SLIPPERY ROCK — Is this a crossroads game? Not quite.

But it's close.

Slippery Rock University (4-1, 1-1) hosts Edinboro (4-1, 1-1) at 6 p.m. Saturday at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium in a game that will knock one of those teams out of title contention in the PSAC West.

"In terms of the conference championship, two losses and you're pretty much done," SRU coach George Mihalik said. "Both teams know that. This is going to be a physical, hard-hitting football game."

Both teams have been shut out by Indiana (Pa.) University. IUP blanked The Rock 17-0 two weeks ago and handed the Fighting Scots an 18-0 loss last week.

"Ball control — they beat us both the same way," Edinboro coach Scott Browning said.

And each team will try to beat the other the same way Saturday.

Edinboro's high-powered offense of recent years under record-setting quarterback Trevor Harris is gone. Younger brother Cody Harris is in charge and has completed 64-of-106 passes for 625 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Scots use a number of different running backs. None has rushed for more than 170 yards in 2010.

Edinboro defensive end James Thomas leads the PSAC with 9½ tackles for loss. Overall, the Scots have 15 takeaways and 13 sacks through five games.

By comparison, SRU has seven takeaways and five sacks.

"They play the type of defense that creates turnovers," Mihalik said. "We have to be wary of that."

The Rock offense continues to center around running back Akeem Satterfield, who has rushed for more than 100 yards in three of his four games. Satterfield has rushed for 590 yards and ranks third in Division II with 147.5 yards per game.

"When you look at their running and passing games, we'd rather have them throwing the football," Browning said.

Satterfield continues to play with a sore ankle that Mihalik admits isn't going to improve.

"That ankle will feel better two months after the end of the season," Mihalik said. "That's just the way it is."

Rock quarterback Ryan Sabo has thrown for 670 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. All but 20 of his completions and one of his touchdowns have gone to receiver Devin Goda.

SRU's offense hasn't scored a touchdown in the last two games with Sabo on the field. Backup quarterback Mike Bongivengo led The Rock's lone touchdown drive in Saturday's 16-13 win at Clarion.

"If we hadn't been so productive in our first three games with Ryan, I'd be concerned about that," Mihalik said. "But we've done well with him and I'm confident we will again.

"He had not played football in two years. Ryan is still acclimating himself to the game again in some ways."

IUP and Clarion failed to move the ball through the air against SRU, throwing for a combined 83 yards the past two weeks.

Kicker C.J. Bahr will miss his second straight game with a thigh injury. Kurt Brackman again will kick field goals and extra points. He made three field goals at Clarion.

True freshman Brian Shaw and redshirt freshman James McCombie will handle SRU's kickoff and punting duties, respectively.

EDINBORO-SRU SERIES

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Slippery Rock University leads its all-time series with Edinboro 49-26-7. Coach George Mihalik is 10-11-1 vs. the Fighting Scots and has lost five of the last seven:

Year SRU EU2009 24 282008 14 352007 59 342006 24 21*2005 7 242004 26 382003 3 202002 7 32001 7 142000 42 71999 34 171998 34 141997 30 101996 35 281995 13 221994 39 591993 38 411992 10 71991 7 01990 10 171989 7 621988 14 14* overtime