CLARION, Pa. — No. 2/3 and unbeaten IUP invades Memorial Stadium to take on one-win Clarion at Noon Saturday.
(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)
The Crimson Hawks are 7-0 on the year and 4-0 in the PSAC West and ranked second in the nation in NCAA D2Football.com Media poll and No. 3 in the AFCA Coaches’ Poll. They have the inside track to the PSAC West title having beaten second-place Slippery Rock and third-place California (Pa.) already and a win over Clarion (1-6, 1-3) coupled with a Slippery Rock loss at Edinboro Saturday could seal up the division.
Two-Minute Drill
- The Clarion Golden Eagles play their final home game of the season when they host the nationally-ranked IUP Crimson Hawks
- This will be the 88th meeting between the two teams, with the Crimson Hawks holding a 60-24-3 advantage in the all-time series
- Clarion’s last win came during the 2010 season, a 21-14 decision in Indiana
- The Golden Eagles scored 19 unanswered points in the second half against California last week, coming up just a two-point conversion shy of overtime in a 21-19 loss
- Clarion shut the Vulcans out in three of the four quarters last week and allowed just two offensive touchdowns
- Quarterback Jeff Clemens entered in relief against California and finished 8-of-14 passing for 117 yards and a touchdown
- Running back Mylique McGriff had his best game of the season against California, rushing 14 times for 114 yards and a touchdown
- Clarion rushed for 205 net yards against the Vulcans, their best rushing total since the 2015 season
- Receiver Mason Standard recorded his fifth receiving touchdown on the year last week, and now has five in his last three games
- Linebacker Avery Howsare finished last week’s game with a career-high nine tackles and a forced fumble
- The Golden Eagles are +4 in turnover margin after forcing a fumble against the Vulcans last week
Scouting the Crimson Hawks
The lone unbeaten team remaining in the PSAC, they rank second in the league in scoring offense and scoring defense and lead the conference with 519.6 offensive yards per game.
Offensively the team is led by running back Samir Bullock, who ranks third in the conference with an average of 125.1 rushing yards per game. Veteran quarterback Lenny Williams is a dual-threat with 1,658 yards passing and 182 yards rushing on the season, the latter of which ranks third among PSAC quarterbacks this year. Defensively the Crimson Hawks lead the conference with 14 interceptions.
Series History
This will be the 88th meeting between the two teams, with IUP holding a 60-24-3 advantage in the all-time series with the Golden Eagles. Clarion has not won in the series since a 21-14 decision against IUP during the 2010 season. The last home win came a year before that, a 30-28 victory in 2009.
In last year’s game, the Golden Eagles led the 13th-ranked Crimson Hawks 14-7 at halftime, with Kyle Evans scoring on a 68-yard touchdown run and Jeff Clemens tossing a touchdown pass at the end of the period. The score was just 21-17 at the end of the third quarter before IUP scored 21 unanswered points en route to a 42-17 win.
About the Coach
Chris Weibel is in his third season as the program’s head coach after spending many of the previous years as an assistant. Weibel has an overall record of 12-17 at Clarion, including an 8-10 record in PSAC West play. A 2010 inductee into the Clarion Sports Hall of Fame, Weibel graduated with every major Clarion passing record to his credit.
Last Week
The Golden Eagles scored 19 unanswered points in a wild second-half comeback attempt but came up just inches short of forcing overtime in falling 21-19 to California (Pa.) on Saturday.
The team entered the locker room at halftime trailing 21-0 but allowed no points after the break, and scored three touchdowns to put a scare in the Vulcans. Mylique McGriff opened the scoring with his first career score midway through the third quarter, and Mason Standard caught a 19-yard score from Jeff Clemens with 3:11 remaining to make it 21-13.
The Golden Eagles got the ball back with 2:02 remaining and marched 71 yards in eight plays, culminating with a five-yard touchdown run from Kyle Evans. However, Clemens’ two-point attempt went incomplete to end the game.
Ground Game Picking Up Steam
The Golden Eagles seem to have gotten things moving on the ground in each of the last four weeks, leading to a potentially more balanced offensive attack. After 141 yards against Mercyhurst and 129 against Edinboro, Clarion went off for 165 yards on the ground against Seton Hill. It continued last week when Clarion rushed for 205 yards against California, the first 200-yard game for Clarion since Oct. 17, 2015, against Seton Hill.
Leading the charge on the ground has been freshman Mylique McGriff, who has rushed for 260 yards in that span. He had his first career 100-yard game last week with 114 yards on 14 carries against California.
Jack of All Trades
Kyle Evans is once again showing his ability to contribute in multiple facets of the game. He is averaging 124.0 all-purpose yards per game in PSAC competition this year, ranking eighth in the league as a result.
Setting the Standard
Freshman receiver Mason Standard has played a bigger role in the offense recently and has blossomed into one of the Golden Eagles’ top targets. In his last four games, Standard has caught 18 passes for 275 yards and five touchdowns. Against Seton Hill he had his best game of the year, setting career highs in catches (8), receiving yards (117) and touchdowns (3). Standard’s five touchdown receptions in PSAC West play are second among receivers in conference games.
Standard also holds the distinction of throwing a successful two-point conversion attempt, Clarion’s first two-point conversion since the 2014 season.
Field Flipper
New kicker/punter James Metzgar has acquitted himself quite well in his new roles this year, proving dependable both in putting the ball through the upright as well as pinning the opponent deep. Metzgar is tied for first in the PSAC with 17 punts downed inside opposing 20-yard-lines while kicking just two touchbacks in a league-high 47 attempts.
On the Road Again
Clarion will play three straight games away from home to end the season, starting with an Oct. 28 showdown at Slippery Rock. They then travel to take on Gannon and West Chester, respectively, to close out the slate.
What’s Next
The Golden Eagles will look to retain the Milk Jug Trophy when they go on the road to take on Slippery Rock on Saturday, Oct. 28. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
