SLIPPERY ROCK — The Rock was reeling — then reeled in victory.

Titus Howard broke up a potentially game-tying two-point conversion pass, then intercepted a fourth-down pass in the final two minutes Saturday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Those plays helped SRU preserve a 41-39 victory over Assumption in the second round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs.

The Rock (12-1) will travel to Shepherd (11-0) Saturday for the quarterfinal round. The Rams defeated Indiana (Pa.), 17-13, Saturday.

“Our team is serious about winning the national championship. We had to make some plays,” Howard said of the frantic finish.

SRU took a 41-19 lead into the fourth quarter and was seemingly headed for a comfortable victory. But Assumption scored touchdowns on its next three possessions.

The Greyhounds (11-2) put together drives of 75, 62 and 80 yards to pull within two points. Sophomore quarterback Marc Monks finished the last two drives with TD passes of 10 and 45 yards to Ashton Grant. The latter score came with 3:47 left in the game.

“These are the national playoffs,” SRU coach George Mihalik said. “No team is going to quit. They gained the momentum on us in the fourth quarter.

“They got a lot of passing yards on us (365). That's OK. Bend, but don't break. We stopped them when we had to. I'm proud of my team and I'm proud of theirs.”

On the conversion try, Monks tried hitting Grant on an inside slant. Howard lunged in front of the receiver and broke up the pass.

“He beat me on that same pattern for a touchdown earlier and I figured they might go back to it,” Howard said. “I got the inside position and made the play.”

Assumption coach Bob Chesney wasn't so sure.

“There was a lot of contact on that play,” Chesney said. “What you see live isn't always what turns up on film, so I'm not sure, but Ashton Grant never drops a football. I thought, maybe, a yellow flag could have shown up there.”

SRU was penalized 13 times on the day. Assumption was not flagged once.

Regardless, The Rock went three and out on its next possession and Assumption had another chance. Following a punt, the Greyhounds took over at their own 44 with 1:55 to play.

They didn't move an inch.

Howard broke up a pass to Grant on first down. Monks' passes to Deonte Harris and Dave Call sailed incomplete on the next two plays. Howard intercepted the fourth-down pass and returned it 42 yards to the Assumption 13-yard line.

Rock quarterback Dante Nania took a knee three times from there and victory was secured.

“Our defense bailed us out again,” Nania said. “I wasn't particularly sharp today.”

Nania completed only 10 of 28 passes in the contest, but did throw touchdown passes of 13 yards to Cornelius Raye, 47 yards to Jaimire Dutrieuille and nine yards to Leroy McClain as SRU built its 41-19 lead. Nania ran for a touchdown as well.

SRU's offense played the fourth quarter without standout running back Shamar Greene, who had 31 carries for 160 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with a foot injury late in the third quarter.

Nania's three touchdown passes tied The Rock's single-season record of 30.

“That doesn't happen this year without the talent out here surrounding me,” Nania said. “I can think of at least six touchdown passes that those guys made incredible plays on, that I never should have gotten.”

SRU forced five more turnovers Saturday, including four fumble recoveries. Defensive tackle Joe Phillips scooped up one and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown. The Rock leads the nation in takeaways with 46.

“They had five turnovers and we had one?,” Mihalik pointed out. “That would be a huge factor in any game.”

Assumption freshman Cole Tracy, who led the nation's place-kickers with 110 points entering Saturday's game, booted a 47-yard field goal that was partially tipped to end the first half. That kick pulled the Greyhounds within 27-12 at intermission.

“We needed to gain about 20 yards on our last possession of the game,” Chesney said. “I would have felt comfortable sending Cole out there for a 52 or 55-yard field goal to win the game.

“Why did we throw the ball four times there? You try going out and running the ball against those guys. That defensive front is outstanding.”

Twice in the first half, Assumption opted to go on fourth-and-1 from deep in SRU territory rather than try a field goal. A pass fell incomplete to end one possession and Bob Vernick nailed running back James Ward for a 3-yard loss to end the other.

“Slippery Rock averages 48 points per game,” Chesney reasoned. “Field goals weren't going to beat them. We needed to go for touchdowns in this game.”Notes: SRU won its 17th consecutive home game and now has the longest active streak of home wins in all of Division II football. ... Mihalik picked up his 197th career win. ... Phillips' touchdown was SRU's eighth defensive TD this season. ... Greene now has 1,476 yards rushing on the year and his 3,685 career yards are No. 2 on The Rock's all-time list. ... Dutrieuille has 19 career TD catches, tied for third on the school's all-time list. ... SRU's 6,554 yards offensively this season are a school record. ... Assumption's Harris had 250 all-purpose yards. ... Derek Morgan led The Rock with 12 tackles and Marcus Martin picked up his 13th sack of the year. ... Phillips, Teven Williams, TJ Matrascia and Garret MacFarland had fumble recoveries for SRU.SRU 41, Assumption 39Assumption 2 10 7 20 — 39Slippery Rock 20 7 14 0 — 41A SRU27 First Downs 2237-155 Rushes-Yards 59-260365 Passing Yards 18427-54-1 Comp.-Att.-Int 11-29-0520 Total Yards 4444-4 Fumbles-Lost 2-10-0 Penalty Yards 13-89First QuarterSRU — Shamar Greene 1 run (kick blocked), 8:26A — Kyle Contreras blocked PAT return, 8:26SRU — Joe Phillips 52 fumble return (Huska kick), 7:01SRU — Cornelius Raye 13 pass from Dante Nania (Huska kick), :17Second QuarterA — Kevin Ihlefeld 2 run (Cole Tracy kick), 4:50SRU — Nania 3 run (Huska kick), :23A — Tracy 47 field goal, :00Third QuarterSRU— Jaimire Dutrieuille 47 pass from Nania (Huska kick), 13:54A — Deonte Harris 21 run (Tracy kick), 10:27SRU — Leroy McClain 9 pass from Nania (Huska kick), :55Fourth QuarterA — James Ward 1 run (Tracy kick), 12:24A — Ashton Grant 10 pass from Marc Monks (Tracy kick), 7:42A — Grant 45 pass from Monks (pass failed), 3:47Individual StatisticsRushing: Assumption, James Ward 15-84, Alex Shain 14-53, Deonte Harris 1-21, Kevin Ihlefeld 1-2, Marc Monks 6-(-5). SRU, Shamar Greene 31-160, Isiah Neely 16-67, Dante Nania 8-34, Dominic Dingle 1-2, TEAM 3-(-3).Passing: Assumption, Marc Monks 27-54-365-1. SRU, Dante Nania 10-28-148-0, Brett Crenshaw 1-1-36-0.Receiving: Assumption, Deonte Harris 12-160, Ashton Grant 9-134, Tyis Boykin 2-2, Dave Call 1-37, James Ward 1-19, Cody Lynn 1-7, Alex Shain 1-6. SRU, Cornelius Raye 4-33, Jaimire Dutrieuille 2-59, Leroy McClain 2-31, Brian McNally 1-36, Shamar Greene 1-21, Taishan Tucker 1-4.