In 2023 and 2024 combined, the IUP football team lost eight games. In six of those eight losses, IUP trailed on the scoreboard after the end of the first quarter. In the other two, the score was tied.
That goes a long way to explaining how the Crimson Hawks missed the playoffs both years and lost their crown as kings of the PSAC West.
But 2025 is a new year, and things have done a 180. In five games, the Crimson Hawks have outscored their opponents 55-0 in the first quarter and 65-26 in the second. After losing its opener to powerhouse Ashland, IUP has won four games in a row by a combined score of 187-59.
Head coach Paul Tortorella said this year’s team has something that those previous two lacked, and it’s a huge factor in the fast starts that have become commonplace this season.
“When you’ve played as much football as our guys have, they’re ready to go on the first snap because they’ve been in those situations for a long time,” he said. “That experience—playing a different team in a different venue—doesn’t affect them. It might affect a redshirt freshman, a true freshman, or a guy who hasn’t played much. We don’t have many of those guys on either side of the ball or in the kicking game.”
He also said that leadership plays a role in the fast starts.
“Most leaders are older guys with pedigree who’ve played a lot,” he said. “That’s just the way it is. It’s a lot like the 2017 and 2022 teams—older guys with a lot of experience usually provide good leadership.”
Of IUP’s 22 starters on offense and defense, 16 have starting experience, either at IUP or elsewhere.
“When you’re young, it takes a while—each week, each game, different team, different schemes,” Tortorella said. “It takes time to adjust. We’ve got a lot of experienced players on both sides of the ball and in the kicking game. If you ask me, the number one reason for that—experience.”
Four days ago, the Crimson Hawks jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter against Edinboro. The next three quarters were fairly even, but that quick burst at the start propelled IUP to a 35-12 win.
In the three games before that, IUP led Seton Hill 6-0 after one quarter and won 40-13; Millersville 14-0 and won 70-24; and Lock Haven 14-0 and won 42-10.
IUP has a bye this week, which is a good time for the Crimson Hawks. The next game is October 18 at Slippery Rock, which has gone from PSAC West front-runner to desperate and dangerous. Of the seven times IUP has played The Rock since Tortorella became the head coach in 2017, the Crimson Hawks have trailed five times at the end of the first quarter and lost four of those games.
In the two occasions IUP did not trail Slippery Rock after one, the Crimson Hawks won both games.
“The guys have played a lot of first quarters,” Tortorella said. “Winning the first quarter doesn’t guarantee a win but losing it points to losing. You end up playing catch-up.”
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