Tartans Host Allegheny Saturday

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team will look to build on its close victory over Grove City College in its second home game of the season on Saturday, September 10.  The Tartans will play host to the Allegheny College Gators at 12:00 p.m.

The Gators lost their first game to Bethany College 28-7 and will attempt to pick up their first win of the season against the host Tartans.  Allegheny has had a recent stretch of success against Carnegie Mellon with the Gators taking three of the last four contests, including last year's 34-27 victory in Meadville.

The Cardinal and Gray showed a strong run game against Grove City, totaling 281 yards on the ground, and will look to duplicate that performance on Saturday.  The Gators struggled defending the run in their first game, allowing 224 yards.  Running the ball has been a hallmark for Carnegie Mellon, as the Tartans have led the University Athletic Association in rushing the past 13 years.

Carnegie Mellon head coach Rich Lackner is tied to Allegheny head coach Mark Matlak from their playing days.  The two faced each other four times on the gridiron before graduating in 1978.  Lackner was a standout linebacker for the Tartans and Matlak lined up opposite him as a fullback for the Gators.  The Tartans' head man got the best of Matlak in his four years, as his Carnegie Mellon team went 3-1 against Allegheny.  Since becoming coaches, the roles have been reversed as, Matlak holds a 3-1 lead over Lackner as the two prepare for Saturday's meeting on the gridiron.

Carnegie Mellon's quarterback Rob Kalkstein will be the more experienced starting quarterback when his Tartans face Allegheny's first-year starter Jordan Fowler.  The Gators graduated a four-year starter in T.J. Salopek who plagued the Tartans' defense with four touchdown passes in last year's game.

Earlier this week, Coach Lackner sat down to recap the win over Grove City and look ahead to what Allegheny will bring to Gesling Stadium on Saturday.