THE IUP Football Thread

[Matt Burglund]

Matt: Back to football ... are they anticipating any of the incoming freshman to play (some capacity) this season? I assume most will redshirt. There's usually a camp surprise or two, but are any deemed ready to play?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

So ... attendance was good?

Matt: Back to football ... are they anticipating any of the incoming freshman to play (some capacity) this season? I assume most will redshirt. There's usually a camp surprise or two, but are any deemed ready to play?

[Matt Burglund]

Keep taking what Tort feeds you at face value. He really has a hard time scheduling games. Rabble rabble, nobody will play us, rabble rabble, we can't pay a guarantee, rabble rabble, it doesn't matter, rabble rabble, kids might get hurt.

So ... attendance was good?

[IUPNation]

Tort tried. Charleston chose to play #LIT-AF instead. Glenville State wanted no part of a visit to Indiana. I guess we could have had a car wash to raise money for West Virginia Wesleyan to drive here.

Let's just hope they finally play at Miller with a 2-0 record. Those first two games will have some challenges.

BTW, I'm trying to pull some strings and get IUPNation the scoreboard operators' job at East Stroudsburg for IUP's opener. Imagine the messages that would get put on that infamous scoreboard.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That's true but the issue is dead. There is no 11th game in '22 and there is a great one in '23-'26.

Tort tried. Charleston chose to play #LIT-AF instead. Glenville State wanted no part of a visit to Indiana. I guess we could have had a car wash to raise money for West Virginia Wesleyan to drive here.

Let's just hope they finally play at Miller with a 2-0 record. Those first two games will have some challenges.

BTW, I'm trying to pull some strings and get IUPNation the scoreboard operators' job at East Stroudsburg for IUP's opener. Imagine the messages that would get put on that infamous scoreboard.

[IUPNation]

Women's Tennis is No. 1 in the updated Regional Rankings.

It's nice to see a big uptick in the 'non-revenue' sports.

Baseball - 21-15
Softball - 14-12
Lacrosse - 10-4

The Dixon Trophy is Ours!!! LOL!!

[iupgroundhog]

Keep taking what Tort feeds you at face value. He really has a hard time scheduling games. Rabble rabble, nobody will play us, rabble rabble, we can't pay a guarantee, rabble rabble, it doesn't matter, rabble rabble, kids might get hurt.

That's true but the issue is dead. There is no 11th game in '22 and there is a great one in '23-'26.

[Fightingscot82]

How was attendance?

Keep taking what Tort feeds you at face value. He really has a hard time scheduling games. Rabble rabble, nobody will play us, rabble rabble, we can't pay a guarantee, rabble rabble, it doesn't matter, rabble rabble, kids might get hurt.

[Matt Burglund]

But FWIW, these IUP teams have played D3 schools this year:

Field Hockey: Allegheny
Swimming: St. Vincent
Women's Basketball - Mt. Aloysius
Tennis: Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Denison

How was attendance?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I think Pitt and Penn State branches for the most part are generally seen as inferior based on the name. The exception I might see is Behrend vs Edinboro or something like that where the two schools are viewed similarly. But FWIW, these IUP teams have played D3 schools this year:

Field Hockey: Allegheny
Swimming: St. Vincent
Women's Basketball - Mt. Aloysius
Tennis: Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Denison

Carnegie Mellon whipped IUP in Tennis ... and IUP is extremely strong this year.

[Fightingscot82]

But FS82 is adamant that attendance didn't dip when Joe scheduled D3 teams. During the so-called "funeral season" why did 600 more people come to see Shippensburg than Pitt Greensburg? You and I know why. Maybe it was the opponent?

BTW, the New Year's Eve Pitt Greensburg game was at 2:00 p.m. Not exactly when people are sipping champagne and waiting for the ball to drop. So it's entirely possible that many IUP fans looked at the schedule, saw Pitt Greensburg and said, "no thanks."

I think Pitt and Penn State branches for the most part are generally seen as inferior based on the name. The exception I might see is Behrend vs Edinboro or something like that where the two schools are viewed similarly. But FWIW, these IUP teams have played D3 schools this year:

Field Hockey: Allegheny
Swimming: St. Vincent
Women's Basketball - Mt. Aloysius
Tennis: Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Denison

[IUPbigINDIANS]

But FS82 is adamant that attendance didn't dip when Joe scheduled D3 teams. During the so-called "funeral season" why did 600 more people come to see Shippensburg than Pitt Greensburg? You and I know why. Maybe it was the opponent?

BTW, the New Year's Eve Pitt Greensburg game was at 2:00 p.m. Not exactly when people are sipping champagne and waiting for the ball to drop. So it's entirely possible that many IUP fans looked at the schedule, saw Pitt Greensburg and said, "no thanks."

No doubt. It was a garbage game. They had Salem scheduled earlier but they backed out the week of the game. So, Joe had to scramble to find an opponent. Luckily, UPG agreed to come and it did have a nice angle with Tommy Arbuckle getting to come back to Indiana.

[Matt Burglund]

Shippensburg is a huge game. Pitt-Greensburg on New Year's Eve ... not exactly a crowd draw.

But FS82 is adamant that attendance didn't dip when Joe scheduled D3 teams. During the so-called "funeral season" why did 600 more people come to see Shippensburg than Pitt Greensburg? You and I know why. Maybe it was the opponent?

BTW, the New Year's Eve Pitt Greensburg game was at 2:00 p.m. Not exactly when people are sipping champagne and waiting for the ball to drop. So it's entirely possible that many IUP fans looked at the schedule, saw Pitt Greensburg and said, "no thanks."

[IUPbigINDIANS]

No, it's not. More IUP fans would come to see Bemidji because it's more likely to be a good game. If Juniata comes to town, Tort would have to call off the dogs in the second quarter. The IUP fans who I know understand that, and they don't want to pay to see it.

In 2015, IUP was scheduled to play West Chester at home in the season finale. WCU won the East and IUP did not win the West, so games got switched and IUP ended up hosting Cheyney. Alleged attendance that day was 601. No home game since 1980 has drawn that few fans (if the attendance figure is to be believed).

A few weeks later, IUP nearly beat Shepherd in the second round of the playoffs, so it's not like it was a bad IUP team. The issue is nobody wanted to see IUP beat Cheyney 62-0.



There were a few factors there.

1. It was Tort's first game, and a lot of people probably came out for that because he is well known and active in the community.
2. Ashland was a good team (went 9-2 the year before and had a lot of key players back).
3. It was a night game and those typically draw well.
4. The weather was perfect.

And, perhaps because the local newspaper and radio station give IUP football a better treatment than any other school in the league helps inform the fans about the opponents and such. Just maybe, I don't know.



Twelve days before the IUP-Pitt Greensburg game (Attendance 952), IUP hosted Shippensburg (also in that "funeral season") Announced attendance was 1,608.

On Friday, January 3, 2020, also during the "funeral season", IUP hosted Lock Haven. Announced attendance: 1,712. That was the next home game after the Bethany (957) game.

Shippensburg is a huge game. Pitt-Greensburg on New Year's Eve ... not exactly a crowd draw (despite IUP giving out free tickets for it all over town). I was actually happy with the 952 for UPG. I think that number is a total farce (far less humans in the building), but, nonetheless. I assume they counted all the tickets given away.

The 1,608 is a pretty good number during the funeral season. Trust me, I haven't missed a home basketball game in nearly 30 years. I know the nights the place is packed and when it isn't.

You have two examples of the winter break games in there ... but that's two games out of many. There are many total duds in there, too. Shippensburg, aside from IUP, is the only team in the league that actually travels well, too.


I do remember that Ashland game. Why IUP doesn't play one Thursday night game every season is beyond baffling to me.

[Matt Burglund]

... to say that Juniata would draw less than Bemidji State simply because they're D3 is comical.

No, it's not. More IUP fans would come to see Bemidji because it's more likely to be a good game. If Juniata comes to town, Tort would have to call off the dogs in the second quarter. The IUP fans who I know understand that, and they don't want to pay to see it.

In 2015, IUP was scheduled to play West Chester at home in the season finale. WCU won the East and IUP did not win the West, so games got switched and IUP ended up hosting Cheyney. Alleged attendance that day was 601. No home game since 1980 has drawn that few fans (if the attendance figure is to be believed).

A few weeks later, IUP nearly beat Shepherd in the second round of the playoffs, so it's not like it was a bad IUP team. The issue is nobody wanted to see IUP beat Cheyney 62-0.

Did "3,235" fans attend that great season opener 2017 because it was a Thursday night opener or because it was Ashland? How many had heard of Ashland before that game? I have a hard time believing opponent matters much at this level if its not a huge, huge name. We don't have that culture in the PSAC. I believe we draw what we draw because the home team is playing, not the expected quality of the game.

There were a few factors there.

1. It was Tort's first game, and a lot of people probably came out for that because he is well known and active in the community.
2. Ashland was a good team (went 9-2 the year before and had a lot of key players back).
3. It was a night game and those typically draw well.
4. The weather was perfect.

And, perhaps because the local newspaper and radio station give IUP football a better treatment than any other school in the league helps inform the fans about the opponents and such. Just maybe, I don't know.

For basketball, attendance in November & December (when the D3 games took place) is abysmal even if they're playing Northwest Missouri State. So comparing the Bethany attendance from Sunday, December 15, 2019 wtih Wednesday, February 19, 2020 is absurd. Logically more people would want to come out and see Trey Staunch lay 30 on IUP. All kidding aside, season averages for PSAC men's basketball are skewed toward the latter half of the season.

Twelve days before the IUP-Pitt Greensburg game (Attendance 952), IUP hosted Shippensburg (also in that "funeral season") Announced attendance was 1,608.

On Friday, January 3, 2020, also during the "funeral season", IUP hosted Lock Haven. Announced attendance: 1,712. That was the next home game after the Bethany (957) game.