SLIPPERY ROCK— For the second time in three weeks, Slippery Rock University's football team is facing an unknown opponent.

The Rock (2-0) travels to Bowie State (Md.) for a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday against the Bulldogs (0-2), a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Bowie State is a predominantly black university, as is every school in the CIAA. SRUhas never faced the Bulldogs and has not played a predominantly black school outside of PSAC East member Cheyney in recent memory.

"This team has speed and they've got athletes,"SRU coach George Mihalik said. "We have to be wary of the big play.

"We're looking at a six-hour bus trip the day before. We're playing our first road game and they're playing their first home game. This will be a different atmosphere for us and it will be interesting to see how we respond."

Bowie State won the CIAAchampionship in 2005, but slipped to 5-5 last year. The Bulldogs have begun this season with losses of 29-19 to Glenville State (W.Va.)and 41-7 to 14th-ranked Newberry (S.C)last week.

The team returns only two starters from a defense that ranked third in NCAADivision IIlast season, allowing 226.1 total yards per game.

"We're playing a bunch of freshmen or first-year starters on the field defensively,"said fourth-year Bowie State coach Mike Lynn. "But our guys play physical defense."

Eight starters return on offense, including four solid linemen.

"They've got four guys up front weighing more than 300 pounds, 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-6 guys with plenty of athleticism,"Mihalik said. "This will be a challenging matchup for our defensive line."

The Rock has been dealing with special teams problems as well, having a punt blocked last week and having a snap sail over punter Kyle Witman's head. Justin Hoppe is SRU's long snapper and served in that same capacity last year.

SRUhas also missed a PATthis season and gave up more than 200 yards in returns to Seton Hill in the season opener.

"The snaps are a matter of execution,"Mihalik said. "I think we had one bad snap all of last year, so we know our guys can do it.

"We've been feeling the rule change this year in having to kick off from the 30. We're going to have to improve our kick coverage, especially against these guys."

SRUhas never played a team from the CIAA, which is scheduled to move into the Northeast Region with the PSACand West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference next year.

"The first quarter will be key because there will be a bit of a feeling-out process here,"Mihalik said. "We don't know what the style of football is like in that conference.

"Offensively, they spread the field on you and try to get their wide receivers and running backs in open spaces. Their quarterback is an option-type guy."

Freshman Rodney Webb leads the Bulldogs' running game with 146 yards. Quarterback Jason Scott has completed only 16 of 48 passes for 213 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Bowie State has no takeaways and only 10 tackles for loss in two games.

"We're still trying to put together our personnel defensively,"Lynn said.

Bowie State replaces Mansfield, which dropped its football program after last season, on The Rock's schedule this year. The Bulldogs will come to SRU to open the 2009 season.

"They've got a great tradition and a consistent program,"Lynn said of The Rock. "But after watching film on them, we have an excellent opportunity to be competitive against them.

"The fact we're going to be joining that region, this is a very important game for us. And after a nine-hour bus trip last week, our kids are excited to be staying at home."

SRU receiver Paul Favers. coming off a career-best 169 yards receiving last week, has a sprained ankle but is expected to play. H-back Colin Golden has been cleared to play with a cracked ankle and will be a game-time decision.

Mars graduate and SRU safety Brad Mueller returned from bruised lungs to play sparingly against Millersville. He will return to regular duty Saturday, but Mihalik does not expect him to return kickoffs this week.