CLARION, Pa. – IUP football begins its two-game road trip to close out the 2025 regular season with its final PSAC West opponent, the Clarion Golden Eagles. Head coach Paul Tortorella looks to maintain his successful streak of November games, while Clarion aims to build on its most successful season since 2015, when the Golden Eagles finished 7-4.

IUP most recently defended its home turf for the final time in the regular season with a 26-6 victory over Gannon. Quarterback Matthew Rueve completed 37 passes, the most by an IUP quarterback in a single game in program history. Defensively, the Crimson Hawks held Gannon to just eight completions on 22 attempts and limited the rushing attack to only 38 yards.

Clarion looks to bounce back after a tough loss in which it scored 17 points in the first half but allowed 21 unanswered points in the second half. Quarterback Jase Ferguson threw for 233 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, while wide receiver Ray Jackson recorded eight receptions for 92 yards.

QUICK NOTES / STORYLINES

• IUP begins its two-game road stretch with a trip to Clarion, looking to build on its current two-game winning streak.

• The Crimson Hawks have won the last 13 meetings against Clarion, beginning with a 38-7 victory in 2011. The most recent matchup was a 31-0 shutout win in 2024.

• IUP holds a 15-3 record on the road against Clarion, with each of its last three road victories coming by two or more possessions.

• Quarterback Matthew Rueve etched his name into program history with 37 completions against Gannon, breaking the previous record of 34 set by Chase Haslett against California (Pa.) in 2014. Rueve's 50 pass attempts tied Quinton Maxwell's mark set against Slippery Rock in 2019.

• The Crimson Hawks control their own path to the state game. They are 4-1 in PSAC West play, holding a one-game lead and the head-to-head tiebreaker over Edinboro, which is also 4-1 in conference play. A win would move IUP closer to its first state game appearance since 2022.

• IUP features one of the most well-rounded teams in the PSAC, ranking third in the league in scoring offense (35.9 points per game) and second in scoring defense (17.3).

• The Crimson Hawks' defense recorded its best outing of the season against Gannon, allowing a season-low six points. The unit posted four sacks for a loss of 47 yards, 6.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and eight pass breakups.

• IUP and Clarion rank third and fourth, respectively, in the PSAC in scoring offense. The Crimson Hawks average 35.9 points per game, while the Golden Eagles average 34.0.

• Clarion's 40 total offensive touchdowns rank second in the conference, and its 428.9 yards of total offense per game rank third.

• Defensively, IUP leads the PSAC in total defense, allowing 229.8 yards per game, while Clarion ranks 11th, allowing 379.6 yards per game.

• Both teams have excelled at stopping the run compared to the rest of the PSAC. IUP allows just 70.9 rushing yards per game, while Clarion gives up 120.8.
  
  NOTEBOOK

  KEEP SLINGING IT

  Graduate quarterback Matthew Rueve leads the PSAC in touchdown passes (22), passing yards (2,457), completion percentage (71.4) and efficiency (175.0). Under first-year offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr., Rueve has powered the league's top passing attack, averaging 290.4 total yards per game.

  BIG-TIME PLAYERS MAKE BIG-TIME PLAYS

  Wide receivers Maurice Massey and Devin Whitlock rank among the top five in the PSAC in receiving yards per game, combining for more than 158 yards per contest. They have accounted for 11 of IUP's 24 passing touchdowns this season.

  THE LIFEGUARD OF THE DEEP END

  Redshirt junior safety Noah Johnston anchors the IUP defense with a team-high 61 tackles. He also has 1.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, one fumble recovery and two quarterback hurries — all while posting career highs in sacks and tackles for loss.

  SPLASH PLAYS APLENTY

  There has been no shortage of explosive plays from the IUP offense and special teams, as 13 of the Crimson Hawks' scoring plays have gone for at least 20 yards. The team's lone special teams touchdown came on a 60-yard punt return by Kalen Frazier against Lock Haven — IUP's first punt return touchdown since 2014.

  GENERATIONAL DEFENSE

  While the offense has drawn plenty of attention, the Crimson Hawks' defense has quietly produced historic numbers. IUP ranks second in the PSAC in total and passing defense, and first in rushing defense. The Crimson Hawks allow an average of 229.8 yards per game — 70.9 rushing and 143.3 passing.

  IUP has given up just 138 points this season, the second-fewest in the conference. The defense has totaled 27 sacks for a loss of 208 yards. Nationally, IUP ranks second in Division II in total defense, trailing only Harding. Head coach Paul Tortorella is on pace to surpass his best defensive season in 2012, when the Crimson Hawks allowed 257.9 yards per game.

  YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE ON AN ISLAND

  IUP's veteran secondary has been a cornerstone of the defense, allowing just four passing touchdowns through eight games this season.

  IT'S IN THE GENES

  Transfer quarterback Matthew Rueve comes from a family of quarterbacks, including his cousin, former NFL signal-caller Matt Hasselbeck. Rueve followed in his uncle's footsteps to Boston College, where he began his collegiate career after being rated the No. 1 pro-style quarterback prospect in Ohio's Class of 2020.

  Rueve's cousin and Hasselbeck's son, Henry Hasselbeck, is currently a quarterback at UCLA. Before transferring to IUP, Rueve spent the 2024 season at the University of Findlay, where he was named second-team all-conference after throwing for 2,646 yards and 26 touchdowns.

  FAMILIAR FACES

  IUP offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. originally recruited Rueve to Boston College. Rueve spent two seasons in Cignetti's offense before the coach departed to become offensive coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh. Now reunited at IUP — on the field named after Cignetti's father and IUP legend Frank Cignetti Sr. — the pair looks to continue their success.

  WE SCORE, YOU DON'T

  The Crimson Hawks average 35.9 points per game while allowing 17.3, ranking second in the PSAC in scoring defense (behind No. 4 Kutztown) and third in scoring offense. Kutztown averages 43.4 points per game and allows just 7.3.

  STATE GAME BOUND?

  If IUP wins its final two games, the Crimson Hawks will advance to face the No. 1 seed from the PSAC East in the state game. It would mark their first appearance in the title game since hosting in 2022.

  DEPTH AT RECEIVER

  The Crimson Hawks boast one of the deepest wide receiver groups in both the PSAC and Division II.

  Player	GP	Yards	Yards/Rec	TD	Avg/G	Notes
  Maurice Massey	8	681	18.9	6	85.1	All-PSAC West First Team selection (2024)
  Devin Whitlock	8	583	11.0	5	72.9	Five games with 50+ receiving yards
  Jeremiah Coleman	6	378	25.2	5	63.0	Two multi-touchdown games (Weeks 1 and 2)
  Cyair Clark	8	84	9.3	3	10.5	All-PSAC West Second Team kick returner (2024)

  Nine different Crimson Hawks have caught touchdown passes this season. Massey leads the group with six scores on 36 receptions, while freshman Jeremiah Coleman has hauled in five touchdowns on just 15 receptions, including a 72-yard strike that reached the end zone.

  In total, IUP receivers have combined for 24 touchdown receptions, tied for the most in the PSAC this season.