GAME #5 - BUFFALO STATE BENGALS AT ROCHESTER YELLOWJACKETS
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 - 1:00 PM
Edwin Fauver Stadium – Rochester, NY
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THE MATCHUP… The Buffalo State football team returns to action this weekend with another road Liberty League matchup at the University of Rochester. The Bengals have a narrow 5-4 all-time series lead over the Yellowjackets after dropping four of the last five matchups overall.
Amir Cameron (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) has thrown for 377 yards with a pair of touchdowns while also netting 84 rushing yards.
JC Dixon (Niagara Falls, NY/Canisius) leads the rushing room with 209 yards and a touchdown through four weeks of the season.
On the defensive side, leading the Bengals is
James Gibbons (Fort Drum, NY/Carthage) with 29 total tackles and a sack with
Xavier Wallace-Messam (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) tallying three pass breakups.
For the Yellowjackets, Shawn Bellenger has been the primary man under center throwing for 663 yards with seven touchdowns. His top target this season has been TJ Shifflet who is averaging 14.30 yards per catch with four scores.
Defensively, Jack Diggins has been everywhere posting 36 total tackles, five tackles for loss, an interception, a pass breakup, and five QB hits. As a team, Rochester has ten sacks on the year; the third most in the Liberty League.
LAST TIME WE MET... The two sides met a year ago where Rochester came away with a 23-3 road victory.
Rochester opened the scoring with a pick-six before each side added a field goal later in the half, giving the Yellowjackets a 10-3 advantage.
Coming out of the break, Rochester scored on the opening drive with a six-yard score and added another touchdown in the fourth.
The Yellowjackets were able to hold off the Bengals comeback chances following a turnover on downs late in the second half.
OH CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!… Leading the Bengals this season are captains
Amir Cameron and
Brody Stevens. Cameron and Stevens are two key returners for the Bengals this season with Cameron leading the way on the offensive side of the ball and Stevens on the defensive side.
Cameron played in seven games last year, totaling over 1,000 yards with four touchdowns. Stevens appeared in all ten games tallying 66 tackles and three pass breakups.
ABOUT THE BENGALS' COACH… Mike Neale enters his first season leading Buffalo State after most recently serving as the defensive coordinator at Delaware Valley for two seasons. During his time with the Aggies, the team compiled a 16-6 overall record and ranked second in total defense and scoring defense in the country in 2024.
A native on San Diego, Calif., Neale has totaled over 20 years of coaching experience in all three phases as well as a head coach, including 19 years at the Division III level.
RESEARCHING ROCHESTER… The Yellowjackets welcome the Bengals with a record of 2-2 (1-0 Liberty League) on the year. Rochester got back in the win column last weekend with a dominant 48-6 win over Hilbert to open conference play. The team also picked up a non-conference win against Morrisville while suffering loses to Case Western Reserve and St. John Fisher.
Head Coach Chad Martinovich has been leading the Yellowjackets since 2018. During his tenure, Rochester has posted three straight seasons of finishing .500 or better in addition to competing in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl with Brockport in 2024.
SCHEDULES/RESULTS...
BUFFALO STATE (0-4, 0-1 LIBERTY LEAGUE)
| Sept. 3 |
at Brockport |
L, 68-0 |
| Sept. 12 |
at Hartwick |
L, 47-13 |
| Sept. 19 |
ALFRED STATE (HOMECOMING) |
L, 41-7 |
| Sept. 26 |
at Union *** |
L, 63-14 |
| Oct. 3 |
at Rochester *** |
1 PM |
| Oct. 10 |
RPI *** |
12 PM |
| Oct. 24 |
HILBERT *** |
3 PM |
| Oct. 31 |
ITHACA *** |
3 PM |
| Nov. 7 |
at St. Lawrence *** |
1 PM |
| Nov. 14 |
HOBART *** |
1 PM |
*** LIBERTY LEAGUE CONTEST ***
ROCHESTER (2-2, 1-0 LIBERTY LEAGUE)
| Sept. 4 |
CASE WESTERN RESERVE |
L, 38-20 |
| Sept. 12 |
MORRISVILLE |
W, 21-10 |
| Sept. 19 |
at St. John Fisher |
L, 14-13 |
| Sept. 26 |
at Hilbert *** |
W, 48-6 |
| Oct. 3 |
BUFFALO STATE *** |
1 PM |
| Oct. 10 |
at Ithaca *** |
1 PM |
| Oct. 24 |
RPI *** |
12 PM |
| Oct. 31 |
at Hobart *** |
1 PM |
| Nov. 7 |
at Union *** |
1 PM |
| Nov. 14 |
ST. LAWRENCE *** |
12 PM |
*** LIBERTY LEAGUE CONTEST ***
