The Golden Bears’ 2025 season remains flawless.
Ranked No. 3 in the national polls, Kutztown defeated Assumption 56-19 in the NCAA Division II Second Round at Andre Reed Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
And when asked how the Golden Bears have stayed locked in and continued dominating week after week, the players gave all the credit to head coach Jim Clements and his coaching staff.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Coach Clements has this motto, ‘1-0’, and it’s so important. It’s a championship game every Saturday that we play,” redshirt junior quarterback Judd Novak said. “We’re really locked in and focused during the week. We don’t look ahead, which a lot of other teams do, but we really dial in. The coaches have great schemes and great game plans for the opposing team, so we’re just trusting them. We have the best coaching staff in Division II.”
The top seed in Super Region One picked up right where it left off last week after a 52–0 victory over Bentley.
Assumption (9–3) began its season with a 51–14 loss to Kutztown and ended it in a similar fashion.
The victory marks the Golden Bears’ 13th win of the season, setting a new program record.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKutztown will face Frostburg State (11–2) in the national quarterfinals, the Super Region One championship, with the site and time to be determined for Saturday, December 6.
The Bobcats defeated California University of Pennsylvania 23–21 on the road.
Kutztown University’s Steven Burkhardt reverses field and scores on a 13-yard pass play against Assumption during a 56-19 Golden Bear victory over the Greyhounds in an NCAA Division 2 second-round playoff on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Andre Reed Stadium. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
“From the freshmen to the seniors, we’re all just stepping up our game,” senior linebacker Brandon Strausser said. “We know it’s the playoffs, and we’re not trying to go home, we’re not trying to sit on that couch. We’re going to keep playing and win the whole thing.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJudd Novak accounted for six touchdowns on the day.
The redshirt junior, who had only two rushing touchdowns all season, ran for a hat trick and posted a team-high 125 rushing yards.
Through the air, he was just as unstoppable, completing 7 of 13 passes for 88 yards and three touchdowns, bringing his season total to 25.
Defensively, the Golden Bears, who have had the top PSAC defense all year long, had four sacks and three takeaways.
“We have so many playmakers on this team,” Novak said. “So we have a lot of confidence going into each game, but we just know that it can end anytime. Last year, it ended when we didn’t want it to end. We take it personally, and we take it to heart. That 1-0 mindset.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMost recently, the Golden Bears advanced to the quarterfinals in 2023, defeating Slippery Rock 28–16 before falling in the semifinals to Colorado School of Mines, 35–7.
Kutztown University’s Trevor Amorim picks up yardage after catching a pass against Assumption during a 56-19 Golden Bear victory over the Greyhounds in an NCAA Division 2 second-round playoff on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Andre Reed Stadium. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
On their first possession of the game, after forcing a quick three-and-out on defense, Judd Novak did what he’s done all season at quarterback.
Through the air or on the ground, it doesn’t matter; the top-ranked Kutztown offense moves the ball at will.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe 10-play, 71-yard drive ended with a 7-yard rushing touchdown by Novak, giving Kutztown a 7–0 lead early in the first quarter.
The Greyhounds got on the board with a 42-yard field goal from Massimo Sgambati on the ensuing possession, but Kutztown’s Jaedyn Stewart answered immediately.
The redshirt junior took the handoff to the left, found a huge hole you could drive a truck through, and raced 64 yards for the score.
On the ensuing series, safety Kashon Jones pursued Greyhounds quarterback Dom Santiago to the first-down marker and perfectly timed a helmet-to-ball hit, jarred the ball loose just before Santiago could reach the sideline.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKutztown recovered in plus territory, setting up Novak’s second rushing touchdown of the day.
The junior faked a read option, drawing the entire Greyhounds defense toward running back Steven Burkhardt, then jogged to the left for a 5-yard score, giving Kutztown a 21–3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Greyhounds’ offensive struggles continued as Brandon Strausser intercepted Santiago, who was sitting in the hook-to-curl zone, resulting in an easy takeaway.
Kutztown University’s Jaedyn Stewart breaks off a 64-yard run for a touchdown against Assumption during a 56-19 Golden Bear victory over the Greyhounds in an NCAA Division 2 second-round playoff on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Andre Reed Stadium. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I took advantage of my opportunities and was at the right place at the right time, just doing my job like everybody else,” Strausser said of his takeaway. “That’s how we stack, keep winning, and keep moving on.”
A personal foul by Assumption placed Kutztown at the 34-yard line to start the drive with 8:22 remaining in the half.
Two minutes later, Novak connected with Trevor Amorim on a 9-yard whip-out route for his first passing touchdown of the day, extending the lead to 28–3.
At halftime, leading 28–6 after a 36-yard field goal from Sgambati as time expired, the Golden Bears had outgained the Greyhounds 157–56 on the ground in the first half and recorded two takeaways on defense.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe theme of the game continued into the second half, even after the Greyhounds struck first, crossing the goal line for the first time of the afternoon.
Kyon Simonson scored on a 20-yard touchdown, outrunning the Golden Bears’ secondary. The two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the score at 28–12.
Just as the Greyhounds seemed to gain some momentum, the Golden Bears quickly snatched it back.
Lenniek Preston caught the kickoff at his own goal line, waited for his blocks to develop, and burst through the crease, racing down to the Assumption 15-yard line before being pushed out of bounds by the kicker.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTwo plays later, Novak found Burkhardt in the flat, and the junior made a defender miss en route to a 13-yard touchdown.
Kutztown University quarterback Judd Novak connects with wide receiver Trvor Amorim against Assumption during a 56-19 Golden Bear victory over the Greyhounds in an NCAA Division 2 second-round playoff on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Andre Reed Stadium. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
A quick stop by the Kutztown defense gave the Golden Bears possession late in the third quarter.
With an opportunity to put the game further out of reach, already leading 35–12, Novak and the offense delivered.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe star quarterback dropped back briefly, then took off up the middle on a designed quarterback draw, racing 78 yards downfield for the touchdown.
“Honestly, I didn’t think so,” Novak said when asked if he expected a big workload on the ground. “I knew we were gonna run the ball a little bit more, but, for me, I didn’t expect that much. I just took advantage of it. The holes were open. Our line did a great job. Steve and Jayden did a great job blocking when I needed to move up front. The whole team did an excellent job offensively. Just pick your poison, man, with anyone we got.”
The run marked the longest by a quarterback in Kutztown history, giving Novak his third rushing touchdown of the day.
But he wasn’t finished. On the very next series, he connected with a wide-open Amorim in the corner of the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown, his second receiving score of the day.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat marked the end of the day for the starters, and Jim Clements allowed his players to rest for the final 15 minutes of the game.
They’ll certainly need as much rest as possible, as each week brings a higher level of competition and preparation heading into December.
“It starts with the coaches and our leadership, Strausser said. “We have a good senior group. Every day we come into the office and get better and go 1-0. We do the little things better and keep stacking days.”
With the game already out of reach, Craig Miller added six more points for Kutztown on a 25-yard run. To close out the game, Josiah Patrick rushed for a 6-yard touchdown, giving the Greyhounds their final score of the season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Golden Bears hope to extend their season next week with a win over Frostburg State. A victory would mark the second time in three seasons that Clements’ squad has reached the NCAA Division II semifinals.
But, as the players emphasized, they take each game one week at a time, staying level-headed and not looking too far ahead.
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