GameDay Central
IUP Crimson Hawks (6-2, 3-2 PSAC West)
at Clarion Golden Eagles (4-4, 2-3 PSAC West)
Saturday, November 2, 2013 | 1:00 p.m.
Memorial Stadium | Clarion, Pa.

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Watch: IUP-TV (CATV Ch. 6) | On Tape Delay
Listen: WQMU 92.5 FM | U92radio.com
Live Stats: ClarionGoldenEagles.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats

PSAC Coverage
PSAC Week 9 Preview | PSAC Statistics

Other Links
2013 IUP Schedule

THE GAME: After getting their first win in three games last weekend, the Crimson Hawks look to continue as they travel to Clarion on Saturday. IUP is coming off of a 28-6 victory over Mercyhurst in Erie and stand at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the PSAC West. Clarion picked up a 41-2 victory over Seton Hill last weekend, breaking a four-game losing streak. The Golden Eagles enter with a 4-4 overall records and a 2-3 divisional mark.

ON THE AIR: The game will air live on WQMU-FM 92.5 with Jack Benedict serving as the play-by-play announcer and John Flickinger at his side as the color analyst. The two will be joined by sideline reporter Greg Drahuschak. The pregame show begins at 12:30 p.m. You can also listen to the action on the internet at u92radio.com. IUP-TV will not be televising the game live but will have it on tape delay on Comcast Ch. 6.

HEAD COACH CURT CIGNETTI: IUP head coach Curt Cignetti (West Virginia, '82) enters his third season at the helm after leading the Crimson Hawks to a PSAC championship, a 12-2 record and a berth in the NCAA playoffs in 2012. Through his two-plus seasons, Cignetti has a record of 25-7, going 14-5 in PSAC West play and 2-1 in the NCAA playoffs. He has a record of 13-3 at home and 12-4 on the road. This is Cignetti's 31st year of coaching, with previous stops at Alabama (07-10), NC State (00-06), Pittsburgh (83-84, 93-99) Temple (89-92), Rice (86-88) and Davidson (85).

THE SERIES: In a series that includes 83 games since 1927, IUP leads Clarion 57-23-3. The Crimson Hawks have wins in each of the last two years; 45-0 in 2012 and 38-7 in 2011. IUP has also won 10 of the last 12 meetings, with Clarion's two wins in that stretch coming in 2010 and 2009.

NEXT GAME: The Crimson Hawks return to Miller Stadium next Saturday when they host Gannon in their final home game of the season. IUP is 3-2 all-time against Gannon, including a narrow 38-35 overtime win in Erie last year to help the Crimson Hawks earn a berth in the PSAC championship game.

HAWK TALK

THE NATIONAL POLLS... IUP remains on the outside looking in on both of this week's Top 25 Polls. The Crimson Hawks received 2 votes in the AFCA Coaches' Poll, 57 back of Newberry (SC), which is ranked 25th.

IN THE REGIONAL POLLS... Earlier in the week the NCAA released the season's 1st regional rankings, with IUP outside of the top 10 in Super Region One. The top six teams in each region, barring any earned access circumstances, advance to the Division II playoffs.

STILL SCORING... The IUP offense has scored 261 points, an average of 32.6 points per game, which is 7th in the high-scoring PSAC. Through eight games a year ago, the Crimson Hawks had scored 286 points, an average of 35.8 points per game.

RETURN OF THE ROCKET... R-Sr. RB De'Antwan Williams (Woodbridge, VA/Woodbridge) ran for a career-high 186 yards on 30 carries last week against Mercyhurst. The mark best his previous high of 167 yards this year against Cal and was his 2nd consecutive 100-yard rushing game.

GOOD COMPANY... With last weekend's rushing output, Williams sits just 24 yards away from entering IUP's career top 10 with 2,155 yards. Since arriving at IUP last year, Williams has carried th ball 402 times and averages 5.4 yards per carry with 20 TDs. Tobias Robinson (2006, 08-10), with 2,179 yards, is 10th.

PREPARING TO BLAST OFF... Williams has averaged 157.5 rushing yards in the last two games after averaging 85.8 yards in the previous six. Last season he averaged 118.0 yards in the final three regular season games.

PASSING FANCY... Sr. WR Terrill Barnes (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) is on pace for one of the top receiving seasons in IUP history with 47 catches for 745 yards and 5 TDs. At his current rate, through an 11-game season, Barnes would finish with 65 catches (4th all-time) for 1,024 yards (5th) and 7 TDs.

PASSING FANCY TOO... With his 6 receptions last Saturday, Barnes entered IUP's career top 10 with 110 catches, tying LeRon McCoy (2001-04). He's also on pace to finish in the top 10 in yards (2,114 - 5th) and TDs (17 - tied for 6th).

BACK IN BUSINESS... The Crimson Hawks defense got back to its old ways last week, holding a Mercyhurst offense that was averaging 39 points per game to just a pair of FGs. It was the 1st time since Sept. 13, 2008 that the Lakers had been held without a TD. All-PSAC West RB Brandon Brown-Dukes was held to just 56 yards on 15 carries. He came into the game averaging 118.7.

AIR CONTROL... IUP also limited Mercyhurst to 58 yards through the air, completing just 7-27 passes. Clarion enters this week with a 47.6 completion pct. and are 14th in the PSAC with 154.9 passing yards per game.

GETTING TO THE QB... R-Jr. Shane Meisner (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield ) has 2.5 sacks in IUP's last 3 games, getting to the QB once each against Edinboro and Mercyhurst. He has 4.5 of the Crimson Hawks' 14 sacks this season.

COVERING THE KICK... IUP leads the PSAC in kickoff coverage, averaging a net of 50.0 yards per kick. IUP also leads the conference with 22 touchbacks on kickoffs.

JUST FOR KICKS... Ullman is tied for sixth in the PSAC with 6 FGs in 7 attempts. He has the second longest kick in the conference this year, a 48-yarder in the season-opening win at Southern Connecticut. He's also 5-6 from beyond 40 yards this season.

COUNTDOWN TO 800... The game against Mercyhurst will be the 799th game in IUP history, with the 800th game coming at home against Gannon Nov. 9. In IUP's nearly 800 games, they hold a 519-256-23 record. The team sits at 16th in all-time victories in Division II, four games behinid Northwest Missouri State.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES

OFFENSE... The Golden Eagles are a different team without QB Ben Fiscus at the helm, who earned 1st team All-PSAC West honors last season. Clarion gained 408 total yards in the season-opening 39-38 win over Kutztown, with Fiscus accounting for 354 yards and 5 TDs. Since then, Clarion is averaging 325 yards and 23 points per game. Darelle Carson has taken over for Fiscus, averagin 182 total yards per game with 9 TDs. RB Bobby Thomas leads the ground game with 68.8 yards per contest while TE Mike Deitrick has a team-high 19 catches and 2 TDs.

DEFENSE... DE Julian Howsare is one of the best defensive players in the PSAC and is the main threat for the Clarion defense. He's 2nd on the team with 55 tackles, including 12.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks. He also has a blocked punt return for TD to his credit. Clarion is 12th in the PSAC giving up 415 total yards per game, including 251 (14th in PSAC) passing yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS... Nathan Conway is one of the best punters in the PSAC, 3rd in the league with a 42.6 yard average. 15 of his 40 punts have landed inside the 20 yard line while 10 have been 50 or more yards. Phil Esposito handles kicking chores, connecting on 5-13 FGs and 22-27 PATs. Both Eric Frye and Travis Day average over 21 yards per kickoff return.