Game Day Central
IUP Crimson Hawks (6-4, 5-4 PSAC) 
vs. No. 17/12 West Chester (9-1, 8-1 PSAC)
Saturday, November 15, 2014 | 1:00 p.m.
Frank Cignetti Field @ George P. Miller Stadium | Indiana, Pa.

Watch: BackLight TV | backlighttv.com 
Listen: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com 
Live Stats: IUPathletics.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats

THE GAME
The Crimson Hawks return home for the season finale when they host No. 17 West Chester at Frank Cignetti Field on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 PM and it will be Senior Day at IUP. The Crimson Hawks look to end the season on a high note after losing to Gannon in Erie last weekend. The Golden Rams have won two straight and will head into the NCAA playoffs on a three-game winning streak with a win. 

The game will be broadcast on WQMU 92.5 FM with the voice of IUP Athletics, Jack Benedict, calling the action. 

RANKINGS
IUP has not been ranked in the AFCA coaches' or D2football.com media polls since its week two loss at Kutztown. The Golden Rams are ranked 17th by the AFCA, 12th by D2football, and are 3rd in the NCAA 
Division II Super Region One rankings. 

THE SERIES
This will be the 19th all-time meeting between these two schools, with IUP holding a 12-6 overall record in the series. IUP has won 8 straight dating back to the 1987 PSAC championship game, and also including regular season wins in 2009 and 2010. 

GANNON LEFTOVERS
• The Crimson Hawks lost their 3rd in 4 games, the worst such streak since dropping 4 consecutive games in the middle of the 2010 season. IUP finished 6-5 that year. 
• IUP turned the ball over twice against Gannon, making it 13 turnovers in the last 4 games. The Crimson Hawks have turned the ball over at least once in every game this year.
• IUP receivers now have double-digit catches 3 times this season after Fr. WR Walt Pegues caught 13 on Saturday. R-Sr. WR Drew Carswell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Sto-Rox) had 15 receptions and Gr. TE Brock DeCicco (Jefferson Hills, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) had 11 against Cal. 

LOOKING AHEAD
This game will signal the end of the 2014 season for the Crimson Hawks. Depending on how the roster shakes out, IUP could bring 13 starters - 5 offense, 7 defense, 1 special teams - back in 2015.  

IUP AGAINST THE PSAC EAST
Since 2006, IUP has an incredible 24-5 (.828) record against teams from the PSAC East. This includes a seven-game winning streak that dated back to the 34-7 win over West Chester in 2011 and ended at Kutztown. IUP is 5-1 vs. Millersville, 4-0 vs. East Stroudsburg and Cheyney, and 3-0 vs. West Chester. 

WILL IT COME TO PASS
The Crimson Hawks have excelled through the air the second half of the season, with days of 359, 361, and 340 yards in the past 4 games. The Golden Rams, however, have statistically the best pass defense in the PSAC as they give up just 167 yards per game. West Chester opponents are completing just 48 pct of their passes and the Golden Rams have given up just 8 TDs through the air, both are league-lows. 

SCORING IN BUNCHES
West Chester has scored 35 or more points in 8 of its 10 games, including games of 62, 58 and 55. The 2 games in which the Golden Rams did not reach that total were against Kutztown (W, 29-10) and Bloomsburg (L, 41-10). The Crimson Hawks have allowed just one opponent to score more than 35 points in a game this season - Kutztown in week two (L, 44-7).

ABOUT WEST CHESTER
West Chester is one of the top teams in the nation, with its lone loss coming to PSAC East champion and 5th-ranked Bloomsburg.

The Golden Rams boast one of the top offenses in the league as they average 480 yards and 41 points per game. QB Sean McCartney directs the offense as one of top players in the PSAC, tossing a league-high 32 TDs with just 8 INTs, nearly 2700 yards and 60 completion pct. He spreads the ball around to several players, including WR Mike Doty, TE Tim Brown and WR Erick Brundidge, who all have 30-plus catches. RB Brandon Monk is coming off of a 257 rushing yard performance against ESU and averages 105 yards per contest. 

The West Chester defense has been hard to score on, giving up just 17.7 points per game, including 10 or less points four times. That pass defense is led by DB Al-Hajj Shabazz, a preseason All-American who has 3 interceptions and has broken up 9 additional passes this year. Another preseason All-American, LB Ronell Williams has missed 4 games this year but still has 44 tackles. LB Mike Labor leads the team with 68 tackles while DL Andrew Cohen has 12.5 TFLs and 8 sacks. 

Jarel Elder has been dynamic on KORs, averaging 25.9 yards with a TD on 16 runbacks. Rich Bruno handles all of the kicking chores for the Golden Rams, converting 8-13 FGs with a long of 45 and is averaging 38.9 yards on 33 punts. 

YARDS, YARDS, YARDS!
The Crimson Hawks have turned up the voltage on offense in the second half of the season, averaging 414 yards over their last 5 games compared to just 327 during their first 5 contests. They've had 3 games of more than 449 yards, including a season-high 470 in the loss at Cal.

FOR COMPARISON'S SAKE
Despite outgaining each opponent in their last 4 games, the Crimson Hawks are just 1-3 over that span. IUP has averaged 405 yards per game and have given up just 324 in games against Cal (L, 21-13), Slippery Rock (L 31-21), Clarion (W, 31-0) and Gannon (L, 31-21). IUP has also lost the turnover battle a combined 13-5 in those 4 games. 

RUNNING GAMES
In the Curt Cignetti era, the Crimson Hawks are 24-1 when rushing for at least 200 yards in a single game. That lone loss came in 2012 at Cal (L, 26-24). This year, IUP has eclipsed the 200-yard mark just 3 times - 215 vs. Mercyhurst, 224 vs. Seton Hill, and 235 vs. Clarion - all wins. IUP hit the 200 yard mark 6 times in 2013, 12 times in 2012 and 4 times in 2011. 

YOUTH MOVEMENT
The Crimson Hawks' top backs this year are all underclassmen, consisting of 2 sophomores and 2 freshmen. Fr. RB Luigi Lista-Brinza (McKees Rocks, Pa. /Central Catholic) leads all runners with 810 yards and 10 TDs while Fr. RB Chris Temple is 2nd with 351 yards. So. RB Darian Bradley (Midland, Pa./Beaver) is 3rd with 255 and So. RB Izzy Green (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) has rushed for 148 yards despite being limited all year due to injury. 

Each runner has had a game in which they rushed for at least 50 yards while Lista-Brinza, Temple & Bradley each have led IUP in rushing at least once.

I'M-A LUIGI, NUMBER ONE!
In addition to leading IUP in rushing, Lista-Brinza tops all PSAC freshmen this year with 81.0 rushing yards per game. That total is also good for 4th among all Division II freshman running backs and 6th overall in the PSAC, as he has 5 games of 100-plus yards this season. He's had 6 games this year of 100 or more all-purpose yards and leads the team in scoring with 10 TDs and 60 points. 

TEMPLE RUN
Temple has been IUP's primary ball carrier each of the last 2 games, rushing for 196 yards and a TD on 37 carries. He had his 1st career 100-yard game against Clarion with 114 yards after only totaling 14 yards on 4 carries in the Crimson Hawks' previous 4 games. 

CHASING RECORDS
In his 1st year at IUP, Gr. QB Chase Haslett (Clayton, Mo./Clayton) has written his name in several spots in the school's record book. He's currently in the top 11 in 6 game, 2 season, and 1 career categories.

TAKING IT UP A PEG
Another underclassman stepping up this year is Fr. WR Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central), who leads the Crimson Hawks and is 7th in the PSAC with 130.7 all-purpose yards per game. He had a season-high 282 yards against Gannon, greatly greatly helped by 193 receiving yards on 13 catches. He's gone for over 200 all-purpose yards in 3 of his last 5 games, including 243 against Seton Hill and 212 against Slippery Rock. 

WALT THE WIDEOUT
Those 13 catches for 193 yards for Pegues against Gannon were also season-highs as he's been factoring into the passing game more as the season has gone on. Half of his 40 receptions this year have come in the last 3 games, combining for 20 catches for 351 yards and 3 TDs during that span. 

BIG PLAY THREAT
Pegues has also been IUP's big play threat over the past 5 games, making 6 plays of at least 30 yards during that span. He's had PRs of 96 (Seton Hill) and 36 (Clarion) yards, and receptions of 63 (Slippery Rock), 55 (Gannon), 36 (Clarion) and 34 (Cal) yards. 

STOCKING UP
R-Fr. QB Eddie Stockett (Dravosburg, Pa. /McKeesport) has received increased playing time in recent weeks, getting snaps against Mercyhurst, Clarion and Gannon. He saw his most action last week, finishing 4-12 for 52 yards. For the season, Stockett is 6-19 for 93 yards, a TD and a pair of INTs. 

A PASSING FANCY
In IUP's back-to-back big passing days against Cal and Slippery Rock, the Crimson Hawks completed 63.2 pct of their passes for 720 yards, 4 TDs and 7 INTs. They attempted a combined 95 passes in those 2 games, the most attempts in back-to-back games for IUP in more than a decade. 

ALL'S WELL THAT CARSWELL
R-Sr. WR Drew Carswell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Sto-Rox) has been IUP's top target all season long, catching 54 passes for 777 yards and 9 TDs. He had 3 straight big games against Seton Hill, Cal and Slippery Rock where he combined for 30 catches, 399 yards and 4 TDs. He's statistically one of the top WRs in the PSAC, ranking 8th in receptions, receptions per game (5.4), receiving yards and receiving yards per game (77.7) and is tied for 6th with his 9 receiving TDs. 

HOLDING THAT LINE
The Crimson Hawks have had just two different starting offensive line units this year, with the same one - R-Sr. LT Bruce Atkins (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills), So. LG Ethan Cooper (Steelton, Pa. /Central Dauphin East), Sr. C Matt Sasson, Fr. RG Dan Charmo (Hamilton, Va./Loundon Valley) and R-Sr. RT Jorge Vicioso (Passaic, N.J./Passaic) - featured in each of the last 7 games. Thru 10 games a season ago, the Crimson Hawks had already had six different starting lineups along the offensive line. This current group has combined for 82 career starts. 

DOUBLE PLAY
R-So. LB Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) had another big defensive performance last week, registeing his 5th double-figure tackle game of the season with 11 stops against Gannon. Against SRU, Clarke finished with 21 tackles, the most for a PSAC player this year and tied for the 6th highest total in DII. 

Clarke's 110 tackles leads the PSAC while his 11.0 tackles/game is tied for 21st in the nation. He's now had single game totals of 21, 19, 13, 12 and 11.

CENTURY 25
Clarke is on pace for one of IUP's best single season tackle performances nearly 30 years. He enters this weekend on pace to finish the season with 121 stops, the most since Kevin McMullan tallied 156 in 1987. That total would finish just outside of the top 10 most tackles in single season school history, trailing Jim Haslett and Gregg Schmidt with 129 in 1976. 

THE NEW WAVE
Always deep at linebacker, the Crimson Hawks have found the next generation of dominant defenders in Clarke and So. LB Myles Catlin (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Obama). Filling the spots of injured R-Sr. LBs Alexander Berdahl (Ashburn, Va./Bishop O'Connell) and Dorian Lane (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Woodland Hills), Clarke and Catlin have combined for 155 tackles, 14.5 TFLs, 4 sacks, 3 passes defensed and 1 interception. To go along with Clarke's 21 tackles against SRU, Catlin also set a career-high with 15 stops, and had 1 tackle behind the line of scrimmage. 

HEAT MEISNER
The production of R-Sr. DE Shane Meisner (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield ) is starting to heat up as the temperature drops, as he's come up with big plays in each of the last 5 games. He had his best statistical game of the year against Clarion with 3 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks. He tallied his 1st sack of the year at Cal, bringing down QB James Harris as time expired in IUP territory in the 1st half, and grabbed a one-handed interception against Seton Hill, which led to IUP's final TD of the game in a 51-28 victory. 

MOWING DOWN THE LINE
R-Fr. DE Matthew Mowad (Easton, Pa. /Easton) has been a pleasant surprise after moving over from tight end in the spring. He's 7th on the team with 39 tackles and 2nd with 9.5 TFLs and 4 sacks. Mowad has 5.5 TFLs in IUP's last 6 games and has 20 combined tackles in each of his last 3 games, including a season-high 10 stops against Slippery Rock.  

GREAT WALL OF INDIANA
Meisner and Mowad have contibuted to the Crimson Hawks' dominant run defense this year. IUP leads the PSAC and is ranked 3rd in Division II by giving up just 75.4 rushing yards per game. Six times IUP has held opponents to under 100 yards rushing, including -6 yards to Edinboro and -8 yards to Clarion. Opponents are averaging just 2.2 yards per carry against the Crimson Hawks.

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
R-Sr. CB Jerell McFadden (Manassas, Va./Osbourn) is one of the best in the PSAC in breaking up passes, as his 13 breakups are tied for 3rd in the league. In 42 career games, McFadden has 36 total passes defensed (breakups-plus-interceptions). 

The Crimson Hawks have 45 passes defensed this season, led by McFadden's 13. Fr. FS Takhi Turner (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.) has added 8 and R-So. DB Ackeno Robertson (Philadelphia, Pa. /Parkway Northwest) and Fr. CB Allen Wright (McKeesport, Pa. /McKeesport Area) have 4. 

MOVING UP THE RECORD BOOKS
Sr. K Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) entered this season on pace to break three career IUP scoring records, including points scored, field goals made, and extra points made. He broke the all-time extra points record against Seton Hill, and is 13 points and 3 field goals away from tying those respective school records. 

GOOD RETURNS
Pegues has proven to be a dynamic returner in his first season as he leads the PSAC and is 3rd in Division II with a 19.4 PR average. His 96-yard TD against Seton Hill broke an IUP record, and also has PRs of 36 and 23 yards this season. He's excelling on KORs as well, with a 23.0 average and returns of 50 and 43 yards. 

Fellow Fr. WR Tristan Davis (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) has also seen time returning kicks, as he has a 22.7 yard average on 9 KORs and a 9.5 average on 6 PRs. 

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Sr. PK Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) received preseason All-American honors by both the Beyond Sports Network (BSN) and by the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL). Sr. DE Shane Meisner (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield ) was also selected by the CDFL. 

SUCCESS IN THE PSAC
The Crimson Hawks are one of the most successful teams in the PSAC, and the winningest in the West since Curt Cignetti took over in 2011. IUP is second to only Bloomsburg with 28 wins (the Huskies have 29). Both schools have won the last two conference championships.

COACHING CONTINUITY
The 10 total coaches on the staff this season have combined to coach 83 seasons at IUP, with four coaches boasting at least 12 years of experience at the school. ST coordinator/DEs coach Bernie McQuown will enter his 28th year on the sidelines with IUP, tops amongst the staff. DC Paul Tortorella has coached 20 years while LBs coach Jim Smith has put in 15 years and OL coach Mike Campolo has logged 12. 

Cignetti and WRs coach Rod Rutherford each have three years while RBs coach Jim Chapin has two, and OC Tyler Haines has one. CBs coach Johnny Franco and DTs coach Bryant Haines are in their first years on staff.