Quarterback Mike Hermann threw for one touchdown and ran for another to lead visiting Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to a 17-0 victory over the University of Rochester at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
Hermann directed two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to help the Engineers pull away from the Yellowjackets. He led RPI on a 12-play, 67-yard TD drive that ended with his seven-yard scoring pass to Ray Davis with 7:24 remaining. Then, after an immediate Rochester turnover, he led RPI on an eight-play, 29 yard TD drive with 3:28 to go. He ended that drive by running in from the three.
RPI evened its overall record at 2-2 and its Liberty League record at 1-1. The Engineers held Rochester to 255 yards in offense – 160 on the ground, 95 through the air. It was first time Rochester has been shut out in nine years – since a 46-0 loss at Washington (Mo.) University on October 20, 2001. The Yellowjackets are 0-4 overall, 0-2 in the Liberty League.
Hermann rushed 13 times for 99 yards. Nick Costa had 13 carries for 29 yards. RPI rushed for a net of 187 yards. Hermann completed 17 of 25 passes for 172 yards with one TD and one interception. Davis caught six balls for 58 yards and one TD.
For Rochester. R.J. Napodano rushed 12 times for 63 yards and Byron Saggese had 15 carries for 52 yards. Patrick Keegan completed 9 of 24 passes for 77 yards. He was intercepted twice and sacked twice.
The Yellowjackets had a promising first quarter drive end with a turnover. With Napodano and Saggese doing the bulk of the ball-carrying, Rochester drove from its own 8 to the RPI 15. On second-and-7, Keegan's pass was tipped at the line and intercepted by Matthew Lauro at the 12. RPI drove 83 yards in 13 plays, leading to a 22-yard field goal by Peter Nilson with 14:11 left in the second quarter.
Later in the quarter, Hermann drove the Engineers from their own 21 to the Rochester 19. On first down, his pass was intercepted by Rochester's Kobie Hamm at the 4. He ran it back to the 30. Keegan drove Rochester to the RPI 32 where he threw three straight incompletions, then was sacked by Darryl Brown on fourth down.
RPI had a chance to double its lead with a hurry-up offense. Hermann scrambled for 21 yards, then threw a 16-yard pass to Austin Caswell, putting the ball on the UR 21. Nilson's 38 yard field goal attempt was blocked by Bill Campi. It was recovered by Hamm on the 2 yard line as the half ended.
Nilson missed a 27-yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter. Rochester drove to the RPI 33 but three incompletions gave the ball back to the Engineers with 13:51 remaining. Hermann led RPI 67 yards in 12 plays for the TD with 7:24 left. He rolled out of the pocket under pressure and found Davis who made a sliding catch in the middle of the end zone. Nilson's PAT made it 10-0.
Chris Pesota returned the kickoff to the Rochester 32. On 1st-and-10, Patrick Gilreat blitzed and jarred the ball loose from Keegan. It was recovered by Theodore Abriel at the UR 29. Hermann used two passes to Davis and one to Steven Burpoe to get the ball down to the three. On 4th-and-goal, he ran into the right corner of the end zone for the clinching TD with 3:43 left.
Defensively, Jeff McCormick led RPI with 13 tackles and Colin King had seven. Brendan Pidgeon had seven tackles for Rochester, including a one-yard sack.
