SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University football team erupted for its most yards of total offense in four years on Saturday as it posted a 41-28 triumph over Millersville in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup at sunny Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium.
 
Shippensburg (2-4, 2-1 PSAC East) racked up 587 yards against Millersville (0-6, 0-3), its most in a game since Sept. 18, 2021 in a 62-33 win at Clarion (594 yards). SU scored on six of its first eight possessions and had eight drives of more than 50 yards. Each of Shippensburg's five touchdowns was scored by a different player.
 
A plethora of Raiders achieved single-game career highs, notably 412 passing yards for quarterback Riley Gunnels, 121 rushing yards for Ethan Arneson, 122 receiving yards for Marcus Sweeney and 113 receiving yards for Ty Neal.
 
SU recorded 35 first downs, the most since the school record (38) was set in the historic 73-35 win at Kutztown on Oct. 13, 2012 – the same game in which Zach Zulli tied the PSAC's single-game passing touchdowns record (nine) and Trevor Harman tied the PSAC single-game reception (18) and receiving touchdown (five) records.
 
The Raiders out-gained the Marauders 587-315 and possessed the ball for more than 40 minutes but never led by more than 20 points. The Marauders kept it close with a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first half and three second-half touchdown drives of 55 yards or more.
 
With the score 34-21, 7:30 to go and Millersville with the ball, a bobbled pass flew into the hands of linebacker Nate Myers for his first career interception.
 
Two plays after Myers' interception, tight end Landon Bailey caught his first collegiate touchdown – a 27-yard score on a wide-open seam route up the middle – that extended the SU lead back to 20 with 7:08 to go.
 
Bailey entered Saturday with just five catches and nine yards in his career yet finished the game with four receptions and 80 receiving yards.
 
Among the 11 Raider pass plays that went for 15 or more yards included an 86-yard touchdown connection between Gunnels and Neal. It was the longest SU pass play in more than 11 years dating back to the 2014 season opener when Chris Lawshe found Sheldon Mayer for an 88-yard score in a 55-30 win at Seton Hill.
 
Sweeney hauled in a 35-yard touchdown on a fourth-down play that marked the only points of the second quarter. Caiden Pines caught a 14-yard touchdown from Gunnels on the opening play of the fourth quarter.
 
Arneson's 14-yard touchdown run in the first quarter prefaced Millersville's kickoff return touchdown. Overall, Arneson had four rushes of 10 or more yards, including a 29-yard scamper late in the first quarter.
 
Shippensburg punted just twice and Wilson Ingerski kicked first-half field goals of 28 and 33 yards. Myers led the Raiders with 10 tackles, while Terrance Peterson Jr. had seven (including 2.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs)). DJ Jackson had six tackles and had another pass breakup, giving him at least one in all six games this season.
 
For the visitors, Ryan Zeltt was 23-of-37 for 243 yards with three touchdowns and the pick to Myers. JQ Brown had the 91-yard kickoff return touchdown; Nakhi Bullock had a 71-yard touchdown on a mid-range slant pattern, and Isaiah Emmanuel broke a 58-yard run on Millersville's first play from scrimmage. Emmanuel's run happened to be the only rushing first down of the day for the Marauders.
 
Shippensburg is on the road next Saturday for a 6:05 p.m. kickoff at East Stroudsburg.
 
Some Notes: Gunnels is the first Raider quarterback to have a 300-yard passing game since Sam Johnson III achieved the feat (343 yards) on Sept. 24, 2022 in a 31-17 win at Bloomsburg…Gunnels is the first Raider quarterback to throw for at least 400 yards in a game since Brycen Mussina did so in a 32-30 loss at Shepherd on Oct. 12, 2019…Gunnels' 412 passing yards are the most by a Raider quarterback in a single game since Mussina threw for 510 yards in a 42-28 loss to Kutztown on Oct. 20, 2018…of Shippensburg's 412 passing yards, it totaled 330 yards after the catch (YAC)…Arneson had the most rushing yards in a game by a Raider since Tanner Hess (133 yards) on Oct. 7, 2023.