SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Donny Blaine (Jefferson Township, Pa./North Pocono) found Jerome Kapp (Barto, Pa./Boyertown) for a 61-yard go-ahead touchdown pass with just under six minutes remaining and Cody Scherer (Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton) came up with a big interception as Kutztown overcame No. 9 Slippery Rock's fourth-quarter comeback bid to pull out a 23-21 victory, Saturday, in the regular season finale.
 
The Golden Bears led for much of the afternoon in a rematch of the last two PSAC championship games, but two touchdowns by The Rock in the span of 1:45 nearly derailed all of Kutztown's work to that point. Brayden Long connected with Cohen Russell for a 57-yard pass with 9:04 to go, before Tyler Settle blocked a punt, scooped it up and took it back 11 yards to give Slippery Rock a 21-17 lead.
 
Slippery Rock was poised to get the ball back with a chance to add to its lead after three straight KU incompletions, but a roughing the kicker penalty extended the drive and the Bears (8-3) cashed in. On 3rd-and-11 from the KU 39, Blaine scrambled right before heaving the ball down the sideline. Kapp elevated to bring it down around the SRU 33 and outraced the defense the rest of the way to put Kutztown back on top.
 
Trickery from The Rock on its next possession backfired when wide receiver Gavyn Barnes had his pass into double coverage intercepted by Scherer at the KU 42.
 
Kutztown tried to drain the clock from there, handing it off to lead back Darryl Davis-McNeil (Roslyn, Pa./Abington) three times for 26 yards before freshman punter Nathan Millard (Birdsboro, Pa./Daniel Boone) pinned The Rock inside its own five with 2:23 to play. Davis-McNeil, returning from a one-game absence, went over 1,000 yards rushing for the year on a 5-yard carry during the drive. The Roslyn, Pa., native is the 11th player in program history to post a 1,000-yard rushing season and first since Abdul-Hassan Neblett in 2019.
 
The PSAC's top defense forced a Slippery Rock three-and-out and Kutztown ran out the final two minutes as Davis-McNeil picked up another first down.
 
After last week's tough result against West Chester, Saturday marked an outstanding bounce-back effort by the Maroon and Gold to keep their outside shot at a postseason berth alive. Slippery Rock (9-2) came in ranked fifth in the latest Super Region One rankings, while the Golden Bears were 10th.
 
Kutztown's defense was strong all day, registering five sacks, seven tackles for loss and allowing just 27 yards rushing. Tyler Whary (Hereford, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) had a team-high nine tackles, including a sack, Kam Wolfe (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) had eight and Gabe Gipli (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) produced six with 1.5 sacks.
 
Blaine threw for 256 yards and two scores, the first of which went to tight end Tyreek Husser (Woodstown, N.J./Woodstown) for 17 yards on KU's first possession. Kapp hauled in eight passes for a game-high 155 yards and the game-winning touchdown. The graduate student from Barto, Pa., moved into third place on Kutztown's all-time receiving list with 2,190 career yards and his 916 this fall are sixth most in a season in program history.
 
The Rock got 227 yards and a touchdown on 24-of-42 passing from Long, their backup quarterback. Slippery Rock was without the services of starting QB Noah Grover and a few other skill position starters. Max Maciejewski caught nine passes for 92 yards.
 
How much of an effect today's win has on Kutztown's prospects to make their fourth straight NCAA playoff appearance will be made clear Sunday evening at 5:30 p.m. during the NCAA selection show, which will air on ncaa.com.
 
Two of Kutztown's three losses this season came against teams ranked No. 1 (Shepherd) and No. 2 (Assumption) in the latest regional rankings.
 
Seven teams from Super Region One will qualify for the playoffs. The Golden Bears got some help Saturday when No. 7 Gannon fell to Shippensburg, 35-28, but No. 8 Concord held off UNC Pembroke, 58-56, in five overtimes and No. 9 New Haven rolled over Southern Connecticut, 54-14.
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