IUP 34, Slippery Rock 28 (OT)
November 9, 2002
N. Kerr Thompson Stadium ** Slippery Rock, Pa.
IUP clinched a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs but not before getting
a huge scare from archrival Slippery Rock Saturday afternoon at N. Kerr
Thompson Stadium.
The Indians trailed 17-7 at halftime and 28-21 midway through the fourth
quarter before rallying for a 34-28 overtime victory, their 10th straight
win after a season opening loss at Findlay. The win not only wrapped up a
13th postseason bid in the past 16 years but also enabled IUP to lay claim
to its ninth outright PSAC West title in 17 seasons under head coach Frank
Cignetti.
IUP will now wait and see who its first round playoff opponent will be on
November 23, but the Indians have positioned themselves for a potential home
game at Miller Stadium on that date. Their win combined with Bentley's
defeat at C.W. Post and Findlay's impending contest next week against
powerful Grand Valley State has IUP in good shape to host at least one
playoff game this year.
Slippery Rock, which has lost two overtime games in its current four-game
losing streak to IUP, fell to 6-4 overall and 3-2 in the PSAC West. The
Rock could have claimed a share of the division title with a win over IUP
and a victory over Clarion next Saturday.
After Slippery Rock kicker John Katsaouni was wide left from 34 yards out
on the first possession of overtime, IUP covered the 25 yards in four plays,
with Elice Parker finding the end zone from two yards out. The win keeps
the Indians perfect in four overtime contests over the past five seasons
since the rule was implemented in college football.
IUP had a chance to win the game in regulation, driving 57 yards on 10 plays
to reach the Slippery Rock 10. But Matt Mager blocked a 27-yard field goal
attempt by Josh Telenko to send the game into the extra period.
It was the second time that IUP and Slippery Rock have played an overtime
game at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium, and the stakes were just as high for the
Indians. In 1999, IUP stunned the Rock 27-20 in one extra period in the
opening round of the playoffs. From there, IUP defeated Millersville in the
Northeast Region final before losing in the national semifinals to eventual
champion Northwest Missouri State.
IUP forced the overtime when a one-yard quarterback sneak by Brian Eyerman
capped a 50-yard drive that tied the game at 28 with 6:19 left in the fourth
quarter. The Indians overcame two illegal motion penalties on the drive and
converted a key 3rd and 12 with a 39-yard pass from Eyerman to J.R. Thomas
that moved the ball to the one.
IUP held a 7-3 lead after the first quarter. The Rock got on the board first
on a 24-yard field goal by Katsaouni, but the Indians answered when Parker got
behind the Slippery Rock secondary and scored on a 30-yard hookup with Eyerman.
But the hosts took control of the game in the second quarter behind the running
of Brandon Markus.
Markus carried five times for 30 yards and gave Slippery Rock a 10-7 lead on a
four-yard touchdown run with 13:51 left before halftime. Following an IUP punt
that gave the Rock the ball just inside Indian territory, Markus barreled
through tacklers en route to a 15-yard scoring run that made it 17-7 at the
8:45 mark.
IUP had two more scoring opportunities before intermission. Two incompletions
stopped a drive at the Slippery Rock seven, and Eyerman was intercepted by
Asaad Allen in the end zone to thwart another threat.
The terrible playing conditions helped stymie the Indian offense, which was
limited to 120 yards with Eyerman, a Harlon Hill candidate, completing only
6 of 18 passes for 79 yards with two interceptions.
IUP finally got on track on its second possession of the third quarter.
Eyerman hit LeRon McCoy for 29 yards on 3rd and 9 and then found Parker on a
screen pass on the following play to cut Slippery Rock's lead to 17-14 with
10:24 left in the stanza. A Katsaouni field goal from 25 yards out on the
ensuing drive gave the Rock a 20-14 lead.
But the Indians offense had found its rhythm. IUP drove 66 yards on 10 plays
in a methodical march that ended with a four-yard touchdown pass to McCoy,
giving the Indians the lead back at 21-20 with 14:42 left in the game.
Just when it appeared that IUP had assumed control, Slippery Rock bounced
right back. A 27-yard pass from Jeff Valentino to Markus led to an acrobatic
34-yard touchdown grab by Tim Arthurs. Brandon Richardson hauled in the
two-point conversion pass, and the Rock had a 28-21 lead with 10:52 left in
the game.
A short kickoff and a personal foul against Slippery Rock gave IUP the ball
at midfield, leading to the tying touchdown and the dramatic victory in
overtime.
Eyerman demonstrated in the fourth quarter why he is under consideration for
the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded to the top player in Division II football.
After completing only 9 of 23 passes for 133 yards through three quarters,
the senior signal caller and four-year starter hit on 11 of 14 attempts for
141 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Along the way, Eyerman added to his IUP career records. He finished the day
20 of 37 for 274 yards and three touchdowns, and his career completion total
of 507 moved him past Rich Ingold for the top spot in that category. Eyerman
also holds school marks for passing yardage (7,919), touchdowns (80), attempts
(912), total touchdowns produced by rushing and passing (85) and total offense
(7,349).
Eyerman posted his 16th game with at least three touchdown passes, including
his seventh this season.
Parker became the sixth player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a
season. The LSU transfer gained 49 yards on 14 carries to push his total this
year to 1,021. IUP has had a 1,000-yard rusher in nine of the past 12 seasons.
Justin Spence led the Indian ground game against Slippery Rock with 55 yards
on 11 attempts.
The game was the 200th at IUP for Cignetti, who owns a mark of 159-40-1 at his
alma mater. Under Cignetti, the Indians are 92-9-1 in PSAC West play and have
won 13 consecutive games in the division and 14 in a row on the road.