SLIPPERY ROCK — Everything went Slippery Rock University's way Saturday afternoon at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

Josh Kniess broke the school's career all-purpose yardage record in his final home game, the defense returned two interceptions for touchdowns and SRU's special teams contributed a score.

It all added up to a 58-28 football win over Shippensburg — that didn't come quite that easily.

"I told the guys at halftime that team wouldn't quit," SRU coach George Mihalik said. "That team never quits."

Playing without sophomore running back Corey Manfull, who was taken off the field via ambulance after being knocked unconscious in the first quarter, The Rock had built a 37-7 lead late in the first half.

A fumbled snap by Shippensburg punter Denver Brydon enabled Kniess to score on a 13-yard run on The Rock's first offensive play. Nate Crookshank scored on an 11-yard run and tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Frank Cremonese.

Seth Randall deflected a pass that was intercepted and returned 40 yards for a touchdown by Akeem Etheridge. The Red Raiders' next possession ended with Matt Fontana returning an interception 48 yards for a score.

With 3:07 left in the half, SRU had a 30-point lead.

"It appeared that they wanted to win a lot more than we did," Shippensburg coach Rocky Rees said.

But the Red Raiders put together a 65-yard drive just before halftime to cut the gap to 37-14.

For the second straight Rock home game, a stiff wind wreaked havoc on the passing game. SRU was operating against the wind early in the third quarter when Crookshank was intercepted by Brent Grimes, who returned the ball 25 yards to The Rock 31-yard line.

Three plays later, David Green caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rick Henshaw and it was 37-21 with 11:19 left in the quarter.

"The conditions were tough, but both teams had to deal with it," Crookshank said. "The pass just sailed on me."

"All the momentum was with them all of a sudden … and they had the wind," Mihalik said.

Until Crookshank took the wind out of their sails.

Facing third-and-5 from his own 37, Crookshank dropped back to pass, found nothing open and scrambled up the middle. He rambled 58 yards before being dragged down at the Shippensburg 5-yard line.

Kniess scored on the next play and the outcome was decided.

"You could see their heads drop," Mihalik said. "The game was over."

"We had a bunch of guys running 5 to 7-yard routes and they were covered," Crookshank said. "I almost ran up a guard's back trying to get out of there. The middle just opened up."

The rest of the day belonged to Kniess. The Slippery Rock High graduate broke D.J. Flick's all-purpose yardage record with a 35-yard run in the third quarter. That play set up Crookshank's 35-yard scoring pass to Paul Favers.

Kniess returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown with six seconds left in the quarter. That ended his day with 310 all-purpose yards, including 172 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Kniess has 4,883 all-purpose yards in his collegiate career.

"I was just happy I was able to break the record at home," Kniess said. "That was important to me."

Shippensburg entered the game having lost three starting defensive linemen to injury in the past week. Leading rusher Walter Crump didn't practice all week because of a bruised knee and had one carry Saturday.

The Red Raiders (4-6, 2-4) lost running back Aaron Dykes to an ankle injury in the third quarter.

"We didn't have an answer for them," Rees said of Slippery Rock. "We were out-manned up front. But we didn't play well today and I'm not going to let our guys off the hook for that."

David Richards rushed for 109 yards for Shippensburg, which clinched only its second losing season in nine years.

The Rock (4-5, 3-2) can avoid a third consecutive losing season with a win Saturday night at Clarion.

Notes:

Manfull was knocked unconscious when his head slammed into the turf on a running play up the middle. He came to and was responsive on the field. X-rays taken on his head, neck and spine at Grove City Hospital were negative, but Manfull was experiencing nausea and was transferred to Allegheny General for further observation … The Rock scored 58 points for the first time since 2000, when it won a 61-21 decision at West Virginia Wesleyan. … Shippensburg allowed 58 in a game for the first time since 1996, a 62-55 loss to Indiana (Pa.). … Rock seniors Kniess, Josh Zeisloft, Robert Minnie, Myles Arnold, Don Harbison and Steve Fullerton were recognized before the game. … Fullerton, a Seneca Valley graduate, caught a 13-yard pass to set up a touchdown. … SRU had four interceptions Saturday after getting only six in its first eight games. … Cory Lacek led The Rock with 10 tackles and leads the PSAC with nine quarterback sacks.