SLIPPERY ROCK — After an inauspicious start to its season, the Slippery Rock University football team is entering uncharted territory.

The Rock (11-2) travels to Notre Dame College (12-0) for a noon kickoff Saturday in the Division II Super Region One championship game. A win would put SRU in the national semifinals for the first time since 1998.

A victory would also mark the first time in program history that The Rock will have won three playoff games in one season — all on the road.

“I'm not even thinking about any of that stuff,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “I'm just focusing on our opponent and this game.”

SRU opened the season having to come from behind to defeat Kentucky State — which wound up 0-10 — by a 35-28 count. The Rock then traveled to Shippensburg, where a botched snap in the end zone in the final minute resulted in a 25-21 loss.

“I talked with the team at that point and asked them where we were going to go from here,” Lutz said after that defeat. “We could have crumbled from there.

“Instead, the egos were set aside, these guys played for each other and they've turned into a pretty tight group.

“Our motto now is, 'Why not us? Why not now?'” the coach added.

Running back Wes Hills, despite playing the equivalent of 10 full games this year because of an early-season shoulder injury, needs just 42 yards Saturday to break LaMonte Coleman's single-season SRU record of 1,601 yards rushing, set in 1994.

Coleman works for the Miami Dolphins and played in the NFL.

“He reached out to Wes this week, congratulated him and wished him well moving forward,” Lutz said. “That was pretty cool.”

The Falcons have a pretty good running back in their own right in freshman sensation Jaleel McLaughlin.

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound speedster was a two-time high school track state champion in North Carolina. He is the only player in all of college football with 2,000 yards rushing this season. McLaughlin enters this game with 2,074 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground.

“We had two all-conference backs coming back this year and Jaleel came in and took the job,” Notre Dame coach Mike Jacobs said. “One of those backs got hurt and missed the season.

“Jaleel ran for over 300 yards in our first game (35-33 win over Shepherd) and just kept on going. He's a special talent with great vision and tremendous speed.”

With all due respect to the other talent on the field, Lutz figures the running game will decide the issue Saturday.

“Look at Hills' rushing total and McLaughlin's rushing total after the game, without checking the scoreboard,” he said. “Whoever has the most yards, his team probably won the game.”

Lutz admitted the Falcons bring plenty more to the table than their running back, however.

Marvelle Ross, a 5-9, 160-pound junior, has 67 catches for 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns. He's also returned three punts for touchdowns.

Freshman quarterback Chris Brimm has thrown for 2,128 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Defensive tackle Sha'haun Williams has 20.5 tackles for loss and is fourth in the nation with 16 quarterback sacks.

Notre Dame has allowed only 10 sacks all year, is second in the nation against the run at 62 yards per game and leads the nation with 18 fumble recoveries.

“We only have nine seniors on our roster,” Jacobs said. “Our young players have risen to the occasion and nothing seems to faze them.

“Slippery Rock looks like a high-quality football team. Defensively, they've been solid all year and they've got the big running back.”

Lutz believes his team has the formula to continue succeeding in postseason.

“At this time of year, play stout defense and run the football,” he said. “Do that and you can advance in these playoffs.”

Rock return specialists Jermaine Wynn Jr., Mark Carter and Eric Glover-Williams could make an impact Saturday. Notre Dame's punting unit is among the worst in the country, netting just 26.5 yards per kick.

SRU has had three punt returns for touchdowns called back by penalties this season. The Rock does not have a special teams TD this season.

Notes: SRU spent 32 hours and logged 1,700 miles on a bus over a nine-day period. Notre Dame has not played a road game since Nov. 10. ... Jacobs is 29-5 in three years at Notre Dame College, which has only had football for 10 years. ... SRU has never faced any of the other seven teams remaining in the playoff field. ... Rock kicker Jake Chapla needs five PATS to tie the school's career record of 161. ... SRU QB Roland Rivers III is fourth on the school's single-season list with 27 TD passes. ... The Rock is 11-0 this year when rushing for more than 100 yards, 0-2 when failing to do so.