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| Slippery Rock football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First season | 1898 |
| Head coach | Shawn Lutz 7th season, 70–19 (.787) |
| Stadium | Mihalik-Thompson Stadium (capacity: 10,000) |
| Field | Dispirto Field |
| Year built | 1974 |
| Field surface | AstroPlay |
| Location | Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania |
| Conference | PSAC |
| All-time record | 527–354–38 (.594) |
| Bowl record | 1–2 (.333) |
| Conference titles | 9 |
| Colors | Green and white[1] |
| Fight song | Slippery Rock fight song |
| Mascot | Rocky |
| Marching band | Slippery Rock University Marching Pride |
| Website | rockathletics.com |
The Slippery Rock football program, nicknamed The Rock, represents Slippery Rock UniversityinSlippery Rock, Pennsylvania in the sport of college football. Slippery Rock competes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference which is a part of NCAA Division II football. They play their home games at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, a 10,000-seat capacity stadium named after Rock coaches N. Kerr Thompson and George Mihalik.[2]
Slippery Rock's inaugural football season was in 1898. During their first season, the team compiled a 1–0 record, beating New Castle High School. Slippery Rock did not hire a head coach until the 1906 season, when John B. Price became the first coach in Slippery Rock football history. Over the course of 112 seasons of football, (no season in 1943–44 because of WWII) Slippery Rock has compiled a total record of 527–354–38. The team has captured 9 PSAC Championships: 1939, 1962, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1997 (PSAC-W), 1998 (PSAC-W), 1999 (PSAC-W), 2000 (PSAC-W), 2011 (PSAC-W); as well as 6 state championships: 1924, 1939, 1962, 1972, 1973, 1974. Slippery Rock has had two undefeated seasons, 1924 finishing 9–0 and 1938 ending 8–0. In 1958, Slippery Rock played in its first bowl game, the Beaver Bowl where they defeated the Edinboro Fighting Scots 6–0. Slippery Rock has played in two bowl games since. The 1963 All-Sports Bowl, where they were defeated by Northeast Oklahoma St. 59–12. The most recent bowl game was the 1972 Knute Rockne Bowl losing 27–22 to Bridgeport. Slippery Rock has played in 24 total playoff games and has compiled a record of 12–12.
Slippery Rock have made eleven appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 12–11.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | First Round Quarterfinals |
Ashland New Haven |
W, 30–20 L, 21–49 |
| 1998 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals |
Grand Valley State Shepherd Carson–Newman |
W, 37–14 W, 41–39 L, 21–47 |
| 1999 | First Round | IUP | L, 20–27 OT |
| 2013 | First Round | Winston-Salem State | L, 20–27 |
| 2014 | First Round | West Chester | L, 20–46 |
| 2015 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals |
Virginia Union Assumption Shepherd |
W, 40–21 W, 41–39 L, 16–28 |
| 2018 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals |
LIU Post New Haven Notre Dame (OH) |
W, 20–14 W, 59–20 L, 17–21 |
| 2019 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals |
Shepherd Notre Dame (OH) Minnesota State |
W, 51–30 W, 65–59 L, 15–58 |
| 2021 | First Round | Notre Dame (OH) | L, 27–37 |
| 2022 | First Round Second Round |
Assumption Shepherd |
W, 17–14 L, 27–37 |
| 2023 | First Round Second Round Regional Final |
East Stroudsburg Tiffin Kutztown |
W, 45–14 W, 45–35 L, 16–28 |
Slippery Rock have made one appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs, with a combined record of 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Semifinals | Ithaca | L, 14–27 |
| Date | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 15, 1958 | Beaver Bowl[3] | Edinboro | W, 6–0 |
| December 7, 1963 | All-Sports Bowl[4] | Northeastern State (OK) | L, 19–52 |
| November 24, 1972 | Knute Rockne Bowl | Bridgeport | L, 22–27 |
The Rock play their games at N. Kerr Thompson-Mihalik Stadium on Dispirito Field. The stadium name, however, has been changed starting with the 2011 season to Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, in honor of then-current head coach George Mihalik. It is one of few college football stadiums where stadium was named in honor of the then-current head coach. The stadium name is also in honor of N. Kerr Thompson, who was one of the most successful coaches in Slippery Rock history. Dispirito Field was named for former head coach Bob Dispirito who also was a successful coach in Slippery Rock history.
"The Rock", located just outside the East endzone of the stadium, was donated by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1995. Players rub the rock every time they take the field prior to each home game.
Announcing the Slippery Rock score has been a tradition at University of Michigan football games since 1959, begun by Michigan Stadium announcer Steve Filipiak. Slippery Rock's scores have also been announced at the games of many other major schools, including Oklahoma,[4] Texas, North Carolina, Stanford,[7] and California. Michigan is the only school that still continues this tradition.
Such is Slippery Rock's popularity in Ann Arbor that The Rock has played three times at the massive Michigan Stadium. First, in front of a Division II-record 61,143 fans, Slippery Rock lost to Shippensburg, 45–14, in 1979. Two years later, over 35,000 were in attendance in 1981 when the Rock took on Wayne State, with Wayne State winning, 14–13. Slippery Rock returned to Michigan Stadium in 2014, against Mercyhurst, losing again, this time by a 45–23 score.[8] There would be 15,121 people who would attend, tiny by Michigan standards but still the largest crowd to watch a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference game that season.
the Beaver Bowl, a benefit game arranged by two civic groups for Corry High School Field (Erie County) Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7:30 p. m.
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