IUP looks to bounce back against Clarion Saturday in a PSAC noon game.
The Crimson Hawks are 5-1, while the Golden Eagles are 3-3 after their loss to California last Saturday.
The pregame begins at 11:30 a.m. on U92.5 and U92radio.com.
From IUP Sports Information
THE GAME
The 22nd-ranked Crimson Hawks look to rebound from their first loss of the season with a road matchup with Clarion Saturday. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is noon.
IUP is 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the PSAC Western Division after suffering a frustrating 45-42 loss at 9th-ranked Slippery Rock a week ago. The Crimson Hawks found themselves down 17-0 in the first quarter and 31-7 late in the second before mounting a comeback. After outscoring SRU 28-14 in the second half, IUP couldn’t recover an onside kick in the final moments.
Clarion enters the week with a 3-3 overall record and 1-2 mark in the division, having dropped a 35-20 road decision at Cal U Saturday. The Golden Eagles led 10-7 after the first quarter but only converted 4-14 third downs and a Vulcans’ 28-3 run into the fourth quarter proved too much.
QUICK NOTES / STORY LINES
• The Crimson Hawks lost their first game of the season last week after starting the season 5-0; It was their second 5-0 start in the last three years and fifth since 2000
• IUP has won eight straight games against Clarion dating back to 2011 and own the overall series 62-23-3
• Recent results have been closer, with ranked IUP teams needing to mount comebacks in each of the last two seasons; IUP won 24-23 last year at home and 23-17 at Clarion in 2017
• The Crimson Hawks have lost back-to-back games just five times since 2011, including twice during their down 6-5 season; IUP is 4-1 after losses to Slippery Rock during that period, including three wins over Clarion
• Clarion is one of the top offensive teams in the PSAC averaging 36.2 points and 401.0 yards per game; the league’s leading rusher Mylique McGriff averages 121.4 yards per game but missed last week at Cal U due to injury
• The Crimson Hawks are having one of the best offensive seasons in program history with 45.0 points and 470.3 total yards per game; This comes from a change in philosophy to more of a pass heavy attack that ranks 5th in the nation (324.7)
• IUP Sr. QB Quinton Maxwell is one of the top signal callers in Division II, ranking 8th with 17 passing TDs and 9th with a 172.9 efficiency rating; He’s thrown for 300 yards in three straight games, the most by a QB in IUP history
• So. WR Duane Brown has caught a TD in six straight games to open the season and ranks 2nd in Division II with 13 total touchdowns
• The Crimson Hawks are ranked in both the AFCA Coaches and D2Football.com Media Polls this week; IUP dropped six spots to No. 22 in the coaches poll and four spots to No. 25 in the media rankings
• After missing out on the postseason last year, the Crimson Hawks look for a return trip after making the Division II playoffs in 2015, 2016 and 2017; IUP’s 18 Division II playoff appearances is tied for fourth all-time (NW Missouri State 23, North Alabama 21, Grand Valley St. 19, Pittsburg St. 18)
• The Crimson Hawks entered the year as one of only nine Division II teams with 80+ wins this decade (80); New PSAC addition and former MEC power Shepherd (91) is the only other team in the region on that list
