MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University football team raced out to a 42-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 57-10 victory at Millersville University Saturday in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover action.
 
The Rock (2-1) were dominant over the opening 30 minutes of the game, holding Millersville (0-3) to just 24 total yards and -33 rushing yards. SRU came up with three turnovers and reeled off 254 yards of total offense during that stretch before finishing the game with 311 yards of total offense after calling off the attack in the second half. The Rock threw for 128 yards and rushed for 183 yards. Millersville finished with 171 yards of total offense with 200 passing yards and -29 rushing yards.
 
The explosive first half was even more impressive in that Slippery Rock started the game with its third string quarterback, third string running back and without two of its top offensive linemen. The Rock's top two quarterbacks were both unavailable with injury, which paved the way for Roland Rivers to make his SRU debut. The Valdosta State transfer threw for 115 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 37 yards and two scores in the first half alone.
 
His day was finished early in the second half as SRU went to fourth stringer Kameron Patterson to run out the game. Rivers finished 11-of-26 for 126 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing for 40 yards and two touchdowns on six carries.
 
Braden Fochtman made his first career start at running back and was nearly unstoppable. He averaged 7.9 yards per carry and finished with 79 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 touches. Nassir Weaver added 65 rushing yards on six carries and Chacar Berry rushed for 20 yards as SRU went with a committee approach in the absence of starter Wes Hills.
 
Rivers completed passes to seven different players, led by Henry Litwin, who caught four passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Dakota Clanagan caught two passes for 31 yards, Weaver grabbed two passes for 19 yards and Focthman caught one pass for 18 yards.
 
The Rock defense was overbearing for the Marauders. SRU tied a program record for single-game sacks with 10, led by Chad Kuhn's 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble. His effort tied Marcus Martin's school record for single-game sacks, set against Clarion last season. Trey Blandford added 3.5 sacks, Tim Soave had 1.5 sacks and Rahdezz Henderson had a half-sack. Blandford finished with a team-high nine total tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss, just shy of Marcus Martin's SRU record of 6.5 tackles for loss in a single-game.
 
Tyree Spearman and Terrell Gabriel both intercepted passes, with Gabriel returning his 36 yards for a TD. Gabriel also recovered a fumble on special teams. Trysten McDonald forced and recovered one fumble and Chris Erfort recovered a fumble as well to give the SRU defense a total of five takeaways on the day.
 
Jake Chapla was perfect in the kicking game, connecting on all of his extra point attempts and booting a pair of field goals from 33 yards and from 50 yards. His 50-yarder marked the second 50-yard or better kick of his career and was just one yard shy of his career-long of 51 yards.

Millersville was led by quarterback Collin Shank, who completed 17-of-26 passes for 145 yards with two interceptions. He was relieved in the second half by Justis Jacobs, who threw one 43-yard TD pass to Joey Farley. Chris Dolan caught nine passes for 97 yards to lead the Marauders receivers.
 
Slippery Rock will now turn its focus to PSAC Western Division play and will open the divisional schedule next Saturday at home against Seton Hill. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game will serve as the annual White Out Night.
 
 
NOTES: SRU won its eighth straight game over Millersville and improved to 18-4-1 all-time against MU … SRU was missing captains RB Wes Hills, QB Andrew Koester and DB Tavarus Sample with injury … SRU was also missing backup QB Taylor King, starting DT Wilford Clark and played most of the game without its top offensive lineman Steve Gaviglia …  Roland Rivers, transfer from Valdosta State, made his SRU debut and accounted for four total TDs in the game … SRU now has three different QBs with TD passes in three weeks … Henry Litwin caught two TD passes and has at least one TD in each game … Braden Fochtman made his first start at RB and rushed for 79 yards and two TD on just 10 carries … Chad Kuhn tied SRU's single-game record for sacks (4.5), matching Marcus Martin's mark against Clarion last year  … SRU tied the program record for sacks in a single-game (10), matching the 1993 game against Cal U and the 2013 game against Seton Hill … Millersville's field goal early in the 3rd quarter was its first points against an SRU defense in more than 9 full quarters … SRU outscored MU 25-0 over the final three quarters in 2014 and posted a 75-0 win in 2015 before opening the first half Saturday with a 42-0 lead.



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