SLIPPERY ROCK — History is not on West Chester's side.

The ninth-ranked Golden Rams (9-0) come to Mihalik-Thompson Stadium for a 1 p.m. Saturday kickoff vs. Slippery Rock (9-1) in the PSAC Championship Game.

SRU is 31-2 at home over the past six seasons.

West Chester has dropped its last eight PSAC championship games.

The Rock is 6-1 against the Golden Rams at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

The PSAC West champion has not dropped a state title game at home since the league brought back the championship game in 2008.

Then again, West Chester coach Bill Zwaan only cares about the here and now.

“The guys on our team aren't worried about all of those previous games, nor should they be,” Zwaan said. “They've got a chance to win a state championship by going into Slippery Rock and beating them on their field.

“If we do that, we deserve to be called one of the best teams in the country. But this is a tall task.”

The game pits the conference's most productive offenses, the top rushing defenses and two of the top three defenses overall, statistically.

“This is what a championship game is supposed to look like,” Zwaan said. “It's the best against the best.”

SRU enters the game as healthy as its been all season. The Rock gets Slippery Rock High graduate Colten Raabe back at right guard. He will play with a torn labrum.

Defensive back Eric Glover-Williams returns after missing last week's win over Gannon due to a violation of team rules.

“West Chester's front seven is the biggest we've faced this year,” Rock coach Shawn Lutz said. “Their middle linebacker is 256 pounds. (Rock MLB) Tim Vernick is 220.

“Their defensive ends are 265 and 260 pounds. (SRU DE) Chad Kuhn is 225.”

The Golden Rams are allowing 55.9 yards rushing per game, fewest of any Division II team in the country. Rock running back Wes Hills has rushed for over 200 yards in each of his last three games.

“Our players view this game as just another challenge,” Lutz said. “We were a young, immature football team through our first two games. Our season was going to go one way or the other.

“We feel like we haven't been able to afford a loss since that Shippensburg game (in Week 2).”

SRU may still be unable to afford a loss. The Rock is ranked seventh in Super Region One, West Chester third. The top seven teams in the region after this weekend qualify for the Division II playoffs.

“If we lose, we probably don't get in,” Lutz said. “Our players are aware of that. We don't want this thing to end because we're playing great football right now.”

West Chester has not won a PSAC championship since 1971. SRU was PSAC champ in 2014 and 2015. The latter championship win was a 61-12 victory at West Chester.

Both teams have dual-threat quarterbacks. Roland Rivers III has thrown for 1,987 yards and 21 touchdowns, run for 437 yards and seven scores. West Chester's A.J. Long has run for 557 yards and six scores, thrown for 1,767 yards and 18 TDs.

“We know what kind of trouble our quarterback has given opposing defenses,” Zwaan said. “I know their quarterback is going to give us fits as well.”

Long started a few games at Syracuse as a freshman before transferring to West Chester.

“That shows you what kind of athlete he is,” Lutz said.

Seneca Valley graduate Cody Boozel, a red-shirt sophomore, starts at tight end for the Golden Rams. He's caught 11 passes — three for touchdowns — this season.

“Cody played for us as a true freshman — and we red-shirt everybody,” Zwaan said. “That's how impressive he's been for us.”

The Golden Rams have 41 quarterback sacks in nine games this season.

“They pressure the quarterback every game,” Lutz said. “We have to account for that.”

Both teams are counting on playing mistake-free football.

“In an evenly matched game like this, a key turnover or play in the kicking game gives a team great field position ... A play like that may decide this game,” Zwaan said.