ITHACA, NY – 12th-ranked Ithaca College and its high-powered offense scored in every quarter and ended up earning a 56-10 victory over the University of Rochester football team on Saturday afternoon at Butterfield Stadium.
The host Bombers remain unbeaten on the season, moving to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Liberty League. Rochester's loss moves the teams record to the 1-4 on the year and 0-2 in the conference.
Rochester returns to action next Saturday, hosting Buffalo State at 1 pm at Fauver Stadium.
Ithaca started the game with a good kickoff return by Anthony D'Addetta, setting up the Bombers in Rochester territory on the first play. The Bombers rattled off a 7-play, 41-yard drive, capped by a Jake Williams touchdown run and Michael Roumes 2-point conversion to lead 8-0 early.
Rochester tried to pound out yards on the ground on the ensuing drive, getting out to midfield with five
Daniel Papantonis carries and a
Ryan Rose pass to
Tom Tommaso. A couple of sacks and delay of game penalty sent the Yellowjackets back though, forcing a punt which ended with the Bombers regaining possession at the Rochester 36-yard line.
The Bombers benefitted from a Rochester pass interference penalty on fourth down to keep the drive alive and capitalized on the next play, with A.J. Wingfield connecting with Dan Mason for a 15-yard touchdown pass, boosting the lead to 14-0.
In the second quarter, Ithaca struck first with a Wingfield 1-yard touchdown pass to Jon Crowley to increase the lead to 21-0.
Rochester answered with 10 straight points to close out the quarter though, heading to halftime with the score 21-10 Ithaca.
After gaining the ball at the 30-yard line, Rochester needed just five plays to travel 70 yards to break the shutout. Papantonis scampered up the left side for a big 34-yard run, with Rose finding
Trey Johnson for a 28-yard touchdown score three plays later.
Ithaca missed a long field goal attempt on its next drive, giving Rochester the ball back with just over three minutes left in the half. Papantonis rattled off another long run on the drives first play, this one for 64 yards up the middle, to set up the Yellowjackets inside the 10-yard line. Rochester couldn't punch it in though, instead settling for a
Jordan Laudani 24-yard field goal which split the uprights.
During the second half, the Bombers scored on five of six possessions, including getting a 56-yard Michael Anderson punt return TD to finish off the big victory.
Papantonis was the bright spot for the Yellowjackets, finishing with 172 yards on the ground on 27 carries, averaging 6.4 yards per tote. The junior co-captain now is up to 905 yards on the ground through five games, ranking eighth in Rochester single-season history. He currently leads NCAA Division III in total rushing.
Backup running back
Jake Adelmann also carried 13 times for 56 yards, with Rochester finishing with over 200 yards on the ground for the day.
Rose completed six passes for 55 yards and a score, also throwing one interception. Johnson, Tomasso and Papantonis finished with two catches each.
Leading the defense was
Caden Cole who had 10 tackles and half a tackle for loss.
Jordy Tawa finished with six stops and three pass break ups.
Ithaca's Wingfield was efficient on the day, finishing 21-for-27 passing for 193 yards and four touchdowns. He found ten difference receivers on the day with Jake Ross, Jalen Leonard-Osbourne, Mason and Crowley catching TD's. Jake Williams led the Bomber rushers with 113 yards and a TD, while Max Perry scored twice on the ground and had 75 yards.
