SLIPPERY ROCK — It's bonus time.

Slippery Rock University and Notre Dame (Ohio) meet in a first-round NCAA Division II football playoff game at noon Saturday. One of them will be denied the extra bonus both have grown accustomed to receiving.

Both teams have advanced to the second round of the playoffs the last two seasons (2018 and 2019), ironically running into each other at that point.

The Rock dropped a 21-17 decision at Mueller Field in South Euclid, Ohio — site of Saturday's game — while Notre Dame dropped a wild 65-59 decision at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in 2019.

“I can see this being another one-score game, 34-26, something like that,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “Hopefully, we'll be on the right side of it.

“This has become a bit of a rivalry, a Pennsylvania vs. Ohio sort of thing.”

Both teams are a little bit different from when they last met in 2019.

Mickey Mental is in his first full season as Falcons head coach. Former coach Mike Jacobs left the program to become head coach at Lenoir-Rhyne.

Mental is 15-1, including a 5-0 slate in an abbreviated 2020 campaign. Notre Dame is 10-1 this season, losing only to Charleston, 38-28, on Oct. 2.

The Falcons have not played a top-10 ranked team this season.

They also no longer have standout running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who rushed for 126 yards and two scores against SRU in 2019. He transferred to Youngstown State and was the Penguins' leading rusher this season.

SRU is entering this game beset with injuries. Second-leading receiver and kick return specialist Jermaine Wynn Jr. suffered a serious knee injury in SRU's 38-32 PSAC title game loss to Kutztown and is out for the season.

SRU is already without starting defensive backs Dalton Holt and Savion Harrison, along with running back Evyn Holtz.

Chris Brimm — Notre Dame's quarterback in the last two playoff games vs. The Rock — is still there. He's thrown for 2,712 yards, 25 touchdowns and only four interceptions.

“They have some dudes,” Lutz said. “Brimm is a three-year starter and is simply outstanding. No. 10 (6-foot-4 receiver Davis Patterson) can make big plays. They are loaded with talent.”

Senior receiver Devanaire Conliffe leads the Falcons with 54 catches for 909 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tyris Dickerson (879 yards, 10 TDs) and Idris Lawrence (664, 6 TDs) anchor the running game. They average 5.3 and 5.8 yards per carry, respectively.

Notre Dame averages 6-4 and well over 300 pounds across its offensive line.

“They're experienced and they are good,” Lutz said.

Defensively, the Falcons have 39 quarterback sacks. End Noah Harris-Lyles has 20.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks, outside linebacker Guam Lee 23 TFLs and nine sacks.

“Their set of linebackers is the best I've seen in a long time,” Lutz said.

The coach added that Notre Dame play a Cover-0 and “brings the house all the time. They play straight-up man coverage.”

Lutz is hopeful that Rock receivers Henry Litwin (63 catches-999 yards) and Cinque Sweeting (51-613) can get open quickly for Noah Grover, who has thrown for 1,203 yards and 14 touchdowns in his three starts.

Grover also threw three interceoptions last week.

“He's fine in terms of his confidence,” Lutz said. “Noah came back and finished that game strong. He's an intelligent quarterback and knows what he has to do.”

The two teams combined for 1,100 yards of offense, 11 passing touchdowns and five rushing TDs in their last meeting.

Wynn and Holt will serve as special captains for SRU on Saturday in honor of their styrong careers at The Rock. Holt started 32 games over four years, Wynn 29 over three seasons.

Litwin needs 34 receiving yards to break SRU's career record of 3,382, set by Greg Hopkins in 1994.

Mental could not be reached for comment.