SLIPPERY ROCK — California (Pa.) and Slippery Rock had opportunities to put the game away in regulation time. Both teams missed.

When it came to overtime, SRU's Marcus Martin and Jake Chapla connected in a big way Saturday night at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

Martin came up with a nine-yard quarterback sack on third down of the Vulcans' OT possession, forcing a 48-yard Will Brazill field goal attempt that sailed wide left. Chapla then ended the game with a 36-yard field goal, handing the 18th-ranked Rock a wild 47-44 PSAC West football victory over No. 5 California.

“As soon as the game hits overtime, as a kicker, you're mentally locked in,” Chapla said. “I wanted to be the guy to win it.”

His teammates had no problem with that.

“Once their guy (Brazill) missed, I was like, let's run the ball three times, let Chap do his thing and get out of here,” SRU quarterback Tanner Garry said.

It appeared both teams would get out of there with a win during the fourth quarter.

California (4-1, 1-1) jumped out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead before Garry even completed a pass. Lamont McPhatter II returned an interception 30 yards for a score just 34 seconds after the Vulcans took a 7-0 lead on a 49-yard Michael Kier bomb to Tyson Hill.

Garry was sacked only three times in SRU's first four games. He was sacked five times Saturday night.

“I wasn't handling their pressure well early,” the quarterback admitted. “I was rushing everything. I had to settle down.”

The Rock (5-0, 2-0) turned the tide and took a 30-27 lead into the final quarter. Isiah Neely rushed for three touchdowns during the Slippery Rock surge.”

“I knew both teams would have their runs in this game,” California coach Gary Dunn said. “This was two good football teams going hard at each other all night.”

The Rock extended its lead to 37-27 on a 21-yard Chacar Berry touchdown run with 12:55 left in regulation. On the next play from scrimmage, Butler graduate and SRU middle linebacker Tim Vernick came up with his first career interception. That gave SRU a first down at the Vulcans' 28.

Garry was sacked on second down, The Rock took a delay of game penalty and wound up punting.

“We had to get some points there,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz admitted. “If we punch that one in, the game was over.”

Instead, California took the lead with a pair of Jimmy Wheeler touchdown runs on its next two possessions. A 1-yard run capped an 88-yard drive in five plays, a 14-yard run finished off a 66-yard drive in six plays.

SRU kick returner Marcus Johnson fumbled away the ensuing kickoff. California took possession at the SRU 19 with a 41-37 lead and 5:02 left to play.

“Very disappointing we didn't end the thing right there,” Dunn said.

The Vulcans earned a first-and-goal at the 6-yard line. But two Wheeler runs netted only a yard and a third-down pass sailed out of bounds. Brazill hit a 22-yard field goal to extend the Vulcan lead to 44-37 with 2:14 remaining.

“Our defense knows what's being said about them,” Lutz said. “They go on social media. They read things.

“They're young, but they have pride. And they have a belief they can get the job done. Our offense knows our defense can get stops.”

Garry directed The Rock on an 8-play, 73-yard drive to knot the game. Milly Raye caught a 24-yard TD pass over the middle with 42 seconds left. California opted to run out the clock at that point and go to overtime.

“I knew I was going his (Raye's) way before we even snapped thd ball,” Garry said of the tying score. “They had single coverage on him and that route was going to be open.”

Raye knew it as well.

“I put my hand up to signal him to bring the ball my way,” Raye said, smiling. “We're not supposed to do that. I'll probably hear about it from the coaches, but that's OK.”

SRU won the coin toss and went on defense first in overtime. Both teams get possession at the opponent's 25-yard line in college football OT.

On third-and-7 from the 22, Kier was sacked by Martin for a 9-yard loss. That forced the long field goal attempt that was missed.

“Tim Vernick called the defense and wanted me to go inside,” Martin said of the third-down play. “I changed it up on him. I wanted to go after the QB.

“Big-time players make big-time plays. I live by that. And that was a big-time opportunity.”

Neely ran for six yards on third down from the 25 on The Rock's possession, setting up Chapla's game-ending kick.

Chapla was short on a 52-yard try in the first half and hit a 42-yarder on the final play of the half.

“Chapla is automatic. I had no doubt,” Lutz said.

Notes: Brazill's missed field goal in OT was his first errant kick of the season. He had been 11-of-11 on field goal tries, 24 of 24 on PATs .... The overtime game was SRU's first since 2012. ... Martin now has 49 career sacks and 82 tackles for loss. He is 4.5 sacks away from tying the career mark for all of college football. ... Saturday night's win marked SRU's first over a top-5 team since a 1998 win over No. 2 Indiana (Pa.). ... Raye became the seventh player in SRU history with 2,000 receiving yards and fourth with 150 catches. He has caught a TD pass in all five games this season. ... SRU has won 25 of its last 26 home games and travels to Mercyhurst for a noon kickoff Saturday.

SRU 47, California 44

California 17 0 10 17 0 — 44

Slippery Rock 0 10 20 14 3 — 47

C SRU

17 First Downs 25

30-81 Rushes-Yards 41-138

326 Passing Yards 268

18-36-1 Comp.-Att.-Int 25-42-1

407 Total Yards 406

2-1 Fumbles-Lost 3-1

10-98 Penalty Yards 12-101

First Quarter

C — Tyson Hill 49 pass from Michael Keir (Will Brazill kick), 10:34

C — Lamont McPhatter II 30 interception return (Brazill kick), 10:00

C — Brazill 34 field goal, 3:42

Second Quarter

SRU — Isiah Neely 1 run (Jake Chapla kick), 6:01

SRU — Chapla 42 field goal, :00

Third Quarter

SRU — Andrew Bridgeforth 5 pass from Tanner Garry (Chapla kick), 9:02

C — Jalen Bell 2 run (Brazill kick), 8:20

SRU — Neely 14 run (kick blocked), 6:36

SRU — Neely 5 run (Chapla kick), 5:22

C — Brazill 38 field goal, 1:39

Fourth Quarter

SRU — Chacar Berry 21 run (Chapla kick), 12:55

C — Jimmy Wheeler 1 run (Brazill kick), 9:16

C — Wheeler 14 run (Brazill kick), 5:10

C — Brazill 21 field goal, 2:14

SRU — Milly Raye 24 pass from Garry (Chapla kick), :42

Overtime

SRU — Chapla 36 field goal

Individual Statistics

Rushing: California, Jimmy Wheeler 16-77, Jalen Bell 7-29, TEAM 1-(-2), Micjhael Keir 6-(-23). SRU, Chacar Berry 14-88, Isiah Neely 13-48, Tanner Garry 14-2.

Passing: California, Michael Keir 18-36-326-1. SRU, Tanner Garry 25-41-268-1.

Receiving: California, Luke Smorey 7-103, Tom Greene 6-132, Tyson Hill 1-49, Craig Thompson 1-40, Jimmy Wheeler 1-6, Chad Livingston 1-3, Jalen Bell 1-(-7). SRU, Milly Raye 9-82, Marcus Johnson 4-60, Andrew Bridgeforth 3-36, Dylan Stapleton 3-20, Chacar Berry 2-40, Mike Merhaut 2-21, Isiah Neely 2-9.