SLIPPERY ROCK — Four explosive running plays resulted in four first-half touchdowns for Kentucky State Saturday afternoon at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

Slippery Rock University found itself down 28-7 with four minutes left in the first half — its offense searching for a well-timed rally, its defense grasping for pride.

Both found what they were looking for as The Rock escaped with a 38-31 victory in its football season opener.

“I think we expected to come out here and steam-roll that football team,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “Hopefully, we learned a lesson.

“That first half was the worst half of football we've played in a long time. Then there was the second half ... This was like two different games.”

Kentucky State was facing a third-and-10 from its own 25 on the game's first possession when tailback Brett Sylve broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run. An interception and 19-yard return by Zuriel Rudolph moments later set the Thorobreds up at The Rock 30. After a penalty moved the ball back, Sylve got loose for a 34-yard run to set up quarterback Jules St. Ge for a 5-yard TD burst.

A 77-yard run by St. Ge set up his second 5-yard score. St. Ge had a 36-yard run to set up a 1-yard Sylve plunge for the 28-7 lead.

“Third-and-10, we're expecting a pass,” Lutz said. “They run up the middle, we miss 100 tackles and they scored. Our lack of tackling in that first half was unacceptable.”

Safety Tavarus Sample didn't argue.

“It was bad,” he said. “We had to look hard at ourselves at halftime, dig down deep and find our pride.

“The second half was a different story.”

Indeed it was.

“We refused to quit, never gave up,” Lutz said. “That will to win is the only reason we won this game.”

Kentucky State rushed for 236 yards in the first half — 222 coming on those four big runs. The Thorobreds rushed for just 31 yards in the second half, scoring but three points.

Buoyed by a Wes Hills 10-yard touchdown run at the end of the first half, SRU stormed back into the game.

Junior quarterback Andrew Koester — making his first collegiate start — found Mike Merhaut for a 40-yard TD pass to begin the third quarter. Koester had connected with Henry Litwin for 57 yards and SRU's lone touchdown of the first half.

Hills lost a controversial fumble at the goal-line midway through the third quarter, David Daniels scooping up the ball and racing 80 yards to the SRU 20. But the Thorobreds were wide left on a 33-yard field goal try moments later.

“Wes had a knee down and that ball was across the goal-line before they knocked it out,” Lutz fumed. “The official swore the ball came out earlier. I didn't think so.”

Seconds later, it didn't matter.

Koester kept the ball on an option and ran 80 yards down the right sideline for the game-tying score.

“I faked the pitch and nobody picked me up,” Koester said. “All I saw in front of me was green. I just wanted to run as fast as I could.”

Sample intercepted a pass and returned it 64 yards to the Thorobreds' 19-yard line. Koester's third TD toss of the day — a 3-yarder to Austin Scott — gave SRU a 35-28 lead with 1:19 still left in the third period.

Koester threw for 272 yards and rushed for 87, accounting for four touchdowns. The teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter. Sample's second interception with 17 seconds left sealed the win.

“I'm very proud of my team,” Kentucky State coach John L. Smith said. “We had an advantage coming in here because they didn't know what we would bring and we surprised them early.

“But that (SRU) coaching staff deserves credit. They made adjustments and took over the game.”

The Thorobreds were not as deep as SRU, Smith said.

“We only rotated in one lineman and they were rotating guys throughout,” he said. “They out-depthed us and that was a factor in this kind of heat.

“This game is good preparation for us. I fully expect us to contend in our conference.”

Notes: Hills, a senior transfer from Delware, ran for 164 yards in his SRU debut. ... The Thorobreds' Sylve and St. Ge combined for 235 yards rushing in the first half, 37 in the second. ... Koester's 80-yard score was The Rock's longest rushing touchdown since Ryan Lehmeier scampered 80 yards against California in 2008. ... SRU won its 10th consecutive opener and 13th straight home opener. ... Jeff Marx led The Rock with eight tackles. Butler graduate Tim Vernick had five tackles, including 1.5 for loss. ... SRU travels to Shippensburg for a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday.

Kentucky State 14 14 0 3 — 31

Slippery Rock 7 7 21 3 — 38

First Quarter

KS — Brett Sylve 75 run (Kao Mahireyaa kick), 13:15

KS — Jules St. Ge 5 run (Mahireyaa kick), 7:12

SRU — Henry Litwin 57 pass from Andrew Koester (Jake Chapla kick), 5:56

Second Quarter

KS — St. Ge 5 run (Mahireyaa kick), 14:48

KS — Sylve 1 run (Mahireyaa kick), 4:41

SRU — Wes Hills 10 run (Chapla kick), :30

Third Quarter

SRU — Mike Merhaut 40 pass from Koester (Chapla kick), 14:00

SRU — Koester 80 run (Chapla kick), 4:17

SRU — Austin Scott 3 pass from Koester (Chapla kick), 1:19

Fourth Quarter

KS — Turner Warren 20 field goal, 8:23

SRU — Chapla 38 field goal, :48

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Kentucky State, Brett Sylve 20-146, Jules St. Ge 11-126, Paul Campbell 2-1, Tyrone Wilkerson 10-(-2), TEAM 1-(-2), Malik Saunders 3-(-2). SRU, Wes Hills 21-164, Andrew Koester 9-87, Chacar Berry 9-19, TEAM 1-(-1).

Passing: Kentucky State, Jules St. Ge 10-12-118-1, Paul Campbell 0-1-0-1. STU, Andrew Koester 14-26-272-1.

Receiving: Kentucky State, Jordan Level 3-45, Malik Saunders 3-41, Demetrius Anderson 2-29, Tyrone Wilkerson 1-4, Brett Sylve 1-(-1). SRU, Wes Hills 3-17, Henry Litwin 2-84, Austin Scott 2-50, Jermaine Wynn Jr. 2-37, Dakota Clanagan 2-35, Mike Merhaut 1-40, Chacar Berry 1-8, Zach Cirillo 1-1.