Virginia Union University has been given the chance to scratch a 24-year football itch.

But before the Panthers say can “ahh,” there is much work to be done.

Coach Mark James’ squad will travel Saturday to northwest Pennsylvania — 50 miles north of Pittsburgh — to face Slippery Rock University in the opener of the NCAA Division II football playoffs.

The VUU team would be wise to pack their woolens. The extended weather forecast suggests a high temperature of 35 degrees on Nov. 21.

At any temp, playing The Rock is a challenging assignment.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champs are 10-1 and ranked No. 5 nationally and No. 2 in the NCAA Division II Super Region 1. Slippery Rock’s team also leads the nation in scoring at 49 points per game.

“To their credit, they have a great offense. But on our side, we think we have the defense to match them,” said Coach James. “We’ve just got to get down and focus.”

The two programs exchanged video on Hudl soon after the Division II matches were announced.

“We’ve got their whole caboodle, and they have ours,” said Coach James.

This marks VUU’s first NCAA football playoff invitation since 1991, when Joe Taylor was coaching the Panthers. He now is VUU’s athletic director and hired Coach James last winter to replace Michael Bailey.

The Panthers made the playoffs eight times between 1979 and 1991, losing in the first round each time.

Much has changed. About the only people with roots to the previous postseasons are Taylor, equipment manager Sam Davis and longtime special assistant Bernard Rucker.

In Coach James’ second season, VUU qualified on the strength of its 8-2 record and its runner-up finish to Bowie State University in the CIAA Northern Division.

VUU averages 33 points and 436 yards on attack and leads the NCAA Division II in defense, allowing just 221 yards per game.

VUU is seeded seventh in the NCAA Division II’s Super Region 1.

The winner of the VUU-Slippery Rock game will take on the survivor of No. 6 Bowie State against No. 3 Assumption College of Massachusetts on Nov. 28.

Generally, the higher seed school hosts the game until the finals.

The championship game of the 28-team, five-tier event will be played Dec. 19 in Kansas City, Mo.           

Seven members of the VUU Panthers lineup made All-CIAA: Offensive linemen Addison Hayes and Dahon Taylor, defensive lineman Miles Price and Paulin Miano, linebacker Joe Blanks, defensive back Rodeshawn Joseph and tailback Hakeem Holland.

Quarterback Shawheem Dowdy made the second team.

Price, the CIAA sacks leader, will miss the Slippery Rock game with an injury.

Holland, a freshman from Baltimore, also was named CIAA Offensive Rookie of the Year. Holland has rushed for 1,012 yards and has 12 touchdowns.

Slippery Rock is hitting on all cylinders, winning its last three games: 52-10 over Edinboro University, 65-13 over Clarion University and 61-12 over West Chester University for the conference title.

The Rock averages 517 yards per game on offense, which is the fourth best nationally.

VUU, which was idle this past week, last played Nov. 7 when the Panthers defeated Virginia State University 28-27 in Ettrick.

“It’s nice getting that week’s rest,” said Coach James.

Slippery Rock is a state-supported institution with about 9,000 undergraduates. Its football facility, Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, is named in part for current Coach George Mihalik.

In his 28th season, Coach Mihalik is 185-109-4 and has taken The Rock to playoffs six times. The team’s best finish was the semifinals.

Coach James is 15-5 in two VUU seasons. The Panthers’ two losses this season were by a combined six points to Bowie State and Gardner-Webb universities.