SLIPPERY ROCK — As if a state championship isn't enough.

Slippery Rock and Kutztown will battle for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title at noon Saturday at Andre Reed Stadium.

Both teams are 10-0 for the first time in their programs' respective histories.

“There is so much more at stake here,” Kutztown coach Jim Clements said. “The playoff implications are obvious.”

Kutztown and SRU are the lone unbeatens in Division II's Super Region One. The Golden Bears are ranked No. 1 in the region, The Rock No. 2. The winner Saturday will top the region rankings and earn a first-round bye in the playoffs next week.

The losing team will likely host a playoff game, but would have to play that first week.

“This deep into the season, anybody would like to have that week off,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “But if you look at it (playoffs), only one team is going to be happy when the season's over.

“We don't want a participation trophy Saturday. We want the championship trophy. We want to be holding up that trophy and celebrating after the game.”

To do so, The Rock will have to continue its high-scoring ways offensively against a stingy Kutztown defense. It will also have to deal with a Golden Bear offense that spreads the ball around.

“(Quarterback) Collin (DiGalbo) is a four-year starter and is very comfortable with our offense,” Clements said. “He reads things very well.”

DiGalbo has thrown for 2,238 yards and 24 touchdowns this season while tossing only five interceptions. He's rushed for 430 yards and nine TDs on 100 carries.

By comparison, SRU quarterback Roland Rivers III has thrown for 3,107 yards, 36 TDs and five interceptions. He's rushed for 538 yards and six TDs.

Rivers and DiGalbo are the only two active quarterbacks in Division II with at least 7,000 career passing yards and 1,500 career rushing yards. Rivers has thrown for 7,688 and run for 1,561 while DiGalbo has thrown for 8,327 and run for 1,669.

“The difference is Kutztown has a lot of designed running plays for DiGalbo,” Lutz said. “He'll run behind the tailback and they try to get more blockers than defenders you have in the box.

“Roland's rushing yards are through his scrambles or reads.”

Kutztown has six players with between 22 and 31 catches. Tight end Jack Pilkerton has 406 yards and six TD catches.

“At 6-foot-5, he creates a match-up problem,” Lutz said.

Abdul-Hassan Neblett has 798 yards ruishing and averages 7.3 yards per carry. The Golden Bear offense averages 37.7 points per game, ranking fourth in the PSAC.

“They do so many different things offensively and that changes from week to week,” SRU defensive coordinator Dom Razzano said. “The more versatile an offense you face, the simpler you have to keep it on defense.”

Lutz agreed.

“Be ready for everything,” he said.

Kutztown's defense allows only 15.7 points per game. It's allowed more than 28 points to no one and has permitted more than 17 to just to two teams: California (Pa.) and Shepherd.

“But Slippery Rock really presents a challenge,” Clements said. “Their quarterback is a dual threat and they have weapions all over at running back and receiver. They are an aggressive, dynamic group.”

SRU is averaging 49.7 points per game, third most in the country.

Rock receivers Henry Litwin and Jermaine Wynn Jr. are both closing in on 1,000 receiving yards for the year. Litwin needs 37 and Wynn needs 81. Litwin is one TD catch shy of John Schademan's single-season Rock record of 15.

Charles Sorweah is healthy again at running back and long-snapper Jacob George returns to the lineup after missing last week's 56-7 win at Gannon.

For this time of year, we're pretty healthy,” Lutz said. “No defense has really stopped us all year. At times, we've stopped ourselves.”

Strong safety Dalton Holt will be a game-time decision with a shoulder injury. SRU will have all of its starters otherwise.

The Rock is playing in its sixth PSAC title game in the past decade. SRU dropped a 21-14 decision at Kutztown in the 2011 championship game.

West Chester came to SRU and throttled The Rock, 33-10, in last year's title game.

“I really think we were over-confident, too cocky and conceited going into that game,” Lutz admitted. “Most of this year's team played in that game. They learned from it.

“There's no arrogance, no over-confidence now. These gjuys just want more.”

SRU leads the all-time series between the teams 10-3, but has lost three of the past five meetings.