SLIPPERY ROCK— Despite finishing 9-2 and with its best record since 1999, Slippery Rock University was denied an NCAA Division IIfootball playoff berth Sunday.

The Division II Football Committee granted the Northeast Region playoff berths to California (Pa.) (11-0), Shepherd (9-1), West Chester (9-2), Southern Connecticut State (8-3), Bryant (8-2) and Indiana (Pa.) (8-2).

IUPdropped a 41-35 decision at Bloomsburg on Saturday, but held on to the region's sixth and final playoff spot. IUPdefeated SRU, 34-31, during the regular season.

"The Northeast Region was tough to play out and we went over a bunch of scenarios going in,"committee chairman Kevin Buisman said. "Ultimately, head-to-head results were the determining factor.

"In my view, the committee did a thorough and fair job in its final determinations."

"This is very disappointing to our seniors,"SRUcoach George Mihalik said. "We called upon those guys to re-establish us as one of the top football programs in the Northeast Region and they did that.

"We're not in the playoffs. That doesn't mean we don't belong in the playoffs."

Mihalik said he was told that games played against Division I-AAopponents do not help — or hurt — Division IIteams during playoff consideration.

"Those games are considered non-factors now,"he said. "That rule must have changed from those years when we lost to Youngstown State and it counted against us.

"You're not supposed to lose late and get in, either. That didn't matter this time."

SRU's only losses this year were to California and IUP. Both games were decided late in the fourth quarter.

"This is crushing news for us,"Mihalik said. "When we beat winless opponents this year, we dropped in the rankings. West Chester beats Cheyney and doesn't fall at all.

"I don't understand the system, but I know it's a flawed system. It's a travesty, the way this is set up."