Kutztown secured a definitive 38-14 win over CIAA champion Virginia Union on Saturday afternoon to open the NCAA Division II playoffs. Virginia Union never led in the game as Kutztown dominated all 60 minutes of the game.
One of the biggest storylines of the game is how effective Kutztown ran the ball on the Panthers’ usually stout defense. Virginia Union entered the game only giving up 37 yards rushing per game en route to a 10-1 season. Kutztown rushed for 210 yards with Darryl McNeil Davis leading the way with 95 rushing yards and 1 touchdown.
Virginia Union totaled 272 yards of total offense as they rushed for 149 yards and threw for 123. Jada Byers finished the game with 101 rushing yards and one touchdown, including a 27-yard run against a stout Kutztown defense.
However, the Panthers had a challenge moving the ball down the field. They only converted three third downs in thirteen attempts. The inability to move the ball down the field hurt them in the first quarter as they went down 21-0 and were unable to get a score on the board to close the gap.
The first two plays saw Kutztown get into the Panther’s red zone and run in a score to go up 14-0. Virginia Union was stalled on their first two drives and, on their second drive, had a punt blocked that was recovered by Kutztown for a touchdown. The score was now lead-up.
After Kutztown went up 28-0, they had a punt blocked by Panthers Ephram Moore and Kenneth Davis returned the ball 10 yards for Virginia Union’s first touchdown of the game. However, Kutztown scored again on the next drive go went up 35-7 after the PAT.
Jada Byers got his first run early in the third quarter after an 8-yard run that capped off a nine-play, 76-yard drive. That was both team’s last touchdown of the game with Kutztown’s Dawson Evitts kicking a 24-yard field goal to push the score to 38-14.
Virginia Union ends a successful year with a CIAA Championship and a lot of momentum heading into the 2024 season.