Football Recap: Slippery Rock Comes Up Short + How To Watch

While it was Slippery Rock who put the first points on the board on Friday, it was Grove City who put up more. The Rockets took a 33-20 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Eagles. The Rockets were up 14-0 in the first quarter but couldn't hold on to the lead.

Doug Popovec threw for 119 yards on 12 of 27 attempts. On the ground, Owen Long rushed for 132 yards and one TD on only 12 carries.

Grove City found their leader in freshman Gavin Purdy, who rushed for 163 yards and three scores while picking up 10.2 yards per carry. With that strong performance, Purdy is now averaging an impressive 110.5 rushing yards per game. Jaxyn Wilson was another key player, rushing for 96 yards and one touchdown on only eight carries.

Slippery Rock dropped their record down to 1-3 with the loss, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. As for Grove City, the win (which was their third in a row) raised their record to 3-1.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Slippery Rock will venture away from home to face off against Sharpsville at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The Rockets will be up against the Blue Devils' rather soft defense (which has allowed 40.5 points per game), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance. As for Grove City, they will head out to square off against Fort LeBoeuf at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.