SLIPPERY ROCK — The quarterbacks mirror each other. So do the programs.

With one exception.

Winston-Salem State has been there, done that. The Rams are two-time defending Super Region 1 champions and reached the Division II national championship football game last year.

Slippery Rock is just getting there, attaining its first Division II national playoff berth in 14 years.

The Rams (9-1) and Rock (9-2) will meet each other in a fight for playoff survival at 1 p.m. Saturday in a first-round game at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem. The winner travels to undefeated Shepherd (W.Va.) next week.

“There’s 168 Division II football teams and only 24 are practicing for a playoff game this week,” SRU coach George Mihalik said. “We’re proud to be one of those 24.

“But this is a tough draw, to be sure. Winston-Salem could be the best team in our region.”

Rams quarterback Rudy Johnson did not miss practice all week despite getting beaten up during an altercation a week ago that led to cancellation of the Virginia State-Winston-Salem State conference title game.

“He’s good. He’ll be ready to go,” Rams coach Connell Maynor said. “Rudy is elusive and throws the ball well. He’s very similar to their (Nigel Barksdale) ... and I know we’ll have our hands full with him.”

Johnson has thrown for 2,076 yards and 22 touchdowns, getting intercepted only five times. He has completed 150 of 239 passes while Barksdale has hit on 238 of 405 passes for 3,669 yards and 30 TDs.

Johnson has rushed for 420 yards, Barksdale for 427. Both have scored four touchdowns.

“We’re going to find out what it’s like to defend a quarterback like Nigel,” Mihalik allowed.

While Mihalik is 176-105-4 in 26 years at SRU, Maynor is 44-5 in four years at Winston-Salem State. This will be the first-ever meeting between the schools.

Mihalik’s biggest concern with Winston-Salem State is the size of the team’s offensive and defensive lines. The Rams have starting defensive linemen listed at 6-foot-3, 295 pounds, 6-2, 303 and 6-3, 250.

The team’s smallest offensive lineman is 6-3, 285. Included in that group is Butler graduate and Rams guard Nate Hartung, listed at 6-2, 380.

Winston-Salem State has accumulated 35 sacks and 95 tackles for loss on the season. No team has scored more than 25 points against the Rams this year.

The Rock has failed to score fewer than 34 points — a 38-27 loss at Gannon in a driving rain — all season.

“We sack the quarterback quite a bit,” Maynor said. “That’s a big part of what we do defensively. Applying pressure is our game.”

“And they do it without blitzing,” Mihalik said. “Their front four gets to the quarterback and they still have seven guys sitting back in coverage.”

Carlos Fields, a linebacker, leads the Rams with 67 tackles.

“He’s the best Division II linebacker I’ve seen in a few years,” Mihalik said.

Outside linebacker Quindell Dean, second to safety Austin Miele (83) on The Rock with 71 tackles, returns to the lineup after sitting out a one-game suspension in the PSAC title game last week.

Mihalik said his defense will start intact, but the health of some players will be in question.

“We’ll have a few guys playing at less than 100 percent and they’ll give what they have,” the coach said. “We need to get out to a lead in this game. Their big line will lean on you all day and wear you down, otherwise.”

While The Rock has had a habit of starting quickly, so have the Rams.

Winston-Salem State has outscored its opposition 77-18 in the first quarter, 118-13 in the third.

“I suppose part of that is good preparation, but I don’t have an explanation otherwise,” Maynor said. “I know we’ve given up a lot of points in the fourth quarter because our reserves are usually playing then.”

The Rams have allowed 77 total points in the first three quarters this season, and 77 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Winston-Salem State returns only three starters — Hartung, another lineman and running back Maurice Lewis (791 yards, 11 TDs) — offensively from last year. The team has seven seniors starting on defense.

“Our defense is ranked No. 1 in the country (allowing 234.6 yards per game)for a reason,” Maynor said. “But we’re facing a great football team in Slippery Rock. They average 45 points a game and they hit hard on defense.

“It’s going to take our best effort to beat them.”

Mihalik said receiver Ken Amos (58 catches-807 yards) is the only starter who may not play Saturday due to injury.

Running backs Shamar Greene (704 yards-4 TDs) and Teddy Blakeman (465 yards-13 TDs) are banged up, but will play.

“We’re not sure how much they’ll be able to give, but they’ll be out there,” Mihalik said.

The game will be played on a grass field with a 50 percent chance of rain in the forecast.