Complete Game Notes (PDF)
 
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The 12th-ranked Slippery Rock University football team will host rival Indiana University (Pa.) Saturday at 6 p.m. at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in the annual Salute to Military and First Responders game.
 
Below you will find all pertinent information regarding tickets, parking, tailgating, live coverage and television carriage, along with complete game notes.
 

Week 5: Slippery Rock vs. Indiana (Pa.)
The Rock (4-0, 1-0)	Indiana Crimson Hawks (3-1, 1-0)
Complete Game Notes (PDF)	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 Schedule
Mihalik-Thompson Stadium  |  SRU Campus Map  |  Football Parking Map

 
SALUTE TO MILITARY AND FIRST RESPONDERS
• All veterans and active-duty military members and current and former first responders will be admitted FREE with proper ID or uniform/badge/etc. All individuals that meet that criteria should enter the game at the Student Gate (Gate 3) near the main entrance to the stadium.
• A Stryker military vehicle, operated by the PA National Guard, will be parked just outside the stadium gates and can be toured pregame.
• SRU community members, first responders and members of the SRU ROTC program will display a massive American flag on the field during the National Anthem.
• The SGA Bookstore is selling commemorative t-shirts with a portion of the proceeds supporting local first responders.
 
WKBN-TV BROADCAST
• This game will air live on the following TV channels for viewers in the Youngstown, Ohio market:
           • Over the air at 33.2
           • Over the air at 62.2 (HD)
           • Armstrong Cable Channel 13 and 108
           • Comcast Cable Channel 3
           • Direct TV Channel 15
           • MyYTV – Spectrum Channel 997 or 1008
• The broadcast will also be available on the WKBN app and WKBN website.
• The Slippery Rock Athletic Communication Office will also simulcast the WKBN-TV broadcast on the Rock Athletics Digital Network and PSAC Sports Digital Network.
 
LIVE INTERNET COVERAGE
• Live Stats  |  Provided by SRU Athletic Communication.
• Live Streaming Video  |  Provided by SRU Athletic Communication.
• Live Audio (Online and Radio)  |  Provided by The Rock Station 97.7 FM (Butler County).
• X (formerly Twitter)  |  In-game updates and highlights.
 
NOT IN THE YOUNGSTOWN MARKET?
• Fans can watch the game live and on-demand for free on the Rock Athletics Digital Network, created and operated by the SRU Athletic Communication Office.
• 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.
 
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.
 
TICKETS AND ENTRY
A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the gate this year. All fans are encouraged to help speed up the entry process by purchasing tickets online in advance and using the mobile QR code for entry on game day. Visit the link below to purchase tickets in advance. All bags will be searched at the gate.
 
• Single Game Tickets
• Stadium gates will open at 4:30 p.m.
• Chair-Back Reserved Seat - $15
• Reserved Bench Seat - $15
• Adult General Admission - $10
• Students Ages 6-High School – $5
• Children Ages 6 and Under – FREE
• SRU Students – FREE with valid student ID
• Students from Other Colleges - $5 with valid student ID
 
SRU FAN PARKING
• Pre-sold Reserved Tailgate Parking in Lot A is Only Available Online!
• Reserved Tailgate Lot A Single-Game Parking
• Parking Map (PDF)
• Lots open at 2 p.m.
• General Parking in Lots B, C, G - $10 (CASH ONLY)
• Free Parking Available in other campus lots
• Shuttles will circle the paid parking lots to assist with transportation to the gates
• Campus Map  |  Stadium is #49 on Map
 
IUP FAN PARKING
• Parking Map (PDF)
• Visiting fans can park together and tailgate in Lot E ($10 Cash Only).
• Lot opens at 2 p.m.
• GPS Address: 246 Harmony Road, Slippery Rock, PA
• Visiting fans can enter the game through gate six, located at the field hockey/lacrosse building, which provides direct access to the visiting bleachers.
• Campus Map  |  Visitor parking is above building #50. Entry gate is at building #50.
 
TAILGATING
• Tailgating is allowed in paid lots four hours before kickoff (lots open at 2 p.m.)
• No Tailgating at halftime
• All Tailgaters must enter game at kickoff
• Tailgaters must vacate the lots 90 minutes after the game ends
• No hard liquor or glass bottles
• Adhere to all campus tailgating rules found HERE.
 
STUDENT GATE PROCEDURES
Students should still bring their valid ID to enter the game through the student gate, but will also need to use the CORE application on their cell phones. Login to your CORE account to access the event QR code that will be scanned at the gate. Only CURRENT students will be allowed to enter through the student gate. To speed up entry into the game, students should add the event in advance and be prepared to scan their code at the entry gate.
 

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THE GAME
No. 12 Slippery Rock welcomes rival Indiana (Pa.) for one of the most highly anticipated games on the Division II football calendar each year.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES |  Game-by-Game Scores
Indiana owns a 53-41-2 advantage in the all-time series that dates all the way back to 1907. The two teams are an even 8-8 in the last 16 meetings dating back to 2006 with IUP winning the two most recent games, including a 20-12 victory in Indiana last year. SRU won the two meetings before that. The last team to win three straight in the series was SRU from 2013-15. The last time IUP won three in a row in the series was a seven-game streak that began in 1999 and ended in 2005.
 
• First Meeting: 1907 (SRU won 44-0)
• Last Meeting: 2022 (IUP won 20-12)
• Current Streak: Indiana +2
• at IUP: IUP leads 27-21-1
• 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 28th overall year at The Rock and his eighth year (seventh season) as head coach, where he owns a 62-17 record with four PSAC West titles and four 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 62 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 12 of SRU's 19 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 biggest 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 seventh year (sixth season), Tortorella owns a 51-12 record as head coach and has led IUP to two PSAC West titles and three trips to the NCAA Playoffs.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Slippery Rock stayed at No. 12 in both the AFCA and D2football.com national polls this week. SRU has been ranked in every AFCA poll since the final poll of 2018. IUP is receiving votes in the AFCA poll and No. 18 in the D2football.com poll. Both polls are available on page nine of the PDF notes linked above.
 
LAST MEETING – OCT. 1, 2022  |  Box Score
A pair of costly red zone turnovers proved to be the difference as IUP held off Slippery Rock for a 20-12 win in Indiana last fall in a game that featured heavy wind and driving rain for most of the second half. The Rock wasted two first and goal situations by throwing a pair of interceptions in the end zone, coming away with no points on both trips inside the 10-yard line. IUP played a clean game with no turnovers for the major difference in an otherwise evenly matched game. The teams put up nearly identical numbers with IUP going for 375 total yards with 240 passing yards and 135 rushing yards. SRU put up 366 total yards with 237 passing yards and 129 rushing yards. Chris D'Or ran for 101 yards on just 15 carries for SRU. Jawon Hall caught two TD passes and Kyle Sheets caught five passes for 53 yards. IUP got 92 rushing yards on 30 carries from Dayjure Stewart and Duane Brown grabbed two TD catches. Hilton Ridley added five catches for 52 yards and one score. Both teams have a new QB under center this year.
 
LAST WEEK FOR SRU
Slippery Rock put together a couple long methodical drives and wore down Seton Hill on the way to a 35-14 win that marked the highest offensive output in the PSAC West last week. The Rock had two drives that took at least 8:59 off the clock. SRU finished with 346 yards of offense with 213 passing yards and 133 rushing yards while limiting Seton Hill to 172 total yards on 104 rushing yards and just 68 passing yards. Brayden Long threw for 213 yards with three TDs, one INT and also had a rushing TD. Kyle Sheets caught nine passes for 85 yards and one TD and Cohen Russell caught five passes for 57 yards and one TD. Chris D'Or ran for 93 yards on 13 carries. Max Heckert forced a fumble and pulled down an interception.
 
LAST WEEK FOR IUP
IUP played its first road game after a stretch of seven straight home games dating back to last year and pulled away for a comfortable 30-13 win at Mercyhurst. The Hawks put up 385 yards of total offense with 185 passing yards and 200 rushing yards while holding the ball for 36:18 compared to Mercyhurst's 23:42. The Lakers managed on 11 first downs and 217 yards of total offense with 61 rushing yards and 156 passing yards. Karst Hunter threw for 185 yards with one TD and ran for 80 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries. Dayjure Stewart, who is bouncing back from an injury last year, ran for 61 yards on 19 carries in his biggest workload since the injury. Adam Houser added 36 rushing yards and one score. Hilton Ridley caught five passes for 43 yards and one TD. The IUP defense tallied 10 pass breakups and four sacks in the game.
 
PSAC NO. 1 OFFENSE VS. NO. 1 DEFENSE
Slippery Rock enters the game ranked first in the PSAC in total offense at 426.8 yards per game, while IUP enters the game ranked first in the PSAC in total defense, allowing just 249.0 yards per game.
 
PSAC WEST CO-CHAMPS IN 2022
IUP and SRU shared the 2022 PSAC West title with Gannon after all three teams finished the division with 6-1 records. IUP earned the tiebreaker and represented the West in the PSAC title game.
 
10 OF THE LAST 11 PSAC WEST TITLES
SRU or IUP has won 10 of the last 11 PSAC West titles dating back to 2011. SRU has won eight of those with four outright titles and four co-titles and has represented the PSAC West in the conference championship game seven times since 2011. IUP has claimed three co-titles and one outright division title and has represented the West three times in the state game since 2011. California (once in 2016) is the only other PSAC West team to play in the state game since 2011.
 
PSAC WEST PRESEASON FAVORITES
This game features the two teams picked atop the PSAC West preseason coaches poll with IUP picked to finish first in the division and Slippery Rock picked second. The division's head coaches awarded IUP six first place votes and Slippery Rock two first place votes going into the season.
 
LOOKING FOR 5-0 START
Slippery Rock is looking for a 5-0 start for the third time in the last four seasons. The Rock were 4-0 last year when IUP earned a win in week five, which marked the only loss for SRU in the first 10 games of the 2022 season. The Rock won their first six games in 2021 and their first 13 games in 2019.
 
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
Rock football teams have compiled a 185-69 (.728) record the last 48+ seasons in games played at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium (formerly known as N. Kerr Thompson Stadium). The Rock own an 85-24 (.780) home record since artificial turf was installed in the summer of 2003 and are 81-18 (.818) in home games since 2005. The numbers get even better in recent years, as The Rock are 63-9 (.875) at home since the beginning of the 2010 season and 50-6 (.893) since the beginning of the 2013 season.
 
WE LOVE NIGHT GAMES
The Rock have won their last 31 consecutive games that started at 4 p.m. or later and have not lost an evening game at home or on the road since Sept. 29, 2012.
 
HOME NIGHT GAMES
SRU has been nearly impossible to beat at home in night games over the last decade, posting a 33-1 record since 2010 and winning its last 25 straight home night games. Since SRU installed lights in 2003, the program has posted a 44-9 overall record at home under the lights. The last time SRU lost a home night game was a 56-49 defeat against Kutztown on Sept. 29, 2012.
 
44TH STRAIGHT RANKED GAME
Slippery Rock will play its 44th consecutive game as a ranked team this week. The Rock have appeared in every AFCA national poll since the final poll of the 2018 season. The last poll released that did not include SRU in the top 25 was Nov. 13, 2018.
 
1-0 IN PSAC WEST AGAIN
The Rock have won their PSAC West opener in each of the last seven years and haven't lost the first divisional game of the season since a 41-38 upset loss at Seton Hill in 2015. SRU would run the table the rest of the regular season in 2015 after that loss and went on to win the 2015 PSAC title.
 
KINGS OF THE WEST
Slippery Rock has lost just two PSAC Western Division games since Oct. 21, 2017 and is 29-2 against the Division since then, including 27-2 since the beginning of 2018 with four straight PSAC West titles. The last time SRU didn't claim at least a share of the PSAC West title was 2017, which is the last time IUP claimed the division outright. The Rock have won or at least shared eight of the 11 PSAC West titles dating back to 2011, easily leading all programs in the Division. SRU head coach Shawn Lutz is 32-4 against the PSAC West in the last five seasons and is 35-8 against the Division in his career as head coach.
 
RED ZONE SUCCESS
Slippery Rock was perfect in the red zone until taking a knee on the 16-yard line with two minutes left last week. That dropped The Rock's red zone success rate to 93.8 percent, still good for 15th-best in the Division II national rankings. 
 
LOOOOONNNNNNGGGGG DRIVES
The Rock put together two drives that combined for more than 18 minutes in the second half last week, scoring on a 97-yard drive that took 8:59 and ending the game with a 73-yard drive that took 9:05 and resulted in a few kneel downs. The Rock scored touchdowns on three drives of 80 yards or longer. On the season, Slippery Rock has scored touchdowns on 12 different drives that were at least 75 yards and four different drives that went more than 90 yards.
 
QUICK STRIKES TOO
SRU showed it can also strike fast when it went 80 yards in just 46 seconds to score a touchdown without calling a timeout at the end of the first half last week against Seton Hill. The Rock have scored nine touchdowns this season on drives that lasted 2:04 or less, including seven touchdown drives that took 80 seconds or less.
 
LONG NAMED ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Rock QB Brayden Long was named the PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Week after accounting for four touchdowns last week. Long has been honored twice in the last three weeks marking the first two PSAC weekly awards of his career.
 
LONG THROWS FIRST CAREER PICK
QB Brayden Long made his fifth career start last week and improved to 4-1 as a starter. He threw his first career interception on the sixth pass attempt of the game, ending a streak of 136 pass attempts without an interception to begin his career. In 165 career pass attempts, Long has now turned the ball over just once.
 
LONG AMONG NATIONAL QB LEADERS
Entering the fifth week of the season, Brayden Long ranks fifth in Division II in passing touchdowns (14) and points responsible for (96). He ranks first in the PSAC in passing TDs, points responsible for, completion percentage (67.5%) and passer efficiency rating (178.0) while ranking second in the PSAC in total passing yards (1,053), trailing Shepherd QB Seth Morgan by just 14 yards.
 
SHEETS AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
WR Kyle Sheets was injured on the third play of the opener and did not return, finishing with no catches and missing basically the entire game. He returned the next week and since then has caught 23 passes for 418 yards and six touchdowns over the last three games. Sheets is averaging 139.3 receiving yards and 2.0 touchdowns per game since his return. Despite missing that first game, he still ranks third in Division II in TD catches (6), sixth in total receiving yards (418) and 10th in receiving yards per game (104.5), only because the first game he missed brings his average down. If the first game didn't count against his per-game averages, Sheets would be leading the nation in yards per game at 139.3. 
 
FOUR FOR FOUR FOR RAMPER
WR Logan Ramper began the season as a backup on the depth chart and has worked his way into the starting lineup. Ramper snagged another touchdown last week at Seton Hill and has now caught one TD pass in all four games this season. Prior to this fall, Ramper had never caught a pass at The Rock. He now has nine catches for 129 yards and four scores.
 
RUSSELL FINDS PAY DIRT
Slot receiver Cohen Russell scored his first touchdown of the season last week and enters this week with 19 catches for 232 yards and one score. Russell averages 58.0 receiving yards per game to rank second on the team behind Sheets.
 
D'OR GETS GOING
RB Chris D'Or has been third on the depth chart the first four games of the season after missing some time during preseason camp and missing one game entirely. He got his first extended work last week at Seton Hill and led SRU with 93 rushing yards on just 13 carries. D'Or was a first team All-PSAC selection last fall.
 
RUNNING BACK TRIO
Slippery Rock hasn't had to lean on D'or thanks to the addition of Khalid Dorsey and the return of Isaiah Edwards. The three running backs enter week five of the season all averaging at least 5.3 yards per carry and at least 40 yards per game. Dorsey has 246 yards and averages 6.2 yards per touch, while D'Or has 175 yards and averages 5.6 yards per touch and Edwards has 163 yards and averages 5.3 yards per touch. All three have found the end zone as well with Edwards leading the way with four rushing scores.
 
NO FIELD GOALS
The Rock have not made a field goal yet this year, but have attempted only one thanks to a nearly perfect red zone offense. The only attempt for Kevin Roberts was a 42-yarder against West Chester that just missed the uprights. Roberts has been successful on all 22 of his PAT kicks this fall.
 
PASS DEFENSE AMONG NATION'S BEST
Slippery Rock enters this week ranked first in the PSAC and 14th in the nation in pass defense, allowing just 135.8 passing yards per game. Opponents have a QB efficiency rating of 98.1 and have thrown two total TD passes against the SRU defense through the first four weeks.
 
KUDLA AMONG TOP TACKLERS IN DII
LB Kyle Kudla enters this week ranked seventh among all defensive players in Division II in career tackles with 251. The first 218 of those came at Hillsdale, where Kudla earned his undergraduate degree and was an honorable mention All-American in 2022. This fall, the senior captain ranks first on the SRU roster with 33 tackles, including 6.0 tackles for loss. He also has three pass breakups and a QB hurry.
 
HECKERT MAKING WAVES AS FRESHMAN
True freshman LB Max Heckert has now started three straight games and is coming off another strong outing at Seton Hill. He forced a fumble on the opening drive of the game that set up an SRU touchdown and then later in the game grabbed an interception to stop a Seton Hill drive, marking his first two career turnovers. Heckert is sixth on the SRU roster with 21 total tackles and 2.5 TFL.
 
STOKES CONTINUES BREAKOUT YEAR
CB Josh Stokes began the year as a backup, but was thrust into the starting role in week one after Ali Abdul-Hakim suffered an injury. Abdul-Hakim played limited minutes last week for the first time this fall, but Stokes has earned his spot moving forward. He leads the team with three interceptions and five passes defended while also ranking tied for second on the team in total tackles with 27. Stokes also has a blocked field goal attempt to round out his stat line.
 
NEED TO GET TO THE QB
Slippery Rock failed to record a QB sack last week at Seton Hill and has just five sacks through the first four games of the season. The Rock were among the national leaders in sacks in 2022, but enter this week ranked 106th in team sacks. While SRU hasn't recorded many sacks, the defense has come up with 26 tackles for loss and is averaging 6.5 TFL per game. DT Munchie Johnson leads the way with 6.5 TFL with LB Kyle Kudla ranking second with 6.0 TFL. Andrew Vince leads the team in sacks with 1.5.
 
PENALTY PROBLEMS
Slippery Rock enters the fifth week of the season looking to clean up the penalties. The Rock rank 153rd out of the 161 teams in Division II in total penalty yards with 356, an average of 89.0 penalty yards per game.
 
STARTERS NOTES
DT Munchie Johnson has started the last 29 straight games for the longest active streak on the roster. LT Yuriy Hryckowian has the next longest active streak at 22 straight starts, followed by LG Colton Rossi at 20 straight. The Rock have 13 players that have made at least 10 starts in the Green and White and 22 players that have started at least five games during their SRU tenure.
 
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Slippery Rock's 11 scheduled opponents in 2023 are a combined 18-25 (.419) through the first four weeks of the season. Millersville (3-1), Indiana (3-1) and California (2-1) are the only three opponents above .500, while West Chester (2-2) and Kutztown (2-2) are at .500. The other six opponents are all under .500 with 1-3 records through the first four weeks of the season. Millersville's lone loss came at SRU in the third week of the season.
 
WINNING SEASONS STREAK
Slippery Rock has put together a winning season in each of the last 13 years, 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 18 winning seasons entering 2023.
 
WE'VE PLAYED A LOT OF FOOTBALL
Slippery Rock has played 57 games since the start of the 2018 season, which is tied with Notre Dame (Ohio) and Shepherd for the most games played among all Super Region One schools. The Rock are averaging an impressive 10.75 wins per year over the last four years, all of which have resulted in trips to the NCAA Playoffs.
 
FEATURED EVENTS ON THE SCHEDULE
Slippery Rock will host three more games with special events attached to them this fall. The Sept. 30 game against Indiana (Pa.) will be the annual Salute to Military and First Responders game, with all veterans and active-duty military and all retired and current first responders receiving free admission. Homecoming is set for Oct. 21 against California (Pa.) and the Oct. 28 game against Clarion will be Senior Day.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock will hit the road for back-to-back games in Erie, first traveling to Mercyhurst Oct. 7 for a 2 p.m. game before visiting Gannon Oct. 14 for a noon kickoff. The Rock then return home Oct. 21 for the annual Homecoming game against California (Pa.).




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