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California (Pa.) stuns No. 6 Slippery Rock football to rip PSAC West lead away from 5-time champs

CALIFORNIA — Slippery Rock spent the entire afternoon searching for momentum.

It never found it.

California (Pa.) struck for a 65-yard touchdown pass on the game’s first offensive snap, built a 17-0 lead early and stunned No. 6 SRU with a 28-7 homecoming football victory Saturday at Adamson Stadium.

“We never could get the momentum today,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz sad. “They hit a home run on the very first play. It just wasn’t our day. ... We have to get better.”

The win puts the Vulcans (6-1, 4-0) in the driver’s seat to win the PSAC West. Home wins over Indiana (Pa.) and Edinboro over the next two weeks would snap The Rock’s string of five consecutive West Division crowns.

Related Article: Can SRU’s Todd Hill win PSAC defensive player of the year in 1st season? ‘He definitely has a shot’

A few other streaks ended for The Rock (6-1, 3-1) with Saturday’s loss. SRU had won 16 straight regular season games and had beaten California six times in a row. Rock quarterback Brayden Long lost to a team other than Kutztown for the first time in his collegiate career.

“We deserve this. We worked so hard for this,” Seneca Valley graduate and Vulcan senior outside linebacker Josh Miller said. “We’re gonna celebrate this win tonight, then in 24 hours, it’s back to work.

“This is exciting. We know what’s in front of us now.”

The Vulcans put themselves in front early on this day.

After receiving the opening kickoff, California quarterback David Black dropped back on first down and connected with receiver Eric Willis III deep down the right sideline for a 65-yard touchdown.

Willis was facing single coverage on the play.

“We saw the defensive formation they were in,” California coach Gary Dunn said. “That was not a trick play. It was a base play. We thought we could hit one over the top and it worked out for us.”

Related Article: How QB Brayden Long is putting it all together as No. 9 Slippery Rock football preps for No. 24 IUP
Slippery Rock quarterback Brayden Long lost his first game against a PSAC team other than Kutztown on Saturday after California (Pa.) upset The Rock. Butler Eagle file photo

SRU tried answering later in the quarter, but Jake Mullins’ 42-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right. California put together a 75-yard touchdown drive and a 41-yard Anthony Beitko field goal to take a 17-0 lead with 9 minutes, 4 seconds left in the half.

The Rock scored their lone points later in the half as Long found Kylon Wilson deep over the middle for a 32-yard touchdown strike.

SRU had chances to grab momentum twice in the second half, but failed.

“If we had taken the second-half kickoff, drove down and scored, it’s a one-possession game and maybe things change,” Lutz said.

Instead, The Rock went three-and-out, and California then went on a 60-yard drive that ate 6:26 off the clock before settling for a 20-yard Beitko field goal.

A screen pass to Idris Lawrence went for 40 yards and gave SRU a first down at California’s 20-yard line late in the third quarter. But Long’s first-down pass from there was intercepted by Dominic Solomon Jr. at the goal line to thwart the drive.

The Vulcans then marched 85 yards in 15 plays, chewing another 8:48 off the clock before scoring a touchdown to ice the game.

“Huge turnaround right there,” Dunn said. “If Slippery Rock takes that one in, this may have been a different game.”

Related Article: Why SRU football’s Nathan Waltman, a Karns City grad, believes move to right tackle will pay off big

Black saw it differently.

“Even if they score there, I felt like we’d have stayed in control,” the quarterback said. “To put together long drives like we did today, you have to be able to run the ball. We did that. This was the best game our offensive line has played all season.”

The Rock was 0 for 8 on third down for the day. California possessed the ball for 39:10.

Lutz could only tip his cap to the Vulcans.

“They thoroughly beat us in all phases of the game,” he said. “Their quarterback was outstanding. I don’t think he missed a throw.

“We just have to get back to work.”

SRU is off Oct. 26 before traveling to Clarion for a 6 pm. game on Halloween night.

Slippery Rock 0 7 0 0 — 7

California 7 10 3 8 28

First Quarter

C Eric Willis III 65 pass from Davis Black (Anthony Beitko kick), 14:50

Second Quarter

C Eric McKan III 14 run (Beitko kick), 14:53

C Beitko 41 field goal, 9:04

SRU Kylon Wilson 32 pass from Brayden Long (Jake Mullins kick), 4:51

Third Quarter

C Beitko 20 field goal, 6:54

Fourth Quarter

C Black 2 run (Black pass from Deontae Williams), 10:59

Individual Statistics

Passing: SRU, Brayden Long 24-38-282-1. California, Davis Black 16-26-250-0.

Rushing: SRU, Idris Lawrence 5-33, Chris D’Or 4-(-1), Brayden Long 3-(-22). California, Bobby Boyd Jr. 14-67, Eric McKan III 18-59, Omari Hopkins 1-16, Davis Black 7-15, Isaiah Cameron 2-10, TEAM 1-(-7).

Receiving: SRU, Idris Lawrence 5-70, Kam Kruzelyak 5-41, Mike Solomon 4-64, Logan Ramper 2-35, Chris D’Or 2-18, JayJay Jordan 1-6, Carson Heckathorn 1-2. California, Eric Willis III 5-106, Jack Colecchi 3-28, Omari Hopkins 2-38, Isaiah Cameron 2-17, D’Avay Johnson 2-10, Eric McKan III 1-12, Bobby Boyd Jr. 1-25, Junior McConahy 1-15.

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