SLIPPERY ROCK— The 2007 season opener is like none other in the 108-year history of the Slippery Rock University football program.

SRU is beginning the season at home for only the second time in 15 years and it will be The Rock's first Thursday night home opener.

And in playing Seton Hill, SRU is facing a "mystery opponent,"as coach George Mihalik puts it.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

"We just don't know very much about them,"Mihalik said. "We've watched film on them from last year, but that doesn't mean a whole lot because they have so many new players."

The Griffins are members of the WVIACand are in their third year of existence, finishing 1-9 and 2-9 the past two seasons.

One of those new players is quarterback Matt Dowdell, a Moon High School product and redshirt sophomore who injured a knee in the first quarter of Seton Hill's first game last year.

Dowdell required major knee surgery after that, but has returned to reclaim the starting spot. Butler graduate and Griffins freshman Nick Monteleone is the team's No. 2 quarterback.

"We had a three-way battle at quarterback and Matt won the job,"Seton Hill coach Chris Snyder said. "We've got 10 returning starters on offense and defense.

"We're light years ahead of where we were at this time last year."

The Rock has won only one of its last 11 openers, but most of those games were against Division I-AAfoes on the road. SRUtraveled to Florida Atlantic and ruined that program's debut with a 40-7 victory in 2001.

Mihalik is accustomed to being the underdog in season openers. Through that Florida Atlantic game, he discovered the feeling of pulling off an upset to begin a campaign.

"This is a big game for them,"he said of Seton Hill. "A win over us could make their season. We have to be cautious of that.

"But we have a veteran team and our guys aren't going to overlook anybody."

Seton Hill returns tailback Antwaan Jones, who rushed for 902 yards and six touchdowns in seven games last season. The Griffins have three speedy receivers in Derek Thompson, Calvin Stephens and Sam Tranks.

"We're going to have to strike with big plays,"Snyder said. "We're not big enough or strong enough to slug it out and grind it out on Slippery Rock.

"I haven't been sleeping well for two weeks, looking at their lines on film. With that offensive line, they just roll over people."

Such a game would suit Mihalik just fine.

"We're going to do what it takes to win the football game,"Mihalik said. "Our style of play is always to establish the ground game. Defenses have to stop that first with us."

Corey Manfull will be The Rock's starting running back after missing all of last season with a severe hand injury.

SRUis entering this game with two significant injuries. Cornerback Tony Walls is out with a fractured hand and will be replaced by A.J. Saunders, who gained 403 yards and scored seven touchdowns as a running back last year. Akeem Etheridge and Robert Doiley will see time there as well.

Tight end Frank Cremonese, who likely would have split time with starter Justin Guadagni, separated a shoulder in practice and missed much of camp.

Mars graduate Brad Mueller, a transfer from Boston College, will see action at safety and on kickoff returns Thursday night.

"We'll put something in for him offensively down the road,"Mihalik said. "Right now, we want him to get the system down defensively."

Special teams will play a factor in momentum this week, Mihalik promised.

"There will be two big special teams plays that will change the momentum of this game, guaranteed," he said. "We have to make those two plays turn out in our favor and that won't be easy, given their team speed."

Freshman C.J. Bahr, son of longtime NFLkicker Chris Bahr, will do the kicking for The Rock.

"We know this is a long shot for us, but we have a lot of Western Pennsylvania kids and they're exciting about this challenge and about playing on a Thursday night,"Snyder said.