Complete Game Notes (PDF) | PSAC Week 1 Preview

GameDay Central
No. 10/10 IUP at Southern Connecticut State
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Jess Dow Field | New Haven, Conn.

Watch: SportingNewsCT.com
Listen: WQMU92.5FM (Pregame at 12:30)
Live Stats: SouthernCTOwls.com

THE GAME: IUP football opens up the 2013 season Saturday, Sept. 7 when it travels to play Southern Connecticut State at Jess Dow Field in New Haven. The 10th-ranked Crimson Hawks are coming off of a PSAC championship in 2012, going 12-2 and advancing to the NCAA regional title game. The Owls finished the year with a 3-8 mark and a 2-6 record in the Northeast 10. This is the fourth time in the last five years that IUP has opened the season against the Owls, defeating them in 2009, 2010 and 2012.

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 RedZoneMedia.com.

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 two seasons, Cignetti has a record of 19-5, going 11-3 in PSAC West play and 2-1 in the NCAA playoffs. He has a record of 10-2 at home and 9-3 on the road. This will be 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: IUP holds a perfect 7-0 lead over Southern Connecticut in a series that began in 1984. IUP's biggest win came in 1989 with a 58-15 victory while the Crimson Hawks have outscored the Owls by an average of 32.4 - 11.9.

NEXT GAME: The Crimson Hawks host PSAC East foe Cheyney as they take on the Wolves for the second time in as many years. The two teams have matched up a total of five times in a series that began in 1994, with IUP winning each meeting. The Crimson Hawks blanked Cheyney 56-0 on the road in 2012.

HAWK TALK

IN THE TOP 25... The Crimson Hawks rank 10th in both the AFCA and D2Football.com preseason polls. In addition, IUP is ranked seventh by Lindy's Football Annual and 22nd by The Sporting News.

PSAC PRESEASON POLL... After last year's conference title, IUP has been picked atop the PSAC West preseason poll with seven of the possible eight first place votes. Mercyhurst was second with one first place vote while Slippery Rock was picked third and California fourth.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS... Sr. LB Carl Fleming (Reisterstown, MD/Franklin) and Jr. K Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) each earned preseason All-American status for 2013. Fleming was named to the 2nd team by D2Football.com while Ullman landed on BSN's 3rd team.

UP IN THE AIR... As of Sept. 4, Sr. RB De'Antwan Williams (Woodbridge, VA/Woodbridge) is still awaiting word from the NCAA on an extra year of eligibility. An all-region back in his first season with the Crimson Hawks in 2012, he finished second on the team with 1,325 yards and 10 TDs, adding 13 catches out of the backfield for another 121 yards.

RETURNING SUCCESS... The Crimson Hawks return 16 starters from last year's PSAC championship team, including eight on offense and seven on defense. Nine returners are postseason award winners, including six all-region or All-American honorees: Sr. OG Nick Carnicella (Greensburg/Hempfield), Sr. OT Byron Dovales (Reading/Muhlenberg), Williams, Sr. LB Alexander Berdahl (Ashburn, Va./Bishop O'Connell), Williams, Fleming and Ullman.

THE DIVISION II TOP 100... Three Crimson Hawks landed on D2Football.com's Top 100 Players for 2013. Fleming was the highest at No. 33, while Sr. WR Terrill Barnes (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) landed at No. 71 and Williams was picked at No. 75. A total of 20 PSAC players appeared on the list, with Bloomsburg boasting five and California three.

NATIONAL DOMINANCE... IUP is sixth is Division II with a .664 all-time winning percentage, racking up a 513-254-23 record. The 513 victories are 16th all-time as IUP is one of only 18 schools that have reached the 500-win plateau.

BRINGING THE "D"... The Crimson Hawks boasted the top defense in the nation in 2012, finishing first in scoring (12.5 points) and total defense (257.9 yards), and third in rushing defense (80.1 yards). IUP had three shutouts last year (Cheyney, Lock Haven, Clarion) and allowed 17 points or fewer in eight of the 14 games. The most impressive performance came against Shippensburg, holding the nation's top offense to just 271 yards and 10 points in the PSAC championship game.

EXPERIENCE UP FRONT... The Crimson Hawks return a plethora of talent on the offensive line, with three returning starters from last year and another from 2011, who have combined for 120 games and 100 starts in their careers. All-Americans in Dovales and Carnicella lock down the left side while Sr. OG Mike Charmo (Hamilton, VA/Loundon Valley) and Jr. C Matthew Sasson (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Fox Chapel) also return.

READY TO TAKE OFF... The passing offense showed flashes in 2012 and with Sr. QB Mike Box (Lawrenceville, GA/Collins Hill) returning along with Barnes and fellow Sr. WR Pat Brewer (Coatesville/Coatesville) returning, IUP could put up bigger numbers in 2013. Box tossed 13 TDs with just 4 INTs last year while the receiving duo combined for 68 catches for 1185 yards and 12 TDs.

BRING ON THE TRANSFERS... The Crimson Hawks welcome in a host of transfers this year, several from Division I schools. Among them looking to make an impact are Fr. QB Steve Franco (Tyrone, Pa. /Tyrone ) and Fr. DL James Price (Braddock/Woodland Hills) (Akron), Sr. RB Erik Finklea (Cincinnati, OH/Woodward) (Miami-OH) , Sr. DB Marco Pecora (Johnstown/Richland), Jr. DB Eric Williams (Yardley/Pennsbury) and Jr. WR Drew Carswell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Sto-Rox) (Pitt), Sr. DL Michael Larrow (Union, NJ/Union) and Jr. OL Jorge Viciosio (Rutgers), and Fr. DL Alkwan Williams (Johnstown/Greater Johnstown) (Temple).

SCOUTING THE OWLS

OFFENSE... The centerpiece of the Owls offense will again be RB Vaughn Magee. One of the top rushers in the Northeast 10 last year, Magee averaged 126.8 yards per game, ripping off 5.3 yards a carry and scored 8 TDs. The top three receivers from last year are all gone, which leaves WR Carlton Staggars as top returning pass catcher with 20 receptions for 266 yards. QB Jacob Jablonski also returns after throwing for 1,675 yards and 10 TDs.

DEFENSE... Just two of Southern Connecticut's top five tacklers return, incluidng DB Mike Dunkley. Dunkley finished second on the team with 58 tackles last year, including 39 solo, and led the Owls with three interceptions. Providing the pass rush for the Owls should be DE Mwamba Williams and DT A.J. Marsiglia. The top two sackers on the team last year, Williams notched four while Marsiglia added three.

SPECIAL TEAMS... Jeffrey Goth, who split punting chores last year, will be the main man in 2013. He averaged 34.4 yards on 26 punts. He'll also take over the place-kicking duties. De'vaghn Millington and Dequane June will return kickoffs while John Moscatel returns as the Owls' punt returner.