BRIAN F. PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – Rochester hit a bunch of high-water marks offensively on Saturday night in a 27-20 loss to Case Western Reserve University at Edwin Fauver Stadium. The Yellowjackets fought back from a 27-7 deficit with less than six minutes left in the third period to close within one touchdown. UR tried an onside kick in the last 90 seconds which was recovered by CWRU which ran out the clock.
 
Case QB Drew Saxton threw for 243 yards and three touchdowns. He threw a 16-yarder to Aiden Cain three minutes into the game, tossed a 12-yarder to Sean-Michael James later in the first quarter, and 23 yards to Riley Knurek late in the third. Case also scored on a one-yard run by Sean Goodman Jr. in the third period.
 
Rochester QB Sean Casey passed for 327 yards and two TDs. He passed 38 yards to Noah Shinaman for a touchdown five minutes into the second period (cutting the Case lead to 14-7). Late in the third quarter, with UR down 27-7, he tossed a screen pass to Daniel Papatonis who turned it into a 45-yard touchdown. It brought Rochester within 27-14. Rochester's defense held Case on downs with less than 6:00 to play in the game. UR took over at its own 29.
 
Casey directed a 10-play 71-yard drive that was marked by two offensive penalties that eliminated big gains. On first and 10 from the CWR 41, he threw long down the field for Shinaman. The senior receiver wrestled the ball away from Case defender Colin Shuster. Shinaman moved the ball to the two yard line. It was negated for a holding penalty. Will Varney rushed for five yards and Casey hit Caco Iglesias Iglesias down to the CW29. Three players later, a six-yard pass to Trey Johnson was negated for a hold.

 
The drive had a fortunate recovery that led to a touchdown. With UR facing 3^rd and 16 at the Case 35, Casey hit Papatonis with a short pass that he carried down to the 10. The ball was dislodged by Sean Torres of Case. It rolled forward and Shinaman recovered it at the four yard line. Varney scored from there on the next play.
 
Rochester tried an onside kick with 1:23 remaining. It was recovered by Antonio Orsini of Case at the UR 47. The Spartans knelt three times to kill the clock.
 
Papatonis rushed 23 times for 115 yards. He caught two passes for 76 yards, one of those the 45-yard catch-and-run TD. Varney ran 10 times for 51 yards and a TD. Trey Johnson caught seven passes for 105 yard and one TD. Casey was 23 of 41 for 327 yards, two touchdowns, and one INT.
 
Case Western is among others receiving votes in the d3football.com pre-season poll. The Spartans beat the Yellowjackets in one-sided decisions in the last two years (38-10 in Cleveland, 37-6 in Rochester in 2019). The 2020 game was canceled due to the pandemic.