GAMEDAY CENTRAL
No. 1 IUP Crimson Hawks (11-0, 7-0 PSAC West)
vs. No. 5 West Chester Golden Rams (9-3, 6-1 PSAC East)
Saturday, November 25, 2017 | 12 p.m.
Frank Cignetti Field at George P. Miller Stadium | Indiana, Pa.
*Rankings reflect Super Region One seeds

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IUP Game Notes (PDF)
West Chester Game Notes

THE GAME
The 3rd-ranked Crimson Hawks open their postseason this weekend when they host West Chester in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Kickoff at George P. Miller Stadium on Saturday is set for noon. IUP is the top seed in Super Region One, receiving home field advantage throughout the bracket plus a first round bye after an 11-0 regular season. West Chester (9-3) earned the No. 5 seed in the region and advanced after a 27-6 road win at No. 4 Shippensburg last week. This game is a rematch of the PSAC Championship, won by IUP 24-7 in West Chester two weeks ago. 

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
• Today's game is a rematch of IUP's 24-7 win in the PSAC Championship game two weeks ago in West Chester
• This marks the fourth time that IUP has played a team in the playoffs after defeating them in the regular season that same year - 1990, Edinboro; 1991, Shippensburg; 1994 Grand Valley State; In each of those previous meetings, IUP also won the rematch
• This game marks the second ever playoff meeting between these two schools; IUP rallied to defeat West Chester 45-35 in 2007, scorign 18 unanswered points in the fourth quarter
• IUP is 9-2 all-time in home Division II playoff games, including two straight - 27-17 over Shepherd in 2012 and 27-23 over Saginaw Valley State in 2002
• Today's winner advances to the NCAA Division II Super Region One Championship against the winner of No. 3 seed Assumption (11-1) and No. 7 Findlay (10-2)
• IUP has a 16-game home win streak which dates back to 2015; During that span, IUP is outscoring opponents 39.6-16.7; Since 2012, IUP is 31-4 at home
• West Chester is 5-1 on the road this year, its only loss coming at the hands of Slippery Rock 49-42
• QB Lenny Williams is completing 67.6 pct. of his passes for 234.3 yards per game, 16 TDs and 2 INTs in six home games
• IUP has allowed just one 100-yard rusher this year (ESU's Jaymar Anderson) and is 5th in Division II giving up 75.4 yards; WCU RB Jarel Elder was named the PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year and has 1176 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns
• WCU leads the PSAC with 37 sacks and boasts three players who have at least 7.0; IUP has given up eight sacks in 11 games, allowing just one to the Rams two weeks ago

THE NOTEBOOK

IUP MAKING IT'S 18TH ALL-TIME NCAA DIVISION II PLAYOFF APPEARANCE
This marks IUP's 18th NCAA playoff appearance, third straight, and fourth in the last six seasons. This is the first time under the current structure that the Crimson Hawks have earned the top seed in Super Region One, which provided a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the regional bracket. IUP is 20-17 all-time in NCAA Division II playoff games, has six appearances in the national semifinals (1989-91, 1993-94, 99) and played for the national championship in 1990 and 1993. 

IUP AND WEST CHESTER SET FOR PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH
The Crimson Hawks won the 2017 PSAC Championship with a 24-7 win at West Chester on Nov. 11. The win marked the fourth PSAC "State Game" title for IUP, with three of those wins coming over West Chester. R-Jr. QB Lenny Williams won MVP honors by totaling 248 yards and three touchdowns, while the IUP defense picked off four passes and limited The Golden Rams to 197 total yards. 

IUP IS TOP 10 ALL-TIME IN DIVISION II PLAYOFF APPEARANCES AND WINS
The 18 all-time playoff appearances for IUP is tied for third all-time in Division II, while the program's 20 all-time playoff victories are seventh in Division II history. IUP appeared in five straight NCAA playoffs on two occasions - 1987-91 and 1998-2002. 

COACH TORTORELLA'S 11-0 RECORD IS BEST FIRST YEAR IN PROGRAM HISTORY
No other first year head coach in IUP history has put together a season like Coach Tortorella, who went 11-0 in the regular season with a Western Division outright title and PSAC Championship. The previous best year by a first year IUP coach came from Frank Cignetti in 1986, going 9-2. The week following IUP's 24-7 win over West Chester, Tortorella had the interim tag removed from his title by the university. 

IUP SEEKING THIRD 12-0 START IN PROGRAM HISTORY; FIRST SINCE 1993
A win on Saturday would give IUP its third 12-0 start in its illustrious history. The other two came in the national semifinalist season of 1991 and the national finalist year of 1993. 

IUP WON 21ST PSAC WEST TITLE IN 42-26 WEEK NINE WIN OVER GANNON
With the Crimson Hawks' 42-26 win over Gannon in week nine, they clinched the program's 21st PSAC West title, and first outright division title since 2002. The 21 titles represents the number that IUP recognizes, starting in 1964. The PSAC did not begin recognizing regular season division titles until 1988. 

IUP ENTERS POSTSEASON RANKED NO. 3 IN AFCA POLL, NO. 1 BY D2FOOTBALL
The Crimson Hawks enter the postseason as one of the top-ranked teams in Division II, earning a No. 3 ranking in the AFCA Coaches' Poll and are No. 1 in the D2Football.com Media Poll. IUP was ranked No. 1 by the media in each of the last three polls heading into the NCAA playoffs, the longest streak for the program at the top since 1996. 

CRIMSON HAWKS OWN 3-0 RECORD AGAINST NATIONALLY-RANKED TEAMS IN 2017
IUP has had a strong schedule through 11 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 28-7, with Ashland still alive in the Super Region Three bracket.  

CRIMSON HAWKS RANK IN THE TOP 30 OF DIVISION II IN EIGHT OFFENSIVE CATEGORIES
The diverse and well-rounded IUP offense is near the top of the NCAA rankings in seven categories, including passer efficiency (166.87, 8th), rushing offense (251.5, 9th), sacks allowed (0.73, 9th), first downs (266, 12th), total offense (466.5, 14th), third down conversions (46.9%, 17th), scoring offense (37.2, 28th) and time of possession (31:42, 30th). 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. 

FAST-PACED IUP OFFENSE HAS MORPHED INTO A BALL CONTROL ATTACK
Through the first nine games, the IUP offense averaged just over two minutes on its 52 scoring drives, including 20 scoring drives that were faster than two minutes. In the last two games, however, the fast-paced attack has slowed down producing eight scoring drives that average 9 plays for 59 yards in 4:38. Three of those drives went for 10-plus plays and lasted longer than six minutes. The Crimson Hawks have an average time of possession of more than 34 minutes in those two games.

IUP IS 47-8 SINCE 2011 WHEN A PLAYER RUSHES FOR 100 YARDS IN A GAME
The Crimson Hawks are 5-0 this year when a player rushes for 100 yards or more, with three different backs combining for six total 100-yard performances. Soph. RB Samir Bullock (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) was the last IUP player to break 100, finishing with 168 yards in the week seven win at Slippery Rock. In the last seven seasons, IUP boasts a 47-8 record when a player rushes for at least 100 yards. Four active players on the roster have 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.

LENNY WILLIAMS NOMINATED FOR 2017 HARLON HILL AWARD; 28-3 RECORD AS STARTING QB
R-Jr. QB Lenny Williams, Jr. (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) has been nominated for the 2017 Harlon Hill Award, which goes to the best player in Division II football. It's the third straight year the dynamic quarterback has been nominated, boasting a 28-3 record as a starter during that time. One of the top quarterbacks in program history, he owns several single game and season records, but his name is also at or near the top in several career categories, including completion percentage, passing yards, passer efficiency, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total offense, and total touchdowns. See page 6 of the game notes for more information.

OFFENSIVE LINE FACING INJURIES, STILL A TOP UNIT 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 251.5 yards, and has given up just eight sacks in 11 games. A recent rash of injuries have led to four different starting combinations in the last five weeks, but production has remained the same. 

IUP's DEPTH AT RECEIVER PROVING VALUABLE, SEVEN DIFFERENT PLAYERS HAVE EARNED STARTS
The Crimson Hawks boast an incredibly deep receiving corps, as 10 players have seen playing time, eight have at least one reception, and seven have earned at least one start. Gr. WR Chris Wuestner (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) has played in six games due to injury, but has started the last three games with a combined 11 catches for 154 yards and five touchdowns. Sr. WR Allen Wright (McKeesport, Pa. /McKeesport Area) has a team-high 61 receptions, the fifth most in IUP history. R-So. Dom McNeil (Philadelphia, Pa./Martin Luther King) is averaging a team-best 19.5 yards on his 28 receptions with four touchdowns. 

CRIMSON HAWKS +16 TURNOVER MARGIN RANKS FIFTH IN DIVISION II
Yearly one of the top teams in Division II in turnover margin, IUP leads the PSAC and ranks fifth in the country at +16 through 11 games. The Crimson Hawks are a combined +9 in their last three wins, causing 11 total turnovers during that stretch. IUP is tied for sixth in the country with 40 total takeaways - 23 interceptions and seven fumble recoveries - and has forced at least two turnovers eight times this year. 

IUP DEFENSE ONE OF THE BEST IN THE NATION UNDER COACH SMITH
The IUP defense is again asserting itself as one of the best in the nation under first year DC Jim Smith. The Crimson Hawks' defense ranks in the top 15 in Division II in seven categories, including interceptions (23, 3rd), rushing (75.4, 5th), pass efficiency (94.63, 7th), red zone defense (66.7%, 11th), scoring (14.6, 11th), defensive touchdowns (4, 13th) and total defense (281.7, 15th).

IUP HAS FOUR DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS THIS YEAR; 19-1 SINCE 2011 WHEN THE DEFENSE SCORES
IUP is tied for 13th in Division II with four defensive touchdowns this year, including an 8-yard fumble return by Soph. DE Dondrea Tillman (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls) in week 10, his second of the season. That was the 24th defensive score for IUP since 2011, as the program improved to 19-1 during that span when the defense creates a touchdown.

THE IUP DEFENSE HAS BEEN DOMINANT IN THE SECOND HALF; ALLOWED 89 YARDS LAST WEEK
IUP has had a suffocating second half defense all year, giving up an average of 129 yards with seven total touchdowns in the final 30 minutes of games. Over the last two weeks, IUP has allowed a total of 150 yards and has forced six turnovers in the second half. Opponents are completing 49.5 percent (103-208) of their passes, have converted 31.6 percent (25-79) third down chances, and are averaging just 2.4 (161-387) yards per rush against IUP in the second half. 

IUP's BALL-HAWKING DEFENSE TIED FOR THIRD IN DIVISION II WITH 23 INTECEPTIONS
IUP leads the PSAC and is tied for third in the country with 23 interceptions, picking off at least two in seven of the last nine games. 10 players have combined for those 23 picks, as the Crimson Hawks have had contributions from defensive backs (16 INTs), linemen (three) and linebackers (two). The defense has also broken up another 53 passes for 76 total passes defensed in 11 games (6.9/game). 

JR STEVENS AMONG DIVISION II LEADERS IN INTERCEPTIONS, PASSES DEFENSED
R-Soph. CB JR Stevens (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) leads Division II with 22 passes defensed, an average of 2.0 per game. His 15 pass breakups are one shy of tying an IUP single season record and are tied for fourth in the nation, while his seven interceptions are tied for sixth. Stevens has a pair of two-interception games, including week seven at Slippery Rock and week 10 at Mercyhurst. In the last five games, Stevens has defensed 14 passes. 

DEEP AND TALENTED DEFENSIVE LINE HAS PROVIDED PRESSURE
A deep and talented defensive line has been the Crimson Hawks' main source of pressure all year long, as nine players have combined for 50.0 tackles-for-loss and 26.0 sacks. Jr. DE Deandre Easterling (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga) leads IUP with 11.0 TFLs and 7.5 sacks, while Soph. DE Dondrea Tillman (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls) adds more pressure from the outside with 9.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks. The middle is handled by Sr. DT Jemal Averette (Upper Marlboro, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel), Sr. NG Justin Weldon (Easton, Pa. /Easton Area), and Sr. Jordan Diven (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny), who have 20.0 TFLs and 6.5 sacks between them. 

LINEBACKERS AMENDOLA AND LLOYD LEAD THE CRIMSON HAWKS IN TACKLES
Soph. LBs Damon Lloy and Nick Amendola (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) have excelled as first year starters. Lloyd leads the team with 82 total tackles, including three straight double-digit tackle outings, and has 2.5 tackles-for-loss. He's also factored in to IUP's pass defense, picking off two passes while breaking up four more. Amendola is second with 81 stops, posting a season-best 14 against Edinboro and Clarion. He's also had a hand in IUP's 30 takeaways, grabbing two fumble recoveries. 

TORTORELLA (COACH) AND EVANS (FRESHMAN) LEAD MAJOR HAUL IN PSAC WEST AWARDS
Coach Tortorella and Fr. RB Justice Evans (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) were major award winners, and IUP raked in 16 first and second team PSAC West nods as the league announced its postseason awards last week. The 16 selections are the most in IUP history and believed to be the most by one team in PSAC history. QB Lenny Williams highlighted a group of seven first team selections. A full list of awards can be found on page 13 of the games notes.