Slippery Rock football scored 41 unanswered points Saturday afternoon, defeating Clarion University on the road, 48-14.
After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Golden Eagles wasted little time finding the end zone. Quarterback Jase Ferguson broke loose for a 59-yard run to set up Clarion, then connected with receiver Kooper Kamberis two plays later for the opening touchdown.
The Rock’s nation-leading offense also got off to a slow start, facing fourth-and-13 near midfield on its opening possession. Rather than attempt a conventional punt, quarterback DaOne Owens took advantage of a trick play, sending the ball down to the Clarion 1-yard line.
The decision paid off immediately. On the ensuing play, defensive back Benny Lane intercepted Ferguson, giving Slippery Rock possession at the Golden Eagles’ 14-yard line.
Three plays later, running back JayJay Jordan punched it into the end zone on a 9-yard touchdown run to even the score.
Clarion responded with another promising drive, working its way to the SRU 36-yard line before electing to go for it on fourth down. Ferguson’s pass sailed over his intended receiver, turning possession back over to The Rock.
Slippery Rock capitalized again, as Owens found Reggie Fleurima in the corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown, giving the White and Green its first lead of the afternoon.
The Rock’s defense continued to create opportunities, with Evan Harper ripping the ball away from a Clarion receiver for an interception on the Golden Eagles’ next possession.
Jordan quickly turned the takeaway into another scoring opportunity, slicing through the defense for a 43-yard gain that brought Slippery Rock to the 1-yard line. After a 15-yard penalty pushed the offense backward, Jordan finished the drive himself, breaking into the end zone on a 16-yard touchdown run.
Following a Clarion punt, Slippery Rock again faced fourth-and-nine at the Golden Eagles’ 40-yard line. This time, Owens attempted an arm punt, but the pass was intercepted at the 1-yard line.
Clarion was unable to capitalize on the turnover. On third down from the 50-yard line, Ferguson was sacked by Aaron Scales Jr., forcing another Golden Eagle punt.
The Rock added to its lead late in the first half with another fourth-down trick play. Jordan took the ball on a reverse before pitching it off to John Sabo, who completed the sweep with a 14-yard touchdown run.
Slippery Rock carried its momentum into the second half. On the opening drive, Owens broke free for a 30-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 34-7.
After both teams exchanged possessions, The Rock struck again. Owens connected with Sabo for a 22-yard touchdown, marking Slippery Rock’s 41st consecutive unanswered point and pushing the advantage to 41-7.
Clarion eventually ended the scoring drought after a failed 36-yard field goal attempt by Connor Mace left the door open. Ferguson capped the Golden Eagles’ ensuing drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Tyreeck Hall, marking Clarion’s first points since its opening possession.
With the backups entering the game, Slippery Rock continued to move the ball. Freshman running back David Dennison capped off the drive with the first touchdown of his collegiate career, extending the lead to 48-14.
Following another Clarion punt, The Rock ran out the remaining clock to secure the 34-point victory.
With the win, Slippery Rock improved to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West, extending its winning streak against Clarion to nine games.
The Rock also retained the Milk Jug trophy, improving to 15-1 in the series since the trophy’s introduction in 2010.
Following the contest, Slippery Rock learned its opponent for the PSAC Championship game Saturday. No. 24 East Stroudsburg upset No. 3 Kutztown 32-25 in overtime to capture the PSAC East Division title.
The Rock will host the Warriors on Nov. 14 at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium for the conference championship. East Stroudsburg enters the matchup at 8-1, with its only loss coming in a 59-35 defeat at the hands of Slippery Rock on Sept. 12.
Before turning its attention to the championship game, Slippery Rock will close out the regular season at home against Edinboro on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
