ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 12 Ithaca College football team will celebrate Senior Day and Family Weekend on Saturday at Butterfield Stadium as the Bombers square off against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at 1 p.m.

GAME COVERAGE

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ALL-TIME SERIES: Ithaca and RPI will meet for the eighth time since 1946, and seventh since 2001. The Engineers have dominated the series, winning each of the past five games, for an overall record of 5-2 against IC. Three of the previous five meetings – 2003, 2017 and 2021 – have come down to one possession as RPI prevailed, 21-16, 10-9 and 14-11.

Since 2017, IC and RPI have squared off as Liberty League foes. In 2017, IC led by a touchdown heading into the fourth quarter, but the Engineers scored four times over the final 15 minutes to come away with a 27-14 win. The following year, IC outgained RPI, 418-162, but an unsuccessful two-point conversion at the end of regulation gave RPI the 10-9 victory. It was a similar outcome in 2021, as IC owned a 334-188 edge in yards, but missed a field goal with 30 seconds remaining to fall, 14-11.

CLASS OF THE LEAGUE: Since Ithaca joined the Liberty League in 2017, the Bombers have shared the regular season title with RPI, but the Engineers have earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship all three times due to the head-to-head matchup.

WHAT'S GOING TO GIVE?: Ithaca and RPI enter Saturday's game as two of the most dominant defenses in all of Division III football, so points will be hard to come by for the offenses. IC ranks fourth in scoring defense at 6.3 points per game and seventh in total defense at 206.3 yards per game. RPI is second in total defense at 175.1 yards and sixth in scoring at 7.1.

The Bombers are also second nationally in passing efficiency defense (75.3), fifth in defensive touchdowns (4), third down defense (.229), eighth in first downs allowed (84) and ninth in passing yards allowed (124.6).

The Engineers are third in first downs allowed (71), sixth in red zone defense (.500) and passing efficiency defense (79.3), seventh in passing yards allowed (120.1), ninth in rushing yards allowed (55.0) and 10th in interceptions (13).

HOW THE BOMBERS WILL COUNTER: Despite the defensive prowess of RPI, the Bombers can match with an explosive offense that ranks 16th in scoring at 43.6 points per game, 16th in third down conversion at .510 and 11th in completion percentage at .691. IC also boasts one of the top special teams units with the third-best kick return average at 29.0 and 18th in punt returns at 16.6. IC has scored three special teams touchdowns this season and has made eight field goals, ranking sixth in the country.

SENIOR DAY AND FAMILY WEEKEND: Prior to the game, IC will recognize the underclass parents in the East end zone, and at halftime, the parents of the 40-plus seniors, fifth years and graduate students will be honored at midfield.

HOLDING STEADY AT NO. 12: The Bombers are now the consensus No. 12 team in the nation, according to the most recent D3football.com and AFCA Top 25 Polls.

LAST TIME OUT FOR IC: The Bombers improved to 7-0 last Friday night at Buffalo State with a 51-10 victory. Jake Williams scored three rushing touchdowns on 18 carries for 111 yards and Nicholas Bahamonde made three field goals. Bahamonde was named Liberty League Special Teams Performer of the Week.

Ithaca had 449 yards of offense in the game and allowed 188 to the Bengals. IC rushed for 266 yards to eclipse the 200-yard mark for the fourth time the season.

IT'S IN THE RPI DNA: If a team finds themselves in a one-score game late in the contest with RPI, chances are the Engineers will win. Since 2017, RPI has battled in 24 one-score games and owns an overall record of 20-4 during that time, including a 3-1 mark this season.

RPI is 5-2 on the season and 3-0 in Liberty League play. The Engineers only score 21 points per game and average 315.1 yards, but again, their top-tier defense gives them a fighting chance in every contest.

Dylan Burnett makes the offense go as he has six touchdowns on the year and 764 yards rushing. RPI has used two quarterbacks, and Jake Kazanowsky leads the team with 615 yards passing and six touchdowns. Gil Goldsmith and D.J. Palmer are the top receivers with 270 and 201 yards.

Joe Deptula anchors the defense with 58 total tackles and 8.5 for loss, while Conner Noyes has logged 53 tackles with 10.5 for loss. Nate Sicard is tops on the team with 3.0 sacks for a loss of 25 yards.

UP NEXT: Ithaca concludes its Liberty League schedule with a road game at Union on November 5 at 12 p.m. The Bombers will then head to Yankee Stadium on November 12 for the 63rd annual Cortaca Jug Game against No. 10/13 Cortland, which is a 12 p.m. kickoff and will be broadcast on the YES Network.