INDIANA, Pa. -- The 11th-ranked IUP football team looks to clinch the PSAC West regular season title on Saturday, making a trip to Erie for a matchup with Gannon. Kickoff from McConnell Family Stadium is set for noon.
 
The 7-0 Crimson Hawks won the field position battle throughout the afternoon, cruising to a 44-7 victory last week against Seton Hill. IUP held Seton Hill scoreless until the fourth quarter and built a 23-0 lead at the half. Mak Sexton and Logan Horn combined for five passing touchdowns, while the defense was equally as impressive with four sacks and two interceptions.
 
Meanwhile, Gannon bounced back in a big way with a 49-14 victory against local rival Mercyhurst. The victory secured the Niagara Cup for the Golden Knights, ensuring the team a winning season for the first time since 2015.
 
QUICK NOTES/STORYLINES

• IUP is looking for its 22nd PSAC West title in program history and first division crown since the 2017 season. First place in the PSAC West is on the line Saturday in Erie.
• The Crimson Hawks have won nine consecutive games, dating back to 2021. IUP also looks to extend its 12-game road winning streak that dates back to the 2019 season.
• IUP has won six consecutive meetings against Gannon, dating back to the 2015 season.
• The Crimson Hawks jumped to 11th nationally in the AFCA DII Top 25, also appearing in the first set of alphabetical regional rankings. The rankings, announced by the NCAA DII Football Committee, will now be released numerically each Monday leading up to the reveal of the playoff field on November 13.
• With three more touchdowns last week, Duane Brown continues his climb up the IUP record books in multiple categories. Putting a scare into opposing defenses, he is second in program history in total touchdowns (43), now nine shy of tying Michael Mann (52) for the most all-time.
• IUP continues to improve on the defensive side of the ball, entering the week 15th nationally in rushing defense (80.6 ypg). The Crimson Hawks limited Seton Hill to negative yardage on the ground last week, but Gannon enters with a potent rushing attack. GU is fifth in the league in rushing offense (169 ypg) with standout tailback Melvin Blanks getting healthy for the stretch run.
• Blanks had three rushing touchdowns and 173 yards on the ground last week against Mercyhurst, providing a veteran presence in the Gannon backfield alongside QB Kory Curtis.
• Aiden Spitler picked up PSAC West Special Teams Athlete of the Week honors following his debut against Seton Hill. Spitler averaged 42 yards on five punts, including a 69-yard boot on his first attempt that rolled down to the SHU one-yard line.
• Over the last four games, Sexton has thrown for over 1,100 yards with 11 touchdowns.
• Gannon ranks fourth in the PSAC in both total offense (404.6) and total defense (271.6). Head coach Erik Raeburn is in his third season as Gannon's head coach, becoming the sixth had coach in program history after a season as the offensive coordinator.
• Saturday marks IUP's first trip back to Gannon since a marathon contest back in 2019. The game began just after 1:00 p.m., but featured a total of four lightning delays, ending just before 6:30 p.m. that same day.

 
NOTEBOOK
 
COACH TORTORELLA OFF TO HISTORIC START AS IUP HEAD COACH
The Mercyhurst game on September 24 marked Coach Tortorella's 50th game as head coach of the Crimson Hawks. Tortorella owns a record of 45-9, including a 28-5 (.830) mark against PSAC West schools. He reached 30 wins faster than any other IUP coach (35 games), and has two NCAA playoff berths (2017, 2019), division, PSAC, and regional titles.
 
IUP RISING IN NATIONAL RANKINGS; LISTED IN FIRST SET OF REGIONAL RANKINGS
After receiving votes throughout the year, IUP jumped into the national rankings following a Homecoming win against Slippery Rock. Following last week's victory, IUP rose to number 11 nationally in the AFCA Top 25.
 
The Crimson Hawks were also listed among teams in consideration for postseason play in the first set of regional rankings, released by the NCAA Division II Football Committee. This year's first set of rankings are released in alphabetical order, with numerical rankings to follow each Monday.
 
TOUCHDOWN BROWN
Duane Brown continues to be one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the country and is rising up in the IUP record books. He ranks second in the nation in receiving touchdowns (11) after a three-touchdown day last time out against Seton Hill. Brown is 10th in the nation in receptions per game (7.1) and seventh in receiving yards per game (113.0).
 
Brown is second in program history in total touchdowns (43), also ranking third in career receiving yards (2532), fifth in career receptions (152), third in receiving touchdowns (31) and tied for fifth in single-season receiving touchdowns (11).
 
IUP DEFENSE MAKING TIMELY PLAYS; EIGHT PLAYERS HAVE AT LEAST ONE SACK
IUP has made some timely plays on the defensive side of the ball in 2022. The Crimson Hawks pace the PSAC in first down defense, allowing 111 this season. The IUP secondary has showed steady improvement, collecting 10 interceptions. Eight players have registered at least one sack for the Crimson Hawks in 2022, showcasing their depth along the front seven: Raunya Mitchell (2.5), Tyrone Fowler Jr. (2.5), Gregory Moore II (2.5), Connor Kelly (2.0), Maurice Feazell (1.5), Vaughn Wallace (1.5), Terell Williams (1.0) and Noah Vaughan (1.0).
 
WILSON BRINGS VAST EXEPRIENCE AS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR TO INDIANA 
First-year offensive coordinator Larry Wilson is in his first season as IUP's offensive coordinator after being hired in March. Wilson spent the last 17 seasons at CalU in a variety of coaching roles.
 
CRIMSON HAWKS BOAST COHESIVE OFFENSIVE LINE
IUP has benefitted from consistency along the offensive line this season. The Crimson Hawks have five offensive linemen making the case for all-conference consideration in 2022. Darrell Davis (LT), John Robinson (LG), Collin Pietropola (C), Gerald Comedy (RG) and McLean Djouha (RT) have helped IUP average 6.8 yards/play through seven games.
 
KELLY STEPPING UP HIS PRODUCTION, LEADS TEAM IN TACKLES
Connor Kelly pace the IUP defense with 53 tackles on the season. Along with Drew DiNunzio-Biss, the linebacker duo have combined for 13.0 tackles for loss and four pass breakups.
 
CRIMSON HAWKS ARE 24-1 SINCE 2011 WHEN THE DEFENSE SCORES
IUP has one defensive touchdown this year - a 47-yard INT return for a score by DB Jaheim Howard - in a road win at Shippensburg. The single defensive TD this season mirrors the team's output in both 2021, 2018 and 2014. In every other year since 2011 the Crimson Hawks have had multiple defensive scores, including four in 2017, five in 2016, and six in 2015.

 

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