SLIPPERY ROCK — Indiana (Pa.) University vs. Slippery Rock? George Mihalik sums it up best.

"Anyone who is a college football fan will want to be at this game," the longtime SRU coach said.

The Rock and Indiana, sporting identical 3-1, 0-1 records and coming off four-point road losses in PSAC West openers last week, will battle at 7 p.m. Saturday at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

The last three games between these teams came down to the final play.

"It's been an exciting series, that's for sure," IUP coach Lou Tepper said.

This year, it's a critical game. The loser has a sudden two-game losing streak and virtually will have no shot at the PSAC West title.

"Maybe not the national playoff picture if the losing team gets on a roll after this," Mihalik allowed. "But if you want to win the West, this is definitely a must game."

Both teams enter Saturday with key injuries. SRU right guard Mike Tomaino is questionable with an ankle injury. He didn't play last week at Edinboro, but, with J.D. Skebo filling in, SRU still ran for 215 yards and threw for 200.

H-back Kenny Cottman injured an ankle at Edinboro last week and is listed as doubtful. Devin Goda replaced him at that position.

"The key for us will be taking advantage of every scoring opportunity," Mihalik said. "We missed a field goal and had an interception in the end zone that wound up costing us.

"When the opponent has a minute to go 70 yards, you have to stop that, too."

IUP has numerous banged-up players. Tepper lists linebacker Andre Henderson and cornerback Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, also a dangerous return specialist, as doubtful for the SRU game.

"We're holding out hope, but it doesn't look like they're going to play," Tepper said.

The Crimson Hawks bring plenty of other weapons. Running back Tobias Robinson is leading the PSAC in rushing for a second straight year, sporting 99 carries for 482 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Mychal Skinner has 19 receptions for 252 yards and two TDs despite missing most of IUP's first two games.

Fourth-year starting quarterback Andrew Krewatch has completed 63 of 122 passes for 809 yards, five TDs and five interceptions. The North Allegheny product needs 338 yards to break Brian Eyerman's school record for career passing yardage.

"Andrew hasn't been himself this year," Tepper said. "He was injured earlier in the season and his completion percentage is down while his interceptions are up.

"He's an efficient quarterback who is going to return to form."

The Crimson Hawks have shored up their run defense, allowing fewer than 50 yards the last two weeks after giving up more than 170 in their first two games.

"We've been playing stubborn defense," Tepper said. "Really, we should have been blown out last week (in a 20-16 loss at Mercyhurst). We had five turnovers, four in the first half, and Mercyhurst scored just three points off them.

"Slippery Rock's best teams historically have been the ones that can run and throw the ball. They were one-dimensional with the run last year and it hurt them. That new quarterback (Rocco Colavecchia) elevates their level of play offensively."

IUP is playing with a depleted secondary, especially if Owusu-Ansah can't play Saturday.

Mihalik said IUP has plenty of athletes, but Krewatch, Robinson and Skinner are at the forefront.

"They have a star player in each phase of the game offensively," Mihalik said. "Robinson is a horse and they're riding him. Skinner is a playmaker who caught eight passes last week and Krewatch is a veteran, productive quarterback who makes it all go."

Robinson has carried the ball on 80 percent of the Crimson Hawks' running plays this year.

"Tobias is a complete back who loves to block, too, and that's a rare commodity in a productive back," Tepper said. "He's so explosive. He had four touchdowns of 75 or more yards last year and I've never seen that before. He just runs away from people."

An overflow crowd is expected for Saturday's game, and SRU's 2009 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at halftime.

ROCK-VULCANS SERIES

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Indiana (Pa.) University holds a 47-34-2 edge over Slippery Rock in the all-time football series between the teams. Rock coach George Mihalik is 4-18 vs. IUP, 1-10 at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium:

Year IUP SRU2008 23 162007 34 312006 17 212005 38 172004 34 132003 27 142002 34 282001 23 72000 24 201999 27 201999 52 141998 27 211997 16 91996 32 311995 41 71994 62 141993 45 241992 34 171991 38 01990 62 131989 52 71988 38 0