Game Notes
Live Stats
Live Video
Live Audio
BROADCAST INFO: All Utica College games will be broadcast on the radio at WTLB 1310 AM (ESPN Radio) … Links for live stats for Saturday's contest will be available at www.ucpioneers.com … Live streaming audio can also be accessed on WTLB's new website, www.espnur.com … The game will also be broadcast locally on WPNR 90.7 FM.
GOING MOBILE: For all of you high-tech fans in the Pioneer nation, Saturday's game will be offered through live streaming video on your Iphone, Droid or Blackberry mobile devices at m.empire8.tv … Fans can also access live stats on their cell phones at http://www.sidearmstats.com/utica/football/mobile.aspx … Don't forget, Utica College's entire athletics website can be accessed in its mobile version at www.ucpioneers.com/mobile.
ALL-TIME SERIES: Utica is 2-5 all-time against Springfield dating back to their first meeting in 2004 … The last time the Pioneers' topped the Pride was in 2008 at Stagg Field … UC is 1-2 all-time against Springfield at Gaetano Stadium … In 2005 the Pioneers had one of their biggest wins in program-history, taking down the Pride 34-33 at Gaetano Stadium.
UTICA IS STREAKY: The Pioneers opened up their 2011 campaign with two straight victories, before dropping two straight conference contests against Frostburg and Salisbury … The Pioneers answered with three consecutive victories before falling to St. John Fisher last weekend … Utica hopes to snap their streaky ways with a win over Springfield on Saturday.
UC HAS AN 'ACE' UP ITS SLEEVE: Sophomore receiver/return man
Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) leads the conference and ranks 34th in the nation with an average of 147.4 all-purpose yards per contest … He has caught a team-best and a career-high 46 balls for 688 yards this season … He is averaging 86 yards receiving per game to go along with four touchdowns … Acevedo also has 456 return yards.
BENKWITT LOOKS TO BOUNCE BACK: After throwing three interceptions in the Pioneers loss to St. John Fisher College last weekend junior quarterback
Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) looks to bounce back in his 29th consecutive start … He currently leads the conference and ranks 34th in the nation with an average of 267.12 passing yards per game … He has also thrown a conference-best 15 touchdown passes … Headed into the game against Fisher Benkwitt had only thrown four pics all season.
RINDO STANDS HIS GROUND: Sophomore safety
Eric Rindo (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) continues his impressive sophomore campaign as he leads the team with 71 total tackles … He also has two pass break-ups.
CHRISTOFFERSON'S CREEPING UP: Sophomore linebacker
Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden) continues to make his climb up the Pioneers' tackle list and he currently ranks third on the team with 61 total tackles.
HERBERGER OFF THE EDGE: Junior defensive end
Michael Herberger (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) has put forth an outstanding effort so far this season and he is currently tied for the conference lead with five sacks … He also ranks fourth on the team with 46 tackles.
SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SENIORS: The Pioneers will say farewell to 12 seniors before the start of Saturday's contest … This group has compiled 17 wins over the course of the last four seasons and has helped UC become a post season threat on a yearly basis … Senior captain
Jon White (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) will play in his final regular season game at Gaetano and he currently ranks fourth on the College's all-time list with five career interceptions.
IT'S JUST CRIMINAL: Four of the Pioneers 12 seniors will graduate with a degree from the Criminal Justice program here at Utica College.
TOP TWO BACKS IN THE E8: Tonight's game showcases the top two rushers in the conference in Josh Carter and
Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) … Larson ranks second in the conference in average rushing yards per game (95.1) and rushing touchdowns (11) … Carter leads the conference in both categories and he is the only rusher in the E8 to average 100+ yards on the ground per contest (143.4).
BOWL BOUND?: The Pioneers need one win in their final two games to enter the ECAC South Bowl game conversation … If they win their final two games they will be a prime candidate to make an ECAC Bowl game for the first time in program-history … Fisher and Salisbury both receiving NCAA Tournament bids would also help the Pioneers cause … 18 teams from the South have declared for an ECAC Bowl bid … The Bowl selection committee will take six teams from the south region for three bowl games and seed them 1-6 … The top three teams will host if their facility is available … UC barely missed out on a bid to the ECAC's back in 2006 when they posted a 6-4 overall ledger.
DEFENDING GAETANO'S TURF: The Pioneers are 3-1 on their home turf of Charles A. Gaetano Stadium this season … Utica's last two wins at home came in dramatic fashion, and were by five points or less, including a 20-17 win over Hartwick and a 20-15 win over Ithaca.
COMMON OPPONENTS: Springfield holds a slight edge in the common opponents department … The Pride defeated Frostburg State handily, 48-24, while the Pioneers dropped a 44-24 decision against the Bobcats … Both teams lost to Salisbury and Fisher … Springfield beat Hartwick by 21 points, while the Pioneers dropped the Hawks 20-17 on a last minute drive … Both teams edged Ithaca by five points or less.
ANOTHER SHOOTOUT AT GAETANO: With both teams averaging 30+ points per contest, fans can expect that Saturday's contest will be a high scoring affair … UC is averaging 31.9 points per contest, but Springfield holds a slight edge in this category averaging 37.9 points per contest.
PASS VS. RUN: Springfield will undoubtedly feature a run-heavy, triple-option style offense … The Pioneers run a more balanced offense (259 pass attempts/22 rushing attempts) … The Pride have only thrown the ball 74 times for 616 yards this season and they typically use the element of surprise to be successful in the passing game … On the flip side, Utica boasts the 18th ranked passing offense in the nation - averaging 292.88 passing yards per game … Springfield's rushing attack leads the entire country (389.88 per game).
UC LAST WEEK: Utica was held to 12 first half points as the Pioneers snapped a three game winning streak last weekend after a 63-36 loss to host St. John Fisher College … The Pioneers came on strong in the fourth quarter behind a career-high three touchdown passes from Holland Patent native and backup quarterback
Jared Keyte (Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent) … Keyte played the entire fourth quarter and completed 10-of-13 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns … Larson totaled 66 yards on ten carries including a 58 yard touchdown run in the second quarter for UC … Acevedo caught five balls for 46 yards and a touchdown, while junior receiver
Paul Smith (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) caught his first collegiate touchdown in the fourth quarter … All told, the contest featured a combined 967 yards of total offense and 99 points … Fisher scored at least 14 points in every quarter, and big plays were the name of the game, as the Cardinals scored five times on plays of 25 yards or longer.
LAST TIME AGAINST SPRINGFIELD: The Utica College football team lost to host Springfield 20-16 in Empire 8 Conference play at Stagg Field last season … The Pioneers, who scored all 16 of their points in the second half, held the nations second best rushing attack to 105 yards below their season average … Benkwitt finished the day with 18 completions for 201 yards passing to go along with two touchdowns … Utica racked up 308 total yards on the day but the Pioneers had trouble converting on third down (3-for-10) … Springfield's Josh Carter finished the afternoon with 102 yards on the ground and one touchdown ... Carter attempted just three passes on the day, completing none.
SCOUTING SPRINGFIELD: The Pride are 3-3 in their last six contests … They have not won, or lost, two straight games since their first two games of the season … They are coming off a 62-41 win at Hartwick last week … The Pride features the nation's leading rushing attach, averaging 389.8 yards on the ground per contest … Six of Springfield's ten games this season are on the road and they are currently in the midst of a three game road trip to close out their 2011 regular season … Option quarterback Josh Carter leads the conference by a landslide with 1,147 yards rushing and an incredible 20 rushing touchdowns on the ground through eight games this season … Carter has also thrown for 569 yards and eight touchdowns in the air … Nine different Springfield players have at least one rushing touchdown this season … Seven of those nine backs have at least 220 rushing yards … Senior James Kikel leads the Empire 8 with 11 tackles per contest this season … Junior safety Kevin Shields ranks eighth in the conference with 9.1 tackles per game.