ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 12 Ithaca College football team snapped a five-game losing streak that spanned more than 20 years against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday at Butterfield Stadium as the Bombers downed RPI, 13-10, on Senior Day and Family Weekend. With the victory, the Bomber remain unbeaten at 8-0 with one more Liberty League game on the slate – next Saturday at Union.
The last time Ithaca defeated the Engineers was in 2001 by a 27-10 score.
IC and RPI entered Saturday's showdown as two of the top defensive units in all of Division III football and both sides lived up to the billing. IC was allowing seven points a game, while RPI surrendered six a contest and less than 200 yards.
The game began with three punts and IC knocked RPI out of a field goal chance on the Engineers' second drive as Matt DeSimpliciis and Michael Roumes combined on a sack.
IC then put together a 19-play, 82-yard drive that chewed up more than nine minutes on the clock, and came away with a 2-yard touchdown run by A.J. Wingfield on the opening snap of the second quarter to give Ithaca a 7-0 lead.
Earlier in the drive, Jalen Leonard-Osbourne scored on a 60-yard run but it was called back due to holding. The Bombers were unfazed as they rattled off 13 plays, all of which were under 11 yards gained, to meticulously move the ball deep into RPI territory as time expired.
RPI responded with a long drive of its own and picked up a crucial fourth down on a 7-yard pass, but the drive would come up with nothing as Derek Slywka blocked a 29-yard field goal try.
After an Ithaca punt, the Engineers once again moved into IC territory with a 49-yard run from Dylan Burnett. RPI faced another fourth down at the IC 20-yard line but was called for a false start. Now facing 4th-and-9, RPI completed a pass down to the 6-yard line. A sack by Michael Blanchard on a third down play pushed RPI back to attempt a 28-yard field goal with 2.3 seconds left in the half, but the kick hit the right upright and the Bombers went into intermission with a 7-0 lead.
IC had possession to start the second half but fumbled and RPI converted the takeaway into three points with a 30-yard field goal at the 7:51 mark.
The Bombers answered with a 46-yard completion from Wingfield to Sam Kline to set up at the RPI 26-yard line. Ithaca then moved inside the 10-yard line and scored on another Wingfield run, but it was once again called back for holding. Ithaca would settle for a 29-yard field goal from Bahamonde with 2:35 remaining to re-establish a seven-point lead at 10-3.
RPI tied the game at 10-10 early in the fourth quarter on a 35-yard pass from Jake Kazanowsky to Deen Ninche with 11:10 left in the game.
The Bombers started their next drive at midfield as a long kick return by Anthony D'Addetta was accompanied with a late hit by RPI. Two plays later, Wingfield found Michael Anderson for a 36-yard completion down to the RPI 13-yard line.
Ithaca broke the tie with 7:44 left as Bahamonde made his second field goal of the afternoon, this time from 27 yards, to give the Bombers a 13-10 advantage.
RPI threatened on its ensuing drive by moving down to the IC 33-yard line with just over three minutes to go, but on 3rd-and-6, Kazanowsky was intercepted by Roumes at the IC 16-yard line.
Jake Williams gave the Bombers some breathing room with runs of 12 and 14 yards, but the drive stalled as RPI called all three timeouts and Ithaca punted back to the Engineers with 1:23 left.
The game came to a conclusion after RPI dropped back-to-back passes across the middle on third and fourth down.
IC outgained RPI, 275-266, and ran for 140 yards. RPI entered the contest allowing just 55 yards on the ground.
Wingfield threw for 135 yards on 14-for-18 passing, while Williams ran for 74 yards on 19 carries. Anderson had six receptions for 69 yards.
Defensively, DeSimpliciis led the way with eight total tackles, while Miles Haynes finished with six. Four other Bombers – Roumes, Slywka, Ben Stola and Jason Green – each had five tackles.
Kickoff in Schenectady next Saturday against the Dutchmen is at 12 p.m.
No. 12 Ithaca Remains Perfect After 13-10 Win over RPI
/seasons/2022/boxscores/20221029_ks1i.xml
2022
RPI
10
Ithaca
13
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RPI (5-3) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| No. 10 Ithaca (8-0) | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
Oct 29, 2022