KUTZTOWN — The Rock was sunk ... or so it seemed.

With his team already ahead by 14, Kutztown quarterback Collin DiGalbo broke off a 53-yard run to the Slippery Rock 21-yard line late in the third quarter of Saturday's PSAC Football Championship Game at Andre Reed Stadium.

A fourth-down pass to tight end Jack Pilkerton moved the ball to The Rock 5 for a would-be first down — but a holding penalty negated the play and the Golden Bears eventually turned the ball over on downs.

SRU went on to outscore Kutztown 16-0 in the final quarter and came away with a 37-35 championship victory. The triumph completed the first 11-0 regular season in Rock history.

It also landed The Rock the top spot in the Super Region One rankings and a first-round bye in the NCAA Division II playoffs this weekend. The Rock will host the Indiana (Pa.)-Shepherd winner Nov. 30 at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

“I'm amazed by our guys,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “They never flinch. All day, we believed if we could get some stops, we could win the game.”

Kutztown (10-1) scored its touchdowns on five consecutive possessions. Through three quarters, the Golden Bears amassed 429 yards offensively. They managed only 35 in the fourth period — only six while SRU rallied to take the lead.

“Our defense came up big and did the job,” Rock quarterback Roland Rivers III said. “Then we did ours.”

Rivers III was named the game's MVP, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns. He rushed for 53 yards as well.

Midway through the fourth period, a pass interference call in the end zone against Kutztown on fourth down set up Rivers III's 2-yard touchdown toss to DeSean Dinkins.

A stiff breeze was in effect the entire day. The Rock had the wind at its back in the fourth period.

“That was a big factor,” Lutz said. “The wind played a big part in this game.”

Rivers III lost a fumble while trying to scramble for a first down deep in Kutztown territory with 6:27 left. But Wilford Clark tackled DiGalbo for a loss on third down, forcing a punt.

Jermaine Wynn Jr. returned that punt 59 yards, setting up a 31-yard Jake Chapla field goal with 3:58 to play.

“As an offense, we wanted to go for it,” running back Charles Snorweah said of the decision to kick the field goal. “But we have faith in our defense. We knew we'd get the ball back.”

“Our defense was shutting them down at the time,” Lutz said of his field goal decision. “We had time on the clock. I figured we'd get a three-and-out, get good field position to come down and win the game.

“That's exactly what happened.”

A third-down pass to Pilkerton — which would have resulted in a Kutztown first down — was jarred loose on a big hit by SRU corner Eric Glover-Williams. A punt gave The Rock possession at its 35 with 2:06 remaining.

On third-and-10 from the Kutztown 34, Wynn Jr. caught a 17-yard pass. Qaadir Dixon pulled in a 9-yard toss and Snorweah scored on an 8-yard run with 25 seconds left.

“I was so excited when they called a running play there with so little time left,” Snorweah said. “That shows the confidence the coaching stafdf has in us.”

Chapla missed the PAT and Kutztown had one more shot. But a 51-yard field goal attempt against the wind by Dean Krcic skittered harmlessly along the turf and the comeback win was in the books.

Henry Litwin caught two touchdown passes, giving him 16 for the year and breaking SRU's single-season record of 15 set by John Schademan in 2013.

“That hasn't sunk in yet,” Litwin said of the record. “This victory has. Offense, defense, special teams, we all contributed. That's what it takes to win a game like this.”

Rivers III called it “a great team win.

“A win like this can't happen if everybody on the team doesn't believe in each other,” he added.

Lutz agreed.

“I'm at a loss for words right now,” the coach said.

Notes: SRU won its 12th PSAC football title and third in the past six years. ... SRU dropped a 21-14 decision to Kutztown in the 2011 PSAC title game. That is the Golden Bears' only conference football championship season. ... The Rock trailed at halftime (28-21) for the first time all season. ... Litwin and Wynn Jr. both went over 1,000 receiving yards for the year. ... The Rock defense had no quarterback sacks or takeaways Saturday. ... Rivers III needs 199 yards to break SRU's single-season total offense record of 4,199, set by Nigel Barksdale in 2013. ... Chapla now has 222 PATs, 49 field goals and 369 career points, all Rock records.

Slippery Rock 7 14 0 16 — 37

Kutztown 7 21 7 0 — 35

First Quarter

K — Jack Pilkerton 8 pass from Collin DiGalbo (Dean Krcic kick), 3:13

SRU — Henry Litwin 22 pass from Roland Rivers III (Jake Chapla kick), :57

Second Quarter

K — Abdul-Hassan Neblett 2 run (Krcic kick), 13:39

SRU — Litwin 14 pass from Rivers III (Chapla kick), 9:02

K — Neblett 12 run (Krcic kick), 6:30

SRU — Jermaine Wynn Jr. 7 pass from Rivers III (Chapla kick), 1:30

K — Pilkerton 13 pass from DiGalbo (Krcic kick), :27

Third Quarter

K — DiGalbo 3 run (Krcic kick), 8:20

Fourth Quarter

SRU — DeSean Dinkins 2 pass from Rivers III (Chapla kick), 11:52

SRU — Chapla 31 field goal, 3:58

SRU — Charles Snorweah 8 run (kick failed), :25

Individual Statistics

Rushing: SRU, DSean Dinkins 11-76, Charles Snorweah 13-62, Roland Rivers 15-53, Seth Williams 1-(-2), TEAM 1-(-5). Kutztown, Abdul-Hassan Neblet 15-141, Collin DiGalbo 9-92, Keagan Harvin 1-4..

Passing: SRU, Roland Rivers III 28-41-302-1. Kutztown, Collin DiGalbo 21-32-227-0.

Receiving: SRU, Henry Litwin 8-105, Jermaine Wynn Jr. 9-85, Cinque Sweeting 5-39, Qaadir Dixon 3-36, Max Maciejewski 1-30, DeSean Dinkins 2-7. Kutztown, Jack Pilkerton 10-129, Abdul-Hassan Neblett 7-49, Jake Novak 2-31, Brandon Smith 1-15, Mason McElroy 1-3.