SLIPPERY ROCK — Shippensburg was spotted 10 points.

Slippery Rock was spot-on from there.

The 11th-ranked Rock football team scored on its final five possessions of the first half and cruised to a 54-19 college football victory Saturday night at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

“Ranked 11th in the nation, playing your home opener in front of a packed house and falling behind 10-0 ... not the way you want to start,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said.

But a defense that created three turnovers and quarterback Roland Rivers III's effective vertical passing game quickly turned the game in SRU's favor.

Shippensburg (0-2) trailed Clarion 34-0 at halftime of its season opener. The Red Raiders began quickly in Week 2, however, as Brycen Mussina tossed a 5-yard scoring pass to Winston Eubanks and David Shank booted a 30-yard field goal to complete their first two possessions.

After The Rock answered with a 6-yard DeSean Dinkins' touchdown run, linebacker Brad Zaffram intercepted Mussina at the Shipp 42. Two plays later, Henry Litwin hauled in a 40-yard TD bomb from Rivers and The Rock (2-0) had the lead it never lost.

“I got that interception because our defensive line applied pressure to their quarterback,” Zaffram said. “I just happened to be in a good spot to make the play on the ball.”

Lutz referred to the pick as a “huge turning point” in the game.

“Football is a game of momentum,” the coach said. “Plays like that one change momentum.”

Jake Chapla hit field goals of 48 and 22 yards and Rivers found Jermaine Wynn for a 35-yard scoring strike, all before the end of the half. SRU took a 27-10 lead into intermission.

Chapla's 22-yard field goal came on fourth down from the Shipp 5-yard line on the final play of the half.

“The team wanted to go for the touchdown, but I wanted to make sure we went up by three scores there,” Lutz said.

Rivers III added two more touchdown passes in the third quarter to turn the game into a rout. He threw for 369 yards and four scores. Litwin had nine catches for 150 yards, Wynn seven for 133. Both had two touchdowns.

Rivers III has thrown for 775 yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions in two games.

“If I keep getting the protection our line's been giving me, I think we'll keep on going,” Rivers said of the passing game. “Those guys are getting open deep and I've been able to get the ball to them.

“This is my senior year. I'm just enjoying playing football with my teammates. I'm here to have fun.”

SRU's defense added an interception by Dalton Holt and fumble recovery by Wilford Clark. Garret de Bien forced the fumble. The Rock did not allow another score until Red Raider backup quarterback Max DeVinney — a red-shirt freshman from Pine-Richland —tossed a 3-yard TD pass with 2:12 remaining.

The Rock produced a goal-line stand late in the third quarter, denying a Shipp possession that had a first down at the 1-yard line.

“It doesn't matter what the score is,” Zaffram said. “Our defense is gonna play hard all the time and try to deny all the time. The coaches instill that attitude in us.”

The down-side of SRU's win was The Rock being flagged 22 times for 180 yards.

“We had two or three penalties called on us last week. We got 22 called on us tonight,” Lutz said. “That's all I'm going to say about that.

“We need to be better. It's up to me to fix it.”

Notes: SRU won its 15th consecutive home night game and is 23-1 since 2010 in home games under the lights. The Rock also won its 14th straight home opener. ... Chapla extended his school records to 41 career field goals and 172 PATs. He is within 26 points of SRU's career scoring mark of 318 points.

Shippensburg 10 0 0 9 — 19

Slippery Rock 7 20 14 13 — 54

First Quarter

SHIP — Winston Eubanks 5 pass from Brycen Mussina (David Shank kick), 9:08

SHIP — Shank 29 field goal, 3:59

SRU — DeSean Dinkins 6 run (Jake Chapla kick), :27

Second Quarter

SRU — Henry Litwin 40 pass from Roland Rivers III (Chapla kick), 14:18

SRU — Chapla 48 field goal, 11:25

SRU — Jermaine Wynn Jr. 35 pass from Rivers III (Chapla kick), 7:35

SRU — Chapla 23 field goal, :00

Third Quarter

SRU — Wynn Jr. 38 pass from Rivers III (Chapla kick), 7:45

SRU — Litwin 3 pass from Rivers III (Chapla kick), 5:56

Fourth Quarter

SRU — Qaadir Dixon 42 pass from Andrew Koester (Chapla kick), 9:54

SHIP — Luke Durkin 3 pass from Max DeVinney (Shank kick), 2:12

SRU — Nassir Weaver 75 run (kick blocked), 1:16

SHIP — Tyler Simon blocked PAT return

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Ship, Bill Williams 11-39, Brycen Mussina 2-14, Raleigh Sirb 3-7, Jaelen Thompson 7-6, Charles Headen III 1-3, Sean Judge 1-(-1), Max DeVinney 2-(-23). SRU, Nassir Weaver 3-77, DeSean Dinkins 4-24, Roland Rivers III 7-18, Braden Fochtman 3-13, Jermain Wynn Jr. 1-8, Cohen Russell 1-8, Cinque Sweeting 1-7, Rushawn Grange 2-(-2), Andrew Koester 1-(-6).

Passing: Ship, Brycen Mussina 11-26-157-2, Max DeVinney 11-19-143-0. SRU, Roland Rivers III 25-34-369-0, Andrew Koester 1-1-42-0.

Receiving: Ship, Winston Eubanks 6-111, Luke Durbin 4-63, Sean Judge 3-51, Charles Headen III 2-21, Kyle Haines 1-16, Shea O'Donnell 2-16, Jaelen Thompson 2-15, David Balint 1-8, Bill Williams 1-(-1). SRU, Henry Litwin 9-150, Jermaine Wynn Jr. 7-133, Qaadir Dixon 4-65, Cinque Sweeting 4-57, Braden Fochtman 1-5, Cohen Russell 1-1.