EDINBORO — Ranked No. 22 in the nation and No. 7 in the Northeast Region, Edinboro University was a formidable opponent Saturday afternoon at Sox Harrison Stadium.

But Slippery Rock University's most deadly opponent proved to be itself.

Plagued by five turnovers and a porous kicking game, SRU (3-5, 2-2) dropped a 24-7 decision to the Fighting Scots (6-2, 4-1).

"You can't make mistakes like we did and beat a team like that," Rock coach George Mihalik said. "Shame of it is, I thought our defense came up with a tremendous effort."

The game was played in a steady rain that was heavy at times and field conditions deteriorated in the second half.

SRU's defense permitted only seven points, as Edinboro put together an 11-play, 93-yard drive in the second quarter, capped by Justin Bouch's 6-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Valasek with 7:03 left in the first half.

The score gave the Scots a 10-0 lead. Tom Davidson had intercepted SRU quarterback Nate Crookshank at the Rock 20-yard line on the game's second play from scrimmage, setting up a 32-yard Kody Robertson field goal.

Offensively, that was it for Edinboro.

"We couldn't do much against them, especially in the second half," Edinboro coach Lou Tepper admitted. "We had field position, but we didn't move the ball much.

"It was important to score early because the field was only going to get worse."

The Rock answered the Scots' touchdown drive with a 72-yard scoring march of its own. Crookshank scored on a 7-yard run with 3:06 left in the half, trimming the deficit to 10-7.

From there, the game was a study in frustration for SRU.

"We moved the ball, but we couldn't score points," Crookshank said. "It's been like that in every game we've lost."

Neither team threatened to score in the third quarter, but The Rock moved into range early in the fourth. Josh Kniess rambled 41 yards on a third-and-20 draw play and Crookshank connected with Colin Golden for 38 yards on a second-and-28 play.

On fourth down from the Edinboro 23-yard line, however, Ryan Daniel was wide right on a 40-yard field goal attempt with 12:19 left in the game.

SRU got another opportunity moments later as Bouch was stopped short on a fourth-and-inches quarterback sneak from his own 33.

The Rock lost four yards in three plays and elected to punt from the Scots' 37. Instead of pinning Edinboro inside its own 10-yard line, however, Ray Rotell's punt went straight up in the air, then bounced backwards.

It traveled minus one yard.

"That was a huge, huge play," Tepper said. "They had momentum and we could have been stuck in the muddy end of the field, deep in our own end."

Rotell averaged just 23.8 yards on five punts Saturday — and wind was not a factor.

"We didn't have field position. … But you have to make your own field position," Mihalik said.

"All we can control is what's happening when we're on the field," SRU defensive lineman Cory Lacek said of his defense. "We have faith in our offense. We just wanted to keep getting the ball back for them."

But The Rock never threatened again. Edinboro appeared ready to put the game away when Bouch found receiver Ryan Rybicki for a 49-yard completion.

As Rybicki ran inside The Rock 5-yard line, defender Jake Barzen jarred the ball loose from behind. The ball sailed out of the end zone for a touchback.

Two plays later, Crookshank was in the shotgun formation on third-and-9 from his own 21. The snap sailed over his head and into the end zone, where Edinboro's Greg MacAnn recovered it for a touchdown with 5:38 left.

"The field conditions worsened as the game went on, but that's no excuse (for the turnovers)," Crookshank said. "They had to play in it, too."

Grove City product Joe Ennis replaced Rotell as SRU's punter, but A.J. Cousins blocked his punt from inside The Rock 20 and recovered it in the end zone for Edinboro's final score with 3:05 remaining.

Notes:

Kniess rushed for 120 yards — the most yards allowed a back by Edinboro this season — and had 188 all-purpose yards, pulling him within 261 yards of D.J. Flick's SRU career record. … Kniess had his fifth consecutive 100-yard rushing game. … Crookshank was sacked nine times. Bouch was not sacked at all … Golden had 105 receiving yards on six catches. … Edinboro's Kelvin Collins rushed for a season-high 133 yards. … Edinboro can clinch at least a share of its third straight PSAC West title with a win at Lock Haven in two weeks. … SRU closes its home season at 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Shippensburg.