SLIPPERY ROCK — Never mind the numbers.

Slippery Rock University is averaging 45.2 points per game. Seton Hill has scored 21 or fewer points in seven of its nine games.

The Rock (8-1, 5-1) has scored more than 50 points in three of its previous four games against the Griffins (0-9, 0-6), including wins of 52-6 last year and 51-14 in 2011.

SRU has won seven straight games. Seton Hill has dropped 22 in a row.

“None of that stuff matters,” Rock coach George Mihalik said of Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. kickoff at Offutt Field in Greensburg. “This is a game we have to win. Our players know what’s at stake.”

A Rock win Saturday would hand it the outright PSAC West title and a berth in the state championship game next weekend at the winner of the Bloomsburg-West Chester contest. It would also solidify SRU’s hold on the No. 4 spot in the region rankings.

If SRU becomes an upset victim, it would need an Indiana (Pa.) win over Gannon to claim the West title and subsequent title game berth.

“Our guys are excited that Slippery Rock needs this game to wrap up everything,” first-year Seton Hill coach Isaac Collins said. “It means we’re going to take their best shot.

“This game will be challenging to us in that we’re going to learn how far we’ve progressed and where we stand in this league right now.”

The Griffins jumped out to a 14-0 lead on Gannon last week before two bad snaps on punts handed the Golden Knights easy touchdowns. The game was even at 21 before Gannon pulled away for a 40-21 win.

It marked the sixth time Seton Hill has allowed 40 or more points this year. East Stroudsburg and Shippensburg scored 70 and 73 points, respectively, on the Griffins.

“We play well in spurts during games,” Collins said. “We haven’t been good enough to put together four consistent quarters of play in this conference.”

Because of injuries, the Griffins are starting six freshmen offensively and four more on defense. Freshman quarterback Jarvis McClam, a converted receiver, is making his fourth start behind center.

McClam has rushed for 287 yards and thrown for 219, He has completed just 27 of 70 passes.

“He’s one of those guys who can scramble around and get away from you,” Mihalik said.

McClam leads the Griffins in rushing. The team has netted only 728 yards — 2.1 per carry — on the ground this season. Norman Darden is the team’s receiving leader with 22 catches for 295 yards and four TDs. Erik Kerns has 21 catches for 213 yards.

“A new coaching staff brings in a new scheme and a new way of doing things,” Mihalik said. “It takes a team a while to get comfortable with that. They’ve been playing better lately.

“We can’t just show up there and say, ‘OK, we win.’ We have to be ready.”

SRU quarterback Nigel Barksdale needs 41 attempts and 22 completions to break Cody Endres’ single-season school records of 374 and 220 in those categories. Barksdale has thrown for 3,064 yards and 25 touchdowns, both single-season Rock records.

John Schademan has 54 catches for 1,117 yards. He needs 167 receiving yards to break Greg Hopkins’ single-season record. Schademan leads all of Division II with a 20-yard average per catch.

“Schademan always get a lot of yards after the catch,” Mihalik said. “There’s been a lot of great players at their positions at The Rock. For Nigel and John to be challenging those numbers is impressive.”

Ken Amos has 49 catches for 643 yards for SRU. Top running backs Shamar Greene (673 yards) and Teddy Blakeman (484 yards, 12 TDs) may not be available Saturday.

“Teddy is definitely out and we’d like to hold Shamar out if we can,” Mihalik said.

Ben Crenshaw and Jimmy Zubik will likely be SRU’s main running backs Saturday.

“Slippery Rock has proven to be the class of the West,” Collins said. “This is an opportunity for us to play a playoff-caliber team. It’s important to our program for us to play well.”

Mars graduate Austin Miele still leads The Rock with 66 tackles, but linebacker Quindell Dean (64) has closed the gap with a 16-tackle performance last week. Slippery Rock High grad Tony Papley leads the team with 10 tackles for loss.

“Quindell’s performance last week was outstanding,” Mihalik said. “You like your senior leaders to step up in big games and that’s exactly what he did.”

Notes: SRU is 3-1 against Seton Hill in a series that began in 2007. ... The Griffins are led defensively by Tyler Zimmer (75 tackles, 8 for loss), Chase Parker (68 tackles, 11 for loss) and Phillip Moreland (four interceptions) ... SRU ranks first in the 16-team PSAC total offense, fourth in total defense. Seton Hill ranks 15th and 14th in those categories.