TROY, NY – The University of Rochester football team was defeated by host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 31-3 in the Liberty League conference opener for both teams on Saturday at RPI's ECAV Stadium.
 
Rensselaer (3-1, 1-0 Liberty League) vaulted ahead early in the game scoring 17 first quarter points and never looked back in the victory, with the Engineers avenging last years loss 14-7 loss to the Yellowjackets.
 
The Engineer defense held the Yellowjackets (3-1, 0-1 Liberty League) to just 225 yards of offense and only seven first downs in the game, with RPI's offensive unit piling up 422 yards of offense.
 
After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, RPI made quick work to score early, needing just five plays to go 73 yards and get on the board following an Anthony DeMatteo 53-yard touchdown strike to Dalton Grant.
 
A Rochester 3-and-out possession quickly gave the Engineers the ball back and RPI added to its lead five plays later. This time DeMatteo connected from five yards out with Josh Young for a touchdown, with the big play on the drive being a 48-yard catch and run by Robbie Peterson which got the Engineers down inside the Rochester red zone.
 
RPI's Aleksandar Maric added a 19-yard field goal to the Engineer scoring total to complete the first quarter scoring.
 
The Engineers boosted the lead to 24-0 after a 37-yard touchdown run from Kayden White before Rochester finally was able to muster some offense, putting together a six-play drive that ended with a Kyle Brainard 30-yard field goal to end the shutout. UR's Cole Raux had a 30-yard rush on the drive to get deep into Engineer territory.
 
URochester got a stop on the next RPI offensive possession and seemed to have some momentum, but saw its drive stall out in Engineer territory on a fourth down try.
 
In the third quarter, Rensselaer tried to boost its lead further, but Rochester's defense made a four-down stop inside its own 10-yard line to prevent the lead from getting any larger. Brendan McDonald stuffed Adrien Gurung from the one to complete the scoreless quarter.
 
RPI completed the games scoring midway through the fourth quarter with White securing his second rushing TD of the game, plunging in from one yard to make the score 31-3 Engineers.
 
Rochester's next drive made it inside the RPI 40-yard line, but the Yellowjackets were unable to convert another fourth down play and turned the ball over on downs, allowing the Engineers to run out the clock.
 
Quarterback Shawn Bellenger completed 10-for-24 passes for 129 yards through the air for Rochester, while Aidan Papantonis caught five receptions for 100 yards, notching his second 100-yard effort of the season. Raux had 49 yards on the ground.
 
Defensively, Daniel Santos and Braydon Felsinger each ended with 11 tackles for the Yellowjackets. Santos chipped in a sack and two QB hurries, while Felsinger had nine solo stops and a pass break-up. Jack Diggins recorded his second interception of the season and had seven tackles, while Victor Little chipped in eight tackles and a sack.
 
For RPI, White finished with 110 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns. DeMatteo completed 13-of-23 passes for 177 yards and two TD's and an interception. Nate Ehui hauled in four catches for 80 yards to lead the Engineers.
 
After Saturday, the all-time series creeps a bit closer, as Rochester leads 42-37-4 in the 83 meetings since the two teams meet for the first time back in 1906. RPI has won 22 of the 29 meetings since the inception of the Liberty League back in the mid-1990's.
 
Up next, Rochester hosts Ithaca College next Saturday afternoon at Edwin Fauver Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon.