While California (Pa.) looks to break new ground, Slippery Rock looks to defend its turf.

Plenty is at stake for both teams when SRU (1-3, 1-0) hosts the Vulcans (3-1, 1-0) for a 6 p.m. PSAC West kickoff Saturday at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

California hasn't been 2-0 in conference play since 1986. It also hasn't won a game at Slippery Rock since 1989 and the Vulcans snapped a 13-game overall losing streak to The Rock just two years ago.

"This is all new to us," California coach John Luckhardt said. "The program Slippery Rock has been for years is the program we're trying to emulate.

"Going up there and winning a football game is a step we have to take."

But it won't be easy. The Rock is coming off a 55-7 thrashing of Lock Haven, limiting the Bald Eagles to 48 net yards. The win was SRU's first of the season after three consecutive losses to unbeaten opponents.

"The Lock Haven game was more indicative of the talent Slippery Rock has," Luckhardt said. "They're a young team that's going to get better as the season goes on. They're definitely a player in the conference race."

SRU coach George Mihalik stops short of calling this a must win, though it is important in terms of momentum.

"I've said all along the winner of the West won't be undefeated," Mihalik said. "It's going to be a scramble - and this is going to be a very good football game."

First and foremost for The Rock will be finding a way to contain Vulcans running back Antoine Bagwell, who already has 672 yards rushing and eight touchdowns on just 66 carries. He also has caught 10 passes for 193 yards.

In last week's 43-7 win over Clarion, Bagwell had 251 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns while touching the ball only 15 times.

In the 14 Division II games Bagwell has played dating back to last year, he has 13 100-yard games and five 200-yard rushing efforts.

"You're not going to stop that guy," Mihalik said. "He has the type of talent that plays football on Sundays. We can't give up the big play to him. We can't let them have any easy scores."

Bagwell enters Saturday's game leading NCAA Division II with an average of 17 points per game. He is third in rushing at 168 yards per game and fourth in all-purpose yards per game at 216.3.

"He's a special player," Luckhardt said. "He can run inside, he can catch the ball and he's great in space. He accelerates extremely quickly."

And Bagwell is not all there is to the Vulcans' offense. Quarterback Joe Ruggiero has thrown for 746 yards and six touchdowns while being intercepted only once.

Marcellus Garner has 15 receptions for 134 yards and Nate Force adds 12 catches for 205.

On defense, California has allowed just five touchdowns in four games and no opponent has rushed for 100 yards on the Vulcans this year.

"We're going to have to find a way to get our running game going against them," Mihalik said. "It's important for us to establish that we can run the football. So much of what we do works off of that."

SRU will be without senior tight end and Seneca Valley graduate Steve Fullerton, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Frank Cremonese will start in his place.

Nate Crookshank is averaging 170 yards passing per game and orchestrated a comeback at California last year that turned a 24-point first-quarter deficit into a 31-27 SRU lead.

California won that game with a late drive, 34-31, and rallied to beat The Rock 22-19 in overtime at Adamson Stadium in 2003.

"We've had some wild games with them the past couple of years," Mihalik said.

Saturday's game may follow that trend.

"This is one of the biggest games of the season for both teams," Luckhardt said. "We haven't beaten Slippery Rock up there since the eighth-grade picnic.

"If we do it now, it's not gonna come easy."