ALFRED, NY – The University of Rochester football team moved to 2-0 on the season with a 28-0 shutout victory over host Alfred State on Saturday evening at Pioneer Stadium.
Rochester's clean sheet on defense was the first for a Yellowjacket squad since the 2015 season, while the 'Jackets also blanked Alfred State, 61-0 at Fauver Stadium that year. Alfred State, who pitched a shutout in their season opener last week, sees a reversal of fortune this week and drops to 1-1.
The Yellowjackets offense provided three rushing scores, all by different running backs, and added a long touchdown pass from Ryan Rose to Aidan Papantonis for the other score. Daniel Papantonis, Jake Adelmann and Jay Zheng recorded the rushing touchdowns.
Rose finished with 201 yards passing and one TD, completing 19-of-29 passes. His main targets were A. Papantonis, who caught six passes for 96 yards and the score, and Trey Johnson, who hauled in seven catches for 47 yards.
Defensively, Rochester's Daniel Santos had a standout game in his first career start. The junior linebacker recorded 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and had an interception which led to a Rochester touchdown late in the first half.
Joining Santos with ten tackles was Simon Weeren, while Luke Herter added seven stops. Jordy Tawa had an interception for the second straight week in the defensive secondary.
After Rochester was forced to punt on the first drive of the contest, Alfred State's opening drive ended with a turnover, as wide receiver Jacob Robinson lifted a deep pass up the right sideline, only to see Tawa come down with it for the Yellowjackets near midfield.
On the very next play, an explosive D. Papantonis found a hole up the middle and scampered 42 yards for the games opening touchdown. Jordan Laudani made the PAT for the 7-0 lead.
UR's next possession resulted in an 11-play, 61-yard drive, but saw the Pioneers make a stand on 4th-and-1 inside the 10-yard line, keeping it a one possession game.
With the Pioneers pinned deep in their own territory, the 'Jacket defense stepped up and quickly forced a short punt, turning the ball back over to their offense in Alfred State territory.
UR's offense clicked on the drive, with the Rose-Johnson connection working five times in all to reach the red zone. After a Johnson catch over the middle put the ball at the one, Adelmann plunged in over the left end for the 13-0 lead (PAT missed), recording his first career touchdown.
Later in the quarter, the Yellowjackets regained possession inside their own 30-yard line with 94 seconds left in the half. After a short screen to D. Papantonis, Rose found A. Papantonis up the seam on the right side for a 68-yard touchdown.
Three plays later, Santos picked off Alfred State quarterback Justin Horvath and returned the ball 19 yards to the Pioneer 11-yard line, setting up another chance at a score before intermission.
The Rochester offense was able to capitalize in three plays, with Zheng notching the rushing score from one yard out. After a penalty, UR went for the 2-point conversion and D. Papantonis converted for the 28-0 lead.
After the teams traded punts on the first two drives of the second half, Alfred State's offense finally got some momentum on the back of running back Nicholas Cuomo. Cuomo rushed seven times for 43 yards on the possession, getting the Pioneers inside the Rochester 10-yard line.
Rochester's defense stood tall though, as Cuomo was removed from the game and Josh Graham took over. Graham reached the 1-yard line on second down, but then was stopped by Tawa up the middle on third down. On fourth down, he couldn't get past Judah Thomas and Santos, turning the ball back to Rochester.
Later in the game, Alfred State once again reached the red zone, but was stuffed on another 4th-and-short chance, as Claudio Pinto stopped a Horvath scramble short of the first down line.
UR successfully ran out the clock and finished off its tenth win in 11 tries all-time against Alfred State.
With Saturday's win, the Yellowjackets moved to 2-0 for the first time since 2015. The two-win start with both victories on the road has not happened in Rochester football history since back in 1975, when the 'Jackets topped Washington-St. Louis and Canisius in back-to-back weeks away from the River Campus.
Up next, UR hosts Salve Regina next Saturday at noon in Fauver Stadium at the Prince Athletic Complex.