#21/23 IUP CRIMSON HAWKS at MERCYHURST LAKERS
Saturday, September 28 | 1 p.m. | Tullio Field @ Saxon Stadium

Game Notes: IUP (3-0, 0-0 PSAC West) | Mercyhurst (2-1, 0-0 PSAC West) | PSAC Notes

Watch: SportsFEVER, ESPN 3, WatchESPN App | Listen: WQMU 92.5, U92 Sports App | Live Stats: HurstAthletics.com | Twitter Updates: @IUPfootball

THE GAME
The 21st-ranked Crimson Hawks open their PSAC West divisional schedule this week as they travel to Erie to take on Mercyhurst. Kickoff from Tullio Field @ Saxon Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.

IUP brings a 3-0 record and top 25 coaches and media rankings into its road division opener. The Crimson Hawks are coming off back-to-back huge offensive performances, including a 77-14 home route of Lock Haven last weekend. IUP totaled 608 yards in posting its second largest scoring output in program history. The defense didn't allow LHU to surpass 300 yards, forced 3 turnovers and had 3.0 sacks. 

Mercyhurst enters enters divisional play with a 2-1 record after a 38-24 road win at Bloomsburg in week three. The Lakers grabbed momentum early with a 24-0 first half lead and limited the Huskies to just 82 yards on the ground. 

QUICK NOTES / STORY LINES
• The Crimson Hawks have started each of the last four seasons with a 3-0 record after last week's big win over Lock Haven
• IUP has won eight straight in its matchup with Mercyhurst dating back to 2011; the Crimson Hawks are 4-1 all-time at Tullio Field with that lone loss coming in 2009 (20-16)
• IUP has has memorable games in Erie, including a 35-28 overtime win back in 2011; two years ago in 2017, a #3 Crimson Hawks team rallied from a 10-6 halftime deficit to win 36-10
• IUP is 34-2 in PSAC West openers dating back to 1983, including a 7-game win streak starting in 2012
• The Crimson Hawks are ranked in both the AFCA Coaches and D2Football.com Media Polls this week; IUP moved up three spots to No. 21 in the coaches poll and two spots to No. 23 in the media rankings
• The IUP offense has put up historical numbers over the last two weeks, averaging 65.5 points and 584 total yards in wins over Millersville and Lock Haven; the 131 points is the most points scored in back-to-back games in program history
• In the last two weeks IUP has posted two of the top single game passing performances in program history; the 399 yards at Millersville is 6th (and most since 2001) and the 389 yards last week is 8th
• QBs Quinton Maxwell and Jalen Reese combined to throw for 7 touchdowns last week, a team single game record
• The IUP offense is in the top-15 of Division II in six categories, including 3rd in points (51.7) and 15th in total offense (480.0)
• Sr. LB Damon Lloyd is 11 tackles away from 300 for his career
• The IUP defense ranks in the top 25 of Division II in eight categories, including 1st in sacks (14.0), 6th in scoring (9.0) and 8th in total defense (217.3)
• After missing out on the postseason last year, the Crimson Hawks look for a return trip after making the Division II playoffs in 2015, 2016 and 2017; IUP's 18 Division II playoff appearances is tied for fourth all-time (NW Missouri State 23, North Alabama 21, Grand Valley St. 19, Pittsburg St. 18)
• The Crimson Hawks entered the year as one of only nine Division II teams with 80+ wins this decade (80); New PSAC addition and former MEC power Shepherd (91) is the only other team in the region on that list
 

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NOTEBOOK

CRIMSON HAWKS START 3-0 FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT SEASON
IUP opened the year with three straight wins for the fourth straight season after its 77-14 rout of Lock Haven in week three. It's also the sixth time since 2012 the Crimson Hawks have gone unblemished in their first three games, with three of the previous five ending with a NCAA playoff berth. The Crimson Hawks have started each season since 2016 with four straight wins. 

COACH TORTORELLA HAS HOTTEST START OF ANY IUP HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Coach Tortorella put together the best 25-game start of any head coach in program history. His 21-4 overall record through his first two seasons eclipsed Curt Cignetti (2011-13) and Lou Tepper (2006-08) who both had 20-5 marks in their first 25 games. Tortorella debuted with a 13-1 record, a PSAC title and national semifinalst season in 2017. It was the best year by a first year IUP head coach since Frank Cignetti went 9-2 in 1986. The winningest coach in IUP history, Cignetti went 19-5-1 in his first 25 games. 

IUP IS 34-2 IN PSAC WEST OPENERS DATING BACK TO 1983
IUP has had incredible success in PSAC West openers going back to 1983, winning 34 of those 36 games, including last year's 34-7 home win over Mercyhurst. The Crimson Hawks' two PSAC West-opening losses have come to Mercyhurst in 2009 (20-16) and Slippery Rock in 2011 (20-6) - both on the road. IUP is on a current streak of seven straight PSAC West-opening wins dating back to 2012, and boasted a 26-game streak from 1983-2008.

CRIMSON HAWKS SHOW UP IN BOTH COACHES' AND MEDIA TOP 25 POLLS
After its 3-0 start, IUP moved up in both major national polls heading into week four. IUP is No. 21 in the AFCA Coaches' Top 25, moving up three spots from a week ago, and No. 23 in the D2Football Media Poll. The Crimson Hawks spent 38 straight weeks in the coaches' rankings between 2015-18. 

IUP HAS PUT TOGETHER BACK-TO-BACK HISTORICAL OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCES
The IUP offense is out to its best three-game start since 2016 averaging 480 yards and 51 points per game. The last two weeks the offense has been even better, totaling 131 points and 1,168 yards in blowout wins over Millersville and Lock Haven. The passing game has put up two of the top eight single game performances in school history, throwing for 399 yards in week two and 389 in week three. Currently IUP ranks in the top-15 in Division II in six offensive categories, including pass efficiency (231.3, 1st), scoring (51.7, 3rd), first downs (76, 5th) and total offense (480.0, 15th). 

NEW QBs MAXWELL AND REESE ON A TEAR
Senior transfer quarterbacks Quinton Maxwell and jalen Reese have put up huge numbers over the last two weeks, combining for 788 yards and 12 touchdowns through the air. Maxwell was named PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Week in week two, throwing for 248 yards with 4 total TDs in just one half and Reese threw for 189 yards and 4 scores in just the second half against Lock Haven. Reese's 334.0 passer efficiency last week is the best by an IUP QB since 2008. 

RECEIVER DUANE BROWN DOES A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING
So. WR Duane Brown has been a big play threat through three games of his return in 2019. The converted running back has 283 all-purpose yards and 6 touchdowns on just 15 touches - 8 receptions, 5 punt returns, 2 rushes. Brown has 5 receptions of 20+ yards (3 for touchdowns), two short rushing scores, and is averaging 14.2 yards on punt returns. As a freshman in 2017 Brown finished third on the team with 500 rushing yards, a 5.2 yard average and 6 TDs. 

PASSING GAME SPREADING THE WEALTH
Through three weeks of the season, Maxwell and Reese have spread their 59 combined completions to 13 different receivers. A group of eight receivers, three tight ends and two running backs have caught between 1-10 receptions with eight players hauling in at least 1 touchdown reception. The big plays have also been spread out with 10 players combining for 18 receptions of 20-plus yards while two - Sr. Dwine Walls vs. Lock Haven, So. Cam Turner vs. Millersville - have 100-yard games. 

SAMIR BULLOCK AMONG IUP's ALL-TIME BACKS
In week three, Sr. RB Samir Bullock climbed into the top five in IUP history with 2,805 career rushing yards. With 28 rushing touchdowns, he's currently tied for 11th and just five more away from entering the top five in that category as well. Bullock is a two-time All-PSAC rusher who ran for a career-best 1,252 yards during IUP's 2017 national semifinalist season. 

IUP IS 51-9 SINCE 2011 WHEN A PLAYER RUSHES FOR 100 YARDS
Since the start of the 2011 season, IUP has had at least one player rush for 100 yards in 60 of its 98 games played, going a combined 51-9 in those contests. The Crimson Hawks have four players on the roster who have rushed for 100 yards in a game a combined 17 times. Bullock has done so nine times in his career while Jr. RB Justice Evans has hit the mark six times. Since 2012, IUP has had 10 instances where at least two players have reached 100 yards in a single game.

THE IUP DEFENSE HAVING A RESURGANCE TO START THE YEAR
The Crimson Hawks defense has been keeping up with its offensive counterparts, ranking in the top 25 of Division II in eight statistical categories, including: sacks (14.0, 1st), pass efficiency (75.9, 1st), scoring (9.0, 6th), total defense (217.3, 8th) and interceptions (5, 20th). 

CRIMSON HAWKS LEAD DIVISION II WITH 14 SACKS
The IUP pass rush is arguably the best in the nation as the Crimson Hawks lead Division II with 4.67 sacks per game (14 total). IUP's biggest performance came in the week two win at Millersville, totaling 7.0 sacks as the Marauders finished with -22 yards rushing. The pass rush has come from all over with seven players combining for the 14 while four defensive linemen have totaled 9.5 on the year.  

DAMON LLOYD NEARING A MILESTONE
Sr. LB Damon Lloyd enters week four needing just 11 total tackles to reach 300 for his career. In his third year as a starter, Lloyd has led the Crimson Hawks in stops each of the last two seasons (116, 112) becoming the first IUP player since Nick Pascarella since 1989-90 with back-to-back 100-tackle seasons. For the year Lloyd has 27 total stops, 2.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, a pass breakup and fumble recovery. 

NEW FACES LEADING DEFENSIVE SECONDARY
IUP returned two of its five secondary starters from a year ago and have relied on transfers and freshmen to make key contributions so far this season. Jr. Nazir Streater had 2 interceptions in his first two games while Fr. Mekhi Lang filled in with 6 tackles and a pass breakup last week. Fr. Javonte Haynes has been pressed into immediate playing time and came up big with 2 pass breakups last week, while R-Sr. Mike Nash has started each game at strong safety and picked off a pass a week ago. 

DILLON SARKA COMING OFF IUP RECORD, PSAC WEST ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS
R-Sr. Dillon Sarka was named PSAC West Special Teams Athlete of the Week Monday after setting an IUP record with 11 extra points made in the 77-14 win over Lock Haven. It broke the previous mark of 10 held by Ryan Stewart from 2016. That performance gave Sarka 206 career points which ranks 5th overall in program history among kickers. His 28 career field goals is also 5th at IUP.