IUP Football 2021

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Taking a look at some SRU statistics ...

It isn't easy as they've played four straight teams that they hammered -- and skewed the stats pretty good.

Looking at their two closest games (Wayne State and East Stroudsburg):

* Rock lost the time of possession in each game (by +10 mins vs ESU and +8 mins vs WSU)
- Obvious synopsis is they can't run their offense from the sideline. Despite two wins, these were their lowest scoring games (24 pts vs WSU and 22 pts vs ESU)
- When SRU scores, they score quick. This isn't their teams of yesterday pounding the ball down the field in a cloud of dust.

* Wayne State (with no threat of the pass) ran for 247 yards when the whole stadium knew they were running just about every play

* Litwin and Wynn are going for 180 ypg receiving and Sweeting is getting near 45 ypg

* Koester is throwing for 310 ypg (20 TDs vs 4 picks) Note: 3 of his 4 picks came in the first two games.

* SRU has allowed 8 sacks (half came in first two games ... so, he hasn't been hit much lately)

* Rushed poorly against Wayne State (89 yards) and Seton Hill (60 yards) but went big on East Stroudsburg (173) and Edinboro (263)

* Defensively, they are giving up about 10.5 ppg. By the season stats, the only good offense they've faced this year is Wayne State.

* IUP will be far and away the best OL, WR, and QB they will have faced. Rock secondary is going to have its hands full -- much the same way IUP's will.

* Both kicking games are solid. IUP does have a big advantage in the punting game. Returners on both sides are dangerous.

[Matt Burglund]

Supposedly getting screwed out of the national title has nothing to do with their complaints against the Big Ten.

I talked to some people who earnestly believed there was a conspiracy between Big Ten officials and AP voters in Big Ten media markets to vote for Nebraska because the Big Ten thought it would be embarrassing to the blue bloods if the new kid on the block wins the national championship. I'm not making this up.

There's also this webpage.

[Ship69]

The '94 team is long beleived to have gotten screwed out of national title.

[Fightingscot82]

Coached by ...

TLT!!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Coached by ...

THE ...

[Matt Burglund]

Penn State were ranked #1 ... But they dropped in both polls after close road wins over Indiana, then Illinois.

Coached by ...

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I think they have an artificial surface up there now. Too bad ... Dr. Evil can't try and get the grass to 8" or 9" by kickoff. That actually happened once ... as the story goes.

[IUPNation]

As of now looks like we may have a wet one on Saturday.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

As of now looks like we may have a wet one on Saturday.

[IUPFOOTBALLALUM]

I think we know what IUP is this year. You wouldn't want to play them the day everything clicks and when they are all on the field together (granted, if that day ever comes). I'm not going to get all excited about this past Saturday because that was essentially a mediocre D3 team they played. But, we've seen IUP win a big game. We've seen them lose a big game. We've seen them pummel two terrible teams. And, we've seen them struggle (but beat) a mid-tier program (#LIT-AF). We've seen them overcome a ton of adversity with injuries and Covid issues.

No question they are a much better offense with Harry Football. Irvin Charles is a monster. Duane is a star. They are getting smoother each week. The running game is what it is. The defense shows flashes -- good and bad. The team makes a ton of undisciplined type errors and penalties. The defensive philosophy is very vanilla. We know all this by now. How much can really change by Week 7? Hopefully some.

But, what I can't wait to see, is how good SRU and Cal actually are (or, aren't).

SRU hasn't played anybody with a pulse in over a month. Last four games: Lock Haven, @ Seton Hill, Clarion and @ Edinboro. Everything changes when the team across from you can punch back. IUP has been through plenty of adversity this year. From everything I've seen this year, this particular IUP team is better off on the road. In some odd way I think they thrive on it. This will be the first big boy offense SRU has seen all season. I think both QBs have monster stats and both defenses get lit up. IUP is more battle tested. Will that make the difference?

IUP SHOWS UP TO SLIP AND PUNCHES THEM IN THE MOUTH! GO HAWKS

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Ok...I now see why they believed such:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_P..._football_team

Penn State were ranked #1 by Week 8 by both the Coaches Poll and AP Poll. But they dropped in both polls after close road wins over Indiana, then Illinois.

That was an incredible Joe Pa team. If I recall correctly in the next draft they had 3 of the top 8 players taken (Ki-Jana Carter went No. 1 overall, Kerry Collins and massive TE Kyle Brady.


My God that seems like yesterday ... almost 30 years ago.

They had those close games at the end but had serious blowouts prior (USC, Ohio State, etc.) Then they hammered Cinderella Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

I went to the Ohio State game that year. PSU won (I think) 52-14.

[ShoNuff]

The '94 team is long beleived to have gotten screwed out of national title.

Ok...I now see why they believed such:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_P..._football_team

Penn State were ranked #1 by Week 8 by both the Coaches Poll and AP Poll. But they dropped in both polls after close road wins over Indiana, then Illinois.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Thanks for the input, Matt. It is strange. I got on the Blue-White Illustrated board a couple of years back, and that stuff was flying all over the place. I dared to say something mildly critical of Penn State (and it's not like I'm a hater as my brother and nephew are both PSU alums and I enjoy going to games up there), and was hit with so many over-the-top insults that I left that board and haven't been back. Most of the Penn State fans I run into at games seem pretty reasonable, but the online crew is something else. Then again, there's something about the anonymous nature of online boards that does not bring out the best in people.

I'm surprised they'd go to the 1994 season. Weren't they unbeaten that year?

The '94 team is long beleived to have gotten screwed out of national title.

[IUPalum]

Actually, the Kutztown game was a big time game this year, IUP loses that, and the SRU game is just for bragging rites. If KU wins this week, they will likely only have 1 loss, to IUP.

I don't think SRU is better than KU, just a flashier style.

Like many have said, IUP loses this week, and playoff hopes are all but lost. Also, the loser of the KU, Ship game won't make the post season either.

SRU loses this week, and even if they run the table, their crappy SOS might keep them out of the Playoffs.

Kutztown game was NOT a big time game! Playing against SRU is a BIG TIME game. A playoff game against Shep is a Big Time game!!! What has Kutztown ever won to make them BIG TIME worthy??? NOTHING!!! They are just a good team.

[Ship69]

I used to do freelance writing on the side. A few years ago, I was offered a story to write for a magazine that covers a lot of PSU stuff. The story was to investigate how the Big Ten has it out for PSU and that PSU gets screwed by the league, the refs and the pollsters all the time. I thought it was a joke, but they were serious. I started making calls and found that there is a huge portion of the PSU fanbase that earnestly believes there is a conspiracy to keep Penn State football down. They go all the way back to the 1994 season and other things, like how a bad call in the OSU game one year that went again PSU couldn't be reversed because the replay equipment wasn't working, etc. There's like this working list of examples. It was truly bizarre.

Sorry to hijack a justifiably IUP-themed thread ;)

Thanks for the input, Matt. It is strange. I got on the Blue-White Illustrated board a couple of years back, and that stuff was flying all over the place. I dared to say something mildly critical of Penn State (and it's not like I'm a hater as my brother and nephew are both PSU alums and I enjoy going to games up there), and was hit with so many over-the-top insults that I left that board and haven't been back. Most of the Penn State fans I run into at games seem pretty reasonable, but the online crew is something else. Then again, there's something about the anonymous nature of online boards that does not bring out the best in people.

I'm surprised they'd go to the 1994 season. Weren't they unbeaten that year?