LIBERTY, Mo. – The Slippery Rock University football team held steady at No. 14 in the Division II national rankings released Tuesday by D2football.com, one day after moving up one place to No. 19 in the American Football Coaches Association poll.
 
Slippery Rock debuted at the No. 18 in the D2football.com poll three weeks ago, moved up three spots to No. 15 two weeks ago, rose one place to No. 14 last week and remained steady at that position in this poll, as the top-19 were unchanged this week.
 
The Rock's hold in the D2football.com ranking comes after their toughest victory of the season, a 31-28 win over previously unbeaten Gannon last Saturday night. It was the first time all season Slippery Rock was outgained in total offense, but The Rock benefited from a special teams touchdown and two defensive takeaways in the second half to earn a comeback win and remain unbeaten at 5-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play.
 
In addition to the top 20 national ranking in both polls, Slippery Rock also ranks among the NCAA Division II leaders in multiple statistical categories through five weeks of the season.
 
The Rock owns the No. 8 total offense in the country at 530.4 yards per game, the No. 8 rushing offense at 287.2 yards per game and the No. 8 rushing defense, allowing just 75.4 yards per game on the ground. Slippery Rock also ranks ninth in scoring offense at 46.6 points per game, sixth in third down conversion defense (24.7%), ninth in fourth down conversion defense (18.2%) and third in total blocked kicks with five.
 
Running back Shamar Greene gave up his No. 1 rank in rushing yards and rushing yards per game, but still ranks third in the nation in each category with 832 yards for an average of 166.4 yards per game. He also ranks sixth in rushing touchdowns with nine, ninth in all-purpose yards per game at 181.2 and 15th in scoring at 10.8 points per game.
 
Wide receiver and return specialist Drew Scales ranks eighth in kickoff returns, averaging 33.2 yards per return.
 
Defensive lineman Marcus Martin ranks seventh in the nation in sacks with an average of 1.2 per game and ranks ninth in tackles for loss with 2.0 per game. Cornerback Admire Carter ranks 13th in passes defended with 1.8 per game and linebacker Sam Funk ranks eighth in blocked kicks with 2.0.
 
Kicker Mike Wainauskis ranks 12th in field goal percentage at 83.3 percent and is scoring an average of 9.0 points per game, good enough for 45th among all Division II players at any position.
 
Slippery Rock is one of six teams from Super Region 1 listed in the top 25 of this week's D2football.com Poll. West Chester tops the region at No. 9, followed by Shepherd at No. 10, Bloomsburg at No. 13, Slippery Rock at No. 14, Winston-Salem State at No. 15 and Concord, at No. 21.
 
The Rock will face perhaps their toughest test of the season this Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. road game at California (Pa.) on the Vulcans' Homecoming.