Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, PA – Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) ran for 125 yards on the ground, but IUP turned the ball over four times and Slippery Rock capitalized as the Crimson Hawks fell to The Rock 20-6 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division opener for both teams on Saturday night at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

The Crimson Hawks (1-2, 0-1) held an advantage in time of possession 30:14 to 29:46 and had a better third-down conversion percentage, but the IUP quarterbacks threw four interceptions, including one The Rock ran back for a touchdown.

The opening quarter went scoreless, as both teams were able to put together a few positive drives but nothing that resulted in any type of score.

Slippery Rock put together a drive at the end of the first quarter, advancing to the IUP 21-yard line early in the second before a Cody Endres pass was picked off by the Johnny Franco (Altoona/Tyrone) and returned to the 34-yard line.

The ensuing IUP drive went just 16 yards and ended in a punt, as Slippery Rock took over and put together an 80-yard scoring drive, ending in a 59-yard touchdown pass from Endres to Devin Goda as The Rock took a 7-0 lead.

It didn't take long for Slippery Rock to score more points, as a third down pass by Pat Smith (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) was picked off by Brandon Burley and returned 54 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was missed, as The Rock took a 13-0 lead.

The next IUP drive went to Slippery Rock's 23-yard line, as backup quarterback Mike Box (Lawrenceville, GA/Collins Hill) took over for Smith. But a first down pass by Box was intercepted in the end zone, ending the Crimson Hawks threat.

After ending the first half down 13-0, the Crimson Hawks started the second with great field position as Pat Brewer (Coatesville/Coatesville) returned the kickoff 52 yards to Slippery Rock's 35-yard line. The Crimson Hawks managed a first down, as Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) got IUP on the board with a 30-yard field goal to make it 13-3.

A couple of long drives by each team ended with zero points in the third, as IUP went to the fourth quarter down by 10 points.

The Crimson Hawks second drive of the fourth quarter went all the way to The Rock five-yard line, but a false start and a sack pushed them back to the 16, resulting in a 33-yard field goal by Ullman that pushed the score to 13-6.

The ensuing Slippery Rock drive went to the IUP 23-yard line, but a fumble forced by Mark Jackson (Canton, OH/McKinley) was picked up by Stephen Meadows (Spotsylvania/James Monroe) as the Crimson Hawks took over at the 30-yard line with 2:26 remaining and down by seven.

However a second down pass by Box was intercepted and Slippery Rock's Akeem Satterfield ran it in from 36 yards out two plays later as The Rock closed out the 20-6 win.

Satterfield finished with 104 yards on the ground while Endres went 17-for-29 for 175 for a touchdown and an interception. Goda was The Rock's leading receiver with eight catches for 104 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively for Slippery Rock, Zach Sheridan totaled 15 tackles while Jake Wickline added 13. The Rock defense had three sacks and four tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

The Crimson Hawks completed just 10-of-25 passes for 131 yards with those four picks, with Brewer and Terrill Barnes (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) each catching three passes.

Carl Thornton (Beaver Falls/Beaver Falls) led the charge for the IUP defense, totaling 11 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss, while Jerrell McFadden and Alex Berdahl each adding nine apiece.

IUP returns home next weekend, as the Crimson Hawks host Edinboro on Homecoming in Indiana. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m.