The 4-0 IUP Crimson Hawks have moved into the AFCA Coaches Poll Top Ten. Coach Paul Tortorella’s team is ranked number nine in the nation, one spot behind PSAC rival Slippery Rock. IUP was eleventh last week. Kutztown remains number three in the poll, and the three Top Ten teams are the only PSAC schools in the Top 25. Ferris State remains number one.
In the D2Football.com poll, IUP is number thirteen, up from seventeen. Kutztown is fourth and Slippery Rock is ninth.
IUP defensive back Devon Bertrand is the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week. He had eight tackles, six of them solo stops, forced a fumble and broke up a pass in the win over Seton Hill on Saturday. It’s the Crimson Hawks’ second straight Defensive Athlete of the Week after linebacker Tai-don Strickland won it last week.
IUP travels to 2-2 Edinboro on Saturday. The Fighting Scots have lost two games in a row, 44-24 to West Chester and 30-19 to Clarion.
Edinboro’s two quarterbacks are certainly familiar in the area. They start IUP transfer Nico Marchitelli and have a special package featuring Bo Swartz, the West Shamokin graduate.
