ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team's defense entered Saturday's game at the University of Rochester ranked fourth in Division III in scoring defense and the Engineers actually lowered its per game average with a 31-3 victory over the Yellowjackets. RPI, which improved to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the Liberty League, reduced its points allowed per game from 5.0 to 4.60.

The Engineers scored 24 unanswered points in the second half, including 17 in the final quarter, to drop Rochester to 1-3 and 0-1.
 
On its first possession of the game, RPI reeled off a seven-play, 57-yard drive, but were held one-yard short of the line to gain, giving UR the ball back on the 32-yard line. Following punts by both teams, senior Jimmy Leblo intercepted a Ryan Rose pass and returned it inside the Yellowjackets 10-yard line. And with three-straight rushes, two by Christian Buckley and the third by Dylan Burnett, Rensselaer powered the ball into the end zone for a 7-0 lead on Burnett's one-yard touchdown run.
 
Rochester got on the board with a seven-play, 18-yard drive that set up Jordan Laudani's 39-yard field goal to send UR into the locker room down by just four, 7-3.
 
RPI started their opening drive of the second half from their own 24-yard line, and UR's defense, with some help from a pair of false start penalties, got the stop Rochester needed. However, the Engineers pulled off some trickery, faking the punt and Kevin Hughes scampered 63-yard for a score, putting RPI up 14-3.
 
The Engineers went ahead 21-3 with a 12-play, 75-yard drive, capped off by a 10-yard run at the start the fourth quarter. A third interception, this one by Carlos Davis that included a 23-yard return, set up a four-play, nine-yard drive that culminated with Aleksandar Maric's 25-yard field goal to extend their three-possession lead.
 
RPI put the finishing touches on its win with an 11-play, 40-yard touchdown drive. Converting a pair of fourth downs, RPI took 6:37 off the clock and went up 31-3 on Jake Kazanowsky's five-yard touchdown pass to Gil Goldsmith.
 
Kazanowsky went 13-for-23 for 133 yards and a score, while Burnett rushed 19 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns. Nine different players had at least four tackles with senior Joe Deptula leading the way with eight, along with three pass breakups.
 
Caden Cole and Andy Kristian led the home team with 13 tackles apiece, while J.T. Monahan had a team-high 2.5 tackles for a loss and one sack. Daniel Papantonis led the 'Jackets with 20 rushes for 82 yards, while Will Varney rushed 59 yards on 10 carries. Rose went 11-for-25 for 97 yards, throwing three interceptions.