When it comes to scheduling a season-opening game, college football coaches generally fall into one of two camps: either you play a strong opponent to see how your team stacks up, or you schedule an easier matchup to ease into the season.
IUP head coach Paul Tortorella is firmly in the first camp.
His Crimson Hawks open the 2025 season at home Thursday night against Ashland (Ohio) University, a program he knows well, having faced (and beaten) the Eagles five times in the past eight years. Ashland has, historically, been one of the most successful teams in all of NCAA Division II, with an overall record of 114-43 with six playoff berths since 2010. In the years in which IUP has played Ashland, the Eagles have a total of 15 losses. Five of them are to the Crimson Hawks.
Last year, the Eagles went 9-4 and nearly advanced to the Super Region One title game, but lost to California, 34-33.
“You can get a true evaluation after you play a good team,” Tortorella said. “There are no gimmicks—they’re solid, well-coached, old-style football. After the game, you’ll have a good understanding of where you’re at. Last year, (Ashland) lost their first two games, then went on a run and made the final 16. Even in losing, they learned about their team. Whether you win or lose, you learn about your team.”
But if you were to play a cupcake?
“Then you don’t really know,” he said. “The competition gives you a good indicator when it’s really good like this.”
This game marks the sixth meeting between IUP and Ashland. Each one was a close game:
2017: IUP won 26-23, on Dillon Sarka’s 47-yard field goal as time expired.
2018: The visiting Crimson Hawks escaped with a 21-17 win when time ran out and Ashland had the ball in IUP territory.
2022: In a first-round playoff game, IUP used a blocked punt return for a touchdown in the second half to secure a 19-13 win.
2023: A 46-yard touchdown pass from Karst Hunter to Quinn Zinobile in the fourth quarter lifted the Crimson Hawks to a 24-17 win.
2024: The IUP defense held Ashland to minus-1 rushing yards and the Crimson Hawks scored a 19-10 win in Ohio.
“Sometimes, it’s (about) breaks,” Tortorella said. “Against them, we’ve gotten most of them. In other one-score games, we didn’t. You can’t let it come down to that. We’ve been good in one-score games, especially in 2017 and 2022. Different factors go into it, but you have to play for 60 minutes and make plays in the last eight. We’ve found ways—block kicks, punt returns, big passes, stops. All five games have gone down to the wire.”
NOTES
The only major injury from preseason camp is backup offensive lineman Kalechi Okoro, who will miss the season with a knee injury.
Since 1990, IUP is 29-5 in season openers. The team’s last opening-game loss came in 2015—a 33-32 defeat at home to Kutztown.
IUP quarterback Matthew Rueve has experience against Ashland. Last season, while playing for Findlay, Rueve went 27-for-45 for 297 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions in a 41-21 loss to the Eagles.
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