INDIANA, Pa. – With 15 starters back from last year's NCAA playoff team, IUP football has received a pair of top 25 rankings as 2017 college football preview magazines hit the shelves this summer. The Crimson Hawks are ranked fifth by Lindy's Sports and 11th in Street & Smith's yearbook.
In addition, new head coach
Paul Tortorella will have a preseason All-American on his defense, with redshirt senior cornerback
Jay Watkins (Chester, Pa. /Hyde School) receiving such honors from both publications.
RELATED | 2017 IUP Football Quick Facts
Last year's national champion Northwest Missouri State sits atop both Lindy's and Street & Smith's preseason polls. Other schools to receive high regards in each include Grand Valley State, Emporia State and Ferris State. IUP's season-opening opponent, Ashland, is also ranked 20th by Lindy's.
IUP is one of four schools from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) to receive national preseason recognition in the above magazines. Defending conference champion California (Pa.) is ranked third by Street & Smith's and seventh by Lindy's, with Edinboro (16th) and West Chester (21st) also landing in Street & Smith's preseason top 25.
IUP went 10-2 in 2016, boasting one of the top offenses in Division II. Seven starters return for a group that set program scoring (46.2 points/game) and total offense records (489.6 yards/game), and finished fourth in the country by averaging 279.8 rushing yards per outing.
Watkins included among nation's best defenders
Watkins led the PSAC and tied for third in Division II last year with a career-high seven interceptions. He was named second team All-America by the Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) and third team Associated Press Little All-America, as well as landing on several all-region teams.
The seven picks are tied for the ninth highest mark in single season IUP history, and are the most for the program since Akwasi Owusu-Ansah intercepted eight passes in 2008.
He's one of eight starters back for the IUP defense, including three in the backfield. The Crimson Hawks were third in the nation with 24 interceptions a season ago.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP football on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPfootball.
