Can Slippery Rock football continue its dominance of Lock Haven? A PSAC West title is at stake
SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Slippery Rock University football has dominated Lock Haven.
No. 7 SRU (7-0, 4-0) has won the last 27 meetings between the programs and is 34-0-1 in their last 35 encounters. Lock Haven (4-3, 3-1) has not defeated The Rock since 1980, and SRU is 45-2-1 in the series since 1968.
But there will be a different feel when the teams clash at 1 p.m. Saturday for SRU’s homecoming at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
If The Rock win and Clarion loses to Seton Hill, SRU will clinch the PSAC West title and a berth in the conference championship game Nov. 14. If Lock Haven wins, the Bald Eagles will lead the Western Division with two games remaining.
“Nobody would have thought we’d be looking at this kind of scenario (at the beginning of the season),” SRU head coach Shawn Lutz said.
While SRU has yet to be held under 40 points in a game this year and remains the highest scoring team (52.1 ppg.) in all of NCAA Division II, Lock Haven is coming off a 42-35 loss to Edinboro.
The Bald Eagles lead the PSAC with 17 sacks and have forced 14 turnovers. SRU quarterback DaOne Owens has been sacked only twice all season, and The Rock have turned it over on just three occasions.
“Those two things, sacks and turnovers, will be a big part of this game,” Lutz said. “Their special teams play hasn’t been all that good, and I’m hoping we can spring a big play that way.
“DaOne is a mobile quarterback who makes quick decisions with the ball. That’s helped in our low sack total. He has the strongest arm in a quarterback here since Roland Rivers.”
Rock running back JayJay Jordan leads all of college football with 18 rushing touchdowns and 20 TDs overall. He has 973 yards rushing and has scored a touchdown in 13 consecutive games.
Linebacker Jacob Snow will miss this game with a sprained ankle and will be replaced by Tyree Johnson. Left guard Brian Frasco remains out with an ankle injury and will be replaced by Mike Crist.
Lock Haven quarterback Rob Footman Jr. has thrown for 1,439 yards and 15 touchdowns. He did not start until Week 3 and left last week’s game late with an apparent shoulder injury. Six Bald Eagle receivers have at least 11 catches, led by Mekhi Watson, who has 50 receptions for 609 yards.
“Watson is among the top receivers in the league,” Lutz said. “They will probably have to throw the ball 40 to 45 teams to beat us. Their two defensive ends are very good, their middle linebacker is a returning All-PSAC player. … This will be a challenge for us.”
Joe Battaglia is in his second year as Lock Haven head coach. He led the Bald Eagles to a 6-5 mark last season, the program’s first winning season in 44 years.
SRU enters the game ranked No. 1 in Division II in the NCAA Power Index computer rankings. This system will be used to determine the four at-large teams for the playoffs and what teams will have home-field advantage in postseason games.
