TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team scored 24 points in the second quarter and the Engineers held the University of Rochester off the scoreboard throughout on its way to a 38-0 victory in a Liberty League contest at East Campus Stadium. RPI wins its third straight game to improve to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference, while the Yellowjackets drop to 0-5 and 0-1.
Rensselaer, which blanked Anna Maria College 38-0 last Saturday, intercepted three passes and recovered two fumbles while holding the Yellowjackets to 131 yards of offense through three quarters and 210 in total. RPI, compiled 357 yards, including 238 and four touchdowns through the air from junior quarterback George Marinopoulos.
Following a scoreless first quarter, RPI took a 7-0 lead just 1:42 into the second when Marinopoulos threw the ball to the back right corner of the end zone and connected with senior Nick Smith, who caught it despite a pass interference call on the defense.
The Engineers doubled the lead at 9:01 when Marinopoulos found a wide open Vinnie McDonald in the middle of the field for a 21-yard scoring strike. The touchdown came on the first play after senior Grant Tragni intercepted a batted ball. Junior Josh Cohen duplicated Tragni's interception on another deflected pass on the very next series and classmate Sanjay Krishnan turned it into three points with a 31-yard field goal with 4:22 left in the frame.
Marinopoulos threw his third touchdown with just five seconds remaining in the half on a pass in the flat to running back Spencer Merkel from three yards out and RPI led 24-0 at the break.
Rensselaer converted on a pair of turnovers in the third quarter to make it 38-0. A fumbled punt return led to a 3-yard touchdown run to the front left corner of the end zone by senior Maliek Kelly four minutes into the frame. An interception by Chris Gomes with a 25-yard return on Rochester's next possession set up the Engineers on the 10-yard line. Marinopoulos found Peter Lombardi cutting toward the center of the field and the sophomore slot receiver carried the ball into the end zone in the middle of the field less than a minute later (10:28).
Rochester managed its best drive early in the fourth quarter, going 66 yards on 13 plays in 6:06, but it's fourth down attempt from the RPI 12-yard line was stopped for a loss.
The Yellowjackets finished the game with 94 rushign yards, including 62 on 20 attempts from senior Sean Mannion, and threw for 116. Freshman Derek Bufano completed 12 of 27 attempts for 116 yards and three interceptions. Mannion had two catches for a team-best 29 yards.
Freshman linebacker Seif Awad led the visitors in tackles with a game-high 11, including five unassisted and 0.5 for lost yards (1). Caden Cole, a linebacker, added 10 stops.
Junior defensive lineman Magnus Wamble had a team-best nine tackles for Rensselaer, including 0.5 sacks (2 yards lost). Tragni added six tackles, along with his interception.
Marinopoulos completed 25 of 37 yards for 242 yards and the four touchdowns. He was not sacked or intercepted. Marc Meislahn had five catches for 55 yards and Lombardi had four for 46. Joe Scaglione led the team's ground game with 40 yards on 10 attempts.
RPI, which shutout Rochester 42-0 in 2018, continues Liberty League play next Saturday when it travels to No. 21 Hobart College. Rochester is home to league foe Union College on Saturday. Both games kick off at noon.
Rensselaer Forces Five Turnovers in Shutout Win
/seasons/2019/boxscores/20191005_w9pa.xml
2019
Rochester
0
RPI
38
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester (0-5) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RPI (4-1) | 0 | 24 | 14 | 0 | 38 |
Oct 05, 2019