This season, Slippery Rock and West Chester had four common opponents. The only outcomes that the two teams did not share were Seton Hill (Slippery Rock lost 41-38, West Chester won 48-38) and Mercyhurst (Slippery Rock won 35-24, West Chester lost 37-35).
The game will also serve as Senior Day when West Chester University senior band members, cheerleaders, football players and team training staff will be honored before the game.
Series History:
West Chester leads the overall series 8-7, with head coach Bill Zwaan owning a 3-1 record against the Rock. Slippery Rock head coach George Mihalik is in his 28th season and has a career record of 194-110-4.
These two teams met for the conference championship game in 1961, 1963, 1972, 1973 and 1974 with West Chester winning the first two and Slippery Rock capturing the final three. In the final game of the regular season in 2006, with both teams owning a 7-3 record and the winner destined for the NCAA playoffs, West Chester won by a score of 21-20 when the Rock's 48-yard field goal attempt drifted wide left in the pouring rain in Slippery Rock.
In 2010 also in Slippery Rock, Shawn Leo kicked a field goal to put the Golden Rams up 27-24 with two and a half minutes left. But the Rock converted a 47-yard field goal of their own with 31 seconds left to send the game into overtime. The Rock quickly scored a touchdown in overtime, but Nick Garcia blocked the point after giving West Chester hope. Although the Golden Rams picked up a first down, they were unable to get into the end zone and fell 33-27.
Last 10 Meetings:
|
Year
|
H/A
|
W/L
|
Score
|
Year
|
H/A
|
W/L
|
Score
|
1963
|
Home
|
Win
|
36-7
|
1997
|
Away
|
Loss
|
27-14
|
1972
|
Away
|
Loss
|
29-27
|
2006
|
Away
|
Win
|
21-20
|
1973
|
Home
|
Loss
|
28-14
|
2010
|
Away
|
Loss
|
33-27 OT
|
1974
|
Away
|
Loss
|
20-7
|
2011
|
Home
|
Win
|
20-17
|
1996
|
Home
|
Win
|
31-21
|
2014
|
Home
|
Win
|
46-20
|
Last Meeting:
11/23/2014 West Chester 46 - Slippery Rock 20
In the first round of the 2014 NCAA Division II playoffs, West Chester easily dispatched the PSAC Champions in a game that was not as close as the final score indicates, as many Golden Ram players got an opportunity to participate in the game. The Golden Ram defense held the vaunted Rock rushing game to a mere 31 yards on the day. Eddie Elliott, Brandon Monk and Jarel Elder combined for 124 yards on the ground and Tim Brown had seven catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns. But the real key to the game was the defense, led by Andrew Cohen. The defensive lineman had nine total tackles including 5.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Drew Formica and Brandon Pepper had two of the teams' four interceptions.
Scouting the Opponent:
Dutrieuille handles punt returns and returned one 91 yards for a score last week, making him PSAC West Special Teams Player of the Week. Concord transfer Andrew Huska (47 punts, 42.3 avg, 9 inside the 20, 6 50+) leads the PSAC in punting, although he has had three blocked. Kicker Mike Wainauskis (28 of 31 PAT, 5 of 9 FG, with a long of 34) was All-PSAC last year.
The defense is led by reigning PSAC West Freshman of the Year defensive end Marcus Martin (60 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 8 QB hurries). Also contributing to Slippery Rock's status of second most sacks in the PSAC is defensive end Cody Conway (41 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 3 QB hurries). Linebacker Bob Vernick (72 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss) leads the team in tackles and fellow linebacker and Youngstown St transfer Teven Williams (68 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss) also provides second level defense. The Rock is third in the PSAC in interceptions with 17 led by cornerbacks Pittsburgh transfer Titus Howard (49 tackles, 3 int, 13 pass breakups) and Alfon Cook (39 tackles, 3 int, 7 pass breakups). Free safety Derrick Fulmore (31 tackles, 4 int, 4 pass breakups) has missed the last two games but strong safety Derek Morgan (28 tackles, 2 int, 6 pass breakups) is back after missing three games. Howard is the reigning PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week.
Analysis:
The Slippery Rock defense is first in points allowed (18.4) and fourth in yards allowed (348 yards/game). They lead the conference in rushing yards allowed with only 64 yards/game. Indiana, aided greatly by their mobile quarterback, rushed for almost 186 yards and surprisingly threw for 364 yards in their narrow loss at Slippery Rock, but the Rock held both Mercyhurst and Millersville to negative yards rushing. Seton Hill, the only team that defeated Slippery Rock this season, threw for 472 yards and four touchdowns in that game. So success on offense might come down to the passing game. Certainly the Golden Rams need to run the ball, but it may be another Bloomsburg type performance where 32 carries produced only 74 yards.
Game Coverage:
West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Plays For The PSAC Title On National TV Saturday Afternoon
PSAC Site - 2015 PSAC Football Championship
PSAC Site - Football Notes Week 11
Slippery Rock Athletic Site - Week 11 Preview: #9 Rock at West Chester
KYW Newsradio - West Chester Hosts Slippery Rock In PSAC Title Game Saturday
KYW Newsradio - West Chester’s Andrew Cohen, A Nightmare For PSAC QB’s
TimesOnline.com - Game of the Week: Slippery Rock at West Chester
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Another PSAC title game for No. 9 Slippery Rock
D2football - PSAC Columnist - Previewing Week 11 in the PSAC
D2football - PSAC Columnist - PSAC Championship Preview
D2football - National Columnist - Bob Eblen - National Columnist
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