WACO, TX – After narrowly escaping Gannon’s upset big this past Saturday, IUP moved up one spot to No. 13 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Top 25 Poll, while also bumping up to No. 5 in the NCAA’s Super Region One Rankings on Monday.
The Crimson Hawks edged Gannon 38-35 this weekend with the help of two huge interceptions by Johnny Franco (Altoona/Tyrone) in the final minutes to seal the victory. They moved to 9-1 on the season and 6-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Division.
This is the second straight week that IUP has moved up one spot in the regional rankings since appearing at No. 7 in the first ranking back on October 22.
The top four teams in Super Region One remain the same, with Shippensburg sitting atop the ranking while Winston-Salem State is second, New Haven is third and Bloomsburg is fourth. Shepherd moved up to sixth while Charleston (WV) is seventh and American International is eighth. Mercyhurst and California sit at ninth and 10th, respectively.
The top six schools, including the four regional conference champions, advance to the NCAA playoffs on November 17. The playoff selections will be announced on Sunday, November 11 at 5:00 p.m.
With its No. 13 ranking in the AFCA poll, IUP has reached its highest national ranking since appearing at No. 12 back in 2008. The Crimson Hawks received 390 points in the voting, 18 behind Bloomsburg for 12th, with Harding in 14th and Grand Valley State in 15th. Minnesota-Duluth is ranked 10th in the nation while Missouri Western State is 11th.
The top eight remain the same, with Colorado State-Pueblo the top team in the poll with Winston-Salem, New Haven, Northwest Missouri State and Ashland rounding out the top five.
Shippensburg, IUP’s opponent in the PSAC championship this Saturday, is ranked seventh in the nation with a perfect 10-0 record.
The 2012 PSAC Football Championship game between IUP and the Raiders will kick off at 2:05 p.m. from George P. Miller Stadium.
