No. 6 SRU football learned valuable lessons after losing to Edinboro in 2025. The Rock want revenge
SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Slippery Rock University football head coach Shawn Lutz remembers the score well — 38-8.
Lutz even took a picture of the scoreboard at Edinboro’s Sox Harrison Stadium a year ago, moments after the Fighting Scots hung that number on The Rock to become co-champions of the PSAC West.
The teams meet again at 4 p.m. Saturday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. No. 6 SRU (9-0, 6-0) has already clinched the PSAC West title this season and a date with East Stroudsburg in the conference championship game at home next week.
But there is more immediate business pending.
“We want this game,” Lutz said. “Our guys remember that feeling from last year. This is one of the ones we’ve had circled on the calendar.
“We didn’t enter that game with the right perspective last year. That day created my initial decision to bring in more players who cared about Slippery Rock and who love playing the game of football. After we lost in the national semifinals at Ferris State (2024), I brought in a lot of transfers to try to make a run at it all. That was a mistake.”
Much has changed since last season. Edinboro (4-5, 3-4) is being guided by interim head coach Eric Crandall. SRU has the highest scoring team (53.2 points per game) and most productive offense (547.6 yards per game) in Division II.
Only D-III Lake Forest (Ill.), at 61.5 points per game, has scored more points than SRU in all of college football.
“There’s been a lot of players involved in that,” Lutz said. “(Running back) JayJay Jordan and (quarterback) DaOne Owens have led the way, of course, but so many other guys have contributed on both sides of the ball.”
Jordan has rushed for 1,267 yards, leads the nation with 25 total touchdowns and needs one rushing score to break LaMonte Coleman’s single-season record of 21, set in 1994. Owens has thrown for 2,069 yards and 21 TDs — with only three interceptions — and has rushed for 598 yards and eight touchdowns.
Butler graduate Ethan Trettel, with 19 catches for 289 yards and two TDs, is one of seven Rock receivers with double-digit receptions this year. Elbow surgery has ended his season and collegiate career, though.
“He’s just an awesome story,” Lutz said. “Ethan is what college football is all about. He walked on here, paid for student loans to stay in school, came back to graduate school after getting his degree. … He used spirit, desire and intensity to overachieve and realize a dream here.”
Center Soren Stoltzfus returns from injury this week, moving Mike Crist back to left guard. Tyree Johnson replaced the injured Jacob Snow at linebacker last week and led The Rock with 10 tackles.
Edinboro is led by quarterback Nico Marchitelli, who has thrown for 1,845 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jeremiah Neeley leads the conference with 46 catches for 752 yards and nine scores.
SRU leads the series between the teams, 62-29-7. The series dates back to 1913.
