Coach Paul Tortorella joined Jack Benedict last night for another edition of Hawk Talk at the Hilton Garden Inn, and after the loss to Cal U. on Saturday, said IUP has to be focused on this Saturday’s game against Edinboro.
The Fighting Scots are coached by former IUP defensive backs and special teams coach Jake Nulph, whose assistant head coach and defensive line coach is former Steeler defensive end Keith Willis. Edinboro is 1-6 on the season, but four of the six losses have been one-score games, including Saturday’s 21-18 loss to Gannon.
Tortorella says Edinboro is a dangerous team.
The NCAA Divison II regional rankings were released for the first time yesterday, and IUP sits at number seven in Super Region One. It is the first of three rankings releases prior to the announcement of the 28-team Divison II playoff field on November 14th.
The top seven teams in each of the four regions advance to the postseason. In Super Region One, Bentley is number one, followed by Kutztown, Shepherd, Cal U., Notre Dame of Ohio, New Haven, and IUP. Slippery Rock is number 8, just outside the cut line, with Stonehill and Charleston rounding out the top ten. IUP has beaten Kutztown and Slippery Rock and lost to Shepherd and Cal. Slippery Rock will host Cal on Saturday and follow that up with a trip to Shepherd.
Tortorella says the loss to California notwithstanding, IUP has a lot to play for, and the rankings confirm that.
After Edinboro, IUP will travel to Seton Hill and West Chester.
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