Homecoming couldn't come at a better time for the Slippery Rock University football team.

The Rock (4-3, 1-2) is coming off consecutive PSAC West losses as it prepares to host Lock Haven (1-6, 0-3) — a team it hasn't lost to since 1980 — at 2 p.m. Saturday at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

"The atmosphere and excitement of homecoming will give us a lift,"SRU coach George Mihalik admitted. "We can use one."

SRU was riding a four-game winning streak before suffering five turnovers in a 28-21 loss to Shippensburg and missing two chances to take the lead in the fourth quarter of a 24-14 loss at California (Pa.).

"I saw the films of those games. They easily could have won them both,"Lock Haven coach John Klacik said.

Winning is something Klacik is still working on at Lock Haven. The second-year coach has won only three of 18 games at the helm so far.

The Bald Eagles are 0-24-1 against Slippery Rock since posting a 29-26 win over The Rock in 1980. Their last win at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium was in 1979.

Last week, Lock Haven dropped a 20-17 decision in overtime to Shippensburg.

"We're getting close,"Klacik said. "We're trying to break long losing streaks against a lot of teams in this league.

"Our kids are at the point now where they realize that if we make an early mistake that costs us points, it can still be OK. We can still come back and get in the game. Now we have to start winning some of those games."

Freshman quarterback Ilio DiPaolo has completed 93 of 117 passes for 918 yards, four touchdowns and nine interceptions for the Bald Eagles. Rafael Smith, who missed the first four games of the season after missing all of the 2005 campaign with an injury, has become his favorite target.

Smith has caught 13 passes for 206 yards in the past three games. He had 37 catches for 502 yards two years ago.

"He is a dangerous receiver,"Mihalik said. "They've been scoring off the big play and he (Smith) is a big part of that.

"Their quarterback is very athletic. He's going to run around and buy some time to throw the football."

Running the football has not been Lock Haven's forte. Chris Hawkins leads the team with 115 yards rushing and the Bald Eagles average just 1.4 yards per carry in 228 attempts as a team.

Hawkins and Chelston Anderson (knee), the team's top two backs, have been hurt.

"Our offensive line has been banged up all year, too,"Klacik said. "We haven't started the same group of guys up front yet. We can't get any cohesiveness there."

Lock Haven has allowed 64 tackles for loss and 23 quarterback sacks. The Rock's Cory Lacek is tied for the PSAC lead with 20 tackles for loss and ranks third in all of NCAA Division IIin that category.

SRUquarterback Nate Crookshank has thrown seven interceptions in the past two weeks after being picked off only four times in The Rock's first five games.

"That's a concern,"Mihalik said. "Most of them have come on deep passes. We have to assess that situation."

Luke Wetzel continues to be SRU's biggest threat in the passing game, hauling in 28 passes for 528 yards and seven touchdowns. Colin Golden has 37 catches for 329 yards.

Safety David Show leads Lock Haven with 61 tackles and has two interceptions as well.

While The Rock needs plenty of help to get back into the PSAC West race, Mihalik is not discounting a possible playoff berth.

"West Chester finished 8-3 and got in a year ago,"he said. "When it comes to the playoff picture, it's better to lose early than lose late. We can still get on a roll, finish strong and sneak in there."

The top six teams from each region qualify for the Division IIplayoffs. SRU is not ranked among the top 12 entering Saturday's action.

Slippery Rock University leads its all-time series with Lock Haven 37-12-1 and is 24-0-1 vs. the Bald Eagles since 1981:<B>Year........SRU........LHU</B>1981........49........141982........13........101983........17........01984........34........211985........10........01986........22........151987........34........01988........21........211989........27........161990........42........71991........33........71992........4........171993........39........231994........56........301995........34........61996........37........71997........38........61998........31........71999........38........172000........41........152001........21........02002........14........72003........24........132004........31........32005........55........7