GAMEDAY CENTRAL
No. 1 IUP Crimson Hawks (12-0, 7-0 PSAC West)
vs. No. 3 Assumption Greyhounds (11-1, 8-1 NE-10)
Saturday, December 2, 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)
Assumption Game Notes

THE GAME
The 3rd-ranked Crimson Hawks continue their postseason run as they host Assumption for the 2017 NCAA Division II Super Region One Championship. Kickoff at George P. Miller Stadium on Saturday is set for noon. The top seed in the region, IUP (12-0) received a first round bye and advanced with a 44-10 win over No. 5 seed West Chester in last weekend's second round. Assumption (11-1) earned the No. 3 seed in the region and has advanced to the title game with wins over No. 6 seed California and No. 7 seed Findlay. The winner moves on to next week's national semifinals. 

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
• This will be the first ever meeting between these two schools
• Today's winner advances to the semifinals to play the champion of one of the three other regions; Semifinal teams are reseeded
• A win for IUP would give the program its seventh all-time NCAA semifinal berth, and its first since 1999; Assumption is appearing in its third NCAA playoff (2015-17) having never advanced past the second round prior to this season
• IUP appeared in the 2012 Super Region One title game, falling on the road to Winston-Salem State, 21-17
• IUP is 10-2 all-time in home Division II playoff games, including wins in each of the last three games - 27-23 over Saginaw Valley State (2002), 27-17 over Shepherd (2012) and 44-10 over West Chester last week
• IUP has a 17-game home win streak which dates back to 2015; During that span, IUP is outscoring opponents 39.8-16.3; Since 2012, IUP is 32-4 at home
• Assumption is 5-0 on the road this year, with its closest win a 31-28 victory at Kutztown to open the season; The Greyhounds best road win came at LIU Post (8-2) by a score of 52-20
• QB Lenny Williams is completing 65.3 pct. of his passes for 234.3 yards per game, 19 TDs and 2 INTs in seven home games
• Assumption is tied with IUP for third in Division II with 23 interceptions, led by DB Andrew Benson with eight; The Greyhounds picked off Cal QB Michael Keir five times two weeks ago
• The Greyhounds have the best kick returner in college football in Deonte Harris; Harris leads Division II with eight combined return touchdowns (five punt, three kickoff) and averages 40.3 yards per kickoff return and 26.3 yards per punt return

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 21-17 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 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 21 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 12-0 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, PSAC Championship and NCAA playoff berth. The previous "best year" by a first year IUP coach came from Frank Cignetti in 1986, going 9-2. The week following IUP's PSAC title, Tortorella had the interim tag removed from his title by the university. 

IUP SEEKING SECOND 13-0 START IN PROGRAM HISTORY
A win on Saturday would give IUP its second 13-0 start in its illustrious history. The other came in the national finalist year of 1993 when the program finished 13-1. 

CRIMSON HAWKS HAVE 17-GAME HOME WIN STREAK AFTER PLAYOFF WIN OVER WEST CHESTER
Always a very good home team, IUP has a 17-game home win streak heading into this week. 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 visitors 677 to 277, or an average of 39.8 to 16.3.

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 12 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 28-8, with Ashland advancing to the second round of the NCAAs.

CRIMSON HAWKS RANK IN THE TOP 25 OF DIVISION II IN SEVEN OFFENSIVE CATEGORIES
The diverse and well-rounded IUP offense is near the top of the NCAA rankings in seven categories, including first downs (289, 6th), passer efficiency (168.29, 7th), rushing offense (257.5, 8th), sacks allowed (0.75, 9th),  total offense (474.2, 12th), third down conversions (46.5%, 18th) and scoring offense (37.8, 22nd). 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. 

DIVERSE IUP OFFENSE ABLE TO SPEED UP THE PACE, OR PLAY BALL CONTROL
Depending on the opponent and game situation, the IUP offense has been able to dictate its needs. After producing eight scoring drives that averaged 4:38 at Mercyhurst and in the PSAC title game - including three longer than six minutes - the Crimson Hawks exploded for six scoring drives that were faster than two minutes last week. Of IUP's 68 scoring drives this year: 27 have been less than two minutes, six have spanned five minutes or longer, 11 have been in three plays or less, 19 have had 10-plus plays, and 10 have covered more than 80 yards. 

IUP IS 48-8 SINCE 2011 WHEN A PLAYER RUSHES FOR 100 YARDS IN A GAME
Fr. RB Justice Evans (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) ran for 133 yards on just five carries last week, helping IUP to a 48-8 record since 2011 when a player rushes for at least 100 yards in a game. The Crimson Hawks are 6-0 in those games this year, with three different players combining for seven total 100-yard performances. 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, Soph. RB Samir Bullock (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) has eight, Evans has three, and Fr. RB Duane Brown (Spring Church, Pa./Apollo-Ridge) has one.

LENNY WILLIAMS NOMINATED FOR 2017 HARLON HILL AWARD; 29-3 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 29-3 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.

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. Six receivers have double-digit receptions, led by Sr. WR Allen Wright (McKeesport, Pa. /McKeesport Area) with 68. R-Soph. WR Dom McNeil (Philadelphia, Pa./Martin Luther King) leads the team with an average of 20.5 yards on 30 receptions, and Sr. WR Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central) has flourished despite only playing in four games due to injury, catching six passes for 190 yards (31.7 avg) and two touchdowns. 

WRIGHT NEARING IUP SINGLE SEASON RECEIVING RECORD
Wright's 68 catches this year are the second highest mark in program history. He's now just six away from tying Len Pesotini's record of 74 which he set in 1975. A defensive back two years ago, Wright has caught seven or more passes six times this season, including three 9-catch outings (Ashland, Seton Hill, Slippery Rock). He caught seven passes for 76 yards and a touchdown last week. 

OFFENSIVE LINE FACING INJURIES, STILL A TOP UNIT UNDER COACH CAMPOLO
Under the direction of Coach Campolo, IUP boasts one of the top offensive line units in Division II. That group has led the way for a ground game that ranks eighth in the country with 257.5 yards, and has given up just nine sacks in 12 games. Despite injuries that have produced six different line combinations in 12 games, IUP still has four games of at least 300 rushing yards and six games without a sack given up. 

CRIMSON HAWKS +17 TURNOVER MARGIN RANKS THIRD IN DIVISION II
Yearly one of the top teams in Division II in turnover margin, IUP leads the PSAC and ranks third in the country at +17 through 12 games. The Crimson Hawks are a combined +10 in their last four wins, causing 12 total turnovers during that stretch. IUP is tied for fifth in the country with 31 total takeaways - 23 interceptions and eight 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 20 in Division II in seven categories, including interceptions (23, 3rd), pass efficiency (93.55, 5th), scoring (14.2, 6th), rushing (79.2, 7th), total defense (277.6, 11th), defensive touchdowns (4, 13th) and red zone defense (66.7%, 16th). 

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 and has 24 defensive scores since 2011. The program is 19-1 during that span when the defense creates a touchdown.

THE IUP DEFENSE HAS BEEN DOMINANT IN THE SECOND HALF
IUP has had a suffocating second half defense all year, giving up an average of 134 yards with eight total touchdowns in the final 30 minutes of games. Opponents are completing 48.7 percent (109-224) of their passes, have converted 31.0 percent (27-87) third down chances, and are averaging just 2.6 (190-491) yards per rush against IUP in the second half. 

IUP's BALL-HAWKING DEFENSE TIED FOR THIRD IN DIVISION II WITH 23 INTERCEPTIONS
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 (18 INTs), linemen (three) and linebackers (two). The defense has also broken up another 55 passes for 78 total passes defensed in 12 games (6.5/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 1.8 per game. His 15 pass breakups are one shy of tying an IUP single season record and are tied for fifth 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 six 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 62.0 tackles-for-loss and 32.0 sacks. Jr. DE Deandre Easterling (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga) leads IUP with 14.0 TFLs and 8.5 sacks, while Soph. DE Dondrea Tillman (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls) adds more pressure from the outside with 11.5 TFLs and 6.5 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 22.0 TFLs and 6.5 sacks between them. 

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 leads the team with 91 total tackles, posting double-digit stops four times this year. He totaled a season-high 14 tackles twice, and tallied 10 in the NCAA playoff win over West Chester. Lloyd is second on the team with 88 tackles, totaling 10 or more three times. He has also factored in to IUP's pass defense, picking off two passes while breaking up four more. 

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.