GAMEDAY CENTRAL
#4/2 IUP Crimson Hawks (8-0, 5-0 PSAC West)
vs. Gannon Golden Knights (3-5, 2-3 PSAC West)
Saturday, October 28, 2017 | 12 p.m.
Frank Cignetti Field at George P. Miller Stadium | Indiana, Pa.
*Rankings reflect current AFCA Coaches/D2Football Media Top 25 

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IUP Game Notes (PDF)
Gannon Game Notes

THE GAME
The 4th-ranked Crimson Hawks return home for the first time in three weeks to celebrate Senior Day against upset-minded Gannon this Saturday. Kickoff at George P. Miller Stadium is set for noon. IUP hopes to rebound from a sloppy 23-17 win at Clarion last week. At 8-0 on the year, the Crimson Hawks are the only undefeated team in the PSAC and carry and No. 1 regional ranking into week nine. Gannon is coming off a close loss at home to California (38-35), one of four losses this year that have come by eight points or less. The Golden Knights are 3-5 on the year and 2-3 in the PSAC West. 

The game will be broadcast on WQMU 92.5 FM with the voice of IUP Athletics, Jack Benedict, calling the action. You can also listen on u92radio.com and on the u92radio app on your smartphone.

STORYLINES
• A win over Gannon would clinch the PSAC West regular season title and a spot in the conference championship game on Nov. 11; This year's PSAC title game will be played at the East Division winner
• IUP is looking for its fourth 9-0 start in program history, and the first since the 1993 season
• IUP returns home for the first time since its 26-10 Coal Bowl win over 16th-ranked Cal on Oct. 7; That marked IUP's 15th straight win at Miller Stadium dating back to 2015
• All eyes will be on the matchup between the IUP defense and Gannon's Marc Jones, who leads Division II in rushing yards (1,711), rushing yards per game (213.9), and rushing touchdowns (21); Jones has four 200-yard games, including a PSAC record 355 against Slippery Rock
• The Crimson Hawks have allowed just one 100-yard rusher this year (ESU's Jaymar Anderson) and are 8th in Division II giving up 81.3 yards a game
• Gannon is averaging nearly 53 points and 600 yards over its last three games, totaling 76 and 696 in a blowout win at Seton Hill on Oct. 14
• Gannon has excelled on offense, but lacks defensive success by allowing 32.1 points and 299.6 passing yards per game; The Golden Knights are also one of the worst in the PSAC with a -4 turnover margin
• IUP QB Lenny Williams is one of the most efficient (171.7 effic) and accurate (67.5 pct) passers in Division II; The Gannon defense has allowed 342 passing yards a game and 13 touchdowns in the last five outings
• IUP owns a 6-3 series lead in this new rivalry; In the last five meetings, IUP is 4-1 with averages of 38 points, 483 total yards and 236 rushing yards

THE NOTEBOOK

CRIMSON HAWKS RANKED 5TH IN FIRST REGIONAL RANKING RELEASE
The NCAA released its first set of Division II regional rankings on Monday (Oct. 23) with IUP leading the way at No. 1 on the 10-team list. The top seven teams in each of the four regions advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs, with the top seed receiving a first round bye. See page seven for more details.

COACH TORTORELLA'S 8-0 RECORD IS BEST EIGHT-GAME START IN PROGRAM HISTORY
With eight wins in his first eight games, Coach Tortorella is the only IUP coach to start his career with an 8-0 record. The previous eight-game mark was 7-1, which was done by Chuck Klausing in 1964, Owen Dougherty in 1979, Frank Cignetti in 1986, and Lou Tepper in 2006. Tortorella looks for a 9-0 start this Saturday, besting the 8-1 nine-game start set by Klausing and Frank Cignetti. 

IUP SEEKING FOURTH 9-0 START IN PROGRAM HISTORY; FIRST SINCE 1993
A win over Gannon would give IUP its fourth 9-0 start in its illustrious history, and the first time since the 1993 national semifinalist season. IUP's 9-0 starts have come in 1968, 1991 and 1993. 

IUP DROPS IN COACHES POLL, STAYS AT NO. 2 IN MEDIA TOP 25
Despite improving to 8-0, the Crimson Hawks fell one spot to No. 4 in the AFCA Coaches' Poll but remained at No. 2 in the D2Football.com Media Poll. The No. 2 ranking in the media poll is the highest overall for the program since earning the same ranking by the AFCA back on Nov. 6, 2001. See page three of the game notes for more information. 

CRIMSON HAWKS OWN 3-0 RECORD AGAINST NATIONALLY-RANKED TEAMS IN 2017
IUP has had a strong schedule through eight games this season and boasts three wins over three nationally-ranked foes: 26-23 over NR/18 Ashland, 26-10 over #16/16 California, and 34-17 at #9/13 Slippery Rock. The combined record of those teams is 19-5. 

IUP IS PSAC WEST's WINNINGEST TEAM SINCE 1986
Since 1986, IUP has the most overall wins and divisional wins of any team in the PSAC West. The program owns an overall record of 274-86-1 (.760) along with a conference record of 164-38-1 (.810) during that span. IUP clinched a share of the division 2015 division crown, the program's 16th in 30 years. 

CRIMSON HAWKS HAVE 15-GAME HOME WIN STREAK HEADING INTO WEEK NINE
Always a very good home team, IUP has a 15-game home win streak heading into week nine against Gannon. The Crimson Hawks' last loss at home came in the 2015 season opener, falling to Kutztown 34-33 after two missed extra point attempts. Since that loss, IUP has outscored visiting opponents 591 to 241, or an average of 39.4 to 16.1.

CRIMSON HAWKS RANK IN THE TOP 25 OF DIVISION II IN SIX OFFENSIVE CATEGORIES
The diverse and well-rounded IUP offense is near the top of the NCAA rankings in six categories, including points per game (38.4, 23rd), rushing offense (267.9, 9th), total offense (499.9, 11th), sacks allowed (6, 11th), passing efficiency (170.00, 9th), and first downs (196, 11th). Thought of as just a running team just two years ago, IUP's spread offense has hurt opponents on the ground and in the air. 

IUP's "SPLASH PLAYS" BIG PART OF OFFENSE; HAS SCORED 16 TOUCHDOWNS OF 20-PLUS YARDS 
IUP has produced 45 "splash plays" - a play of 20-plus yards - through eight games this season. With 573 total plays, the Crimson Hawks go for 20-yards or more every 12.7 offensive plays on average. The Crimson Hawks' two biggest plays of the year both came in the week seven win, as Soph. RB Samir Bullock (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) had an 84-yard run and Fr. RB Justice Evans (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) had a 72-yard burst. Of IUP's 45 splash plays, 16 have gone for touchdowns, including a 25-yarder to Sr. WR Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central) last week. See page 12 of the game notes for more information. 

IUP IS 47-8 SINCE 2011 WHEN A PLAYER RUSHES FOR 100 YARDS IN A GAME
Soph. RB Samir Bullock (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) ran for 168 yards in the week seven win at Slippery Rock, as IUP improved to 47-8 since 2011 when a player rushes for at least 100 yards. IUP has four active players on the roster with a 100-yard game to his credit: R-Jr. QB Lenny Williams, Jr. (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) has nine, Bullock has eight, Fr. RB Justice Evans (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) has two, and Fr. RB Duane Brown (Spring Church, Pa./Apollo-Ridge) has one.

CRIMSON HAWKS ARE 76-5 SINCE 2003 WHEN RUSHING FOR 200 YARDS AS A TEAM
Five different players in week seven combined rush for 384 on 48 carries, marking the 81st time since 2003 that IUP has rushed for at least 200 yards in a game. The Crimson Hawks are 76-5 in those games, including a 23-3 record since 2015 and 6-0 this year. IUP's season-high of 431 yards in the week five win at Seton Hill are the fourth most in program history. 

SAMIR BULLOCK POISED FOR 1,000-YARD SEASON, 13TH IN DIVISION II IN RUSHING YARDS
Bullock ranks third in the PSAC and 13th in Division II with 918 rushing yards, as he's poised to hit the 1,000-yard plateau for the first time in his career. Despite playing in just two full games this year, he also ranks in the top 20 in the nation with 114.8 rushing yards per game and 10 rushing touchdowns. 

LENNY WILLIAMS IS 25-3 AS IUP STARTING QB; ALREADY ONE OF BEST IN PROGRAM HISTORY
R-Jr. QB Lenny Williams, Jr. (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) is in his third year as the IUP starter, carrying a 25-3 record into week nine. A two-time Harlon Hill Award nominee as the best player in Division II, Williams can already be listed as one of the top quarterbacks in IUP history. Williams owns several single game and season IUP records, but his name is also at or near the top in several career categories, including completion percentage, passer efficiency, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total offense, and touchdowns responsible for. 

WILLIAMS HAS TOTALED 598 YARDS, FIVE TOUCHDOWNS IN SIX QUARTERS AGAINST GANNON
Williams finished with 334 yards and three touchdowns at Gannon last year - in just one half of football. His performance paved the way for a 48-3 win and is arguably one of the most impressive of his career. In two games against the Golden Knights, he's averaging 174 passing yards, 125 rushing yards, and has nine plays (three rush, six pass) of 20-plus yards. 

WILLIAMS RANKS IN TOP 20 IN COUNTRY IN FOUR CATEGORIES
Williams again finds himself near the top of the Division II rankings this season, ranking 10th in passer efficiency (171.7), ninth in completion percentage (67.5), seventh in yards per attempt (9.42), and 17th in passing touchdowns (18). Last season, the signal caller finished as the Division II leader in passer efficiency (214.0), yards per completion (19.70), and yards per attempt (13.47). 

NEW OFFENSIVE LINE QUICKLY PROVING TO BE ONE OF BEST IN NATION UNDER COACH CAMPOLO
Under the direction of Coach Campolo, the Crimson Hawks boast one of the top offensive line units in Division II. That group has led the way for a ground game that ranks ninth in the country with 267.9 yards, and has given up just six sacks in eight games. Recent injuries have led to two different starting lineups in the last two weeks, with a third different combination expected against Gannon. 

IUP's DEPTH AT RECEIVER PROVING VALUABLE, WE'LL SEE FOURTH DIFFERENT LINEUP THIS WEEK
The Crimson Hawks boast an incredibly deep receiving corps, with seven players combining for 117 receptions, 1,705 yards (14.6 ypc) and 16 touchdowns. Sr. WR Allen Wright (McKeesport, Pa. /McKeesport Area) leads IUP with 43 catches and 507 yards; R-Soph. WR Dom McNeil (Philadelphia, Pa./Martin Luther King) averages a team-best 21.0 yards on 21 receptions; and R-Soph. WR JoJo Gause (Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) has a team-high four touchdowns.  

CRIMSON HAWKS HAS +7 TURNOVER MARGIN FOR THE YEAR, BUT -4 IN LAST THREE GAMES
After turning the ball over just four times in the first five games of the year, IUP has given it away eight times in the last three games, surviving a -4 turnover ratio with three victories. The Crimson Hawks still rank among the national leaders with 19 total takeaways - 14 interceptions and five fumble recoveries. IUP has forced at least one turnover in each of the last seven games, including a season-high five against Edinboro, and four against Cheyney and Seton Hill. 

IUP DEFENSE ONE OF THE BEST IN THE NATION UNDER COACH SMITH
Through eight weeks, the IUP defense is again asserting itself as one of the best in the nation under first year defensive coordinator Jim Smith. The Crimson Hawks' defense ranks in the top 25 in Division II in seven categories, including interceptions (14, 8th), rushing (81.3, 8th), pass efficiency (95.28, 9th), scoring (14.8, 10th), red zone defense (64.0%, 10th), defensive touchdowns (3, 17th), and total defense (299.1 24th). 

IUP HAS THREE DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS THIS YEAR; 18-1 SINCE 2011 WHEN THE DEFENSE SCORES
IUP is tied for 10th in Division II with three defensive touchdowns this year, including two in week three against Cheyney. They were the 22nd and 23rd defensive scores for IUP since the start of 2011, as the program improved to 18-1 during that span when the defense creates a touchdown.  

THE IUP DEFENSE HAS GIVEN UP 24 SECOND HALF POINTS, NONE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER
That stiffling defense has been even better in the second half, allowing a combined 1,006 yards (125.8 avg), three touchdowns and a field goal to eight opponents in the final 30 minutes of games. Even better, none of IUP's seven opponents have scored at all in the fourth quarter. Opponents are completing 49.7 percent (73-147) of their second half passes, have converted 29.3 percent (17-58) third down chances, and are averaging just 2.3 (123-287) yards per rush against the Crimson Hawks in the second half. 

STOUT IUP RUSH DEFENSE HAS BIG TEST THIS WEEK WITH NATIONAL LEADER MARC JONES
Led by a dominant defensive line, the Crimson Hawks have given up 100 rushing yards to an opponent just three times this year. ESU's Jaymar Anderson is the only individual rusher to hit the century mark, running for 151 yards on 25 carries in week two. Since that game, IUP's six opponents have totaled 350 yards and five touchdowns on 172 carries, an average of 2.0 yards per rush. The Crimson Hawks have 37.0 takles-for-loss in this six games, including 8.5 from Soph. DE Dondrea Tillman (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls), the team leader this season. Sr. DT Jemal Averette (Upper Marlboro, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) is second on the team with 7.0 TFLs, while 13 other players have at least one. 

LINEBACKERS AMENDOLA AND LLOYD LEAD THE CRIMSON HAWKS IN TACKLES
Soph. LBs Nick Amendola (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) and Damon Lloyd (Bel Air, Md./John Carroll) have excelled as first year starters. Amendola has a team-high 63 total tackles, while his two fumble recoveries are among the best marks in the PSAC. He's had three games of at least 10 tackles, including 14 against Edinboro and Clarion. Lloyd's 57 stops are second on the team, including a season-high 11 in week eight. He's added to the IUP pass defense, intercepting two passes and breaking up three more. 

IUP's BALL-HAWKING DEFENSE TIED FOR EIGHTH IN DIVISION II WITH 14 INTECEPTIONS
IUP is second in the PSAC and for tied for eighth in the country with 14 interceptions, picking off at least two in four of the last six games. The defense has broken up another 42 passes for 56 total passes defensed in eight games (7/game). R-Soph. CB JR Stevens (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) leads the team with 12 passes defensed, while Sr. SS Max Redfield (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) and R-Jr. CB Anthony Davis (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) joins him with a team-high three interceptions each.

CRIMSON HAWKS' FIVE BLOCKED KICKS TIED FOR THIRD IN DIVISION II
The IUP special teams is back at it this year with five blocked kicks in seven games, which is tied for ninth in Division II. Averette has two of those - one point after, one field goal - and Dom McNeil (Philadelphia, Pa./Martin Luther King)'s punt block he returned himself 15 yards for a touchdown against Cheyney.