Opening night has finally arrived for the IUP Crimson Hawks, and it brings with it a matchup of two teams that are ranked in the NCAA Division II AFCA coaches poll. Sixteenth-ranked IUP tangles with number twelve Ashland in the opener at Miller Stadium. In the D2 Football media Poll, IUP is 12th and Ashland 14th.
IUP head coach Paul Tortorella begins his sixth season leading the program, and he matches up with a team against which he got his first win, in 2017, and his most recent win, last November in the Division II playoffs.
On Hawk Talk this week on Renda Digital TV and U92, Tortorella said opening the season with a quality opponent such as Ashland makes sense.
Tortorella said training camp was understandably “ragged” at first, with a number of players new to the program, but he’s seen a lot of progress.
Some of the team’s injured players will be game-time decisions, based on how they look and feel after warmups, and on how much time they’ve had to get ready for the rigors of a season, such as running back Dayjure Stewart.
The coach says he’s not a fan of playing night games because it means the team has to wait all day to play, but IUP will be ready.
Tonight’s game will be one of two featuring ranked teams. Number two Colorado School of Mines plays number three Grand Valley State tonight.
Other games involving PSAC teams tonight include Clarion at Lincoln, Bloomsburg visiting Fairmont State, Gannon at Charleston, Millersville hosting Saint Anselm, East Stroudsburg welcoming Pace, Seton Hill at Wheeling, and Mercyhurst at number one ranked Ferris State (Ferris State will play Ashland next week).
Saturday games this week include Slippery Rock hosting Wayne State, Shepherd hosting Southern Connecticut State, Newberry at Shippensburg, Kutztown at Assumption, Edinboro visiting Duquesne, Post at Lock Haven, and West Chester at Bentley.
You’ll hear tonight’s IUP/Ashland game from George P. Miller Stadium on 92.5 FM, U92 and U92Radio.com. The pregame begins at 6:30, with kickoff to follow at 7.
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