ferris State. There are 10 remaining unbeaten teams across all levels of college football.

SCHERNECKE NAMED FINALIST FOR GENE UPSHAW AWARD
Redshirt senior offensive tackle Ryan Schernecke (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) was announced as one of eight national finalists for the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award. He is the first finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award from Kutztown since Jordan Morgan won the award in 2016.

HARLON HILL HOPEFUL
Redshirt junior quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) was named a national finalist for the 2025 Harlon Hill Trophy, presented to the NCAA Division II Football Player of the Year. He is the first finalist for Kutztown since Andy Breault 1992 and fourth all-time.

AWARDS LINK
Kutztown and Harding are the only programs to feature both a Harlon Hill Trophy and Gene Upshaw Award finalist this season. Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) (Harlon Hill) and Ryan Schernecke (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) (Gene Upshaw) are representing the Golden Bears, while fullback Andrew Miller (Harlon Hill) and offensive tackle Jake Mitchell (Gene Upshaw) are finalists from the Bisons.

NOVAK RAISING THE BAR
Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) has taken the mantle as the winningest quarterback in Kutztown football history this season. In 40 career starts, the Manheim, Pa., native has posted a 37-3 record, including back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons.

Novak ranks fourth in program history in career TD passes (69), fourth in career passing yards (7,068), fifth in career completions (517) and sixth in career pass attempts (850). Other program great signal-callers include Kevin Morton (2009-12) and Collin DiGalbo (2016-19), who finished 29-13 and 29-8, respectively.

GOLDEN BEARS LAND RECORD 18 ON ALL-PSAC TEAMS
Kutztown claimed three major awards and placed a program-record 18 players on this year’s All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division teams.

Head coach Jim Clements won his sixth PSAC East Coach of the Year Award (third straight), while quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) was named Offensive Athlete of the Year and linebacker Brandon Hile (Winfield, Pa./Selinsgrove) was voted Defensive Athlete of the Year.

First Team honors went to Novak (QB), Steven Burkhardt (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City) (RB), Billy Everitt (Abington, Pa./Abington) (OG), Ryan Schernecke (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) (OT), Hile (LB), Kyree Butler (Ambler, Pa./Upper Dublin) (DL), Lee Coleman (Salem, N.J./Salem) (DB), Mikey Gray (York, Pa./William Penn) (DL) and Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) (DL).

Earning spots on the Second Team were Adam Conklin (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) (OG), CJ Conti (Sea Isle City, N.J./Ocean City) (OC), Shane Hartman (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) (OT), Noah Kracyla (Townsend, Del./Middletown) (WR), Luke Maxwell (Estell Manor, N.J./Delsea Regional) (TE), Jaedyn Stewart (Newfield, N.J./Delsea Regional) (RB), Jhaisir Harden (Glassboro, N.J./Glassboro) (DB), Eden Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Governor Mifflin) (LB) and Brandon Strausser (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) (LB).

RETTER’S RESURGENCE
Limited by injury early in the year, redshirt junior defensive end Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) has been on a tear lately. The 2024 PSAC East and D2CCA Super Region 1 Defensive Player of the Year has registered multiple sacks in each of Kutztown’s postseason victories, amassing 6.5 over that span. Retter has sacks in five of his last six games and has 8.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss on the season. The Quakertown, Pa., native also earned All-America honors with the Golden Bear wrestling team in 2024-25, placing fifth at heavyweight.

SPECIALISTS SHINE
The Golden Bears have made significant plays on special teams all season, blocking seven kicks, returning a kickoff for a touchdown and three punts for touchdowns (two off blocks). Kutztown’s seven blocked kicks are its most in a season since blocking seven in 2005. Lenniek Preston’s (Wilmington, Del./Conrad) 100-yard kick return TD against Gannon, Sept. 20, was the program’s first kick return for a TD since 2023 and first 100-yard kick return TD since 2011.