EDINBORO — Whenever Slippery Rock made a run, Edinboro had an answer.

Now The Rock is left to question its chances for a Super Region One football playoff berth following its 49-39 loss Saturday at Sox Harrison Stadium.

“We were pretty much in control of our destiny before this game,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “We can't say that anymore. This is disappointing.”

SRU (6-2, 3-2) never led in dropping its second successive game. The Fighting Scots (5-3, 3-2), 5-0 at home this season, jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first five minutes and SRU found itself chasing them on the scoreboard most of the day.

When Marcus Johnson caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Tanner Garry with 51 seconds left in the half, The Rock had pulled even at 21-21. But the Scots drove downfield and scored with five seconds left on the clock. Jake Sisson found Ta'Nauz Gregory for a 12-yard touchdown pass and a 28-21 lead at the intermission.

Sisson threw three touchdown passes on the day and Walter Fletcher ran for 241 yards and four touchdowns.

“It was missed tackles again,” Lutz said. “We probably had well over 20 again today. We've tried everything in working on this problem.

“We're just not wrapping up.”

A Jake Chapla 20-yard field goal cut the gap to 28-24 in the third quarter. Fletcher answered with touchdown runs of seven and 98 yards as the Scots opened up a 42-24 lead.

On the passing arm of Garry, SRU fought back. He found Johnson for a 26-yard score and Chacar Berry scored on a 1-yard run with 10:58 to play. A conversion pass to Zach Cirillo trimmed the margin to 42-39.

James Clark's 39-yard TD catch widened the margin to 10 for Edinboro. The Rock then drove 99 yards for an apparent touchdown, but a penalty wiped out the score.

Chapla was wide right on a 34-yard field goal attempt with 2:47 left and the issue was decided.

Garry set single-game Rock records of 41 completions and 61 attempts. The previous marks of 35 and 58 were set by John Linhart against Clarion in 1992.

Garry has thrown for over 2,800 yards this year and has 26 TD passes. He threw for 488 yards Saturday.

“We're definitely a passing team, but we have to be able to run the ball better than we have,” Lutz said.

Johnson caught 14 passes for 192 yards and has 1,000 receiving yards on the year. Fellow receiving standout Milly Raye and guard Ian Park did not play Saturday because of nagging injuries.

Tavarus Sample and Dylan Whiteman led The Rock with 11 tackles each. Whiteman and Kyle Hall had interceptions.

SRU hosts Clarion at 1 p.m. Saturday for the final home game of the season.

“We still have plenty to play for,” Lutz said. “There's a lot of pride in this program. Win out and take our chances (on getting into the playoffs).”

The teams combined for 70 first downs and 1,124 yards Saturday.

Edinboro 49, SRU 39

Slippery Rock 7 14 10 8 — 49

Edinboro 14 14 14 7 — 39

SRU E

40 First Downs 30

31-98 Rushes-Yards 33-254

488 Passing Yards 284

41-61-1 Comp.-Att.-Int 24-35-2

586 Total Yards 538

0-0 Fumbles-Lost 1-0

10-108 Penalty Yards 13-109

First Quarter

E — Ta'Nauz Gregory 39 pass from Jake Sisson (Mike Cushma kick), 13:39

E — Walter Fletcher 32 run (Cushma kick), 10:33

SRU — Brian McNally 6 pass from Tanner Garry (Jake Chapla kick), 6:26

Second Quarter

E — Fletcher 9 run (Cushma kick), 8:35

SRU — Isiah Neely 2 run (Chapla kick), 7:20

SRU — Marcus Johnson 28 pass from Garry (Chapla kick), :51

E — Gregory 12 pass from Sisson (Cushma kick), :05

Third Quarter

SRU — Chapla 20 field goal, 10:25

E — Fletcher 7 run (Cushma kick), 8:12

E — Fletcher 98 run (Cushma kick), 5:24

SRU — Johnson 26 pass from Garry (Chapla kick), 2:51

Fourth Quarter

SRU — Chacar Berry 1 run (Zach Cirillo pass from Garry), 10:59

E — James Clark 42 pass from Sisson (Cushma kick), 7:25

Individual Statistics

Rushing: SRU, Chacar Berry 11-45, Isiah Neely 15-28, Tanner Garry 5-25. Edinboro, Walter Fletcher 25-241, Kyle Galyk 6-16, TEAM 2-(-3).

Passing: SRU, Tanner Garry 41-61-488-1. Edinboro, Jake Sisson 24-35-284-2.

Receiving: SRU, Marcus Johnson 14-192, Dylan Stapleton 8-89, Mike Merhaut 5-78, Andrew Bridgeforth 4-53, Brian McNally 2-30, Carnel Harley 3-29, Landon Yeartie 2-12, Isiah Neely 2-5, Chacar Berry 1-0. Edinboro, James Clark 9-128, Ta'Nauz Gregory 8-104, Blake Reddick 1-22, Walter Fletcher 4-16, Kyle Galyk 2-14.