PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAMEDAY CENTRAL
#3/1 IUP Crimson Hawks (10-0, 7-0 PSAC West)
at West Chester Golden Rams (8-2, 6-1 PSAC East)
Saturday, November 11, 2017 | 12:10 p.m.
John A. Farrell Stadium | West Chester, Pa.
*Rankings reflect current AFCA Coaches/D2Football Media Top 25 

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IUP Game Notes (PDF)
West Chester Game Notes (coming soon)

THE GAME
The 3rd-ranked Crimson Hawks will play in the program's seventh PSAC Championship this weekend when they head to West Chester to face the Golden Rams. Kickoff at John A. Farrell Stadium is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. IUP earned the PSAC Western Division title with an unblemished 7-0 league record, clinching its spot in the championship game with a win two weeks ago over Gannon. West Chester went 6-1 in the PSAC Eastern Division, clinching in dramatic fashion with a last minute touchdown in a 27-24 comeback win at Millersville last Saturday. 

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
• The Crimson Hawks are playing in the program's seventh PSAC "State Game" Championship, including the first since 2012; IUP also appeared in 1964-65 and 1985-87 before the game was discontinued from 1988-2007
• IUP has won three PSAC Championships, including twice over West Chester (1986, 20-6; 1987, 21-9) and once over Shippensburg (2012, 41-7)
• The winner clinches an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Championships as the PSAC champion; IUP is currently No. 1 in the region, West Chester is No. 6
• In four road games, IUP is outscoring opponents 37.5-14.5 and outrushing them 306.8-78.0 
• West Chester is 28-6 at home since 2012, including 4-1 this year where the Rams are outscoring opponents 38.0-20.8
• WCU RB Jarel Elder is one of the top all-around threats in the PSAC, ranking 4th with 101.2 rushing and 161.9 all-purpose yards per game; The Rams are averaging 226 rushing yards with 13 TDs over the last four games
• IUP has allowed just one 100-yard rusher this year (ESU's Jaymar Anderson) and is 7th in Division II giving up 79.9 yards
• WCU leads the PSAC with 31 sacks and boasts three players who have at least six; IUP has given up seven sacks this year
• These teams have three common opponents: ESU, Cheyney and Slippery Rock; IUP went 3-0 and outscored those opponents by 30.0 points per game, while WCU went 2-1 and outscored them by 15.7 per game
• IUP has won its first 11 games two previous times - its national finalist seasons of 1991 and 1993
• IUP is 28-7 against PSAC East teams since 2006, including six straight wins dating back to 2015

NOTEBOOK

IUP MAKING ITS SEVENTH PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCE, HAS WON THREE TIMES
IUP has made six previous trips to the PSAC Championship Game, which has also been labeled the "State Game." The program has won three of those, including 1986 over West Chester (20-6), 1987 over West Chester (21-9), and 2012 over Shippensburg (41-7). The PSAC title game existed from 1960-87, taking a 20-year hiatus before returning in 2008. 

CRIMSON HAWKS REMAIN 1ST IN REGIONAL RANKING RELEASE
For the third straight week, IUP sat atop Super Region One as the NCAA released its Division II regional rankings on Monday (Nov. 6). 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 10-0 RECORD IS BEST 10-GAME START IN PROGRAM HISTORY
With 10 wins in his first 10 games, Coach Tortorella is the only IUP coach to start his career with a 10-0 record. The previous 10-game mark was 8-2, which was first done by Chuck Klausing in 1964 and equalled by Frank Cignetti in 1986 and Lou Tepper in 2006. Tortorella looks for a 11-0 start this Saturday, which has never been done by a first year IUP head coach. 

IUP SEEKING THIRD 11-0 START IN PROGRAM HISTORY; FIRST SINCE 1993
A win over West Chester would give IUP its third 11-0 start in its illustrious history. The other two were IUP's national finalist seasons of 1991 and 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.  IUP's other "State Game" appearances have come in 1964-65, 1985-87 and 2012, with wins in 1986, 1987, and 2012. 

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 276-86-1 (.762) along with a conference record of 166-38-1 (.812) during that span. IUP has won or shared 18 PSAC West titles since 1986 (32 years).  

IUP REMAINS NO. 1 IN MEDIA NATIONAL POLL, NO. 3 IN COACHES TOP 25
For the first time since 1996, IUP achieved a No. 1 national ranking as the Crimson Hawks are atop the D2Football.com Media Poll in each of the last two weeks. IUP has also been ranked No. 3 in the AFCA Coaches' Poll for each of the last two weeks. IUP's No. 1 ranking in 1996 was in back-to-back weeks (Oct. 7-14), opening up that season with a 5-0 record. 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 10 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 25-5. 

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 (38.5, 22nd), rushing offense (259.2, 9th), total offense (474.6, 16th), sacks allowed (7, 8th), passing efficiency (163.32, 12th), and first downs (246, 9th). 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 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 has two, and Fr. RB Duane Brown has one.

CRIMSON HAWKS ARE 78-5 SINCE 2003 WHEN RUSHING FOR 200 YARDS AS A TEAM
Five different players combined to rush for 248 yards on 53 carries in IUP's week 10 win at Mercyhurst, marking the 83rd time since 2003 that IUP has rushed for at least 200 yards in a game. The Crimson Hawks are 78-5 in those games, including a 25-3 record since 2015 and 8-0 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 FIRST CAREER 1,000-YARD SEASON
Despite only playing in just two full games, Bullock is on the brink of his first career 1,000-yard season as he enters week 11 with 992 yards on 155 carries (6.4 avg). His 99.2 rushing yards per game ranks fifth in the PSAC and 30th in Division II. 

LENNY WILLIAMS IS 27-3 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 27-3 record into week 11. A two-time Harlon Hill Award nominee as the best player in Division II, Williams is 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, passing yards, passer efficiency, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total offense, and touchdowns responsible for. 

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 259.2 yards, and has given up just seven sacks in 10 games. Recent injuries have led to four different starting lineups in the last four weeks. 

IUP's DEPTH AT RECEIVER PROVING VALUABLE, SIX 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 six 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 two games with a combined nine catches for 95 yards and four touchdowns. Sr. WR Allen Wright (McKeesport, Pa. /McKeesport Area) has started all 10 games and leads IUP with 59 receptions, which is tied for seventh most in single season program history. Sr. WR Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central), one of the best receivers in program history, has been limited to four receptions and 111 yards in three games. 

CRIMSON HAWKS +13 TURNOVER MARGIN RANKS 6TH IN DIVISION II
Yearly one of the top teams in Division II in turnover margin, IUP ranks second in the PSAC and sixth in the country at +13 through 10 weeks this season. After a recent slump of a -4 turnover margin in wins over California, Slippery Rock and Clarion, the Crimson Hawks are +6 in the back-to-back wins over Gannon and Mercyhurst. IUP is tied for sixth in the country with 26 total takeaways - 19 interceptions and seven fumble recoveries - and has forced at least two turnovers seven times this year. 

IUP DEFENSE ONE OF THE BEST IN THE NATION UNDER COACH SMITH
Through ni10ne weeks, 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 (19, 2nd), rushing (79.9, 7th), pass efficiency (95.15, 9th), defensive touchdowns (4, 13th), red zone defense (66.7%, 14th), scoring (15.4, 16th) and total defense (290.2, 19th).

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 61 YARDS LAST WEEK
IUP has had a suffocating second half defense all year, giving up an average of 133 yards with seven total touchdowns in the final 30 minutes of games. After that dominant run ended against Gannon, IUP returned to form last week by pitching a shutout and giving up 61 yards to Mercyhurst. Opponents are completing 50.3 percent (95-189) of their passes, have converted 33.3 percent (24-72) third down chances, and are averaging just 2.4 (151-364) yards per rush against IUP in the second half. 

IUP's BALL-HAWKING DEFENSE TIED FOR SECOND IN DIVISION II WITH 19 INTECEPTIONS
IUP leads the PSAC and is tied for second in the country with 19 interceptions, picking off at least two in six of the last eight games. Eight players have combined for those 19 picks, as the Crimson Hawks have had contributions from defensive backs (14 INTs), linemen (three) and linebackers (two). The defense has also broken up another 52 passes for 71 total passes defensed in 10 games (7.1/game). 

JR STEVENS AMONG DIVISION II LEADERS IN INTERCEPTIONS, PASSES DEFENSED
R-Soph. CB JR Stevens (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) leads Division II with 21 passes defensed, an average of 2.1 per game. His 15 pass breakups are one shy of tying an IUP single season record and are tied for second in the nation, while his six interceptions are tied for fifth. Stevens has a pair of two-interception games, including week seven at Slippery Rock and week 10 at Mercyhurst. In the last four games, Stevens has defensed 13 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 45.0 tackles-for-loss and 23.0 sacks. Soph. DE Dondrea Tillman (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls) leads the way with 8.5 TFLs while Jr. DE Deandre Easterling (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga) has a team-best 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 18.0 TFLs and 6.5 sacks between them. The group has helped give IUP one of the top run defenses in the nation, holding Division II leading rusher Marc Jones 122 yards below his season average in week nine. 

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 78 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 72 stops, posting a season-best 14 against Edinboro and Clarion. He's also had a hand in IUP's 26 takeaways, grabbing two fumble recoveries. 

CRIMSON HAWKS' HAVE FIVE BLOCKED KICKS THIS YEAR, 13 IN THE LAST 22 GAMES
The IUP special teams is back at it this year with five blocked kicks in 10 games, including two on field goal attempts, two on extra points, and one on a punt. The punt block came from R-Soph. Dom McNeil (Philadelphia, Pa./Martin Luther King), which he scooped and returned 15 yards for a touchdown. Averette has two blocked kicks this year and three of IUP's 13 over the past two seasons. Last year, IUP finished third in the country with eight blocks.