Photo: SRU
The #9-ranked Slippery Rock University football team improved to 7-0 for the first time since 1939 with a 41-30 road victory over Edinboro Saturday. The Rock won its 13th straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division game and maintained a one-game lead over IUP and Cal. Edinboro jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, the first time all season Slippery Rock has trailed. The lead would go back and forth three times in the opening half, before The Rock built a 27-17 lead at halftime, and never trailed from there. Edinboro would score their final touchdown with just under three minutes remaining.
SRU struggled through its worst quarter of the season in the third, throwing an interception on the first series and ultimately taking six penalties for 70 yards, including 25 yards on the one play that negated a touchdown pass. SRU also had one player ejected in the quarter as Terrell Gabriel was called for targeting. That play will be reviewed postgame to determine if Gabriel must sit the first half of next week’s game.
The Rock put the game away with back-to-back touchdown drives to start the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 41-23 with 6:49 to play. Edinboro scored one final time with 2:46 to play to account for the final points.
Slippery Rock finished the game with 540 yards of total offense with 391 passing yards, 149 rushing yards and one turnover. The Rock was whistled for 16 penalties for 180 yards, including nine flags for 110 yards in the second half. Edinboro finished the game with 339 total yards with 232 passing yards and 107 rushing yards. The Scots were called for 10 penalties for 107 yards as the teams combined for 26 penalties for 287 yards.
Roland Rivers III completed 33-of-41 passes for 391 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 24 yards and one score to account for more than 400 yards of total offense for the third time this season.
Henry Litwin caught a career-high 13 passes for 131 yards with one touchdown to lead the receivers.
Edinboro drops to 1-6 overall and 1-3 in PSAC West games.
Slippery Rock will return home next Saturday to host Clarion University in a 1 p.m. game at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. The Rock will honor veterans and active duty military members, as well as former and current first responders at the game.
With the victory, Shawn Lutz improved to 33-10 as SRU head coach.
The post The Rock improves to 7-0 with road victory over Edinboro appeared first on ButlerRadio.com – Butler, PA.
