PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – Despite a late comeback that pulled the 'Jackets within a score, University of Rochester football dropped its final home game of the year to the Buffalo State University Bengals, 35-21 on Saturday afternoon at Edwin Fauver Stadium. The loss drops Rochester to 6-2 (2-2 Liberty League) on the season, while the Bengals pick up their first conference win, moving to 3-5 (1-3 LL).
 
After the Yellowjackets won the toss and deferred their decision to the second half, Buffalo State struck first with a 14-play, 95-yard touchdown drive, chewing up more than eight-and-a-half minutes of possession.
 
Despite starting from their own five-yard line after Darion Jones misplayed the opening kickoff, Amir Cameron connected on pass plays of 17 and 12 yards to Jones and William Kitching, while Cody Phillips' runs of 17 and 19 yards moved Buffalo State into the red zone, where Amir Cameron finished off the drive with a one-yard score.
 
Down 8-0 following the two-point conversion from Buffalo State, Rochester looked to answer on their ensuing drive, moving across midfield after Ryan Rose connected with Aidan Papantonis and Nick Wamp on passes on 10 and nine yards, but a pair of incompletions stalled UR's drive, and the 'Jackets punted from just beyond midfield.
 
Just three plays later, the Yellowjackets would get the ball after Jordy Tawa intercepted Cameron's overthrown pass, but a facemask penalty overturned a 15-yard pass play, and just three plays later, an interception gave the ball right back to the Bengals.
 
Buffalo St. ran the ball twice on first and second down and looked to be heading to their first three-and-out, but an offsides penalty on third-and-10, cut the distance in half for the Bengals, and on third-and-five, Cameron found Tyler Mills wide open downfield for a 75-yard score, extending Buffalo State's lead to 15-0.
 
Then after another three-and-out by UR, the 'Jackets' defense finally forced a punt, and an errant snap over the head of Buffalo State's punter gave Rochester the ball just shy of the goal line.
 
And while the Bengals stuffed Jake Adelmann twice and sacked Rose on third down, on fourth down, Rose found just enough daylight to get across the goal line for a three-yard touchdown, cutting the Bengals' lead down to 15-7.
 
Neither offense would get across midfield the rest of the first half, and UR would head into the locker room, trailing Buffalo State, 15-7.
 
But despite getting the ball to start the third quarter, another interception gave Buffalo State the ball with great field position at the UR 33-yard line. However, UR's defense came up big with a sack on third-and-seven by Mason Health-Alford, forcing Buffalo State to punt.
 
Two drives later after another pair of three-and-outs, the 'Jackets got their offense going with a 16-yard pass from Rose to Wamp, and a play later, an eight-yard completion to Trey Johnson. However, on the very next play, Michael Lastique forced a fumble on a screen pass to Aidan Papantonis, which Dominic Ferguson scooped and took back 42 yards for a score, extending the Bengals' lead to 22-7.
 
The Bengals would add another score with a nine-play, 61-yard touchdown drive to end the third quarter and start the fourth, capped off by Caleb Kruzicki's two-yard touchdown run to make it a 28-7 lead after the Yellowjackets blocked the extra point.
 
Creighton Wise then took over for a four-play sequence, connecting with Jackson Kane on a 12-yard completion before scampering up the middle for 11 yards, but again Rochester's offense sputtered, this time after Sincere Green sacked Wise for a loss of five, and Alex Wing punted for the sixth time all day.
 
But after UR's defense forced a three-and-out, Rochester's offense finally got into gear just shy of the nine-minute mark of the fourth. Rose found Kane over the middle for 31 yards, and then Micah Butler for 14, as the 'Jackets moved across midfield to the Bengals' 32-yard line.
 
Another pass to Butler on third-and-10 put UR in the red zone, while a roughing the passer penalty helped keep the drive going and move the ball inside the Bengals' five-yard line. On second-and-goal from the four, Rose took another sack, but on third-and-goal Rose found Samuel Nuamah for a 12-yard touchdown pass, pulling the 'Jackets within two scores, 28-14.
 
Buffalo State recovered UR's onside kick attempt, but on fourth-and-five from the UR 30-yard line, Joe DeBonis sacked Cameron to force a turnover on downs and give the ball to UR with 2:40 left.
 
Rochester would again go down and score, as Rose again connected with Nuamah, this time for 40 yards to bring up first-and-goal, before Rose found Kane for a four-yard touchdown to make it a 28-21 ballgame.
 
However, UR's late rally would come up empty, as Kitching recovered Laudani's onside kick and returned it 31 yards to the 14-yard line, and two plays later, Wilson's 13-yard touchdown run sealed the victory for Buffalo State.
 
Rochester would get the ball back with just under a minute left, and Rose completed a pair of passes to Johnson and Wamp to bring UR just shy of midfield, but a sack-fumble finished things off for Buffalo State, and the Bengals took home the 35-21 victory.
 
Offensively, Rose completed 21-of-39 for 229 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, adding a 10 carries for 24 yards and a score, while Adelmann led UR on the ground with nine carries for 16 yards.
 
Kane and Nuamah caught four and two passes, respectively, for 52 yards and a score, while Johnson led UR with six receptions for 45 yards.
 
Defensively, DeBonis, Luke Herter and Simon Weeren each had a team-high nine tackles, with DeBonis adding two tackles for a loss and a sack, while Weeren had one tackle for a loss and a pass breakup and Herter notched one TFL.
 
The Yellowjackets will look to bounce back when they visit Schenectady, NY for Liberty League matchup against Union College on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 12:00 p.m.