Box Score | @RPIAthletics

ALFRED, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team climbed back from a 26-4 deficit to pull to within 26-20 with the ball on the Alfred University 25 yard line, but in the end the Saxons got the game's final score and defeated the Engineers, 32-20. Alfred improves to 2-0, while RPI falls to 1-1.

Trailing by 22 points a minute into the second half at a rainy Yunevich Stadium, Rensselaer scored 16 consecutive points to get within a score. Junior Joey Giacone (Delmar, NY / Bethlehem) started the comeback when he caught a five yard touchdown pass from Jeff Avery (White Plains, NY / White Plains) with 3:08 left in the third quarter. It was a one play drive for the Engineers, who forced the Saxons to turn the ball over on downs. Following a fumble recovery by senior Brad Gahagan (Tewksbury, MA / Tewksbury Memorial) on the Rensselaer 34 yard line, Avery drove the visitors down the field in nine plays, completing a fourth and goal pass to Johnny Ramsdell (Atkinson, NH / Haverhill) from five yards out with 8:13 to play in the fourth quarter. 

A safety - the third against Alfred and fourth in the game - pulled the Engineers to within six points, 26-20, with 6:23 to play. Rensselaer took over at their own 43 yard line, drove to the Alfred 25 but was pushed back to the Alfred 37 before having to punt on fourth and 22. The Saxons took over on their own three yard line but drove 93 yards on six plays, highlighted by a long pass to the RPI 18 yard line, for a touchdown. 

A steady downpour that began a before kickoff and lasted well into the fourth quarter caused havoc for both teams. Errant and mishandled snaps resulted in four botched punts for the Saxons, allowing RPI to score safeties on two as the ball went through the AU endzone and a third off a blocked punt. The teams combined for 21 penalties, with Alfred being flagged 14 times for 140 yards.

Alfred looked to run away early, as the Saxons jumped out to a 14-0 lead. After turning the ball over on downs on their first possession due to a fumbled punt snap, the Saxons got on the board following a missed RPI field goal. The Saxons drove 80 yards in six plays, with sophomore tailback Sammy Davis sprinting 56 yards to the RPI 22 to set up a 10-yard TD run by junior tailback Casey Bright that put the Saxons on the board with 7:02 left in the first.

AU made it 14-0 on its next possession. After forcing a four-and-out, AU took over at its own 44. After driving inside the Engineer 20, junior quarterback Tyler Johnson hit junior tight end Mike Brien over the middle for an 18-yard score with just under three minutes left in the opening frame.

RPI got on the board with a safety off a blocked punt with 21 seconds left in the first. AU answered with a safety of its own on a blocked a punt that went through the RPI end zone, putting the Saxons up 16-2 midway through the second. A 21-yard field goal by sophomore Trevor Monk with 5:37 left in the half put Alfred up 19-2. The field goal was set up by a 68-yard return by junior wideout Maleke Fuentes following the safety.

RPI scored its second safety when a botched snap on a punt went through the AU endzone with 10 seconds left in the half, making the score 19-4 Alfred at the break.

AU seemed poised to pull away on its first possession of the third. On the second play of the Saxons' opening second-half drive, sophomore tailback Derelle Hunter broke free for a 62-yard touchdown run and AU led 26-4 a minute into the third period.

RPI scored its two touchdowns – in the third and fourth quarters – then added a safety in the fourth to make it a 26-20 game.

Avery finished with 111 yards and two touchdowns on 14 of 34 passing. He was sacked once but was not intercepted. He also ran for 24 yards. Mike Tivinis (Middleton, MA / Masconomet) ran for a team-high 64 yards for the Engineers, who were outgained 175-121 on the ground and 314-232 overall. 

Junior defensive lineman Malik Joseph (Bronx, NY / Iona Prep.) led all tacklers with 11 stops including seven unassisted and 0.5 for lost yards (1). Classmate Alexander Greenidge (Miller Place, NY / Miller Place) had 10 tackles with five unassisted and one for a loss of 18 yards.

AU had 314 yards of offense, including 175 on the ground. Davis had 80 yards rushing on nine carries; Hunter had 71 on eight carries and Johnson had 60 on 13 attempts. Johnson threw for 139 yards on seven completions, with junior wideout Brendan Buisch catching two passes for 116 yards.

Junior linebacker Holden Whitehead had 10 tackles to pace the AU defense. Senior linebacker Corry Wallace had nine tackles and Watkins had seven tackles and three pass breakups.

RPI is back in action on Saturday when it hosts MIT in a non-league game at noon at East Campus Stadium.