WACO, Tex. – With 19 starters returning from a 9-3 playoff team, IUP lands at No. 8 in the preseason American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll, which was released on Monday afternoon.
The Crimson Hawks, who were picked to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division at the league's media day last week, received 364 total points in the voting. They are the highest ranked PSAC team in the top 25, joined by Slippery Rock at No. 11. A third PSAC school – West Chester – did not make the poll but received votes and was 37 points outside of the top 25 teams.
Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State is first in the poll with 29 of the 30 first place votes. West Georgia follows in second, with Grand Valley State coming in third, Shepherd in fourth, and Colorado State-Pueblo in fifth.
Ashland, IUP's season-opening opponent in 2017 and 2018, is sixth, while Minnesota State-Mankato is seventh. Henderson State and Texas A&M-Commerce are tied at ninth and round out the preseason top 10.
This is IUP's highest ranking since sitting at No. 7 in the fifth week of the 2013 season. It's the highest preseason ranking for the program since 2003, when IUP was ranked sixth and finished the year 10-1 but missed out on the postseason.
In addition to making the postseason for the first time since 2012, the Crimson Hawks also won a share of the PSAC West regular season title in 2015. IUP debuted a new spread offense last season, with 10 starters returning from a group that averaged 36 points per game and ranked fifth in the country with 293.6 rushing yards per game. A defense that led the PSAC giving up just 17.8 points per game returns seven starters and several other players who played significant snaps, while the special teams returns three kickers and punters who have started for IUP in the past.
IUP opens its 2016 season at East Stroudsburg on Sept. 10. The Crimson Hawks' first home game is Oct. 1 against Seton Hill.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP football on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPfootball.
