October 18th, 2025 5:30pm
Jon Holtz, Slippery Rock Atheltic Communications:
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The 25th-ranked Slippery Rock University football team scored 20 points in the second half to rally for a 30-27 Homecoming win over rival Indiana University (Pa.) Saturday in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division game from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
The Rock pick up their third straight win in the series against IUP and improve to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the PSAC West with the win, while IUP slips to 4-2 overall and picks up their first divisional loss to drop to 2-1 in the PSAC West.
It looked like the game was headed for a shootout after both teams scored with ease on their opening drives with IUP putting together a long drive to go up 7-0 and The Rock responding with a 75-yard touchdown run from JayJay Jordan on their first offensive play, but the defenses settled in and delivered another classic slugfest in the 99th meeting of one of the top rivalries in Division II.
Indiana used stellar defense and timely third down conversions on offense to score 10 points in the last 2:20 of the second quarter to open up a 20-10 lead at halftime.
The Rock cut into the deficit late in the third quarter after DaOne Owens connected with John Sabo on a 37-yard completion that set up a one-yard TD plunge from Owens that made it 20-16 with 4:55 to play in the third.
Slippery Rock took its first lead of the game less than two minutes later after Carmen Metcalfe pulled down his first career interception to set up a short field. Owens broke free for a 24-yard touchdown run on the next play to put SRU up 23-20 with 3:21 to play in the third.
IUP responded less than two minutes later after taking advantage of a missed opportunity by the SRU defense. On second and long, a pass over the middle went in and out of the hands of an SRU linebacker for what looked like a sure-thing interception. On the next play, IUP hit a 65-yard pass over the middle to set up a short TD run to retake the lead, 27-23 with 1:34 to play in the third.