SLIPPERY ROCK — One first down in the first 24 minutes. Top receiver Kyle Sheets going down with a concussion on the first series.

The start of Saturday night’s 2023 football season opener did not go as planned for Slippery Rock University. The end proved to be in its favor, however, as The Rock claimed a 28-17 victory over Wayne State (Mich.) at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

The game marked SRU’s 15th consecutive home-opening win and 29th straight victory in night games.

“This was the tale of two halves,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “Our defense played great in the first half and held us in. Our offense got going from there and we were able to get a win.

“Still, this was a sloppy game. We have a lot of things to clean up.”

SRU had one first down to its credit when it began a drive from its own 19 with 6:09 left in the first half. Chris D’Or, seeing his first action of the night, ripped off runs of 7, 6, 18 and 8 yards during an 80-yard march that ended with Brayden Long ‘s 35-yard touchdown toss to Logan Ramper with 2:18 left in the half.

Three plays later, Josh Stokes intercepted an Eli McLean pass and returned it seven yards to the Wayne State 37. Khalid Dorsey got loose for a 31-yard run and caught a 6-yard scoring pass from Long to give The Rock a 14-0 lead at intermission.

“We needed a lift offensively and Chris definitely gave us one,” Long said. “Him and our offensive line was getting off the ball.

“Losing Kyle dearly like that ... It did affect me for a while, but we have that next man up mentality here.”

The Warriors used Michigan State transfer McLean and Davidson transfer Jayden Waddell at quarterback in the first half. First-year head coach Tyrone Wheatley settled on Waddell in the second half.

Waddell led Wayne State on a 14-play, 88-yard scoring drive that ate the first 8:37 off the third-quarter clock and got the visitors back in the game.

“We use the legs of both our quarterbacks because that’s what we do. That’s how we play,” Wheatley said. “We’re going to go with the hot hand, the hot legs, actually.

“Whoever finds a rhythm is going to play. It took our offense a while to settle in, but Slippery Rock’s defense had a lot to do with that.

“We played a perennial power tonight and I loved the fight we showed.”

SRU answered the Wayne State touchdown with an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of its own. D’Or capped the march with a 1-yard scoring run.

“That interceptiion and touchdown at the end of the first half were huge for us,” Lutz said. “It gave us a cushion. Otherwise, their touchdown to start the third quarter ties the game.”

After the Warriors had to settle for a 42-yard field goal with 9:55 to play, SRU put the game away with a 29-yard Isaiah Edwards TD run with 5:58 left. The play gave The Rock a 28-10 lead.

Dorsey rushed for 79 yards, D’Or 69 and Edwards 52 as SRU netted 209 yards rushing on the night. Waynr State ran for 223 yards.

“They went to an option look and were beating us to the perimeter,” Lutz said of the Warriors’ second -half running. “We missed some tackles there, too.”

D’Or, an All-PSAC player last season, has no problem being part of a three-man rushing attack.

“Whatever makes us win,” he said. “We can all do it. We can all stay fresh. That’s an advantage for us.”

Notes: SRU hosts West Chester at 6 p.m. Saturday. ... Selvin Haynes led SRU with 12 tackes while Munchie Johnson had 11. ... Matt Buschman, who led the nation with five gumble recoveries last year, led Wayne State with 10 tackles. ... Ramper and Dorsey both scored their first career Rock touchdowns.

Wayne State 0 0 7 10 — 17

Slippery Rock 0 14 7 7 — 28

Second Quarter

SRU — Logan Ramper 35 pass from Brayden Long (Kevin Roberts kick), 2:18

SRU — Khalid Dorsey 6 pass from Long (Roberts kick), :25

Third Quarter

WS — Jayden Waddell 3 run (Griffin Milovanski kick), 6:23

SRU — Chris D’Or 1 run (Roberts kick), 1:34

Fourth Quarter

WS — Milovanski 47 field goal, 9:55

SRU — Isaiah Edwards 29 run (Roberts kick), 5:58

WS — Manny Harris 25 run (Milovanski kick), 3:06

Individual Statistics

Passing: Wayne State, Jayden Waddell 5-6-60-0, Eli McLean 3-6-21-1. SRU, Brayden Long 11-18-138-0.

Rushing: Wayne State, Jayden Waddell 14-83, Te’Avion Warren 5-39, Many Harris 4-34, D’Marco Singleton 12-21. SRU, Khalid Dorsey 9-76, Chris D’Or 11-69, Isaiah Edwards 7-52, Cohen Russell 1-8.

Receiving: Wayne State, John Rayba 3-38, Te’Avion Warren 2-24, Manny Harris 2-0, Kaveon Ross 1-19. SRU, Logan Ramper 2-47, Cohen Russell 2-36, Tony Grimes 2-27, Jawon Hall 1-10.