No. 20 Slippery Rock football fell to Edinboro University on the road Saturday, 38-8.
The opening drive saw The Rock move the ball across midfield, before an incompletion from quarterback DaOne Owens intended for Joe White stalled the drive on Edinboro’s side of the field. A 14-yard punt from Kevin Roberts set up the Boro offense on their own 32-yard line.
Edinboro would respond with an eight-play drive of their own that, likewise, failed to produce any points, when SRU held Jeremiah Neeley behind the lead stick on fourth down.
On the ensuing drive, the White and Green’s offense would move the ball all the way down to the Edinboro 15-yard line. On fourth down, a 33-yard attempt from Kevin Roberts sailed wide-right, keeping the game scoreless.
Entering the second quarter, multiple solid runs from the Scots put the ball on the Slippery Rock nine-yard line, setting up kicker Tanner Bruzda for the 26-yard attempt, and giving Edinboro the early 3-0 lead.
Looking for a response, Slippery Rock would again come up empty-handed deep in Boro territory after a forced pass from Owens was intercepted by Edinboro cornerback Kamar Meza at the 19-yard line.
On second and one from their own 29-yard line, a crushing 51-yard run from Caron Robinson set up the Scots’ offense in the red zone. Four plays later, quarterback Bo Swartz powered his way into the end zone, putting Edinboro ahead by 10.
A 50-yard return on the ensuing kickoff by Mel Carter gave SRU’s offense great field position on Edinboro’s side of the field, looking to get on the scoreboard before the half. Despite the opportunity, a loss of a yard on fourth and one turned the ball over to the Fighting Scots with nine seconds remaining in the half.
The opening drive of the third quarter saw another eight-yard rushing touchdown for Robinson, extending the Edinboro lead to 17-0.
Another three-and-out from The Rock offense put the ball right back in Boro’s hands.
Robinson, looking to expand upon his already dominant game, took a handoff 54 yards into the end zone, putting the Scots ahead by 24.
A 36-yard catch-and-run from Owens to John Sabo gave The Rock offense a glimmer of hope, before another turnover on downs silenced the drive.
An additional one-yard rushing touchdown from Swartz extended the Boro lead to 31-0.
After 51 minutes of play, Slippery Rock finally got on the board when running back JayJay Jordan found the end zone from the six-yard line. A successful two-point conversion trimmed the deficit to 23, after a quick pass from Owens found Jordan, who stretched across the goal line.
On the ensuing kickoff, Roberts would attempt an onside kick that failed to exceed 10 yards, with Edinboro maintaining possession.
Edinboro would make use of the short field position, when quarterback Nic Marchitelli found Neeley for the only receiving touchdown of the day between both teams.
Slippery Rock would maintain possession for the next 11 plays, with the drive ending after a pass intended for Xander McClure fell incomplete on fourth and 17.
Owens finished the day 20-of-39 for 234 yards and an interception.
Edinboro’s Robinson ran for 273 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while The Rock as a collective totaled 38 yards on the ground.
Sabo led the receiving game for SRU, pulling in six receptions for 126 yards.
The 30-point loss was Slippery Rock’s biggest defeat in almost six years, when The Rock fell to Minnesota State in the 2019 National Semifinal.
Slippery Rock will remain on the road next Saturday when they travel out east to take on Bloomsburg University in the final regular game of the season.
