Complete Game Notes (28-page PDF)

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University football team will travel to 14th ranked Indiana University (Pa.) Saturday for a 2 p.m. kickoff in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division action as part of Homecoming weekend in Indiana.
 
Below you will find all pertinent information regarding tickets, parking, tailgating and live coverage, along with complete game notes.
 
LIVE INTERNET COVERAGE
• Live Stats  |  Provided by IUP sports information.
• Live Streaming Video (FREE)  |  Produced by IUP TV.
• Live Audio (Online and Radio)  |  Provided by The Rock Station 97.7 FM (Butler).
• Twitter  |  All scoring information and in-game updates.
 
WATCH ON YOUR TV - "PSAC NETWORK" APPS
• Fans can watch the game live and on-demand for free on the PSAC Network.
• Search for "PSAC Network" in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple RV, Roku and Android TV devices.
• This game will be produced by IUP.
 
LOCATION
• George P. Miller Stadium  |  Facility Website
• GPS Address: 694 South 11th Street, Indiana, PA
 
TICKETS
• Tickets can be purchased on game day.
• General Admission Tickets - $11 (includes adults, children and students)
• Online tickets are available, but IUP charges surcharge fees of more than $5 per ticket for online purchases.
 
PARKING
• Parking is available in the lots surrounding the stadium
• Parking spaces are $5 per space in all lots.
• Parking Info
 
TAILGATING
• Tailgating is allowed in paid lots four hours before kickoff.
• No alcoholic beverages are permitted.
• Tailgaters must vacate the lots two hours after the game ends.
• Adhere to Indiana campus tailgating rules found HERE.
 

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THE GAME
Slippery Rock (4-1, 2-0 PSAC) enters the game in a three-way tie with California (Pa.) and Clarion for first place in the PSAC West, one-game ahead of No. 14 Indiana (4-1, 1-1 PSAC) after the Crimson Hawks suffered their first regular season loss in more than a year last week at California. Adding to the fanfare surrounding the game is that this weekend is the annual Homecoming weekend in Indiana.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Indiana owns a 51-39-2 edge in the all-time series dating back to 1907 and enters this week having won each of the last two meetings. The Rock won three straight games from 2013-15 and won four of the five meetings from 2011-15. This year's meeting will mark the first time in the last four years that SRU is unranked at the time of the meeting. This game marks the 32nd meeting in the series that at least one of the two teams is ranked nationally dating back to 1962.
 
• First Meeting: 1907 (SRU won 44-0)
• Last Meeting: 2017 (IUP won 34-17)
• Current Streak: Indiana +2
• at Indiana (since '59): IUP leads 16-12
• at SRU (since '59): IUP leads 18-14-1
• Most Points Scored (IUP): 62 ('90, '94)
• Biggest Win Margin (IUP): 54-0 (1912)
• Most Points Scored (SRU): 52 (1999)
• Biggest Win Margin (SRU): 44-0 (1907)
• Last SRU Win: 2015 at SRU (40-39)
 
COACHING MATCHUP
Slippery Rock head coach Shawn Lutz is in his 23rd overall season at The Rock and his third as head coach, where he owns a 19-8 record after posting 7-4 and 8-3 records the last two years. Prior to that, he served four years as the associate head coach and eight as the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. Lutz has been a member of the coaching staff for eight of SRU's PSAC West titles. He played tight end at West Virginia University, graduating in 1996, and earned a master's degree in sport management from SRU in 2003.
 
Paul Tortorella got his education from his employer's bitter rival, graduating with a physical education degree from Slippery Rock in 1985. He never played at The Rock. Tortorella, like Lutz, was a longtime assistant coach before recently taking over the reigns of the program. He spent 22 years as an assistant before taking over last year and leading the team to a 13-1 record and a trip to the NCAA semifinals. Tortorella has lost just two games since taking over the program.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Indiana enters the game ranked 14th in the latest official NCAA Division II national poll, slipping 12 spots after being ranked second last week. The Crimson Hawks were ranked in the top five in every poll of the season before this week. SRU opened the year receiving votes in the national poll, but slipped from the poll after a week two loss at Shippensburg. This game marks the 32nd in the series that at least one of the teams is ranked.
 
LAST MEETING  |  Box Score
No. 9 Slippery Rock jumped out of the gates with two long sustained drives and led 10-0 after the first quarter before an experienced third ranked Indiana team got rolling and went on to post a 34-17 win at SRU last fall. The Rock's defense, with 10 first-year starters, struggled to slow the running game in what proved to be the biggest factor in the game as Indiana rushed for 384 yards, including an 84-yard rush from out of its own end zone the swung the momentum after SRU led 10-0. Indiana finished with 609 total yards after also throwing for 225 yards. SRU threw for 316 yards and ran for 66 to finish with 382 yards. Tanner Garry threw for 316 yards and one TD to lead the SRU offense, which also got 108 receiving yards and one score from Marcus Johnson. Indiana was paced by Samir Bullock with 168 rushing yards and one TD and Lenny Williams, who threw for 225 yards with three TD.
 
LAST WEEK FOR SLIPPERY ROCK
Slippery Rock put up 324 yards in the first half, jumped out to a 28-0 lead and was never threatened on the way to posting a 41-21 win over Mercyhurst at home last week. The Rock called off the attack early in the second half and finished the night with 436 yards while holding Mercyhurst to 267 yards, including just 67 yards in the second half. Roland Rivers completed 25 passes for 294 yards with three TD and no INT and also rushed for a TD to improve to 3-0 as the starting QB. Wes Hills returned after missing the last three games and averaged 7.7 yards per carry for 69 yards and one TD on just nine touches. 11 different players caught at least one pass for SRU, which got TD grabs from Zach Cirillo, Aramis Alexander and Mike Merhaut.
 
LAST WEEK FOR INDIANA
No.2 Indiana trailed 30-24 in the fourth quarter last week on the road at California and was driving for the potential go-ahead score, but was picked off in the end zone with five minutes left to play. Cal U returned that INT 100 yards to put the game away with a 36-24 win. The loss snapped IUP's streak of regular season and conference wins that lasted more than a full year. Cal put up 435 yards of total offense with 256 passing yards and 179 rushing yards. IUP ran for 236 yards and threw for 169 yards, but turned the ball over three times with two INT and one lost fumble. Lenny Williams was 11-of-23 for 169 yards with two INT and added 76 rushing yards and one TD. Samir Bullock rushed for 90 yards and one score. Qashah Carter had a 95-yard kickoff return TD as well.
 
INJURY CONCERNS
Slippery Rock has played without as many as seven starters and without at least four regular starters in every game since week two of the season and will continue to be without key players this week. The Rock are not expected to have captains Andrew Koester (QB) or Tavarus Sample (DB) available this week. SRU is also not expecting to have CB Khadir Roberts, DT Wilford Clark and OL Chris Larsen, making at least five starters unavailable. The Rock did welcome back two starters last week in RB Wes Hills and OL Colten Raabe, who are both expected to start. Indiana is also dealing with at least one major injury and has removed starting RB Samir Bullock from the two-deep this week after he suffered an injury last week.
 
RIVERS EARNS STARTING JOB
After SRU's top two quarterbacks were both injured in week two, Roland Rivers made his first start in week three. Since then, he has lit up opponents and posted a 3-0 record as a starter, vaulting him to the top of the depth chart. Rivers, who transferred in from Valdosta State this summer, has accounted for 14 touchdowns and just one turnover in three outings. He has thrown for 747 yards with 10 TD and one INT and has rushed for 98 yards and four TD. He has yet to play a full game, sitting by the early stages in the fourth quarter in each of his three outings. Despite playing just three games, Rivers ranks 17th in the nation in points responsible for (84).
 
KING SET TO MAKE RETURN
Roland Rivers will likely be backed up this week by Taylor King, who was the original No. 2 on the depth chart but has missed each of the last three games with an injury. King entered the week two game at Shippensburg at halftime after Andrew Koester was hurt. He threw for 335 yards and one TD in the only half he played so far this year.
 
WELCOME BACK WES
Preseason All-American RB Wes Hills ran for 164 yards in the season opener but was injured on just the third play of the game at Shippensburg in week two. He missed the rest of that game and both of the next two games before returning to the lineup last week. In limited touches, Hills showed little rust. He ran for 69 yards and one TD on just nine carries. Barring any setbacks in practice, Hills is poised to move back into the feature back role this week.
 
FOCHTMAN SET TO BE CHANGE OF PACE BACK
With Hills returning to the lineup, Braden Fochtman will slide back into the No. 2 spot on the depth chart at running back. Fochtman was strong in his three starts in Hills' absence, averaging more than 6.0 yards per carry in each game. He enters week six of the season averaging 6.9 yards per carry.
 
TIGHT ENDS GET ROLLING
SRU tight ends Zach Cirillo and Aramis Alexander both caught one TD pass each last week in the win over Mercyhurst. Alexander also caught a TD pass the week before in the win over Seton Hill and has back-to-back games with TD grabs as the two tight ends have become bigger pieces of the offense over the last two weeks.
 
RECEIVER BY COMMITTEE
Slippery Rock had 11 different players catch at least one pass last week and enters the sixth week of the season with 13 total players with at least two catches on the year. It's a stark difference from last season, when Marcus Johnson and Milly Raye formed one of the best 1-2 receiver combos in the nation and gobbled up the majority of the catches. Henry Litwin saw his TD streak come to an end last week, but enters this week with a team-high five TD catches. Mike Merhaut has TD catches in each of the last two games and is averaging 22.4 yards per catch. Carnel Harley ranks 10th in the nation in average yards per catch at 23.2, while Austin Scott has two TD grabs and Jermaine Wynn Jr. is coming off a seven-catch, 70-yard effort last week.
 
CHAPLA SHOWS OFF BIG LEG
Jake Chapla matched his career-long field goal with a 51-yarder last week that would have been good from at least 55. He capped the day with a 20-yard chip shot and has now made five field goals on the year. Chapla now has two kicks of at least 50 yards this year and is the only kicker in the PSAC with a field goal longer than 44 yards.
 
CHAPLA STREAKING
Jake Chapla is 27-for-27 in point after tries this season and has now made 58 straight PAT kicks dating back to the midway point of last season. That streak ranks him first among all players in Super Region One and fourth among all active kickers in Division II.
 
Made PAT Streaks - Active NCAA Division II Players
1. 98 - Julio De la Garza (Texas A&M Kingsville - Senior)
2. 76 - Kristov Martinez (Texas A&M Commerce - Senior)
3. 69 - Perry Schmiedeler (Washburn - Senior)
4. 58 - Jake Chapla (Slippery Rock - Junior)
5. 56 - Casey Bednarski (Minnesota State - Senior)
 
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE ABOUT TO CHANGE DRASTICALLY
SRU's first five opponents this season have a combined 4-21 overall record through five weeks for a dismal .160 winning percentage. The Rock's next three opponents are all 4-1 through five weeks the next four opponents on the schedule are a combined 15-5 through five weeks, for a drastically better .750 winning percentage. This stretch of four games, which includes three on the road (at Indiana, home vs. Edinboro, at Clarion, at California), will decide the fate of The Rock's season.
 
DOMINATING THE THIRD QUARTER
Slippery Rock has come out of halftime with a purpose in each of the first five weeks of the season. The Rock are outscoring opponents 57-9 in the third quarter through five games and have allowed just one touchdown in the third quarter. Opponents are converting just 21.1 percent of their third down attempts in the third quarter. SRU held Mercyhurst to just 16 total yards in the third quarter last week.
 
RUN DEFENSE DOMINANT IN SECOND HALF OF GAMES
The Slippery Rock defense has been dominant against the run in the second half of games so far this year with opponents putting up a total of 60 combined rushing yards through five games for an average of just 12.0 rushing yards over the third and fourth quarters. That trend continued last week with Mercyhurst rushing for just two yards in the second half. No team has rushed for more than 31 yards (Kentucky State) in the second half against SRU this season.
 
ROCK AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
SRU ranks in the top 15 nationally in a number of categories, including ranking 10th in sacks per game (3.6), tackles for loss per game (9.6) and defensive TDs (2). SRU ranks 13th in scoring offense (41.2 points per game), 14th in kickoff return average (25.8 yards per return) and 15th in passing offense (302.0 yards per game). Individually, Chad Kuhn ranks 13th in the nation in sacks per game (1.1), while Trey Blandford ranks 18th in sacks per game (1.0) and 19th in TFL per game (1.8). Trysten McDonald leads all players in the nation in fumble recoveries (3).
 
STARTERS NOTES
Only eight total players on the SRU roster entered the year with at least 10 career starts under their belts. RT Steve Gaviglia is the most experienced player with 26 career starts, including 16 straight. LT Chris Larsen has started 21 games and receivers Mike Merhaut and Carnel Harley have started 12 and 11 as the most experienced offensive players. Defensively, Trysten McDonald has started 16 straight games and Kyle Hall has also started 16 games. Last week, DB Mark Carter, DB De'Vijan Franklin and DB Eric Glover-Williams all made their first career starts at SRU, bringing the season total of players that have made their first start to 17 through five weeks. That total could grow again this week if Larsen missed the game with an injury.
 
INDIANA QUICK HITS
• Indiana entered the year as the prohibitive favorite to run away with a second straight PSAC title. The Crimson Hawks' loss last week at Cal snapped a streak of 20 consecutive regular season wins and 12 straight PSAC Western Division wins that dated back to a week five loss at Cal U in 2016. 
 
• Indiana is scoring 35.8 points per game and holding opponents to 16.8 points per game. The Crimson Hawks average 200.2 passing yards and 192.0 rushing yards per game, while opponents average 222.6 passing yards and 140.8 rushing yards per game. 
 
• QB Lenny Williams entered the year as one of the favorites for the Harlon Hill Trophy as the top player in Division II. He enters the game completing 62.7 percent of his passes for 900 yards with 10 TD and three INT. Williams is dynamic when get gets out of the pocket and is the second leading rusher on the team with 44 carries for 289 yards and three scores.

• RB Samir Bullock is not listed on the two-deep this week, but leads the team in rushing with 308 yards and two TD. If he can't go, Justice Evans and Chris Temple will likely get the majority of the carries. Evans has 232 yards and two TD, while Temple has 61 yards and three TD in limited work.
 
• West Virginia transfer WR Ricky Rogers got off to a fast start this season and is a formidable threat in the receiving game. He has 13 grabs for 171 yards and four TD. Dom McNeil leads the team with 19 catches for 422 yards and three TD. A total of 10 players have caught at least two passes this year.
 
• IUP enters the game ranked second in the nation in kickoff return average at 32.0 yards per return. Qashah Carter took one 95 yards to the house last week and is averaging 35.1 yards per return.
 
• IUP has 18 sacks on the year, tied for 10th in the national rankings. Deandre Easterling and Dondrea Tillman each have 4.5 sacks to lead the way. Easterling has 6.5 TFL, while Tillman has 5.5. JR Stevens has two INT and Damon Lloyd leads the team with 34 total tackles.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock returns home next Saturday, Oct. 13, to host Edinboro in its annual Homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.


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