SLIPPERY ROCK — The Slippery Rock University football team looks at Caliifornia (Pa.) as an obstacle.

One of the final obstacles.

“The mind-set of this team is to treat every game the same,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “Each opponent is an obstacle standing in the way of where we want to go.

“California is no differene in that regard.”

Actually, the Vulcans (5-3, 4-1) are a little different.

The Rock (7-1, 5-0) faces California at 1 p.m. Saturday at Adamson Stadium in what amounts to be a PSAC West title game. SRU clinches the division with a win.

If California wins, the Vulcans would win the West with a victory at (1-7)Seton Hill Nov. 3.

“We're so close ... We have to finish this thing,” Lutz admitted.

It won't be easy.

California has won five of its last six games since season-opening losses of 28-23 to No. 23 Ohio Dominican and 34-31 to unbeaten Kutztown. Cal's first win this season was a 57-14 triumph at Shippensburg — where The Rock lost, 25-21.

The Vulcans have dropped just one home game since 2013. That was a 29-15 decision to Gannon two weeks ago.

“We didn't stop their big running back (Marcus Jones) that day,” California coach Gary Dunn said. “You don't stop the run, it's hard to win the game.

“Our league has transitioned back to the big running back. IUP has a slew of them. Gannon has Jones. We have our guy (Nelson Brown) and Slippery Rock has Wes Hills. We can't let him control the game.”

Hills ran for a season-best 206 yards last week at Clarion. He has 658 yards rushing and a 6.8 yards per carry average on the year. Brown has 881 yards rushing and 13 TDs for Cal.

“Yeah, we have other capable backs, but when you have a guy like Wes Hills, you put him out there,” Lutz said. “He's hit his stride of late and try tackling the guy. He wears ya down.”

While The Rock has been impressive against the run this year — allowing 98 yards per game, 16th best in the nation — the Vulcans can strike with the deep ball in the passing game.

Noah Mitchell, a freshman, has thrown for 2,230 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. And the Vulcans have allowed only three sacks all year.

Eric Hudanick, Cal's 6-foot-3, 275-pound right tackle, is a Seneca Valley graduate.

“We have to limit their big plays,” Lutz said. “They can beat you deep over the top.”

Rock quarterback Roland Rivers III ranks fifth in the nation with 330 yards of total offense per game. He also hits an average of 8.7 different players with passes per game.

Nine SRU players have caught a touchdown pass this year. Henry Litwin has 560 receiving yards and six TDs, Jermaine Wynn Jr. 422 yards and six TDs, Austin Scott 323 yards and two TDs.

“Their quarterback will throw the ball to anybody. That's what makes them so difficult to defend,” Dunn said.

Then again, California defends well. The Vulcans rank second in the nation with 15 interceptions. Lamont McPhatter II leads the PSAC West with five interceptions. He's scored two defensive touchdowns, has two fumble recoveries and ranks third on the team with 47 tackles.

“He could be our league's Defensive Player of the Year. He's that good. He's a robber back there,” Lutz said.

Dunn isn't looking at Saturday's contest as a West Division title game.

“We're looking up at them in the standings,” he said. “If we win Saturday, we still have work to do.”

While The Rock claims the West and would host the state championship game in two weeks with a win, Lutz emphasizes his team's work won't be finished, either.

“At this stage of the season, it's like every week is a playoff game,” he said. “We're playing for the division title, national and regional rankings, state playoffs ... But we recognize what's at stake here.

“We need to go down there and get it done.”

SRU may need to cut down on the yellow flags to do so. Following its 15 penalties for 163 yards last week, SRU is last in all of Division II with 113.2 yards in penalties per game.

“Penalties out of aggression, we can live with,” Lutz said. “You want to play with a certain chippiness. The personal fouls, the unsportsmanlike conducts, the stupid stuff, we need to get rid of. Absolutely.”

SRU has a 47-33 edge in the series between the teams, including a 47-44 overtime win last year. The Rock has won five of its last seven games against Cal.