BROCKPORT, NY – Host SUNY Brockport used a big fourth quarter to rally past the University of Rochester by a 42-23 score on Saturday afternoon in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl at Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium.
After leading 23-21 entering the final period, Rochester (6-5) gave up a pair of rushing scores and a interception return touchdown to the Golden Eagles (8-3), allowing the hosts to claim the victory and hoist the bowl game trophy.
Rochester's appearance in the ECAC bowl game was its first since the 2007 season and just the third in team history.
Despite the loss, the Yellowjacket offense and its 23 points put up the third most points against the SUNY Brockport defense this season. Entering the matchup, the Golden Eagles were averaging just 10.6 points per game, fourth best in Division III.
Senior wide receiver Trey Johnson had a terrific all-around game, securing six catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, also contributing 28 yards rushing and 57 return yards. The 238 all-purpose yards for Johnson set a new career-high, while the 153 receiving yards were the second-most in a single-game during his career.
Johnson, the UR all-time receptions leader, ends his Yellowjacket career with 1,790 receiving yards, breaking into the top-5 all-time in program history.
First-year quarterback Creighton Wise had the best game of his young career in the loss, passing for 240 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 16-of-39 passes, while throwing an interception late in the game during UR's comeback attempt.
Joining Johnson in the endzone on the day were fellow wide receivers Aidan Papantonis and Samuel Nuamah. Nuamah opened the Rochester scoring with a toe-tapping 6-yard score in the first quarter, while Papantonis' touchdown was a 14-yard strike from Wise late in the third quarter, putting Rochester up 23-21.
Nuamah's touchdown was his only catch of the day, while Papantonis finished with a team-high eight receptions for 66 yards.
On the other side, Brockport running back Isaiah Simmons had a huge game, rushing 30 times for 168 yards and three touchdowns, two of which came in the fourth quarter rally.
Simmons has been one of Division III's top running backs in 2024, entering Saturday's contest fourth in the country with 1,337 rushing yards during the regular season. His 16 rushing touchdowns also put him inside the top-10 in Division III prior to adding to his totals on Saturday.
Through the air, Ben Gocella rallied after a rough start with three first half turnovers, finishing the day 19-for-30 passing for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Daniel Manneh caught six passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, while Brian Caldwell Jr. also caught six passes for 58 yards, finding pay dirt as well.
Leading the UR defensive effort was Jack Diggins who finished with 15 tackles, one tackle for loss and an interception. Simon Weeren ended with 11 tackles and a pair of pass break-ups. Both Luke Herter and J.T. Monahan added eight tackles.
After the teams started the game with punts on their opening drives, Rochester's defense picked up the first turnover of the game with Zion Gray forcing a fumble of Brian Caldwell Jr., allowing A.J. Bicksler to fall on it, giving the Yellowjackets a key red zone stop of the Golden Eagles.
UR was unable to capitalize on the turnover, punting the ball back after just three plays. Brockport followed by scoring the opening TD of the game on its next drive, with Gocella looking for Caldwell Jr. again in the red zone, completing a pass for a 13-yard score.
The Yellowjackets responded with a 6-play, 75-yard drive to knot the game at 7-all with under four minutes left in the opening quarter. The big play was a 53-yard catch-and-run on a screen from Wise to Johnson up the left sideline. One play later, a Wise fade pass to Nuamah was caught along the sideline for the touchdown.
Rochester's defense came up big on the next drive, with Jack Yensel picking off Gocella's pass over the middle, setting the Yellowjackets up in plus-territory at the Brockport 44-yard line.
It took just one play for UR to take the lead, as Wise found Johnson on a post route over the middle for a 44-yard strike, boosting the score to 13-7 Rochester. UR's PAT attempt was missed.
The Yellowjackets built the lead to nine midway through the second quarter following a 10-play drive. After a penalty started the drive on a sour note, Wise connected on four straight passes to either Papantonis or Johnson to move UR into the red zone. Johnson's 24-yard reception set up the 'Jackets with a 1st-and-goal at the Brockport 4-yard line.
Brockport's defense held UR out of the endzone though, stuffing a run and forcing two incomplete passes. The Yellowjackets settled for a field goal, with Kyle Brainard connecting from 21 yards to make the score 16-7 UR. Brainard's kick was his first field goal attempt and make of his career.
On the next Brockport drive, the Golden Eagles reached inside the Yellowjacket 10-yard line, but Simmons was stuffed on a 4th-and-1 by Herter and Diggins for no gain, turning the ball over on downs back to the Yellowjackets.
After halftime, Rochester went 3-and-out on its opening drive of the third, with Brockport turning around and scoring on its first second half possession to cut the 'Jacket lead to two. A big 41-yard gain from Gocella to Nolan Slywka set up Brockport deep in UR territory. A few plays later, Simmons plunged through UR tacklers to for a 4-yard touchdown score, making the score 16-14.
UR's next drive on offense only lasted three plays, but the Yellowjackets defense stepped up with another turnover to gain possession right back. This time, Diggins made a big play over the left end, picking off Gocella's pass to give UR possession right near midfield.
The Yellowjackets were unable to capitalize though, sending the ball back to Brockport after just three plays.
On its next offensive possession, Brockport got a quick first down but then were faced with a big 3rd-and-7 from its own 31-yard line. On the third down play, Gocella found Daniel Manneh who slipped behind the defense for a 69-yard play up the right side, moving the Golden Eagles in front 21-16.
Rochester's offense finally clicked on its next drive late in the third quarter. A 26-yard run play up the right sideline by Johnson gave the 'Jackets a momentum boost. Later on the drive, Wise found Greg Morrison for a nice back-shoulder catch for a first down, putting the ball at the Brockport 25-yard line.
Three plays later, Wise found Papantonis for a key 3rd down conversion to reach the 11-yard line. After a fumble on a jet sweep luckily went out-of-bounds, Wise connected with Papatonis over the middle on the next play for a 13-yard touchdown. Brainard's kick was good on the PAT and Rochester led 23-21 as the teams headed into the fourth.
After Brockport forced another Rochester drive to stall out after three plays, the Golden Eagles took the lead for good following an 11-play, 67-yard drive with a little over seven minutes remaining in the game. On the drive, Brockport converted two big 3rd down plays, with Simmons capping the drive with a 20-yard touchdown scamper up the right side.
Rochester's offense couldn't answer on its next drive and punted back to the Golden Eagles. On its first play after regaining the lead, Manneh rushed for 52 yards up the middle down to the UR 4-yard line, but a holding penalty brought the ball all the way back, negating the long gain.
Brockport wasn't fazed though, eventually riding the back of Simmons on the ground, with the sophomore ripping off a run of 20 yards before finding the end zone from 31 yards out to boost the Golden Eagle lead to 35-23.
Needing some late game magic, Wise forced a pass into double-coverage on UR's next possession, but Liam Nealy stepped in front of the ball for the interception, returning the pick 42-yards to the house for a touchdown, completing the scoring for the game.