2025 Non-Conference Games

[TheBigCat2192]

The last two times they played actual scrimmages in football, IUP blasted both Duquesne and St. Francis.

Duquesne was down 35-0 in the first half at Miller Stadium. That game took place around 2007 or so. I watched it. It was a joke.

In fairness, both have seen their scholarship numbers go way up since then.

In basketball, IUP tried to play both for years and years. Rejected every time. Joe was going to Kentucky and Syracuse because he couldn't get a game in Pittsburgh. Bobby Mo turned them down like 9 straight years. John Calapari made a joke after the game in his press conference that IUP had to come the whole way to Lexington because nobody in Pittsburgh would play them.

IUP's last football game playing up they had a very strong Youngstown State dead in the water but lost late. I think it was like 13-9 or something close to that score. I said that day IUP would never, ever be invited back. That was in 1999.

Duquesne’s gotten somewhat better over the last 15 years or so. They still have bad years and they’re hardly elite but they’ve improved to being around the middle of the FCS pack instead of the bottom quartile fairly often per Massey. I still don’t think they’d schedule IUP or one of the other good PSAC programs; but they’re the one out of that group that might consider it if they absolutely couldn’t find someone to fill their schedule. RMU and Saint Francis are about as likely to schedule one of our good programs as the sun is to set in the east.

[Ram040506]

The Comnanders have a facility in Virginia. Are they looking to stop training camp in Ashburn?

They are in "talks"...

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...d-to-training/

Then this was the first step in hoping to get to a point where it would entice the Commanders perhaps:

https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/stor...g/76941303007/

We'll see how it goes, but it would be huge for Shepherd if they could get that type of support/involvement from the Commanders.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

According to page 11 of this record book on the IUP athletics website IUP has played St. Francis twice; once in 1952 and once in 1953. They’ve never played Duquesne or Robert Morris. I highly doubt any of them would play IUP today given there’s too high a chance of them losing.

The last two times they played actual scrimmages in football, IUP blasted both Duquesne and St. Francis.

Duquesne was down 35-0 in the first half at Miller Stadium. That game took place around 2007 or so. I watched it. It was a joke.

In fairness, both have seen their scholarship numbers go way up since then.

In basketball, IUP tried to play both for years and years. Rejected every time. Joe was going to Kentucky and Syracuse because he couldn't get a game in Pittsburgh. Bobby Mo turned them down like 9 straight years. John Calapari made a joke after the game in his press conference that IUP had to come the whole way to Lexington because nobody in Pittsburgh would play them.

IUP's last football game playing up they had a very strong Youngstown State dead in the water but lost late. I think it was like 13-9 or something close to that score. I said that day IUP would never, ever be invited back. That was in 1999.

[ctrabs74]

The Comnanders have a facility in Virginia. Are they looking to stop training camp in Ashburn?

I don't know why they would considering more and more NFL teams are holding their training camps at their respective facilities. The days of seeing Eagles camp in Bethlehem or West Chester are long gone.

[TheBigCat2192]

Has IUP ever played Duquesne, Robert Morris or St. Francis or would those schools ever agree to play IUP? I know RMU played boro last year and lost, so I could only imagine what IUP would do to them. Just my thoughts

According to page 11 of this record book on the IUP athletics website IUP has played St. Francis twice; once in 1952 and once in 1953. They’ve never played Duquesne or Robert Morris. I highly doubt any of them would play IUP today given there’s too high a chance of them losing.

[Tdobson]

Has IUP ever played Duquesne, Robert Morris or St. Francis or would those schools ever agree to play IUP? I know RMU played boro last year and lost, so I could only imagine what IUP would do to them. Just my thoughts

[IUPNation]

I mentioned earlier that I'd think Shepherd would have to put in a grass field(s) somewhere if they were to land the Commanders since that is their natural playing surface -- I wonder if there would be the possibility of using some of the money towards lights as well? Along with practicing on grass, you'd think they'd want to practice at night too. Just wishful thoughts I guess -

The Comnanders have a facility in Virginia. Are they looking to stop training camp in Ashburn?

[Fightingscot82]

St Francis is open on the same date Edinboro has a gap from Mercyhurst's mutiny. Just throwing that out there for folks to see and hopefully act upon.

[ctrabs74]

When I was a kid, we'd go to Chautauqua County NY for a couple weeks when the Bills still held camp at SUNY Fredonia. That was at the Bills peak so you got to see some big names. The most ironic part of it all is that SUNY Fredonia has never had a football team.

And, today, the Bills hold their training camp at a small college in Rochester.

[ctrabs74]

So right now there are only like 4 PSAC schools that have released schedules right ? Why the delay on the others ? New to PSAC football so forgive my ignorance.

Most of the schedules are released in March or April, with some teams timing their releases to the end of spring practice. This is actually pretty common within D2, though the Northeast-10 is notorious for dragging their collective feet when it comes to schedule releases as some schools don't post their schedules until late April or early- to mid-May.

[Fightingscot82]

When I was a kid, we'd go to Chautauqua County NY for a couple weeks when the Bills still held camp at SUNY Fredonia. That was at the Bills peak so you got to see some big names. The most ironic part of it all is that SUNY Fredonia has never had a football team.

[ctrabs74]

I mentioned earlier that I'd think Shepherd would have to put in a grass field(s) somewhere if they were to land the Commanders since that is their natural playing surface -- I wonder if there would be the possibility of using some of the money towards lights as well? Along with practicing on grass, you'd think they'd want to practice at night too. Just wishful thoughts I guess -

I'm not so sure the Commanders are looking to stage their training camp anywhere other than their practice facility in Northern Virginia, though they did hold training camps in Richmond in years past.

Most teams hold their training camps at their respective practice facilities (Steelers at St Vincent College, Bills at St John Fisher College in Rochester, Chiefs at Missouri Western State and Cowboys in Oxnard are the last teams to hold their training camps away from their training facilities) and that's been the trend over the past 10 or so years. The Vikings used to stage training camp in Mankato before taking it to their new training facility outside of Minneapolis. The Bears held their training camp in Bourbonais, southwest of Chicago and close to Kankakee, up until a couple of years ago before moving to their Halas Hall complex north of Chicago. And those are the most recent examples off the top of my head.

[Fightingscot82]

I mentioned earlier that I'd think Shepherd would have to put in a grass field(s) somewhere if they were to land the Commanders since that is their natural playing surface -- I wonder if there would be the possibility of using some of the money towards lights as well? Along with practicing on grass, you'd think they'd want to practice at night too. Just wishful thoughts I guess -

I'd love to see Shepherd get the Commanders - but I do wonder if they have enough space. They'd probably want a grass field and possibly an indoor facility. Does Shepherd have that much open space to spare?

[nova2wv]

$$ most likely is the factor. For a while the thought was the down wouldn't allow it, but that was debunked by someone.

I mentioned earlier that I'd think Shepherd would have to put in a grass field(s) somewhere if they were to land the Commanders since that is their natural playing surface -- I wonder if there would be the possibility of using some of the money towards lights as well? Along with practicing on grass, you'd think they'd want to practice at night too. Just wishful thoughts I guess -

[Fightingscot82]

Why won’t the D3 schools play the PSAC schools in football? I know years ago IUP had a rivalry with Westminster. I’d personally love to see IUP play Westminster again and add Geneva and W and J. I think they would be great games and not very far drives.

Westminster was NAIA for years and tried DII but got curbstomped in the GLIAC.

There is not much gain for playing D3. Its not even financial like the P5-FCS games. It doesn't count as a D2 win - and if you lose, you lost to a lower level team. The same applies for FCS games. IUP could beat North Dakota State but it would count the same as beating Robert Morris. Might also get the same amount of regional media coverage. At least most of the time the FCS teams will cover some travel and then some. YSU could plug a schedule hole with IUP and maybe pick up some extra ticket sales, but if IUP beats them its embarrassing.

I'm willing to die on the hill of play as many games as you can and the D3 school down the road will have better attendance and better name recognition than the no name NE-10 school from New Hampshire.