SLIPPERY ROCK — The Rock could not have played much worse.

Slippery Rock University's football weekend couldn't have ended much better.

Despite a 33-10 loss to unbeaten West Chester in the PSAC championship game Saturday at Mihaklik-Thompson Stadium — allowing the Rams touchdowns on their first four possessions — SRU was awarded a Division II playoff berth Sunday night.

The Rock (9-2) will travel to unbeaten LIU Post in Brookville, N.Y., Saturday for a 1 p.m. playoff game Saturday.

“We were terrible today and as the head coach, I take ownership of that,” Rock coach Shawn Lutz said after Saturday's loss to West Chester. “But I still believe we're good enough to beat anybody in our region.”

SRU is the No. 7 and final seed in Super Region One. LIU Post is the No. 2 seed. Notre Dame (Ohio) is the top seed.

“We swept the PSAC West and that's a very hard thing to do,” Lutz said. “While I do think we belong in the playoffs, only 28 teams in the country get to go and I'm thrilled we're one of them.

“We know we have to play a lot better than we did Saturday and we'll go to work on that.”

SRU took the opening kickoff, drove 44 yards and settled for a 32-yard Jake Chapla field goal and a 3-0 lead Saturday.

It was rough sledding from there.

West Chester (10-0) put together scoring drives of 75, 73, 65 and 62 yards to build a 27-3 lead with 8:06 left in the first half. Quarterback A.J. Long and SRU mistakes were the primary culprits.

Long, the game's MVP, threw for 153 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for 135 and one score. His 28-yard scoring run was the Rams' third touchdown of the day.

“He took off on his own a couple of times, but most of his runs were designed plays,” West Chester coach Bill Zwaan said. “We know he can do that for us.”

West Chester's second touchdown drive was extended by a pass interference penalty by The Rock on a third-down play. The Rams converted two fourth-downs on the 16-play march, the last being a 2-yard TD pass to tight end and Seneca Valley graduate Cody Boozel.

“That felt unreal,” Boozel said of the catch. “To be able to come back to this area and score a touchdown, win a championship ... I can't describe it.”

The Rams' fourth touchdown drive was extended when SRU was flagged for roughing the punter. The TD occurred on a third-and-12 play as Long's pass deflected off the hands and body of Rock defensive back Kyle Hall, into the arms of Lex Rosario for a 44-yard score.

“Things that were happening ... It didn't feel like it was going to be our day,” Lutz said.

Down 27-3, Rock quarterback Roland Rivers III responded with a 51-yard touchdown pass to Henry Litwin. SRU got the ball back near midfield with time to score again.

Rivers III was intercepted by Jarey Elder, who returned the ball 36 yards to the SRU 19. Mike Class caught a 17-yard TD pass moments later for a 33-10 lead.

“That was the play of the game in my view,” Zwaan said. “They were getting some momentum and were on the verge of getting back in the game.

“When we got the turnover and scored on top of it, that seemed to be the backbreaker.”

Neither team scored in the second half.

SRU drove inside West Chester's 30 twice in the third quarter. The Rock turned the ball over on downs the first time. Rivers III was intercepted by tackle Omar Peterkin while trying to throw the ball away on first down from the West Chester 4 late in the quarter.

Rivers III completed just six of 31 passes on the day and was picked off three times on a cold, windy day.

“The weather affected play a little, maybe, but there are no excuses,” said Rivers III, who was sacked five times. “Their pass rush was pretty consistent. We had trouble with it.

“The football we displayed out there today ... That's not the way we play football.”

West Chester managed only 50 yards of offense in the second half.

“All we wanted to do in the second half was not turn the ball over and control possession in the quarter they had the wind,” Zwaan said. “Once we did that, I knew we had 'em.”

Lutz described West Chester's defensive front seven as “the best we've seen all year.

“Football games are won up front and that's where they beat us,” the coach added.

Notes: Litwin received the PSAC Football Champion Scholar award for having the highest grade point average in the title game. He is carrying a 3.61 as a safety management major. ... West Chester won its first PSAC title since 1971 and snapped a string of eight consecutive PSAC Championship game losses. ... Chapla's field goal tied Morgan Anderson and C.J. Bahr for the most all-time at SRU. He has 35 career 3-pointers. ... Butler graduate Tim Vernick led SRU with 11 tackles. ... Rock receiver Mike Merhaut caught a pass for his 21st consecutive game. ... SRU's 10 points Saturday marked a season-low. The previous low was 21 in a Week 2 loss at Shippensburg.

West Chester 14 19 0 0 — 33

Slippery Rock 3 7 0 0 — 10

First Quarter

SRU — Jake Chapla 32 field goal, 11:40

WC — Mike Class 43 run (Andrew Cheglia kick), 9:07

WC — Cody Boozel 2 pass from A.J. Long (Cheglia kick), :19

Second Quarter

WC — Long 28 run (Cheglia kick), 12:49

WC — Lex Rosario 44 pass from Long (kick blocked), 8:06

SRU — Henry Litwin 51 pass from Roland Rivers III (Chapla kick), 2:02

WC — Class 17 pass from Long (kick blocked), :36

Individual Statistics

Rushing: West Chester, A.J. Long 30-135, Mike Class 10-56, Paul Dooley 1-2, Trael Seegars 3 (-2). SRU, Wes Hills 24-92, Roland Rivers III 14-17, TEAM 1-(-11).

Passing: West Chester, A.J. Long 13-21-153-0, Paul Dooley 0-3-0-0. SRU, Roland Rivers III 6-31-145-3.

Receiving: West Chester, Lex Rosario 4-80, Mike Class 3-30, Cody Boozel 3-15, Dan Neuhaus 1-11. SRU, Henry Litwin 2-81, Wes Hills 2-26, Dakota Clanagan 1-28, Mike Merhaut 1-10.