No. 5 Slippery Rock will host No. 14 East Stroudsburg University on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in a rematch of the teams’ Sept. 12 meeting. With the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship on the line, the two programs will meet for the first time in the conference title game since 1962.
The Rock enters the matchup riding a perfect 10-0 record, including a 7-0 mark in PSAC West play. It marks the third time in program history that SRU has started a season 10-0, with all three occurrences coming since 2019. Slippery Rock also captured its 21st PSAC West divisional title this season and will look to secure its first overall conference championship since 2019.
East Stroudsburg enters at 9-1 overall and 6-0 in PSAC East competition. The Warriors have won seven consecutive games since falling to The Rock earlier this season, including a 32-25 overtime victory over Kutztown that ended the Golden Bears’ lengthy hold on the Eastern Division.
The September meeting between the two programs was an offensive shootout, with Slippery Rock eventually pulling away for a 59-35 road victory. SRU accumulated 594 yards of total offense, including 344 rushing yards, while scoring on seven consecutive drives during one stretch of the contest.
Senior running back JayJay Jordan led the way with 228 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback DaOne Owens added 250 passing yards and three touchdowns while completing 23-of-30 attempts without an interception.
Despite the convincing victory, Saturday’s matchup presents a different challenge for The Rock. East Stroudsburg has made significant strides since the September meeting, winning seven straight while allowing just 17.1 points per game this season.
The Warriors’ defensive front will be particularly important against an SRU rushing attack that has been among the most productive in Division II. East Stroudsburg has allowed just eight rushing touchdowns all season, five of which came against Slippery Rock in the first meeting. Since that loss, the Warriors have surrendered only two rushing touchdowns and 413 rushing yards combined over their last seven games.
Jordan remains one of the biggest challenges for any opposing defense. He enters the championship game leading the nation across all four NCAA divisions with 24 rushing touchdowns and 28 total touchdowns. Jordan has also accumulated 1,388 rushing yards and 1,878 all-purpose yards this season, ranking third nationally in both yards per carry and all-purpose production.
The Rock will also rely on Owens, who has established himself as one of the PSAC’s top quarterbacks. Owens leads the conference in every passing category and total offense, entering Saturday with 2,394 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He has also contributed 669 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
Slippery Rock’s offense ranks first in Division II in both scoring and total offense, averaging 52.9 points and 546.8 yards per game. The balanced attack has averaged 277.6 rushing yards and 269.2 passing yards per contest, making The Rock one of the most difficult offenses to defend in the country.
East Stroudsburg brings an equally dangerous rushing attack of its own. The Warriors average 424.6 yards of total offense per game, including 254.7 rushing yards, while scoring 37.5 points per contest.
Quarterback Matt Machalik has taken over the starting role since the September matchup and provides another dimension to the Warriors’ offense. The Lehigh transfer has completed 59.5% of his passes for 980 yards and eight touchdowns with just one interception. He has also added 147 rushing yards and two scores.
Running backs Ajani Walker, Cade Sawyer and Deante Crawford headline a committee approach in the backfield. Walker leads the group with 638 rushing yards, while Sawyer has found the end zone eight times. Through the air, Elijah Ford leads East Stroudsburg with 33 receptions for 636 yards and four touchdowns.
The stakes extend beyond Saturday’s conference championship. Slippery Rock is making its ninth PSAC Championship appearance since 2011 and its 14th overall. The Rock own a 7-7 record in previous title-game appearances and are seeking their 13th conference championship.
East Stroudsburg, meanwhile, is making its first appearance in the championship game since 1983. The Warriors are seeking their 13th overall conference title and first since 2003. Slippery Rock defeated East Stroudsburg in the programs’ only previous championship meeting in 1962.
The home-field advantage could also play a significant role. Slippery Rock owns an 82-11 record at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium since the beginning of the 2010 season and is 52-8 at home under head coach Shawn Lutz.
Neither team was originally projected to win its respective division in the preseason coaches’ poll. Slippery Rock was picked to finish second behind Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the West, while East Stroudsburg was projected to finish behind Kutztown in the East. Instead, both programs went undefeated in conference play to earn their respective divisional crowns.
Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, both teams are expected to qualify for the NCAA Division II postseason. The NCAA will announce its 32-team playoff field Sunday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m.
For Slippery Rock, however, the immediate focus remains on Saturday. After 10 consecutive victories and a season filled with offensive records, The Rock have an opportunity to finish their regular season with a conference championship in front of their home crowd.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
