SLIPPERY ROCK — No matter how talented, no football team can win a game without one thing.

The football.

Slippery Rock University couldn't get its hands on the ball early in the first quarter and quickly fell behind underdog Clarion, 9-0, Saturday at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

The Rock (6-1, 1-1) scored touchdowns on three of its four possessions in the first half and rallied for a 41-18 homecoming victory over the Golden Eagles (0-7, 0-3).

"We couldn't get our offense on the field,"SRU coach George Mihalik said. "We only had one possession in the first quarter."

Clarion returned the opening kickoff 40 yards to midfield and put together a 40-yard drive, resulting in a Nate Sipes 30-yard field goal. The Rock fumbled the following kickoff, the Golden Eagles recovering the ball at the SRU40.

Eddie Emmanuel scored on a 2-yard run eight plays later. The PATwas missed, but the visitors had a 9-0 lead with 6:58 left in the opening period.

Clarion wound up getting inside SRU's 15-yard line on five possessions in the first half, managing but one touchdown. The Eagles booted a pair of field goals, missed a 21-yard attempt and turned the ball over on downs at the Rock 1-yard line.

"It's asking a lot of our offense, trying to win a shootout every week,"Clarion coach Jay Foster said. "But we haven't stopped anybody all year."

Clarion's defensive woes held true to form Saturday. Nate Crookshank's 23-yard touchdown pass to Paul Favers capped a six-play, 74-yard drive on The Rock's first possession.

Ryan Lehmeier took over from there, the sophomore running back carrying 23 times for 210 yards and four touchdowns. It marked his second straight 200-yard game as senior teammate Corey Manfull rested his ailing shoulder on the sidelines.

A quarterback at North Hills High School, Lehmeier was listed as a wide receiver during his first year at The Rock.

"We ran the option at NorthHills, so I was used to running with the football,"Lehmeier said. "I figured I'd give that a try here, so I asked the coaches.

"I don't worry about what my role is in the future. I'm concerned with these guys that are here right now, and helping them win."

SRUrolled up 382 yards rushing on Clarion. Crookshank threw for a TDand rushed for another.

After Emmanuel capped an 80-yard drive with an 8-yard run to pull Clarion within 28-18 in the third quarter, The Rock scored just two plays later. Demarcus Cleckley ran for 26 yards and Crookshank rambled 32 yards to paydirt on a naked bootleg.

"The way we scored so quickly after they got within 10 ... I think it broke their backs,"Mihalik said.

Another critical turning point was in the second quarter. Trailing 14-12, Clarion faced fourth-and-goal from the SRU1-yard line. Quarterback Tyler Huether was stopped short of the goal line by Tyler Boudreau and Sam Morant.

"We've been able to move the football against everybody we've faced,"Foster said. "But we haven't been able to finish."

"If there was a turning point in the game, that was it,"Mihalik said.

Huether threw for 303 yards and rushed for 43 for Clarion. The Eagles used an effective no-huddle during much of the first half.

"I wish we used it all the time,"Huether said. "I ran the no-huddle all the time in high school (Penn-Trafford)and I love it.

"The touchdowns will come. Our success as a team will come."

Notes:Mihalik is 17-3 against Clarion and 17-3 in SRUhomecoming games. ... Slippery Rock High graduate Travis Sarver had nine carries for 48 yards, all on The Rock's final possession. ... Karns City graduate Kory Kusick had a quarterback sack for Clarion. ... Boudreau and Clint Forsha had three sacks each for SRU.

<B>Clarion 9 3 6 0—18Slippery Rock 7 14 14 6—41C SRU</B>20 First Downs 2436-80 Rushes-Yards 48-382303 Passing Yards 11123-35-1 Passes (Comp.-Att.-Int.) 10-15-0383 Total Yards 4932-1 Fumbles/Lost 1-17-73 Penalties-Yards 7-58<B>First Quarter</B>C — Nick Sipes 30 field goal, 10:16C — Eddie Emmanuel 1 run (kick failed), 6:58SRU— Paul Favers 23 pass from Nate Crookshank (C.J. Bahr kick), 4:51<B>Second Quarter</B>C — Robert Mamula 28 field goal, 14:18SRU— Ryan Lehmeier 7 run (Bahr kick), 10:25SRU— Lehmeier 15 run (Bahr kick), 1:42<B>Third Quarter</B>SRU— Lehmeier 22 run (Bahr kick), 4:30C — Emmanuel 8 run (run failed), :58SRU— Crookshank 32 run (Bahr kick), :20<B>Fourth Quarter</B>SRU— Lehmeier 8 run (kick failed), 8:07<B>Individual Statistics</B><B>Passing:</B> Clarion, Tyer Huether 23-34-303-1, Alfonso Hoggard 0-1-0-0. SRU, Nate Crookshank 10-15-111-0.<B>Rushing:</B> Clarion, Tyler Huether 21-43, Eddie Emmanuel 15-37. SRU, Ryan Lehmeier 23-210, Damarcus Cleckley 10-99, Travis Sarver 9-48, Nate Crookshank 2-24, Paul Favers 2-2.<B>Receiving:</B> Clarion, Alfonso Hoggard 5-78, Jacques Robinson 5-41, Pierre Odom 3-56, John Dominic 3-43, Herb Carraway 2-44, Fred Robinson 2-15, Eddie Emmanuel 1-11, Ryan Hart 1-9, Jared Pleskovitch 1-6. SRU, Colin Golden 3-37, Terry Grossetti 2-31, Paul Favers 1-23, Josh Prigorac 1-13, Damarcus Cleckley 1-9, Ross Hornish 1-0, Ryan Lehmeier 1-(-2).