Tartans Host Case Western Reserve in 28th Annual Academic Bowl; Kalkstein Looks to Become Career Passing Leader

Game Notes - pdf

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team returns home for its final game of the season Saturday.  The Tartans take on Case Western Reserve University in 28th Annual Academic Bowl in the final University Athletic Association (UAA) matchup.  The Tartans enter Saturday's contest with a 3-6 overall record and a 0-2 mark in UAA play while Case is 4-4, 1-1.  Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m. on the turf of Gesling Stadium.

The Academic Bowl is an annual football game between two of the nation's top academic institutions that began in the fall of 1986. The winner is awarded the Academic Bowl trophy. The Academic Bowl is more than a trophy, as it emphasizes a "Commitment to Academic and Athletic Excellence." The Spartans won the first Academic Bowl Trophy in 1986, defeating Carnegie Mellon 21-14. In the all-time Academic Bowl series, the Tartans hold a 15-11 advantage over Case and also lead the all-time series 26-15.  Their first-ever meeting was in 1970, as the Tartans defeated Case 21-0.  Last season Case defeated Carnegie Mellon in Cleveland, 36-24.

Last week, the Tartans dropped a 14-12 decision at the University of Chicago while Case lost 29-0 at Washington University.  In Carnegie Mellon's setback, senior quarterback Rob Kalkstein (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) became the school's all-time completion leader after completing 14 passes. He now has 383 for his career.  Kalkstein will look to become the school's all-time leader in passing yards on Saturday, as he needs 186 to pass Richie Squires (1968-71) mark of 5,377 yards for a career.