WACO, TX – After winning its fourth straight game on Saturday, IUP has moved up four spots to 16th in the latest American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Top 25 Poll, as it was released on Monday. The Crimson Hawks also show up at seventh in the Super Region One in the season’s inaugural regional rankings.
IUP wore the Lakers down last weekend in a 31-13 win that saw Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) rush for 231 yards and two touchdowns. The Crimson Hawks limited Mercyhurst to just 268 total yards and 13 first downs, giving the Lakers their second loss of the year and their first since the season opener.
With the win the Crimson Hawks improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division, one game back of rival California (PA). However with that one loss being to the Vulcans, IUP is two games back of first place in the division with two left to play before the PSAC championship game on November 10.
The first regional rankings were released on Monday afternoon by the NCAA as IUP sat at No. 7, one spot out of a playoff berth. Shippensburg is No. 1 in Super Region One while Winston-Salem State is No. 2 and Bloomsburg No. 3. The Vulcans show up at No. 4 with New Haven at No. 5 and Charleston (WV) at No. 6.
Shepherd, American International, and West Chester come in at numbers eight-through-10, respectively.
The regional rankings determine the NCAA playoff participants, with the top six teams earning a trip to the postseason.
IUP is seeking its first playoff berth since the 2007 season.
The Crimson Hawks will host Clarion (4-4, 2-3) this Saturday at George P. Miller Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
