The Shippensburg University football team raced out to an early 10-0 lead on Saturday but ultimately could not withstand the high-powered offense of No. 11 Slippery Rock, which countered with 48 straight points en route to a 54-19 win over the Red Raiders under the lights at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
Shippensburg (0-2) forced a three-and-out on the opening Slippery Rock possession and then proceeded to travel 68 yards on nine plays for a touchdown, as the drive was culminated with an acrobatic touchdown catch by redshirt-junior Winston Eubanks. Sophomore David Shank ended SU's second drive by kicking a 29-yard field goal with 3:59 remaining in the first quarter.
 
Slippery Rock (2-0) found its stride after the Shank field goal, scoring a touchdown on a six-yard scamper by DeSean Dinkins.  Roland Rivers threw a touchdown a few plays after an SU interception to give the Rock a 14-10 lead with 14:18 left in the second quarter — a lead it would not relinquish.
 
Rivers completed 25-of-34 passes for 369 yards and four touchdowns for The Rock in the victory. The Rock finished 8-of-15 on third down while holding the SU offense to just 3-of-15 on third down.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Brycen Mussina finished his night 11-of-26 for 157 yards and a touchdown along with an interception. Redshirt-freshman Max DeVinney made his Red Raider debut, finishing 11-of-19 for 143 yards and his first career touchdown pass, a three-yard strike to graduate Luke Durkin with 2:12 left to play.
 
Durkin had a career day catching the football, totaling four receptions for 63 yards, including a 54-yard catch and run on a wheel route that set up Shank's field goal. Eubanks led the Red Raiders with six catches for 111 yards and a score.
 
Redshirt-freshman Bill Williams led the Red Raider backfield with 39 rushing yards on 11 attempts. The Red Raiders had just 45 yards on the ground, while the Rock rushed for 205 yards, including a late 75-yard touchdown run by Nassir Weaver.
 
Defensively, redshirt-freshman Anthony Kwiatanowski had a solid evening, recording a career-high eight tackles to lead the Red Raiders, along with redshirt-senior Tig Spinelli. Redshirt-senior Deionte Wilson had seven tackles.
 
The Red Raiders recorded six tackles for loss (TFLs) in the game. Redshirt-senior Eric Dzieniszewski and freshman Jacoby Sherard each recorded sacks. Yuka Onya had two TFLs.
 
Late in the fourth quarter, following a Rock touchdown, Spinelli blocked an extra point, allowing linebacker Tyler Simon to scoop up the football and run 100 yards the other direction for a defensive two-point conversion.
 
Shippensburg remains on the road next weekend, facing Cal U at 1 p.m. Saturday in a non-conference matchup from Adamson Stadium.