Brockport, NY – SUNY Brockport (1-1) travels to the nearby University of Rochester (1-1) on Saturday, September 17th for a non-conference matchup in week three. Kickoff is set for 12pm at Edwin Fauver Stadium in Rochester, NY.
DATE - TIME: September 17th, 2022 - 12pm
LOCATION: Edwin Fauver Stadium - Rochester, NY
LINKS: Video | Stats | Game Notes.pdf
Week 2 Recap: Nationally-ranked Ithaca defeated Brockport, 24-0, in week two to hand the Golden Eagles their first loss of the year. The Bombers had a big first quarter and held a 17-0 lead going into halftime. Ithaca went on to score another touchdown through the air, to earn the final score of 24-0. The Golden Eagles outgained Ithaca on the ground and through the air, with 66 rushing yards and 200 passing yards. They gained a grand total of 266 yards and the defense held Ithaca to 243 yards. However, a pair of turnovers and some penalties hurt Brockport in the matchup.
Meet the Yellowjackets: The University of Rochester Yellowjackets are at home for the first time this season on Saturday against Brockport. After a, 43-28, loss to Utica in the season opener, Rochester bounced back with a, 30-17, win over Alfred State in week two. The Yellowjackets are averaging 29 points, 371.5 rushing yards, and give up 391.5 yards of offense per game. They have the third ranked running offense in the country, behind the nation's leading rusher Daniel Papantonis. Papantonis has 587 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 48 carries for averages of 293.5 yards per game and 12.2 yards per carry.
Brockport vs U of R: Saturday's battle will mark the 14th meeting between the two programs on the gridiron. The U of R holds a 9-4 advantage all-time, however Brockport got the win last season, 16-7. The Golden Eagles netted 260 yards rushing while holding the Yellowjackets to just 134 yards of total offense. This will be just the second time Brockport and Rochester have faced off since Head Coach Jason Mangone took over.
Destined to Bounce Back: In the Mangone era the Golden Eagles have consistently showed up prepared following a loss. Since he took control of the program, Brockport owns a record of 17-8 in games following a loss. The team has not lost two games in a row since the 2015 season. Mirroring what happened in 2021, Brockport started the year 1-1 with a win over Framingham and a loss to Ithaca. Last year the Green and Gold bounced back against U of R in week three and have the chance to do so again in 2022.
Top 25 Defense vs Top 3 Run Offense: Allowing opponents just 217 yards per game, the Brockport defensive unit ranks 24th in the nation. The defense is also inside the top 30 in rushing defense, holding teams to only 61 yards on the ground on average. Brockport will be tested on that side of the ball as it takes on the third best running team in the country. Rochester averages 371.5 rushing yards a game and its lead back Daniel Papantonis leads the nation in rushing after two weeks.
The Ground Game: With 122 yards on the ground, Rashad Law leads the Brockport backfield with 42 rushes. Law is also the only running back to score a rushing touchdown through two weeks. Todd Simonds has tucked the ball and ran with it for 45 yards on 23 carries. With 81 rush attempts as a team, the Golden Eagles lead the Empire 8. They also use the ground game to control the clock, ranking 29th in the country with an average time of possession of 33:52.
The Defensive Front: Against Ithaca, Jordan Harris came away with 1.5 tackles for a loss and 0.5 sacks. Both Joseph Rodda and Andre Marianetti both broke through the line to earn credit for one quarterback hurry in the game. Rodda and teammate Hakeem Yaya both got involved on three tackles up front.
Taking the Snaps: Todd Simonds has been lining up behind the center for the offense this season. After two games he has thrown for 408 yards, one touchdown, one interception, a 52.94 completion percentage, and a 105.25 quarterback rating. He went 22-for-45 for 200 yards and a pick last game against Ithaca. Simonds has thrown for at least 200 yards in back-to-back games.
In the Middle: Aidan Thomas got in on the action with 0.5 sacks, six total tackles, and 1.0 stops for a loss of seven yards. Ben Robinson had five tackles against the Bombers, including 0.5 tackles for loss. Linebacker Ben Damiani also made five stops, while John DeRidder got in on four tackles. Damiani leads the Golden Eagle defense with 12 total tackles so far this season.
Spread out Wide: Louis Usera now leads the team in both receiving yards and receptions after grabbing five balls for 65 yards last time out. Usera now has eight catches for 101 yards on the season. Jared Maurino's 67-yard touchdown remains the lone receiving score so far, as he posts totals of five catches for 94 yards.
Brockport's Secondary: Giovanni Frisenda knocked away two pass attempts in the last game to lead the secondary. Malik Kelly and Dawin Fanor both had a pass break up as well in the contest. Ben Marshall stepped up from his defensive back position to make five assisted tackles and one for a loss. Raylens Boutin also got in the backfield for 0.5 tackles for a loss among his four stops against Ithaca.
Give Him a Chance: Brockport's punt returner Derrick Chance has been great on special teams through two weeks. Averaging 19.0 yards per punt return, he ranks fifth in the nation. Chance has racked up 95 return yards on five opportunities.
Big Red with a Big Boot: Punter Dan Giangrasso has placed himself inside the top 25 of all punters in Division III football. He ranks 22nd in the country with an average of 40.38 yards per punt this season. He has punted the ball for a total of 323 yards on eight kicks and has pinned the opponent inside the 20-yard line twice.
Bye Week: Brockport has next weekend off from competition, as week four serves as the bye week. The team returns home for its next two games against St. John Fisher on October 1st and Cortland on October 8th.
Courage Bowl: The Golden Eagles will host St. John Fisher for a 6 pm kickoff on Saturday, October 1st. It's the annual Courage Bowl and the beginning of Empire 8 play for both teams. The action will be held under the lights at Bob Boozer Field.
Game Notes: Brockport at University of Rochester
/seasons/2022/boxscores/20220917_w870.xml
2022
Brockport
23
Rochester
3
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brockport (2-1) | 3 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 23 |
| Rochester (1-2) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Sep 16, 2022