KUTZTOWN — Nobody saw this coming.

Slippery Rock University’s offense, entering the day averaging 46 points per game, had to wait until 55 seconds remained to score its lone points in a 31-7 PSAC Championship Game football loss to Kutztown at Andre Reed Stadium on Saturday.

The loss was the first of the season for The Rock (10-1) and cost SRU the No. 1 ranking in Super Region One and a first-round bye in the Division II playoffs. The Rock still qualified for postseason play as the No. 4 seed in the region and will host East Stroudsburg at 1 p.m. this Saturday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

“We just got beat in all three phases today,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “That all starts with me. Kutztown played a great football game.

“I’m just happy we have a second season to get ready for and a chance to redeem ourselves. If we straighten out and play the way I know we can, I still believe we can go on a deep playoff run.”

Rock quarterback Brayden Long, sporting a 4.0 grade point average, received the PSAC Champion Scholar Award prior to the game. He then had his roughest game of the season, completing 27 of 46 passes for 182 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Long had thrown two total interceptions in SRU’s previous 10 games this season.

While SRU did not generate a first down in the opening quarter, Kutztown (9-2) put together a 46-yard drive for the game’s first score. The Golden Bears’ first possession was ended by a goal-line stand by SRU. Kutztown had a first-and-goal at the 4-yard line and was denied.

“I thought we might gain some momentum from that, but we never got things going,” Lutz said.

Drives of 55 and 80 yards resulted in a touchdown pass and field goal for the Golden Bears, who took a 17-0 lead into halftime. Kutztown took the second-half kickoff and drove 72 yards in 11 plays. Judd Novak threw his second touchdown pass of the day, hitting Mekhi Gibson from 16 yards out for a 24-0 lead. Darry Davis-McNeil’s second short TD run increased the margin to 31-0 with 5:22 remaining.

SRU’s lone score was Long’s 5-yard touchdown toss to Kyle Sheets in the final minute. SRU’s seven points marked its fewest scored in a game since a 28-3 loss to California (Pa.) in October of 2010.

Davis-McNeil was named the game’s MVP as he carried 26 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Kutztown rushed for 275 yards against The Rock while running behind a group of first-year starters along the offensive line.

“That surprised me,” Lutz admitted. “I never thought they’d be able to run on us like that. They were able to run the clock and that put more pressure on our offense once we did get the ball.”

Kutztown possessed the ball for 38 minutes,. 21 seconds, compared to The Rock’s 21:39.

“This was an old-fashioned butt-whipping. That’s the only way to describe it,” Lutz said.

Notes: SRU fell to 1-3 against Kutztown in PSAC title games, all four of those games being played at Andre Reed Stadium. ... Sheets became the 10th player in SRU history to have a 1,000-yard receiving season. He now has 1,028 yards on the year and his 15 TD catches are tied for second on The Rock’s single-season list. ... Cohen Russell extended his streak of catching at least one pass to 24 straight games. .... Kyle Kudla led The Rock with 10 tackles, but SRU did not force a turnover on the day. ... Kutztown won its ninth straight game after an 0-2 start and earned a Division II playoff spot. The Golden Bears are the No. 3 seed in Super Region One and will host Virginia Union this Saturday.

Slippery Rock 0 0 0 7 — 7

Kutztown 7 10 7 7 — 31

First Quarter

K — Darryl Davis-McNeil 1 run (Dawson Evitts kick), 2:14

Second Quarter

K — Tyreek Husser 4 pass from Judd Novak (Evitts kick), 11:21

K — Evitts 27 field goal, :11

Third Quarter

K — Mekhi Gibson 16 pass from Novak (Evitts kick), 7:43

Fourth Quarter

K — Davis-McNeil 2 run (Evitts kick), 5:22

SRU — Kyle Sheets 4 pass from Brayden Long (Kevin Roberts kick), :55

Individual Statistics

Rushing: SRU, Khalid Dorsey 7-31, Chris D’Or 3-13, Brayden Long 5-4, TEAM 1-(-1). Kutztown, Darryl Davis-McNeil 26-146, Judd Novak 14-80, Jaedyn Stewart 7-28, Jordan Davis 3-21.

Passing: SRU, Brayden Long 27-46-182-3. Kutztown, Judd Novak 14-23-137-0.

Receiving: SRU, Kam Kruzelyak 6-31, Chris D’Or 5-34, Logan Ramper 4-29, Kyle Sheets 3-31, Khalid Dorsey 3-18m, Nathan Waltman 2-9, Tony Grimes 1-12, Kylon Wilson 1-9, Cohen Russell 1-7, Isaiah Edwards 1-2. Kutztown, Mekhi Gibson 4-32, Kurtis Ravenel Jr. 6-33, Darryl Davis-McNeil 2-17, Tyreek Husser 2-16, Luke Szabo 1-29, Kaden Hastie 1-7, Jordan Davis 1-2, Lenniek Preston 1-1.