SLIPPERY ROCK — Pride vs. Production.

Unbeaten and 10th-ranked Slippery Rock travels to Seton Hill for a 2 p.m. kickoff and a mutual PSAC West football opener Saturday at Offut Field.

While SRU (3-0) has been the most productive offense in NCAA Division II so far this season, Seton Hill (0-2) has scored only 18 points and was shut out by West Chester last week.

“Our program is all about establishing culture right now,” first-year Seton Hill coach Daniel Day said. “We have to return the pride to this program.

“A lot of these guys don't know what it means to be a Griffin.”

Day does.

He was a member of Seton Hill's first football team in 2005 and was a senior on the Griffins' first playoff team in 2008.

“Coach Day played there and he cares a lot about that program,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said. “He's trying to build something.

“Their biggest problem offensively is a young offensive line. He's got four freshmen starting there and a junior tackle who's only 240 pounds.”

SRU has won seven of the last eight games between the teams. The lone loss was a 51-48 upset defeat at Offut Field. The Rock was ranked 14th in the nation at the time.

“Things can happen .. You make some turnovers, too many mistakes ... You always have to be ready to play,” Lutz said.

SRU's offense leads the nation in scoring (55 ppg.), passing (397 ypg.) and fewest turnovers (0). Its 543 yards of total offense per game is fourth in the country.

The Rock is the only team in all of Division II that has yet to commit a turnover.

“The way they're playing right now, they're the best Division II football team I've ever seen,” Day said.

Roland Rivers III has thrown for 1,113 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 76.7 percent of his passes. He's thrown 44 TD passes in 15 games with SRU and his 63 total collegiate touchdown tosses are most in the nation among active D-II quarterbacks.

SRU's receivers — Henry Litwin (6), Cinque Sweeting (5) and Jermaine Wynn Jr. (5) — rank first, second and third in the nation in touchdown catches this year. Sweeting was Seton Hill's leading rusher with 672 yards last year before transferring to SRU.

“I know he wants to have a great game against his former team,” Lutz said. “You know a lot of those guys are going to be talking at him during the game.”

Seton Hill's Logan Wiland rushed for 236 yards and two TDs in the Griffins' opener against East Stroudsburg. He had 16 carries for seven yards against West Chester.

“That (Wiland) will run over you. He's a tough kid to bring down,” Lutz said. “West Chester got penetration into their backfield and never let him get started. That's what we want to do.”

The Griffins have been using two quarterbacks in Ryan Barabe and Chris Jones.

“Ryan is more of a drop-back passer while Chris can make plays with his feet,” Day said. “They bring different elements to the game and I'm sure both will play.”

Defensively, the Griffins are led by linebackers Jayden Emberton-Gaines and Narrio Walks. Gaines has 22 tackles, an interception and two forced fumbles. Walks had 12 tackles last week.

SRU's running game continues to struggle as Rivers in the team's leading rusher with only 137 yards.

“When you look at our line, the only starter who came in here really highly touted was (left tackle) Chris Larsen,” Lutz said. “We knew we weren't going to be a dominant running team, but we do have to get better in that area.”

Defensively, strong safety Dalton Holt leads The Rock in tackles. Trysten McDonald will return from injury to start at outside linebacker.

“Our defensive ends, Chad Kuhn and Garret de Bien, I believe, are the best tandem in the league,” Lutz said. “And (tackle) Jeff Marx does a great job of clogging up the middle.”

Rock kicker Jake Chapla enters Saturday's game 16 points shy of tying Stan Kennedy's SRU career scoring record of 318 points. Kennedy was a running back.