INDIANA, Pa. - The 24th-ranked Crimson Hawks look to bounce back with their divisional opener on the road at Mercyhurst this Saturday. Kickoff at Saxon Stadium in Erie is 1 p.m.

IUP is coming off a 37-21 home loss to a No. 11-ranked Shepherd team last Saturday, falling to 1-1 on the season. After a low-scoring first half, the Rams put up 20 third quarter points to take control and get the win. It was IUP's second loss to Shepherd in its last three games, dating back to the 2019 NCAA playoff loss at Miller Stadium. WR Irvin Charles had his first career 100-yard receiving game.

Mercyhurst enters the weekend with a 1-2 record on the year, dropping two straight to PSAC East foes West Chester (56-10) and East Stroudsburg (17-7). In last week's road loss to the Warriors, the young Lakers gained just 201 yards of total offense and turned the ball over twice.

QUICK NOTES / STORYLINES
• The last time the Crimson Hawks suffered this early of a loss came in 2015 when they dropped the season-opener to Kutztown (34-33). 
• IUP is 15-2 in September under HC Paul Tortorella. The Hawks are also 2-1 following regular season losses in the Tortorella Era, which included a 38-point win over Clarion after a SRU loss in 2019.
• The all-time series between these programs dates back to 2008 (12 games) when the Lakers joined the PSAC. After two early losses, IUP has won nine straight over Mercyhurst and is averaging 36.3 points per outing. 
• IUP is 35-2 in PSAC West openers dating back to 1983, including an 8-game win streak that started in 2012 and includes a 56-24 win over the Lakers in 2019.
• IUP is 5-1 against Mercyhurst in Erie with that one loss coming in 2009 (20-16)
• The Crimson Hawks dropped 10 spots in the national rankings to No. 24 in the AFCA coaches poll. IUP fell out of the D2Football media rankings. 
• After being available last week, QB Harry Woodbery is expected to see playing time in Erie on Saturday. The Eastern Illinois grad transfer originally won the starting job out of camp but was sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols.
• Soph. QB Javon Davis has completed 66.7 pct. (40-60) of his passes for 456 yards, 4 TDs and no INTs through two games. He ranks 6th in the PSAC in pass efficiency (152.5) and 3rd in comp. pct.
• Jr. WR Duane Brown had a career-day against the Lakers in 2019, catching 7 passes for 153 yards and 3 TDs, also rushing for a 3-yard score. Brown has 13 catches for 173 yards and a TD this year.
• Mercyhurst has given up a PSAC-worst 16 sacks through three games. West Chester tallied 10 sacks alone against the Lakers two weeks ago.
• Mercyhurst is 13th in the PSAC in scoring offense (11.7) and 13th in total offense (248.7). 
• After opening with two of the top offenses in the PSAC, IUP looks for an improved defensive performance after giving up 31.5 points and 516.5 yards in the first two weeks. 

NOTEBOOK

HAWKS LOOKING TO REBOUND FROM EARLY SEASON LOSS
IUP's 37-21 loss to No. 11 Shepherd last week was its first defeat this early in a season since 2015. That year IUP fell to Kutztown 34-33 in the season opener and went on to finish with a 9-3 overall record and NCAA playoff berth. Since 2011, IUP is 11-5 following a loss and are 33-7 in September. HC Paul Tortorella is 2-1 in games following a loss, including a 38-point win over Clarion after a defeat at Slippery Rock during the 2019 season, his last regular season loss. 

COACH TORTORELLA IN HIS FOURTH YEAR AT THE HELM
Coach Tortorella is in his fourth season as the head coach after reaching 30 wins faster than any other coach in IUP history, hitting the mark in 35 games. Through his first three-plus seasons, Tortorella carries a 32-7 (.821) overall record with a pair of NCAA playoff berths, regional, PSAC and division titles, and a 6-3 record against ranked opponents.

IUP IS 35-2 IN PSAC WEST OPENERS DATING BACK TO 1983
IUP has had incredible success in PSAC West openers going back to 1983, winning 35 of those 37 games,
including the dominating 56-24 victory over Mercyhurst in 2019. 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 eight straight PSAC West-opening wins dating back to 2012, and boasted a 26-game streak from 1983-2008.

CRIMSON HAWKS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
After its 37-21 loss to Shepherd last Saturday, the Crimson Hawks dropped 10 spots in the rankings to No. 24 in the AFCA Coaches' Top 25. IUP completely fell out of the D2Football.com Media Top 25 after appearing at No. 19 a week ago. Dating back to the 2016 season, IUP has been nationally-ranked in 51 of 55 possible national ranking releases, including 36 straight weeks from 2016-18.

IUP OFFENSE LOOKING FOR A JUMP START IN ERIE
Through two games in 2021, the Crimson Hawks rank 8th in the PSAC in scoring (25.0), 11th in total offense (314.5), 7th in passing offense (228.0) and 13th in rushing offense (86.5). IUP's 30.0 percent third down converstion rate is also 12th in the conference. The Mercyhurst defense has given up just 287.7 total yards in the first three weeks, 6th in the PSAC. Two years ago the Crimson Hawks put up 56 points and 528 total yards on the Lakers in their win in Erie. 

DAVIS AND WOODBERY TO SPLIT SNAPS IN ERIE
Soph. QB Javon Davis has been solid over the first two games of the season, completing 66.7 percent of his passes (40-60) for 456 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs. He's been in the system since 2018, backing up All-American QB Lenny Williams before redshirting in 2019. Grad transfer QB Harry Woodbery looks to get snaps this week after being available against Shepherd. He won the QB battle in fall camp but was forced to sit out the opener due to COVID-19 protocols. Woodbery played three seasons at FCS Eastern Illinois, throwing for 3,636 yards and 26 TDs in 27 games.

IUP RECEIVERS HAVE 100-YARD GAMES IN FIRST TWO WEEKS
Jr. WR Duane Brown and Sr. WR Irvin Charles each have 100-yard receiving days in IUP's first two games. Brown opened the year with a career-high 10 catches for 131 yards and 1 TD against Kutztown while Charles was the main target last week with 6 catches for 100 yards and 1 TD against Shepherd. Two years ago against Mercyhurst, Brown exploded for 153 yards and 3 TDs on 7 receptions as he put together an all-region season. 

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA JOSH DAUBERMAN HEADLINES OFFENSIVE LINE
Sr. OL Josh Dauberman returns for his fourth year boasting a wealth of experience. The right guard has35 career games under his belt with 27 starts, earning all-conference honors twice in addition to all-region honors in 2019. He landed on preseason All-America lists for both Lindy's and D2Football.com and was voted to IUP's All-Decade Team of the 2010s. The starting line has remained the same through two weeks and features R-Jr. Darrell Davis (24 games, 10 starts) at left tackle, R-Jr. John Robinson (17 games, 8 starts) at left guard, Jr. Collin Pietropola (13 games, 3 starts) at center, and R-Jr. McLean Djouha (11 games, 2 starts) at right tackle.

CRIMSON HAWKS 23-1 SINCE 2011 WHEN THE DEFENSE SCORES
Jr. DT Raunya Mitchell scored the defense's first touchdown of the season when he picked off a tipped pass and rumbled 21 yards for a score to give IUP a 29-19 lead with 6:30 left on Saturday. The Crimson Hawks have 28 defensive touchdowns since 2011 and boast a 23-1 record during that time when the defensive puts points on the board. 

HOWARD HAS PICKS IN FIRST TWO CAREER GAMES
Fr. SS Jaheim Howard has made big plays in each of his first two career games, intercepting passes against Kutztown and No. 11 Shepherd. His two picks leads the IUP defense and is tied for 1st in the PSAC. His 1.0 INTs per game average ranks 2nd nationally. 

NEWCOMERS LEADING DEFENSIVE EFFORT
Through two games, IUP's top six tacklers are all newcomers - either freshmen or transfers. Fr. FS Charles Ingram leads the team with 16 total tackles, including 11 against No. 11 Shepherd. Gr. LB Malachi Newell has 13 tackles while Fr. SS Jaheim Howard has a team-best 2 interceptions and Fr. DE Maurice Feazell has 3.0 TFLs and 1.5 sacks, both team-bests.

GRUBBS AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS IN PUNTING
Soph. P Dylan Grubbs has had a standout first two games of the season. He currently leads the PSAC and ranks 2nd in Division II with a 50.0 punting average, with four of his nine punts going for more than 50 yards. He has a long punt of 66 yards and has put four down inside the opponents' 20. After his performance against Kutztown he earned PSAC West and D2Football national special teams player of the week honors. 

QCARTER INCHING TOWARDS RETURN RECORD
Jr. KR Qashah Carter is looking to break the school's career kickoff return yards record held by All-American and NFL draft pick Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (2006-09). Carter enters this week second in IUP history with 1,281 yards on kick returns, trailing Owusu-Ansah (1,373) by 92 yards. For his career, Carter is averaging 26.7 yards on 48 returns. He had 801 yards, including a 95-yard TD, during his 2018 freshman campaign, and 405 yards in 2019.