Complete Game Notes (28-page PDF)
 
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Eighth-ranked Slippery Rock University football team will travel to rival Indiana University (Pa.) Saturday for a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division game at George P. Miller Stadium.
 
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 Athletic Communications.
• Live Streaming Video  |  Provided by IUP Student TV.
• Live Audio (Online and Radio)  |  Provided by The Rock Station 97.7 FM (Butler County).
• Twitter  |  All scoring information and in-game updates.
 
WATCH ON YOUR TV
• Fans can watch the game live and on-demand for free on the Rock Athletics Digital Network.
 • Search for "Rock Athletics Digital Network" in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku and Android TV devices to download the app. All 11 regular season SRU football games will be available on the app.
* This game will be produced by IUP's student TV station.
 
MOBILE APP
• Fans can also watch all PSAC football games on the PSAC Sports Digital Network mobile app that is available for free in the app stores on Apple and Android devices.
• The Live Streaming Video link above will also work on all mobile devices.
 
TICKETS
• Online tickets available HERE (choose GA under section drop down).
• Online tickets are $15.31 total ($9 plus $6.31 in fees).
• Tickets will also be available at the gates.
• Gates open at 12:30 p.m.
 
PARKING AND TAILGATING
• This is IUP's Homecoming, so expect potential traffic in and around town.
• Parking spaces are $10 – CASH ONLY.
• Campus Map
• IUP Tailgating Policy
 

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GAME PROGRAM INFO
Access all the traditional information found in printed game programs via the links in the table below, including game notes (If available), depth charts, rosters, schedules and stats for both teams, as well as PSAC standings, stat leaders and more.
 

Week 5: Slippery Rock at Indiana (Pa.)
The Rock (4-0, 1-0 PSAC)	Indiana Crimson Hawks (3-0, 1-0 PSAC)
Game Notes	Game Notes
Depth Chart	Depth Chart
Roster	Roster
Schedule	Schedule
Statistics	Statistics
Coach: Shawn Lutz	Coach: Paul Tortorella
Program Records	Program Records
PSAC Standings
PSAC Stats Leaders
PSAC Composite Schedule

THE GAME
Two of the 25 remaining undefeated teams in Division II and two bitter rivals will meet for a crucial early season PSAC West showdown when No. 8 Slippery Rock travels to Indiana (Pa.) Saturday to face the Crimson Hawks in their Homecoming Game.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES  |  Year-by-Year Scores
Indiana owns a 52-41-2 advantage in the all-time series that dates all the way back to 1907. The Rock are 6-4 in the last 10 meetings and 2-1 in the last three meetings between the teams. This marks the sixth straight season the teams are meeting on one of their respective Homecoming dates and marks the first time the teams will play at IUP since 2018 when SRU posted a 30-27 win on IUP's Homecoming. The last IUP home win over SRU came in 2016.
 
• First Meeting: 1907 (SRU won 44-0)
• Last Meeting: 2021 (IUP won 48-21)
• Current Streak: Indiana +1
• at IUP: IUP leads 26-21-1
• at SRU: IUP leads 26-20-1
• Most Points Scored (IUP): 62 ('90, '94)
• Biggest Win Margin (IUP): 54 (1912)
• Most Points Scored (SRU): 52 (1999)
• Biggest Win Margin (SRU): 44 (1907)
• Last SRU Win: 2019 at SRU (45-42)
 
COACHING MATCHUP
Slippery Rock head coach Shawn Lutz is in his 27th overall year at The Rock and his seventh year (sixth season) as head coach, where he owns a 52-14 record with three PSAC West titles and three trips to the NCAA playoffs. Lutz was the PSAC West Coach of the Year in both 2018 and 2019 and was the Don Hansen Football Gazette Division II National Coach of the Year in 2019. The 52 wins are the most among all PSAC head coaches since the 2016 season. Lutz was an assistant at SRU for 20 years before taking over the program in 2016. He has been a member of the coaching staff for 11 of SRU's PSAC West titles. Lutz 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 taking over the reins of the program in 2017 after 22 seasons as an assistant. Now in his fifth season, Tortorella owns a 41-9 record as head coach for one of the top winning percentages in Division II. He has led IUP to two NCAA postseason appearances and is 2-2 against Slippery Rock as a head coach.
 
LUTZ FASTEST TO 50 WINS IN SRU HISTORY
SRU head coach Shawn Lutz won his 50th career game in week two this fall, becoming the fastest head coach to 50 wins in SRU program history by reaching the milestone in just 64 games. Lutz is already No. 4 on the all-time head coaching wins ledger at SRU.
 
INDIANA (PA) QUICK HITS
• IUP took the opening week of the season off and has played one less game than all the other PSAC teams. The Crimson Hawks are off to a 3-0 start.
• The IUP offense ranks third in DII in total offense at 502.7 yards per game and ranks 15th in scoring at 38.3 points per game. IUP also ranks fourth in DII in passing efficiency thanks to ranking third in completion percent (72.0%). IUP owns the 11th best rushing offense at 240.3 yards per game.
• The only offensive number for IUP that doesn't rank among the best in the region is the turnover number, where the Crimson Hawks have six turnovers in three games, including five interceptions, to rank 133rd nationally in turnover margin at -1.0 per game.
• The IUP defense gives up just 291.3 yards per game, including only 81.3 rushing yards per game and 210.0 passing yards per game.
• QB Mak Sexton, a transfer from Pittsburg State, ranks third in DII in yards per pass attempt at 10.64. He also ranks fifth in DII in passing efficiency (184.5) and second in completion percentage (73.0).
• WR Duane Brown is the best receiver SRU will face in the regular season. Brown caught three TD passes last week and ranks sixth in DII averaging 138.0 receiving yards per game. He also returns punts for IUP and ranks eighth in DII in all-purpose yards at 175.3 per game.
• RB Dayjure Stewart had a breakout game last week against Mercyhurst with 256 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries, averaging 8.0 yards per carry. Backup Adam Houser has been out with an injury, but if he returns this week, will give IUP likely the best 1-2 combo at running back that SRU will see in the regular season.
• LB Drew DiNunzio-Biss leads the team with 25 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. DE Tyrone Fowler Jr. is among the better DE in the region and has 4.0 TFL and 2.5 sacks in three games.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Slippery Rock opened the year at No. 23 in the AFCA Division II poll and has climbed all the way to No. 8 after four weeks. The Rock were No. 24 in the D2football.com poll to open the year and are up to No. 12 in that poll. Both polls are available on page 9 of the PDF notes linked above.

UNBEATEN TEAMS
Slippery Rock and Indiana are two of the 25 remaining undefeated teams in Division II entering this weekend. The Rock are one of 19 teams with 4-0 records, while the Crimson Hawks are one of six 3-0 teams that had at least one idle week so far this fall.
 
LAST MEETING – OCT. 16, 2021  |  Box Score
Indiana jumped out to a 10-0 lead and never trailed on the way to a convincing 48-21 win on the road at No. 6 Slippery Rock last October. That loss marked the first of the year for SRU, which entered the game 6-0. It also put IUP in the driver's seat to win the PSAC West before the Crimson Hawks dropped two late season games to hand a third straight division title back to The Rock. IUP controlled the game with a 37:13 to 22:47 advantage in time of possession and SRU had no answer for Penn State transfer receiver Irvin Charles in the red zone with Charles grabbing three TDs. Duane Brown caught six passes for 136 yards with one score and Harry Woodberry threw for 312 yards with five TD and one INT. The SRU offense turned the ball over three times with interceptions and only scored on 3-of-7 red zone trips. Tim Smith ran for 40 yards and one TD and Cinque Sweeting and Henry Litwin each caught TD passes.
 
LAST WEEK FOR SLIPPERY ROCK
Slippery Rock's defense put up a dominant performance in shutting out the Seton Hill offense on the way to a 30-2 win at home last weekend. The Griffins lone points came off a safety with a sack in the end zone. The Rock limited SHU to just 106 total yards and an average of 1.9 yards per play on 57 offensive snaps. SRU recorded 14 tackles for loss and six sacks, led by Jeff Marx with 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks and Brandon Tuck-Hayden with 10 tackles and 3.0 TFL. The offense put up 449 total yards, but turned the ball over a season-high four times, including three straight possessions in the third quarter. Noah Grover threw for 294 yards with one TD and ran for a TD. Cohen Russell went for 100 total yards with 45 rushing and 55 receiving. Grover was sacked four times after being sacked just once in the first three weeks.
 
 

LAST WEEK FOR INDIANA
Indiana scored 20 unanswered points midway through the second half to break open a close game and pull away for a 33-16 home win over Mercyhurst. The Lakers trailed 13-7 at halftime and cut it to 13-10 early in the third before IUP slammed the door. The Hawks ran for a season-high 383 yards on 51 attempts for an average of 7.5 yards per carry while holding the ball for nearly 36 minutes. Dayjure Stewart ran for 256 yards and one TD on 32 carries to lead the offense. JD Younger added 91 yards on 12 touches. Mak Sexton completed 11-of-15 passes for 88 yards with three TD and two INT. All three TD tosses went to Duane Brown, who had 47 yards and three scores.
 
KINGS OF THE WEST
Slippery Rock has lost just one PSAC Western Division game since Oct. 21, 2017 and is 23-1 against the Division in its last 24 PSAC West games. The Rock have lost only one PSAC West game in the last three full seasons, winning three straight Division titles during that stretch, and are 21-1 against the division since the start of the 2018 season. That lone loss was at home to IUP last fall. The Rock have won seven of the 10 PSAC West titles dating back to 2011, easily leading all programs in the Division. SRU head coach Shawn Lutz is 26-3 against the PSAC West since 2017.
 
13 STRAIGHT PSAC WEST ROAD WINS
Slippery Rock has won 13 consecutive PSAC West road games and has not been beaten in a PSAC West game on the road since Oct. 21, 2017 at Edinboro. The Rock are 15-1 in PSAC West road games since the start of the 2017 season.
 
REGULAR SEASON ROAD WARRIORS
Slippery Rock has won its last 16 straight regular season road games and has not lost a regular season road game since Sept. 8, 2018 at Shippensburg. The only other road losses for SRU since then have either been on the road in the PSAC title game or in the NCAA playoffs.
 
4-0 FOR THIRD STRAIGHT SEASON
Slippery Rock is off to a 4-0 start for the third straight season and is looking to reach 5-0 for the third straight year. The Rock won their first 13 games in 2019 and their first six games in 2021.
 
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE AGAINST SHU
Slippery Rock is coming off one of its most dominant defensive efforts in the last decade, holding Seton Hill to just 106 total yards of offense and not allowing any offensive points in a 30-2 win. The Rock defense limited Seton Hill to just 1-of-15 on third down, recorded a tackle for loss on 25 percent of the Griffins' offensive snaps and had a season-high six sacks.
 
DEFENSIVE RANKINGS NATIONALLY
Slippery Rock enters this week ranked fourth in Division II in total defense, allowing just 200.5 total yards per game. The Rock rank seventh in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 10.0 points per game, and also rank seventh in tackles for loss at 9.8 per game. SRU also ranks eighth in the nation on third down, limiting opponents to just 24.1 percent success on third down conversions. Slippery Rock owns the No. 9 passing defense in the country at 122.0 yards per game, ranks 13th in sacks at 3.5 per game and ranks 18th against the run at 78.5 yards per game.
 
PASSING DEFENSE AMONG BEST IN NATION
The Rock defense ranked first in the PSAC and sixth in Division II against the pass in 2021 and has picked up right where it left off. Through four weeks, SRU has limited opponents to just 47-of-106 passing (44.3%) for 488 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions. Opponents are averaging only 4.6 yards per pass attempt and 122.0 passing yards per game. The Rock rank first in the PSAC in passing yards allowed and pass efficiency defense while ranking sixth in Division II in pass efficiency defense entering week five. The secondary has combined for 18 passes defended with Jacob Williams and Jalen Dangerfield leading the way with three passes defended and one interception each.
 
HYDE MAKING A MARK
One player that hasn't shown up much in the box score but has made a big impact is defensive back Kevin Hyde. The Tiffin transfer and two-time All-GMAC performer has proven tough to throw against. Hyde also has 3.0 tackles for loss and two pass breakups to go along with 10 total tackles.
 
DEFENSIVE LINE CAUSING PROBLEMS
The Rock's defensive line has caused problems for opposing offenses in all four games. The four starters have combined for 17.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks and have helped the defense overall to post 39 tackles for loss and 14 sacks in four games. D.J. Adediwura and Munchie Johnson both have 5.0 TFL, Jeff Marx has 4.5 TFL and Cottrell Hatchett has 3.5 TFL. Adediwura has a team-high 4.0 sacks and six additional QB hurries, while Marx has 3.0 sacks, Hatchett has 2.0 sacks and Johnson has 0.5 sacks.
 
TUCK-HAYDEN MAKING A MARK
Wayne State transfer linebacker Brandon Tuck-Hayden has led SRU in tackles in each of the first four weeks and has 33 total stops, a team-high 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and one interception through his first four games at The Rock, which included a win over his former teammates.
 
SIX PICKS IN FOUR GAMES
Rock safety Eddie Faulkner IV made a diving interception last week for his first career interception after he had a pick-six called back by a penalty the week before. That was the sixth INT by a different member of the SRU defense in the first four weeks. Brandon Tuck-Hayden, Jalen Dangerfield, Jeff Marx, Jacob Williams and Ali Abdul-Hakim all have one pick.  
 
GROVER IMPROVES TO 6-2 AS STARTER
In eight games as the starting QB at SRU, Noah Grover has thrown for 2,648 yards and 24 touchdowns while leading SRU to a 6-2 record. He is averaging 331 passing yards per game and 3.0 passing touchdowns per game in those eight starts, three of which came against teams ranked in the top 16 nationally. Both of his losses came in postseason games on the road at nationally ranked teams by one-possession scores.
 
GROVER AGAINST UNRANKED TEAMS
SRU QB Noah Grover has started eight total games at SRU after taking over as the starter for the final four games of the 2021 season, but only five of those eight games were against unranked teams as he faced No. 3 Cal U, No. 16 Kutztown and No. 6 Notre Dame (Ohio) in his second, third and fourth career starts in 2021. In the five games against unranked teams, Grover is 5-0 and has completed 108-of-161 passes (67.1%) for 1,548 yards with 17 passing touchdowns and three rushing scores. He also didn't play the fourth quarter of three of those five games.
 
GROVER RANKS HIGH NATIONALLY
Noah Grover enters week five ranked 11th in Division II in points responsible for with 72. Grover is also ranked 12th nationally in passing yards (1,109), yards per attempt (9.2) and passing efficiency (161.0) while ranking 17th in total offense (284.0 yards per game) and 20th in passing touchdowns (9).
 
D'OR LEADING GROUND GAME
Sophomore RB Chris D'Or rushed for 70 yards on just nine carries last week after posting back-to-back 100-yard games the previous two weeks at West Chester and Millersville. D'Or is the first man up in a deep running back stable and is averaging 6.5 yards per carry and 86.5 yards per game on the ground. He also has seven catches for 59 yards to go along with his 346 rushing yards. D'Or has been tackled behind the line of scrimmage just twice on 53 attempts.  
 
EDWARDS GETS MORE TOUCHES
SRU counters the explosive and speedy D'Or with the bruising Isaiah Edwards, who comes in at six-feet tall and 230 pounds. Edwards ran for 50 yards with one TD last week and now has three TD on the year to go along with 4.5 yards per carry and 35.8 yards per game on the ground.
 
WELLS GETTING MORE ACTION
St. Francis (Pa.) transfer running back Chris Wells missed much of preseason camp while rehabbing an injury. Now healthy, Wells has slowly been getting more involved in the offense. He scored a short rushing TD last week for his third touchdown in just 20 total carries.
 
SHEETS STEPPING UP
Receiver Kyle Sheets has stepped up early this season to help answer the question of who would replace Henry Litwin, Jermaine Wynn Jr. and Cinque Sweeting, who combined for more than 7,000 receiving yards and nearly 100 touchdowns in their careers. Sheets has one game over 100 yards already and leads SRU with 291 yards and two touchdowns on 18 catches.
 
ODOM AND GROVER CHEMISTRY
Jacob Odom has easy-to-see chemistry with his roommate and longtime friend Noah Grover. The duo played together at the University of North Dakota before Grover transferred to SRU before the 2021 season. Odom followed Grover one year later and already has 19 catches for 270 yards with three TD in four games. Odom and Sheets combined are averaging 140.25 receiving yards and 1.25 touchdowns per game. 
 
MAX FINDS THE END ZONE AGAIN
Rock TE Max Maciejewski has caught one TD pass in each of the last two weeks and is emerging as a mismatch problem in the slot. Maciejewski has 10 catches for 124 yards with two touchdowns in four games this fall.  
 
HALL GETTING MORE REPS TOO
WR Jawon Hall is also making a case for more reps and is up to seven catches for 149 yards, averaging a team-best 21.3 yards per grab.
 
RUSSELL DOES IT ALL
Slot receiver Cohen Russell leads SRU in all-purpose yardage, averaging 108.8 yards per game. Russell has caught passes, run the ball and returned both kickoffs and punts so far this season. Last week, he ran for 45 yards on two carries and had 55 receiving yards. Russell ranks 11th nationally in punt returns, averaging 13.0 yards per return, and has a season-long kickoff return of 58 yards.
 
LONG DRIVES
Slippery Rock has had little problem moving the ball this year, no matter where the drive starts. The Rock have scored touchdowns on a 99-yard drive and a 97-yard drive and have scored touchdowns on eight drives that went 74 yards or longer already this season. SRU has also been able to use the clock on its scoring drives and has eight scoring drives that took at least four minutes off the clock, including two touchdown drives over seven minutes and a season-long TD drive of 9:17.
 
SPLASH PLAYS
Slippery Rock had at least one touchdown play of 50 yards or longer in each of the first three weeks before that streak was halted last week. The Rock have connected on TD passes of 56, 69 and 74 yards this season. Despite not scoring a long TD last week, SRU still had five plays from scrimmage that went at least 24 yards against Seton Hill.
 
PAT STREAK
Rock placekicker DJ Opsatnik is a perfect 20-for-20 on PAT kicks to open the year and has now made 43 consecutive PAT kicks over the last 10 games dating back to a blocked kick Oct. 9, 2021. He has now made 72 total PAT kicks since the start of last year, moving up to No. 10 on the all-time career ledger at SRU.
 
FUMBLES / TURNOVERS AN ISSUE
Slippery Rock was sloppy on the offensive side of the ball last week, turning it over a season-high four times. The Rock fumbled four times in the game, losing three, and tossed one interception. Through four weeks, SRU has put the ball on the ground eight times and lost six of those fumbles. Combined with two interceptions, The Rock have turned it over eight times in four weeks and have only come up with seven takeaways in that stretch for a -0.25 turnover margin per game.
 
13 PLAYERS HAVE MADE FIRST SRU STARTS
Exactly half of The Rock's 22 starters in week one made their first SRU starts and two more players joined that list in week two to give SRU 13 players that made their first start at SRU in the opening two weeks. That number is a bit misleading though, as most of the new defensive starters are experienced transfers, including former All-Conference selections D.J. Adediwura (DE, Fairmont State), Kevin Hyde (DB, Tiffin), Jacob Williams (DB, Ashland) and Dez Johnson (DE, Clarion), along with linebackers Brandon Bischof (Akron) and Brandon Tuck-Hayden (Wayne State), who both have more than 30 games of collegiate experience. Linebacker Jake Miller (Akron) and DE Cottrell Hatchett (Lackawanna) also have previous experience. Other first-time SRU starters include WR transfer Jacob Odom (North Dakota) and SRU returners Chris D'Or (RB), Sawyer Morgan (C), Kenyon Johnson (WR) and Ali Abdul-Hakim (CB).
 
WINNING SEASONS STREAK
Slippery Rock has put together a winning record in each of the last 12 seasons, which ranks ninth among all Division II programs for the longest active winning seasons streak in the country. The only other program in the PSAC with more consecutive winning seasons currently is California (Pa.), which has strung together 17 winning seasons entering 2022.
 
SIX CAPTAINS FOR 2022
Slippery Rock has six captains for the 2022 season: QB Noah Grover, OL Colton Rossi, DE D.J. Adediwura, DB Selvin Haynes, DB Kevin Hyde and DT Jeff Marx.
 
HEAVY ON THE TRANSFER PORTAL
SRU looks vastly different in 2022 than it did in 2021 with the departure of a highly decorated senior class. To fill most of those voids, Slippery Rock went heavy on the transfer portal and added 20 transfer students, many of which have slid immediately into starting roles. In total, Slippery Rock has 31 players on the roster that also played at another college.
 
FEATURED EVENTS ON THE SCHEDULE
Slippery Rock will host four more home games during the regular season in 2022 and all of those dates will feature special events or be part of larger campus and community events. The Oct. 8 game against Mercyhurst will be the annual Hall of Fame game, where The Rock's Hall of Fame Class of 2022 will be introduced. The Oct. 15 game against Gannon will be the annual Homecoming game. The Nov. 5 game against Edinboro will be the annual Salute to Military and First Responders game and the Nov. 12 game against Kutztown will be the annual Senior Day game and could also be the PSAC Championship game if SRU wins the PSAC West.
 
HILLS NAMED PLAYER OF THE GAME
Former Slippery Rock running back and single-season rushing record holder Wes Hills was named the Hamilton Tiger-Cats player of the game last week after making his second career start in the Canadian Football League. Hills scored his first CFL touchdown and averaged better than six yards per carry against Montreal.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock returns home for back-to-back PSAC West games against Erie schools. The Rock will host Mercyhurst Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. in the annual Hall of Fame Game and will then welcome Gannon Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. for the annual Homecoming Game.
 
 

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