In the first game of the season against Western Michigan, Slaton struggled rushing early as the Broncos keyed in on him, but ended with 109 rushing yards and three touchdowns and 61 receiving yards on 2 receptions and a touchdown as the Mountaineers won 62-24. In the second week of the season, Slaton had 146 yards on 24 carries and touchdown runs of 1-yard and 18-yards while the Mountaineers beat Marshall 48-23 in front of the largest crowd ever at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, in Huntington, West Virginia. In this game, Slaton became the third Mountaineer to surpass 3,000 rushing yards in his career.