SLIPPERY ROCK — Clarion hung around for a half.

Slippery Rock University football coach Shawn Lutz didn't seem to mind.

“The way our defense was playing, I felt like we would eventually pull away and take control of this game,” Lutz said.

He was right.

The Rock scored 24 unanswered points in the third quarter in running away from Clarion, 41-6, in the annual Milk Jug game Saturday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. The victory puts SRU (8-0, 5-0) on the brink of clinching the PSAC West championship.

A win in either of its next two games will do so.

The Rock defense held Clarion (3-6, 1-4) to less than 100 yards of offense through three quarters. The Golden Eagles' lone scores — a pair of 30-yard James Metzgar field goals — occurred in the first half. They followed SRU turnovers at The Rock 35 and 19-yard lines.

“Anytime the opposition takes possession on our side of the 50, we consider holding them to three points a win,” defensive end Chad Kuhn said. “Our offense has bailed us out plenty of times. We can bail them out when those situations happen.”

Despite being held to 55 yards in the first half, Clarion trailed only 17-6 and was driving late in the second quarter. Rock free safety Khadir Roberts stepped in front of a Jeff Clemens pass and returned it 38 yards to the Clarion 47.

Jake Chapla's 38-yard field goal attempt was wide left to end the half, but SRU quickly took care of business in the third period.

“We have six to eight starters out (with injuries) on the defensive side of the ball,” Clarion coach Chris Weibel said. “That just doesn't match up when you're playing the ninth-ranked team in the country.

“We couldn't score touchdowns off their mistakes. They finished off drives. That was the difference.”

The Rock drove 82 yards in seven plays on its first possession of the second half. Roland Rivers III tossed a 20-yard scoring pass to Henry Litwin. Rivers threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Wynn, Jr. to end SRU's next possession.

Jalen Dangerfield intercepted a Michael Proios pass and returned it 39 yards on Clarion's next offensive play and the rout was on.

Chapla added a 30-yard field goal — his second 3-pointer of the day — to compete the third-quarter outburst.

“The way we were able to run the football in the first half set up a lot of those pass plays in the second,” Lutz said. “Once (Clarion) put more men in the box, we had some lanes to use.”

Rock running backs Charles Snorweah and DeSean Dinkins sat out the game to nurse nagging injuries. Slotback Cinque Sweeting, a former running back at Seton Hill, returned to the backfield Saturday.

Sweeting rushed for 80 yards and a score. He caught a 5-yard TD pass as well.

“Whatever the team needs to help us win, that's what I'll do,” Sweeting said. “Running back is my natural position. It was fun playing back there again.”

Rivers appreciates Sweeting's versatility.

“He's a dynamic player,” the quarterback said. “He has the ability to make plays in so many different ways.

“Our offense is to the point where we're going to take what's there. We've shown we can move the ball a number of different ways.”

Wynn had eight catches for 153 yards. His touchdown came on a pass over the middle, a play in which he split a pair of defenders and out-ran them to the goal line.

Defensive tackle Jeff Marx recovered a fumble for SRU. Kuhn led the team with six tackles, including his PSAC-leading eighth sack of the season.

Notes: The Rock hosts California (Pa.) at 1 p.m. Saturday for Senior Day. ... SRU won the Milk Jug for the ninth time in the trophy's 10-year history. ... Rivers has 28 touchdown passes, four shy of Tanner Garry's school-record 32 (2017) for a season. Rivers has 55 TD passes in 20 games with The Rock and needs six more to break Nate Crookshank's SRU career record. ... Chapla is 12 points shy of tying the PSAC rcord of 361 career points by a kicker (Dan Fisher of Bloomsburg). ... SRU won its 14th straight PSAC West game and is 35-3 in home games since 2013. ... If The Rock defeats California next Saturday, it will be 9-0 for the first time since 1924.

Clarion 3 3 0 0 — 6

Slippery Rock 7 10 24 0 — 41

First Quarter

C — James Metzgar 30 field goal, 9:05

SRU — Cinque Sweeting 1 run (Jake Chapla kick), 3:47

Second Quarter

C — Metzgar 30 field goal, 12:40

SRU — Chapla 28 field goal, 8:00

SRU — Sweeting 5 pass from Roland Rivers III (Chapla kick), 2:23

Third Quarter

SRU — Henry Litwin 20 pass from Rivers III (Chapla kick), 9:57

SRU — Jermaine Wynn Jr. 56 pass from Rivers III (Chapla kick), 7:00

SRU — Jalen Dangerfield 39 interception return (Chapla kick), 6:49

SRU — Chapla 30 field goal, 2:39

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Clarion, Scott Florence 13-36, Dana Jackson 4-28, Delvin Clark 3-20, Michael Proios 6-5, TEAM 1-(-3), Jeff Clemens 2-(-14). SRU, Cinque Sweeting 16-80, Braden Fochtman 13-47, Rushawn Grange 5-19, TEAM 2-(-2), Roland Rivers III 8-(-3).

Passing: Clarion, Michael Proios 9-18-69-1, Jeff Clemens 3-9-26-1. SRU, Roland Rivers III 24-36-342-1.

Receiving: Clarion, Devin Clark 4-20, Quinn Zinobile 2-37, Regan Schleicher 2-23, Scott Florence 2-3, Dana Jackson 1-7, Terrell Ford 1-5. SRU, Jermaine Wynn Jr. 8-153, Henry Litwin 7-92, Qaadir Dixon 3-23, Cinque Sweeting 2-35, Colton Richards 2-15, Reggie Mays Jr. 1-18, Matt Carr 1-6.