GAME #7 - BUFFALO STATE BENGALS VS ROCHESTER YELLOWJACKETS
Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 - 3:00 PM
Coyer Field – Buffalo, NY
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THE MATCHUP… Buffalo State looks to come out of the bye week with a win over the Yellowjackets. The Bengals lead the all-time series 5-3 following a 35-21 victory last season. Prior to that, Rochester had won each of the last three matchups.
THE BENGALS' LAST GAME… Buffalo State fell to RPI last time out with a final score of 57-13.
Amir Cameron (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) finished 12-21 for 215 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
Jeadi Higdon (Syracuse, NY/Corcoran) rushed for 41 yards while also scoring a 72-yard receiving touchdown.
Mikai Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) had six catches for 112 yards and a touchdown.
Sincere Green (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) had seven total tackles, and a pass break up to lead the Buffalo State defense.
The Buffalo State offense came out firing as Cameron avoided the sack and flipped the ball to Higdon who ran all the way for a Bengal touchdown on the first play of the game. RPI responded with 19 unanswered points in the first to take control of the action. Following an Engineer touchdown, Cameron found Johnson for a 34-yard score to cut the lead to 26-13. RPI picked up a pair of touchdowns before the half as they carried a 40-13 lead into halftime. The Engineers added 17 more points in the second half, sealing the game with a sack in the final seconds. RPI totaled 382 yards of offense while Buffalo State posted 315.
Anthony DeMatteo tallied 157 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns while Kayden White rushed for 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns. On the defensive side, the Engineers had two interceptions, three forced fumbles, and 10 sacks.
LAST TIME WE MET... The two sides last met a year ago as Buffalo State picked up the win to earn their first Liberty League win since 2019.
Amir Cameron finished the day going 7/14 passing, with 132 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 37 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Tyler Mills was on the receiving end of Cameron's touchdown, his only reception of the game.
Ale Wilson rushed for 70 yards, and touchdown, while
Cody Phillips rushed for 54 yards on nine carries.
Justin Brown led the Bengals in tackles with 10 total, while
Sincere Green was credited with eight total tackles including 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
As the first quarter started, the Bengals came out the gate pressuring the Yellowjackets defense. Going on a six minute, 14 play drive, the Bengals intensity resulted in a touchdown, with their defense ready to answer the call. On the Yellowjackets first offensive possession, the Bengals forced a punt, with this game looking to be going the Bengals way. At the start of the second quarter, the Bengals converted on a Yellowjacket mistake, forcing an interception by
Basiaka Butcher, with Cameron finding Mills for the Bengals lone passing touchdown. After dueling possessions in the middle of the second, the Yellowjackets would get on the board and as the final seconds of the second quarter would end, the Bengals would go into halftime leading 15-7.
Like the second quarter, the Bengals and the Yellowjackets would trade possessions, with neither team finding the endzone. But once again, an opportunistic Bengals defense would find ways to impact the game, with
Michael Lastique forcing a fumble and
Dominic Ferguson recovering the ball to take it 42 yards and put the Bengals up 22-7 in the third quarter. With the team's signaling of "4's" raised for the fourth quarter, the Bengals looked to hold on to their lead and come back home with victory. After a
Caleb Kruzicki (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) two-yard touchdown, the Bengals would extend their lead to 28-7. But the Yellowjackets wouldn't go down without a fight, scoring on back-to-back possessions and putting the pressure on the Bengals offense to respond. After a failed onside kick with under two minutes left in the game, Wilson would put the final nail in the coffin, securing a Bengals victory in enemy territory.
Ryan Rose led the Yellowjackets in passing, going 21/39 for 229, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Trey Johnson led the Yellowjackets in receptions with six, while Jackson Kane and Samuel Nuamah both led in receiving yards with 52. Defensively, Joe DeBonis, Simon Weeren and Luke Herter all tallied nine total tackles for the Yellowjackets, with Weeren and Herter each credited for tackle for loss and DeBonis with two tackles for losses.
TOP-10 IN THE LIBERTY LEAGUE… The following Bengals currently rank in the top-10 in the Liberty League at their respective positions:
Jeadi Higdon: Rushing Yards, 313, 7
th
Jeadi Higdon: Rushing Touchdowns, 3, 8
th
Keegan Whitfield: Receiving Touchdowns, 2, 5
th
Keegan Whitfield: Receiving Yards, 294, 9
th
Jeadi Higdon: Return Yards, 297, 2
nd
Sincere Green: Tackles for Loss, 7.5, 3
rd
Xzaivion Betts: Passes Defended, 5, 7
th
Emerald Smart: Interceptions, 2, 1
st
Sincere Green: Fumbles Recovered, 1, T-2
nd
Jaiden Coriano: Forced Fumbles, 1, 5
th
OH CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!… Leading the Bengals this season are captains
Amir Cameron,
Mikai Johnson,
Carlos Almeyda,
Brody Stevens, and
Ian Behrens.
ABOUT THE BENGALS' COACH… Lazarus Morgan is in his fourth season at the helm of the Buffalo State football program in 2025 after being appointed as the sixth football coach in Buffalo State history in January 2022.
In his tenure at Buffalo State, the Bengals have earned 21 All-Liberty League selections and 26 Liberty League All-Academic team honorees.
He arrived in Buffalo after serving as the defensive coordinator at SUNY Cortland during the 2021 season, coordinating the fifth-ranked overall defense in NCAA Division III, helping guide the Red Dragons to an 11-1 record, an Empire 8 title, and a trip to the NCAA playoffs.
A native of the Bronx, Morgan played defensive back at Utica College from 2006-08, then began his coaching career at his alma mater from 2009-13. He then moved to Alfred University from 2014-19, serving as the Saxon's defensive coordinator in the final four seasons.
RESEARCHING ROCHESTER… The Yellowjackets are also coming off their bye week following a 38-0 shutout over Hilbert. Rochester is 1-2 over their last three contests despite starting the season 3-0.
Shawn Bellenger has received the bulk of snaps at quarterback throwing for 5-8 yards with a pair of touchdowns and just two interceptions. Cole Raux, Jake Adelmann, and Jett Genovese each have three rushing touchdowns on the year while combining for over 700 yards of rushing. Aidan Papantonis leads the receiving room with 35 catches for 399 yards and five touchdowns.
On the defensive side, Braydon Felsinger has 55 total tackles including four tackles for loss, two interceptions, four pass break ups and a forced fumble. Victor Little has a tro of sacks along with a forced fumble.
SCHEDULES/RESULTS...
BUFFALO STATE (1-5, 1-2 LIBERTY LEAGUE)
| Sept. 4 |
BROCKPORT |
L, 41-0 |
| Sept. 13 |
HARTWICK |
L, 29-27 |
| Sept. 20 |
at Alfred State |
L, 56-20 |
| Sept. 27 |
at Hilbert *** |
W, 15-8 |
| Oct. 4 |
UNION (HOMECOMING) *** |
L, 28-6 |
| Oct. 11 |
at RPI *** |
L, 57-13 |
| Oct. 25 |
ROCHESTER *** |
3 PM |
| Nov. 1 |
at Ithaca *** |
12 PM |
| Nov. 8 |
ST. LAWRENCE *** |
1 PM |
| Nov. 15 |
at Hobart *** |
1 PM |
*** LIBERTY LEAGUE CONTEST ***
ROCHESTER (4-2, 1-2 LIBERTY LEAGUE)
| Sept. 6 |
OLIVET |
W, 38-17 |
| Sept. 13 |
at Morrisville |
W, 30-14 |
| Sept. 20 |
ST. JOHN FISHER |
W, 28-21 |
| Sept. 27 |
at RPI *** |
L, 31-3 |
| Oct. 4 |
ITHACA *** |
L, 10-6 |
| Oct. 11 |
HILBERT *** |
W, 38-0 |
| Oct. 25 |
at Buffalo State *** |
3 PM |
| Nov. 1 |
HOBART *** |
12 PM |
| Nov. 8 |
UNION *** |
12 PM |
| Nov. 15 |
at St. Lawrence *** |
1 PM |
*** LIBERTY LEAGUE CONTEST ***
