Geneva Golden Tornadoes football The Geneva Golden Tornadoes football program represents Geneva College in collegiate level football . The team competes in NCAA Division III and is affiliated with the Presidents ' Athletic Conference ( PAC ) . The team is also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association . Since its initial season in 1890 , the team has won over 500 games . Home games are currently played at Reeves Field , in Beaver Falls , Pennsylvania . Several Geneva College players have received national attention , including Cal Hubbard and Larry Bruno . History . Early years ( 1890 – 1925 ) . Geneva College played its first season of football in 1890 . The season consisted of one game , where the team played against the University of Pittsburgh , then known as the " Western University of Pennsylvania " . Geneva lost the game , 10 – 4 . Notably , the game was Pitt ' s first victory . The following year , Geneva played its first full season of football . The team posted a 4 – 2 record , defeating the University of Pittsburgh twice ( 12 – 4 and 6 – 4 ) , as well as the students from Pitt Medical . The 1891 team also played its future rival Westminster College , winning the game 42 – 0 . These first teams were coached by Professor William McCracken , who coached the team through the 1896 season . During this period , the team played local teams , including Washington & Jefferson College , Grove City College , Mount Union College , Beaver Falls High School , and West Virginia University . In 1900 , J . B . Craig took over as coach , leading the ' Covies ' as they were then called to a 5 – 1 – 1 record in 1900 . Craig coached the team for the next three seasons . In 1902 , the Covies posted the first undefeated season in school history , going 7 – 0 . During 1902 , the defense surrendered a total of two points the entire season . In 1903 , the Craig - led Covies posted an impressive 9 – 1 record , with their only loss coming to then national - power Washington & Jefferson . This game witnessed one of the most unusual plays in college football history . Losing 6 – 0 late in the fourth quarter , the Covies ran a reverse which sprung future World War I hero Joe Thompson into the open . As Thompson neared mid - field , a player came off of Washington & Jefferson ' s bench and tackled Thompson . Fans then swarmed the field , and by the time the playing surface were cleared , the game was called due to darkness . The 6 – 0 loss was the only game in which Geneva was scored upon all season . After Craig left in 1903 , the Covies ' success fluxuated , posting several season without a victory . During this time , Geneva frequently played national powers like Penn State , Pitt , Slippery Rock University , and West Virginia . Bo McMillin , Cal Hubbard , and decade of success ( 1925 – 1935 ) . Coach Bo McMillin came to Geneva in 1925 , and in his first season as coach led the team to a 6 – 3 record . McMillin was a three - time All - American player at Centre College . He would later go on to coach at the collegiate level at Kansas State University and Indiana University , where he won a Big Ten championship in 1945 . Coach McMillin later moved into the professional ranks , as he coached the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions . Often regarded as one of the best coaches in school history , McMillin scheduled some of the top teams in the country . In 1926 , the Covies posted an 8 – 2 record , including a victory over national power Harvard University , 16 – 7 . Geneva played a post - season game in which it beat Oglethorpe 9 – 7 in Jacksonville , Florida . Held on New Year ' s Day at Fairfield Stadium , the " football classic " for the Orange Blossom Festival . The post - season victory cemented Geneva ' s claim to a Championship Season . Geneva was led by standout All - American Cal Hubbard , who was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in its initial class in 1963 . Hubbard played for the New York Giants , Green Bay Packers , and the Pittsburgh Pirates ( to be renamed the Steelers ) during his professional career . He was named to the 1920s All - Decade Team and was voted the greatest offensive tackle in the first fifty years of the NFL . Hubbard is the only person to be inducted into both the Pro Football , and the Baseball Hall of Fame . He is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame , being inducted in 1962 . Offensively , the 6 ' 4 " Hubbard played tackle for Geneva . On defense , he played end , but lined up off the line of scrimmage in a manner more similar to modern linebacker . Hubbard ' s number 36 is one of three numbers retired by Geneva College . In 1927 , McMillin led the Covies to another impressive season . The 8 – 0 – 1 record included a victory over Boston College . The lone tie was against Bucknell . The two seasons after McMillin left Geneva saw the Covies post disappointing records of 5 – 5 and 2 – 6 – 1 . In 1930 , Howard Harpster took over as head coach of the Covies . Harpster posted records of 9 – 1 in 1930 , 6 – 2 – 2 in 1931 , and 7 – 3 in 1932 . Harpster ' s teams earned victories against West Virginia , Marshall , and Boston University . After a underperfomring 1934 season , the 1935 team went 8 - 1 under second year coach Dwight V . Beede . From 1925 - 1935 , Geneva posted a record of 68 – 31 – 6 ( . 647 winning percentage ) . After the 1935 season , Geneva posted three more winning seasons until the suspension of play for World War II from 1943 to 1945 . Post - World War II teams ( 1946 – 1960 ) . Geneva College suited its first , post - World War II football squad in 1946 . The Covies , following an opening day loss to Youngstown , finished the season with seven straight victories . During the win streak , the Geneva defense surrendered a total of nine points . The offense was led by running back Larry Bruno , who went on to earn All - American honors . Buron was the first and only Geneva College player to officially receive the honor . The following year , Geneva posted a 7 – 2 record . The 1947 defense was also impressive , pitching six shutouts . After a disappointing 1948 campaign , Geneva earned a 7 – 2 – 1 mark in 1949 , and an 8 – 1 record in 1950 . The Covies finished out the decade with six additional winning seasons . During the decade , the team was re - nicknamed the Golden Tornadoes . Down years ( 1960 – 1986 ) . Between 1960 and 1986 , the Geneva College Golden Tornadoes posted only five winning seasons . In 1971 , Geneva went 7 – 2 , matching the win total for the previous seven seasons combined . The following year , the 1972 team went 8 – 1 , with the only defeat coming in the last game of the season against rival Westminster . Apart from the ' 81 and ' 83 seasons , Geneva failed to achieve another winning season during this period , and finished 12 seasons during the 27 with one win or fewer . Return to success ( 1987 – 1992 ) . The 1987 Geneva College Golden Torandoes , led by coach Gene Sullivan , completed one of the most successful seasons in school history . After a 4 – 6 record the year before , the Golden Torandoes went 11 – 2 and reached the NAIA semi - finals . After finishing the regular season with eight wins , the Golden Tornadoes defeated Bluffton University in the first round of the playoffs at Reeves Field . In the next round , Geneva defeated rival Westminster , 16 – 15 , avenging an earlier season defeat . The Golden Tornadoes then played Wisconsin - Stevens Point in the semifinals . The final score was 48 – 25 UW - Stevens Point , who went on to win the championship game . However , because of the use of an ineligible player , UW - Stevens Point was forced to vacate their victories , and Geneva is now credited with a victory . For the second year in a row , the 1988 Geneva College Golden Tornadoes posted an 8 – 2 regular - season record . However , Geneva was not awarded a playoff berth . Sullivan led the GTs for four more seasons , going 18 – 19 – 1 . DeMarco Years ( 1993 – present ) . Since DeMarco took over the head coaching position , the Golden Tornadoes have enjoyed the longest period of success in school history . The team was frequently ranked in the NAIA top 25 , including several top ten and top five rankings . In 1998 , the team earned a # 1 ranking in the NAIA poll . The team has also played in six Victory Bowl games , an NCCAA record . The team has won the bowl game five times , including the 2009 Victory Bowl , another NCCAA record . NAIA power ( 1993 – 2006 ) . Geno DeMarco took over the Geneva College program in 1993 . In his first season as head coach , the school ' s leader in all - time wins , led Geneva to a 4 – 5 record . The following year , the GTs improved to 6 – 3 . In 1995 , the DeMarco led Golden Tornadoes made it back to NAIA playoffs . After an impressive 9 – 1 regular season , Geneva fell to Malone University in the first round of the playoffs . Both loses that season came against Malone , and were also by one point . Geneva again lost in the first round of the playoffs in 1996 , going 7 – 3 . In 1997 , the Golden Tornadoes , following an opening day loss , won eleven straight games , including a win in the first round of the playoffs . In 1998 , Geneva won eight games , including the NCCAA Victory Bowl against Maranatha Baptist . The 1999 team also posted an 8 – 3 record and a second victory in the Victory Bowl . A third Victory Bowl was won in 2002 , and a fourth in 2003 . The 2005 GTs were the last Geneva College team to go to the NAIA playoffs . The team finished the regular season 8 – 3 before losing in the first round against Georgetown College ( Kentucky ) . 2006 was the last season in which Geneva College was a member of the NAIA . Geneva joins the PAC ( 2007 – present ) . In 2007 , the team joined the NCAA Division - III as a provisional member of the Presidents ' Athletic Conference . The Golden Tornadoes went 8 – 3 for the season , including several victories over renewed rivals . The team again found a post - season birth in the NCCAA Victory Bowl , but lost to Malone . In 2008 , the Golden Tornadoes started off the season slow with a 1 – 5 record , but went on to win their last four games , including a victory over conference champion Thomas More . This would loss would prove to be the only loss for the Saints in the PAC through the 2010 season . In 2009 , the Golden Tornadoes posted an impressive 8 – 3 record . The team won their first Victory Bowl in six years , in a dramatic fashion . Trailing the entire game , the GTs got the ball deep in their own territory with little more than two minutes remaining . The team marched down the field , including converting a long fourth down , for the game - winning field goal with seconds to spare . The 2010 Golden Tornadoes again finished their season in dramatic fashion . Geneva battled with rival Westminster through three overtimes , ultimately winning 30 – 24 . Trailing 17 – 14 late in the fourth quarter , Senior quarterback David Girardi led the GTs to the Westminster one yardline . A field goal forced overtime . In the first overtime period , Geneva held Westminster to a long field goal attempt which missed . However , Geneva also missed its field goal as it hit the upright . In the second overtime , Girardi connected on a touchdown pass which was later matched by Westminster . In the third overtime period , the GT defense again stood strong , forcing a field goal which was blocked . Finally , the Golden Tornadoes won the game on a Gerard Muschette touchdown run . Muschette , who earlier in the game had set the school ' s career rushing yards record , was stormed by his teammates and carried off the field . Coaches . Geneva College has had 29 head football coaches over its 120 seasons of collegiate football . Current coach , Geno DeMarco , holds Geneva College records for most seasons coached ( 18 ) and most wins ( 116 ) . J . B . Craig holds the highest winning percentage at . 859 . Eight coaches are tied for least seasons at 1 year . Dick Lasse has the lowest winning percentage at . 054 and is tied with two others few fewest wins ( 1 ) . Tradition . Rivalries . Geneva College has several long standing rivalries . The school ' s biggest rival is close neighbor , Westminster College . In football , the schools have been playing games since 1891 . As of 2010 , the teams have met 113 times , making it one of the longest rivalries in college football . Although Westminster maintains the all - time series lead , Geneva has won 7 of the last 10 , dating back to 1994 , and since joining the Presidents ' Athletic Conference , 3 of the last 4 . Other longtime rivalries have been renewed since Geneva joined the PAC . Chief among these rivals are Waynesburg University and Grove City College . Primary rivals . The Geneva College Golden Tornadoes ' main rivals are the Westminster College Titans . The football teams meet in a contest simply dubbed , " The Game " . The teams first met in 1891 , and have met a total 113 times , as of 2010 . The 2010 version of " The Game " proved to be one of the most dramatic game in the series , as it took Geneva College three overtimes to emerge victorious . Geneva College also has long rivalries with fellow PAC members , Grove City College and Waynesburg University . Since Geneva ' s joining of the Presidents ' Athletic Conference in 2007 , the Golden Tornadoes have played each of these rivals every season . At times , these rivalries were suspended as Geneva was an NAIA member . However , the teams will meet every year as conference foes . New rivals . Geneva College is well on its way to making new rivals with conference opponent St . Vincent ' s College . The St . Vincent Bearcats joined the Presidents ' Athletic Conference a season prior to Geneva . Thus , both teams shared the ' provisional member ' status for the 2007 - 2009 seasons . In 2009 , the teams agreed to play a second game , outside of the normal conference match . Although Geneva has dominated the series ( 5 - 0 ) since 2007 , the Golden Tornadoes and Bearcats have participated in close , physical games , which could lead to a full - fledge rivalry as both teams become full PAC members . The Gators and the Geneva College ' Covies ' first met in 1899 , and have played 43 games . The rivalry got off to a quick start , with the teams metting 15 times in the first ten seasons . Geneva leads the all - time series 41 - 17 - 4 . The teams have not met since 1979 . The GTS met the Duquesne Dukes 31 times , with the first game in 1897 . The teams played frequently in the 1920s and early 30s . The rivalry was renewed in the 1980s where the teams met for 11 straight seasons , with Geneva winning 6 games . The teams have not played each other since 1990 . Geneva holds the all time series lead 19 - 12 . Geneva ' s first opponent was also their first rival . Pitt maintains the series led 16 - 10 over the GTs . All of the games between the two schools took place between 1890 and 1924 . The teams met three times in 1891 , with Geneva winning the series 2 - 1 . Season - by - season results . Post - season bowl appearances . Geneva College has appeared in seven post season bowl games . The Golden Tornadoes have had good success , going 6 - 1 all - time in bowl games . The Golden Tornadoes have also decline two bowl invitations . ( 2000 Victory Bowl and 2007 ECAC Bowl ) . Post - season playoff appearances . Prior to joining NCAA Division - III , Geneva College competed in eight NAIA playoff games , finishing with a record of 4 - 4 ( including forfeit victory ) and reaching the national semi - finals in 1987 . The Golden Tornadoes joined the Presidents ' Athletic Conference in 2007 and had to undergo a four - year provisional period , where they were ineligible for the NCAA Division - III playoffs , and conference awards . In 2007 , the Golden Tornadoes would have finished second in the PAC , with an 7 - 1 record against PAC opponents . Had they not been provisional members , the GTs might have qualified for the NCAA Division - III playoffs .