Highlights  |  Postgame Interview

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The sixth-ranked Slippery Rock University football team improved to 6-0 with a 35-17 Homecoming win over Gannon University Saturday in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division action from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The Rock (6-0, 3-0 PSAC) scored touchdowns on their first five possessions and didn't punt a single time on the way to improving to 6-0 for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Gannon (1-5, 1-2 PSAC) found success on third down offensively, but couldn't convert in the red zone on a pair of first half drives and couldn't keep up with the potent SRU offense in the second half.
 
Slippery Rock got just two total possessions in the opening half after Gannon managed to hold the ball for just shy of 20 minutes. The Rock opened the scoring with a 17-play, 99-yard drive that took 7:18 and was capped with a six-yard TD pass from Brayden Long to Mike Solomon with 5:02 to play in the first quarter.
 
Gannon took advantage of a short field after a good kick return and ate up 9:34 off the game clock on a drive that went just 48 total yards, but lasted 17 plays. The Golden Knights had to settle for a 23-yard field goal after stalling in the red zone, making it 7-3 with 10:19 to play in the second.
 
Slippery Rock answered right back with its only other possession of the first half with Long hitting Logan Ramper on a 21-yard touchdown pass to cap a 73-yard drive to make it 14-3 with 7:03 to play in the second.
 
Gannon went back down the field again with a drive that ate up the rest of the second quarter, but was forced to try a 33-yard field goal attempt after taking a penalty in the red zone. The kick missed wide left, sending it to the break with SRU leading 14-3.  
 
Slippery Rock got a couple special teams sparks in the second half, including a big kick return from Kylon Wilson and long punt return from Kanye Thompson. Both of those returns led to touchdown drives.
 
Long called his own number and rushed in from three yards out to make it 21-3 with 10:02 to play in the third and after Gannon hit a long touchdown pass to make it 21-10, Idris Lawrence capped an 83-yard drive with a one-yard run to put The Rock up 28-10 with 31 seconds left in the third.
 
SRU put the game out of reach after Thompson's punt return early in the fourth. Long hit JayJay Jordan for a 44-yard TD pass on the first play after the return to make it 35-10 with 14:00 to play. Gannon would add one more score with backup QB Elijah Banks rushing in with 10:28 to play to cap the scoring.
 
SRU reached the red zone two more times in the fourth quarter, turning it over on downs inside the five-yard line once and then taking a knee to end the game at the Gannon eight-yard line.
 
The Rock posted a 448-286 advantage in total offense with 319 passing yards and 129 rushing yards while going 9-of-12 on third downs. Gannon went 10-of-15 on third down and finished the game with 225 passing yards and 61 rushing yards.
 
Long completed 27-of-39 passes for 319 yards with three passing touchdowns, one rushing score, no interceptions and no sacks. It marked the fifth game this season he has not thrown a pick and the fifth game this year he has not been sacked.
 
Chris D'Or rushed for 78 yards on just 10 carries and caught four passes for 34 yards to finish with 112 all-purpose yards. Quentin Harrison rushed for 31 yards on six carries and Idris Lawrence ran for eight yards and one TD on just four carries.
 
Kylon Wilson caught eight passes for 77 yards and had 79 kick return yards on two returns to lead SRU with 156 all-purpose yards. Xander McClure had a highlight reel play where he spun away from multiple tackles on the way to finishing with three catches for 66 yards. Ramper played his first sustained minutes of the season after sitting out with an injury and made an impact down field with three catches for 43 yards and one TD. Jordan finished with 50 receiving yards and one score, his first TD at SRU, and Solomon grabbed his team-leading fifth TD of the year.
 
Teddy Gregory Jr. led the defense with 10 tackles for his second straight game with double-digit stops. Todd Hill had seven stops with one sack. Josh Stokes also had seven tackles. Pooh Lawton had five tackles with one interception, which was the only turnover of the day. Munchie Johnson finished with two tackles for loss and John Brown had one sack.
 
Gannon QB Jayden Whitaker completed 15-of-23 passes for 164 yards with one touchdown and one interception. David Morgan was the leading rusher with 22 yards. Mike Watkins caught three passes for 69 yards and one TD and Bryson Costa made a 23-yard field goal.
 
Slippery Rock will now shift its focus to a third straight Homecoming game and the biggest game in the PSAC West this year with a road trip to California (Pa.) next Saturday for a 3 p.m. kickoff. The Vulcans scored in the final minute to beat Seton Hill 28-21 Saturday to stay tied with SRU for first place in the PSAC West.
 
GAME NOTES: Slippery Rock won its 10th straight game in the series against Gannon … SRU is 2-0 against Gannon on Homecoming … SRU won its third straight Homecoming game and is now 58-26-4 all-time on Homecoming … SRU is 6-0 for the fourth time in the last five seasons … SRU won its 15th straight PSAC West game and improved to 38-2 in its last 40 PSAC West games … SRU did not allow a sack for the fifth time in six games this year … Brayden Long had his first 300-yard passing game of the season … Long moved up to No. 4 all-time at SRU with 5,347 passing yards … his 48 TD passes also rank No. 4 all-time at SRU … TE Kam Kruzelyak extended his pass-catching streak to 18-straight games … Kanye Thompson had a 31-yard punt return and has 30+ yard punt returns in each of the last two games … Munchie Johnson had 2.0 TFL to move up to 13th all-time at SRU with 35.0 career TFL … Kylon Wilson moved up to No. 4 all-time at SRU with 1,176 kickoff return yards … SRU head coach Shawn Lutz improved to 76-19 as head coach … SRU played its 59th straight game as a ranked opponent.




To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official Athletic Communication accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter, @Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).