SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -
Hakim Melvin's 99-yard kick return started the game with a bang, and visiting Millersville raced to a 21-7 lead over No. 13-ranked Slippery Rock. But touchdowns just before and immediately after halftime turned the game in favor of The Rock, which won its 31st-consecutive night game, 42-21.
Millersville (2-1) had the formula for an upset, finishing plus-one in turnover margin, limiting penalties (committing only four), returning its first kickoff for a touchdown since 2014, and running the ball with effectiveness. But Slippery Rock entered the game with the PSAC's No. 1 scoring offense, and once it got rolling, the Marauders had no way to slow reigning PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week Brayden Long and his favorite target Kyle Sheets. Sheets hurt the Marauders on big plays downfield, finishing with 12 catches, 210 yards and three touchdowns. Long went 31-for-43 and 390 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions.
Despite Sheets' big game, the result hinged on third and fourth down conversions. Millersville went 4-for-12 on third down and was twice stuffed on fourth and short. Slippery Rock, meanwhile, converted 8-of-15 third downs and cashed in its first three fourth-down conversions, all of which were part of touchdown scoring drives.
"We're going to look back and see some opportunities that were missed and things we could adjust to," said Millersville head coach
J.C. Morgan. "They made plays, and we didn't."
The conversion struggles on both sides of the ball began late in the second quarter for Millersville. With Millersville leading 21-7, The Rock picked up two key third downs, including a 43-yard catch by Sheets on third-and-10, and a on fourth-and-goal from the 1, Long scrambled in to make the score 21-14.
Millersville started its next drive on its own 23 with 4:23 remaining in the half. On third-and-12,
Rob Footman Jr., slipped out of the pocket and raced down the sideline but stepped out of bounds one yard shy of the first down marker. Millersville put the ball back into Slippery Rock's hands on their own 14 with 2:59 to go. Eight plays later, Slippery Rock faced a fourth-and-four from the Marauders' 28, and Long connected with Tony Grimes to extend the drive. After a pair of incomplete passes, Long found Sheets for 13 for another third down conversion. The next play, Long and sheets hooked up again, tying the game at 21-21.
Slippery Rock opened the third quarter with a nine-play, 65-yard drive on which Long and Grimes connected for 12 yards on a fourth-and-two from the Millersville 34. Sheets scored on a 32-yard grab two plays later to give Slippery Rock the lead for good.
Driving to retie the game, Millersville pushed to the Slippery Rock 10-yard line. On third-and-three, Footman kept the ball and was stuffed by Munchie Johnson for a one-yard gain. Millersville elected for a field goal try, and it was blocked. The Millersville offense had one more chance for a tying drive after a quick three-and-out by the Slippery Rock offense. The Marauders pushed into Slippery Rock territory again, but a fourth-and-five pass from Footman to Melvin fell incomplete.
Two snaps later, Long dropped a 49-yard bomb into the hands of Sheets, putting Slippery Rock up by two scores and comfortably in the lead.
Slippery Rock scored 35 unanswered points, but Millersville became the first team this season to hold a lead against The Rock, and the Marauders held it for nearly the entire first half. Slippery Rock had not committed a turnover in the first two weeks, but Millersville forced and recovered two fumbles, both of which led to touchdown drives.
Makai Self forced a fumble that was recovered by freshman
Jabriel Rhodes-Nelson.
Ryan Aument popped the ball free from kick returner Kylon Wilson and
Garrett Cox fell on it, helping Millersville to its 21-7 lead.
"We did a good job taking advantage of the opportunities with turnovers," said Morgan. "Coming in they hadn't turned it over at all, and we took it away twice and converted those into points."
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Millersville finished with 138 yards rushing,
Jaquan Howard accounting for 65 on 13 carries and scoring a touchdown.
•
Brady Russell scored his first career touchdown, hauling in a seven-yard reception from Footman with 10:46 remaining in the first half. His score gave the Marauders a 21-7 lead.
• Slippery Rock has passed for more than 300 yards and four touchdowns in each of the last two games.
• Slippery Rock dialed up the pass rush in the second half, sacking Footman four times, and it impacted Footman's effectiveness. He finished 10-of-23 for just 83 yards.
• Aument recorded the Marauders' lone sack, picking it up on a linebacker blitz in the first quarter.
Garrett Cox led the Marauders with 14 tackles and two tackles for loss.
MORE FROM COACH MORGAN
• "We came out here to win a ball game. We are disappointed we didn't get it done, but I love this team...We just have to tighten a couple things up on our end."
GAME NOTES
• Millersville's defense has forced at least one turnover in six straight games dating back to week nine of the 2022 season.
• Slippery Rock played its third consecutive home game to start the season and improved to 47-6 at home since 2013. Millersville is now 40-32 all-time in night games.
UP NEXT
• Millersville returns home on Sept. 23 after two straight road games, taking on West Chester in the PSAC East opener.
