SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – It took an extra play after time ran out, but Edinboro's magical season continued on a blustery afternoon at Slippery Rock. Jake Sisson threw a two-yard touchdown pass to James Clark as the Fighting Scots rallied for a 37-35 win at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Winners of four games in a row, the Fighting Scots improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the PSAC West. Slippery Rock fell to 5-3 and 2-3, respectively.

Picked to finish eighth in the PSAC West in the preseason poll, Edinboro remained in the hunt for the divisional title with two games remaining. California(Pa.) is in first place with a 5-0 record, with Indiana(Pa.) also at 4-1.

Edinboro also improved to 3-0 in Homecoming games, winning their own plus games at Clarion and Slippery Rock. The Fighting Scots are now 5-0 on the road this year. In addition, they snapped SRU's 20-game home winning streak while snapping a six-game losing streak to The Rock. It had been the longest active home winning streak in Division II.
 

The Fighting Scots were nearly faced with lamenting a loss after Slippery Rock rallied from a 31-13 deficit in the third quarter to take a 35-31 lead with 57 seconds remaining. The windy conditions, plus an SRU defense that constantly harassed Sisson, had the junior quarterback suffering through an up-and-down day.

Sisson guided the Fighting Scots on an eight-play, 73-yard drive in just 52 seconds to the improbable victory. After Zuril Hendrick returned the kickoff to the 27, Sisson connected with Ta'Nauz Gregory on a 10-yard completion, with Gregory getting out of bounds. He found Jordan Williams for 17 yards to the SRU 46.      

Slippery Rock was called for pass interference on the next play, moving the ball to the SRU 37. It was a sign of things to come, as the penalty-infested game saw the two teams combine for 23 penalties for 230 yards, including numerous pass interference calls.

Sisson found Williams again, but for just a yard, and after a timeout and an incompletion, Edinboro was facing a 3rd-and-9 at the 37 with 23 seconds to play. He dropped a pass down the left sideline in between two defenders to Williams for a 22-yard gain to the 15, as Williams was knocked out of bounds.

Two more incompletions, along with three timeouts by the two teams, left the Scots staring at a 3rd-and-10 with three seconds to play. Edinboro's last hope was a fade pass to Williams. The two had combined for a pair of touchdowns earlier in the game. This one fell incomplete, but SRU was whistled for another pass interference call, leaving Edinboro with one untimed down from the two.

Sisson rolled to his right, with Clark running across the flow to the left. Sisson turned and lofted a pass to the junior wide receiver, who hauled it in at the two and beat linebacker Anthony Zappone into the end zone for the winning score.
Edinboro would be whistled for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for the ensuing celebration, but when Sisson took a knee to complete the extra point, Edinboro had completed an incredible comeback.
 

For Sisson, it was a day that saw him break one record held by an Edinboro icon, and tie another rather dubious one. His touchdown toss to Clark was his fourth of the afternoon, giving him 32 for the season. That breaks the season record of 30 previously set by Trevor Harris. However, he threw five interceptions to tie the single-game record set twice previously.
Sisson would complete 28 of a career-high 62 passes for 248 yards. He has thrown for 2,730 yards this season, moving into fifth place in season passing yards.

Statistically speaking, it would be hard to believe Edinboro defeated The Rock. SRU outgained Edinboro, 442 yards to 267. However, the Fighting Scots have won three of four games this year when they were outgained. They also improved to 3-1 when losing the turnover battle (Edinboro had 5, Slippery Rock 3), and have not had an advantage in time of possession all year.

But first-year head coach Justin Lustig's team continues to find ways to win. On Saturday, they trailed 10-0 less than six minutes into the game after Jake Chapla's 27-yard field goal and a 14-yard touchdown pass from Don King III to Cornelius Raye. The latter came after the first Sisson pickoff.

Edinboro turned a Slippery Rock turnover into points late in the period, as Austin Reese drilled a 43-yard field goal into a stiff win with 2:58 left in the quarter. It capped an 11-play, 63-yard march after a diving interception by Devon Groves.
The Fighting Scots, now with the wind at their back, would knot the score at 10-10 early in the second period thanks to an eight-play, 61-yard drive. Sisson completed five passes on the drive, the last to Williams for a nine-yard score on a fade pattern.

Slippery Rock would rely on the ground game to go 51 yards on the ensuing possession, ending with Chapla's 40-yard field goal into the wind. That gave SRU a 13-10 lead with 9:30 left in the second quarter.

That lead lasted exactly 12 seconds, or just long enough for freshman Gregory to gather in the ensuing kickoff at the 15 and sprint 85 yards for his second touchdown return of the year. He came in ranked second in Division II in kickoff returns. He has now scored a touchdown in seven of eight games. That gave the Scots a 17-13 advantage with 9:18 remaining.

Edinboro would add on another six-pointer in the half for a 24-13 lead at intermission. After a 12-yard punt into the wind earlier in the quarter, SRU head coach Shawn Lutz elected to go for it on 4th-and-3 from his won 29. King was sacked for a loss of seven by Kibbie.

It took Edinboro six plays, but Sisson and Williams combined on a three-yard touchdown pass with 2:23 to play.
The third quarter began with Slippery Rock driving to the Boro 21, but Kibbie forced a fumble, with Brandon Anderson ultimately recovering at the 43. The turnover led to an 11-play, 57-yard drive that was capped by a five-yard completion from Sisson to Gregory for his third touchdown pass of the game, breaking Harris' record in the process.

Down 31-13 and with King out of the game with an injury, Slippery Rock faced even more adversity when backup quarterback Nathaniel Musselman went down with an injury on the next series.

In came third stringer Augustus Necastro. The Edinboro offense suddenly went silent, with just one first down over the next six series prior to Sisson's game-winning drive. Necastro , a freshman, sparked The Rock. He would complete 17 of 22 passes for 187 yards, throwing a pair of touchdown passes. He had not attempted a pass prior to today.

The Rock scored on a 72-yard drive with 5:09 left in the third quarter on a nine-yard pass from Necastro to Drew Scales. Four plays into the fourth quarter, they closed the gap to 31-28 on and five-yard run by Isiah Neely, followed by the two-point conversion pass from Necastro to Marcus Johnson.

A short punt and 21-yard return by Hendrick midway through the fourth quarter had the Scots knocking on the door at the SRU 16. But on the very next, Sisson's pass was intercepted. The pickoff led to a 14-play, 87-yard drive keyed by a 25-yard completion to Johnson on a 3rd-and-13. That play carried to the Edinboro 9, and on 3rd-and-goal Necastro found Johnson in the back of the end zone for an eight-yard TD pass. With 57 seconds to play, Edinboro found themselves trailing 35-31 after 22 straight points by The Rock.

Slippery Rock would run off 107 points compared to Edinboro's 81. The Fighting Scots finished with 248 yards passing compared to 19 yards on the ground. SRU had 287 yards through the air and 155 on the ground.
Clark led Edinboro with 8 receptions for 71 yards and a score. Williams had 7 catches for 61 yards and 2 TDs. Alex Caratelli and Gregory each hauled in 6 passes, Caratelli for 66 yards and Gregory for 47 yards and a touchdown. The diminutive freshman wide receiver totaled 171 all-purpose yards.

Neely paced the SRU ground game with 135 yards on 29 carries. The three quarterbacks completed 29 of 50 passes, with Scales catching 8 passes for 78 yards and a score.

Two of the top teams in Division Ii for sacks squared off, with Edinboro totaling four. Despite constant pressure, Sisson was sacked just twice.

Three Edinboro players reached double figures in tackles. Groves led the way with a career-high 18 stops. Mike Shansky added 12 tackles, while Kibbie totaled 10 hits, with 5.5 tackles for losses and 2.5 sacks. Anderson added 9 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries.

Edinboro returns home to Sox Harrison Stadium next Saturday, October 29, hosting Seton Hill. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.