BUFFALO, NY – University of Rochester football held Buffalo State to just three points, and Shawn Bellenger and Aidan Papantonis each scored, as the Yellowjackets topped the Bengals, 23-3, for their first Liberty League road victory of the year on Saturday at Coyer Field.
 
URochester held the Bengals to just 213 yards of offense, and just 4-of-15 on third downs, as they suffocated the Buffalo State attack. While offensively, the 'Jackets rushed for 238 yards, averaging nearly 7.0 yards per carry en route to the 20-point victory.
 
After the Bengals' opening drive stalled out after a third-down sack by Luke Herter, the Yellowjackets looked to strike first, putting together a 10-play, 51-yard opening sequence. However, just outside the red zone, URochester turned it over on downs, and the Bengals took over.
 
Just a few plays later, though, Jack Diggins would give the 'Jackets the lead, with a 70-yard interception returned for a touchdown on Amir Cameron's third-and-12 pass attempt, giving URochester a 7-0 lead.
 
A quick three-and-out by the Bengals gave the ball right back to Rochester, and behind a pair of 13 and 11-yard rushes from Cole Raux, the 'Jackets made their way into the Bengals' red zone.
 
And despite a pair of incompletions, Seungyoon Shin connected on a 20-yard field goal, sending Rochester into the second quarter with a 10-0 lead.
 
Rochester's defense then forced another punt, holding Buffalo State to just seven yards over five plays before Jason Gatti-Ezard punted it away, but the Bengals would get the ball right back after a fumble by UR.
 
The Bengals then got on the scoreboard with a 13-play, 54-yard drive, converting a fourth-and-three from just outside the Rochester red zone.
 
Cameron hit Ortho Cox for 11 yards on the fourth-down conversion, but the 'Jacket defense came up with a stop with a tackle for loss on third-and-three, forcing Buffalo State to kick a field goal.
 
A possession later, the Yellowjackets forced another turnover, as Claudio Pinto got to Cameron for a strip sack late in the second quarter, giving URochester a chance to put points on the board before the half.
 
Starting from just shy of midfield, Bellenger hit Jackson Kane for 14 yards and then Raux rushed for 12, but after an incompletion, the 'Jackets had to settle for a field goal, and Shin missed wide left, sending Rochester into the locker room with a 10-3 lead.
 
The Yellowjackets, though, got the ball to start the second half and quickly doubled their lead, needing just six plays to go up 17-3. Starting from their own 36-yard line, Bellenger rushed for seven yards on first-and-10 before Raux rumbled for 30 yards down to the Buffalo State 27-yard line.
 
A personal foul on the Bengals, a play later, moved the ball up to the 12-yard line, and after a pair of rushes by Raux, Bellenger connected with Aidan Papantonis for a six-yard score to give Rochester a 17-3 lead.
 
The Bengals looked to respond and started their next drive with great field position thanks to a 47-yard kickoff return by Jeadi Higdon, but the 'Jackets would come up with another fourth-down stop.
 
Despite a penalty that gave Buffalo State a first down after facing fourth-and-22, Rhys Lewis dropped Cameron for an eight-yard loss on first-and-10, and then UR forced a trio of incompletions for another turnover on downs.
 
Jett Genovese took over for the 'Jackets on offense and helped URochester move the ball across midfield and into the red zone with gains of nine, 29 and 10 yards. But a penalty on first-and-10 from the Bengals' 13 stalled out the drive, and another missed field goal prevented Rochester from extending its lead.
 
On Buffalo State's ensuing drive, Rochester forced another three-and-out, with Pinto notching the 'Jackets' third sack on third-and-11. And after another punt, Rochester's offense took over and put the game out of reach with another score.
 
Genovese connected with Kane for 13 yards to get the drive going, while Raux rushed for eight yards on the following play. A personal foul added to the end of the run gave the Yellowjackets first-and-10 from the Buffalo State 20, and three rushes by Genovese and Raux later, the URochester had first-and-goal from the eight-yard line.
 
Buffalo State stuffed Raux on first-and-goal, but on second-and-goal, Bellenger tucked it himself on the read option and took it in for a score, extending the 'Jackets' lead to 23-3.
 
Following another Buffalo State three-and-out, the Yellowjackets put together a 10-play, 65-yard drive, chewing up 5:39 of clock as they again rumbled into the Bengals' red zone. After a roughing the passer penalty extended the drive, Genovese hit Raux for a pair of completions, and then rushed for 17 yards on second-and-17 from the Buffalo State 42-yard line.
 
However, the Bengals came up with a stop, forcing a fumble inside the red zone to prevent URochester from going up four scores. The Yellowjackets, though, would return the favor on defense, forcing another turnover on downs just past midfield, so Rochester could kneel out the rest of the clock to clinch the 23-3 victory.
 
With the win, Rochester moves to 5-2 (2-2 LL) on the year, while the Bengals drop to 1-6 (1-3 LL).
 
Offensively, Bellenger completed 7-of-17 passes for 54 yards and a score, while Raux led UR on the ground with 19 rushes for 104 yards. Genovese added eight carries for 78 yards, while Bellenger rushed twice for 15 yards and a TD.
 
Through the air, Kane caught three receptions for a team-high 42 yards, while Papantonis had a team-high four receptions for 31 yards and a score.
 
Defensively, Diggins and Daniel Santos each tallied a team-high 11 tackles, while Herter had a team-high 2.0 tackles for a loss. As a team, the Yellowjackets combined for 11 tackles for a loss and four sacks, while forcing one fumble and one interception.
 
Santos and Judah Thomas also each broke up a pass, while A.J. Bicksler, Herter, Victor Little and Pinto each recorded a sack.
 
The Yellowjackets return home for their next Liberty League contest, hosting Hobart College on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 12:00 p.m. at Edwin Fauver Stadium.