When it comes to Slippery Rock University vs. Indiana (Pa.) in football, it's always a big game.

Only this one's bigger than most.

The Rock (2-3, 2-0) ventures to Miller Stadium for a 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday looking to snap a six-game losing streak to the Indians (2-3, 1-0) and to solidify its position as a PSAC West contender.

IUP is looking to build momentum while also staying perfect in conference play. A loss could send the Indians toward their first sub-.500 season in 23 years under veteran coach Frank Cignetti.

"We both want this game very badly. That's a given," SRU coach George Mihalik said.

IUP had to come from behind twice last week on the road to defeat Shippensburg, 20-15. The Indians have dropped both of their home games so far this year, 28-9 to Millersville and 27-0 to Bloomsburg.

Consecutive home losses are a rarity for IUP football. Then again, the Indians are starting 14 freshmen. That's a rarity, too.

"I've never had a team this young on the field before," Cignetti said. "We're not getting the consistent play out of them that we'd like. It's going to take some time."

Freshman quarterback Andrew Krewatch, a North Allegheny graduate, has completed 60 of 148 passes - just 40 percent - for 759 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Five years ago, IUP upset The Rock 27-20 in overtime in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs with another freshman quarterback from NA, Brian Eyerman, leading the way.

"The difference is the other guy had veteran receivers to work with while this guy doesn't," Cignetti said.

Anthony Cellitti has 16 catches for 167 yards and two TDs while Cameron Mobley has 10 receptions for 218 yards and a score.

The Indians do have running back Chris Morgan, who has 618 yards rushing and five scores. He's hurt SRU the past two years with rushing performances of 187 and 123 yards, respectively.

"I've always been impressed with Morgan," Mihalik said. "He's just a really good running back. He runs physical, has good vision and speed.

"Besides him, they have a lot of young talent at the skilled positions. I'm sure they're relying on him."

Morgan had off-season knee surgery and missed spring ball this year.

"His off-season work was limited and he's only now rounding into his real form," Cignetti said. "Our team could have used a scrimmage game before this season, just to work out some of the kinks."

IUP has some experience up front, with four juniors and a freshman starting along the offensive line. It has size there as well with tackle 6-foot-9, 315 pound Jason Capizzi, freshman tackle Jason Warning (6-6, 315) and guard Beau Elliott )6-2, 315).

"We feel like we have a good offensive line," Cignetti said. "But that hasn't translated into points."

The Indians rank 11th in the PSAC with an average of 13.6 points per game. Their defense has allowed 227.8 yards per game on the ground, 12th in the 14-team conference.

SRU is coming off a dominant rushing performance in its 28-21 win over California (Pa.).

Josh Kniess had 267 all-purpose yards last week and needs 874 more to displace D.J. Flick as The Rock's all-time leader in that category.

"We always want to run the football, but Indiana still has very active linebackers," Mihalik said. "You try to run away from them and they run you down."

Cignetti said Rock quarterback Nate Crookshank reminds him of Randy McKavish, who was behind center for SRU during its three-game win streak against IUP from 1997-99.

The Rock remains the only program to defeat the Cignetti-coached Indians three consecutive times.

"That kid likes to run around and make plays," Cignetti said. "If we pay too much attention to their running game, he'll burn us.

"That was a great win (for SRU) over Cal. Slippery Rock-Indiana is always a tough one and that win for them is going to make it tougher."

Notes:

Cignetti is sitting on 99 career wins at Miller Stadium. His 196 career victories at IUP rank him third among active Division II coaches, trailing only Ken Sparks with 247 at Carson-Newman and Willard Bailey with 213 at St. Paul's. … IUP is 103-11-1 vs. PSAC West teams under Cignetti, losing more than one league game in a season only once (4-2 in 1997). … The Rock is 2-0 in PSAC West play for the first time since 1999, when it won its third of four consecutive conference titles.