ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 15/17 Ithaca College football team is set to travel to the University of Rochester this Saturday, October 9 for a 12 p.m. Liberty League kickoff at Fauver Stadium. Ithaca is 4-0 overall this season and 1-0 in the Liberty League, while Rochester is 1-3 and 0-1.

GAME COVERAGE

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STATISTICS

ITHACA | ROCHESTER

ALL-TIME SERIES/SATURDAY'S GAME: Ithaca and Rochester have met three times – all since 2017. IC has won all three contests by a combined score of 133-9. The first-ever meeting in 2017 ended with a 46-6 outcome in Rochester. In 2018, the Bombers won, 28-3, at home and then defeated UR, 59-0, in 2019.

Ithaca brings a 4-0 record to Fauver Stadium this season, while Rochester is 1-3. The Yellowjackets are much improved from seasons past, as UR lost by a touchdown to Case Western to begin the season and fell to Brockport, 16-7, on September 18. Last week, UR dropped a 38-22 decision to RPI, but trailed by only three points heading into halftime.

WHAT AN ALUMNI WEEKEND ON SOUTH HILL: Last weekend, Ithaca hosted Alumni Weekend on campus. Friday evening, Ithaca officially inducted its 51st Hall of Fame class and recognized those 10 individuals at halftime of Ithaca's Liberty League opener against Hobart. Also in attendance last weekend were players from the 1991 national championship team, who returned to South Hill to celebrate their 30th anniversary of winning the program's third national title.

Outside of that, Ithaca was tangled in a top 25 matchup against No. 21/23 Hobart. The Bombers entered the contest ranked 15th and 17th in the AFCA and D3football.com Top 25 polls. Ithaca would go on to defeat the Statesmen, 28-21, and run its home record to 17-0 all-time against Hobart.

IC jumped out to a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter as A.J. Wingfield scored on a 27-yard run and Jalen Leonard-Osbourne leaped over a defender for an 8-yard score with 9:36 to go in the half. Hobart closed out the half with a touchdown with just eight seconds left, which ignited a 21-point run.

Ithaca tied the game at 21-21 with 2:31 left in the third quarter on a 6-yard run by Jalen Hines and then took the lead with 8:54 remaining in the game on a 30-yard completion from Wingfield to Andrew Vito.

WEEKLY HONORS FOR STOLA: On Monday afternoon, the Liberty League released its weekly awards and Ben Stola was selected as Defensive Performer of the Week. Against Hobart, Stola made seven total tackles with a sack and forced fumble. The strip sack set up a second-and-long situation for Hobart, and on the next snap, IC intercepted a pass with a 29-yard run to set up a touchdown.

HOLDING STEADY IN THE RANKINGS: Ithaca remains at No. 15 in the latest AFCA Top 25 poll and No. 17 according to D3football.com.

WHERE THE BOMBERS STACK UP STATISTICALLY: Heading into Saturday's game at Rochester, the Bombers rank No. 6 nationally in passing efficiency defense at 79.6. The Bombers are also ninth in red zone defense at 44.4-percent. IC also has the 19th-best scoring defense at 12.2 points per game and is 21st in turnover margin at plus-1.50. Offensively, IC is tied for fifth in fourth down conversion percentage at 83.3.

SCOUTING ROCHESTER: The Yellowjackets are 1-3 overall with their lone win against Alfred State, 28-27. UR averages 19.3 points per game and allows 27.0 points per outing. Yardage wise, UR racks up 319.0 – 175.0 through the air and 144.0 on the ground. Opponents average 427.3 – 260.0 passing and 167.3 rushing.

Daniel Papantonis leads Rochester with 302 yards rushing, while Will Varney has scored four touchdowns on the ground. Sean Casey is the starting quarterback for UR and has thrown for 700 yards and three scores. Noah Shinaman has caught 16 passes for 190 and a touchdown, while Trey Johnson has 126 yards on eight catches to lead the receiving unit.

Defensively, Cole Caden has 37 total tackles, while Braydon Bush and Simon Weeren each have 33 tackles. Nicholas Petruzziello leads UR with 5.5 tackles for loss.

Alex Wing ranks as one of the top punters in the country, averaging 43.1 yards per punt in 15 attempts. Five of his punts have traveled inside the 20-yard line and he has booted three over 50 yards.

UP NEXT: The Bombers travel to St. Lawrence next Saturday, October 16 for a 1 p.m. at Leckonby Stadium in Canton, N.Y.