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ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Utica heads to Frostburg State University Saturday as the Pioneers open up Empire 8 play at 1 p.m. in Frostburg, Md. ... The contest marks the second road game in three weeks for UC.

BROADCAST INFO: Today's game - and all Utica College games - will be broadcast on the radio at WTLB 1310 AM ... Links for live stats for today's contest are available at www.ucpioneers.com and www.frostburgsports.com … Live streaming audio can also be accessed on WTLB's new website, www.espnur.com.

MAKING THE LONG HAUL: The weekend's trip marks the longest bus ride for the Pioneers this season … A bus trip from Utica, N.Y. to Frostburg, Md. is approximately 415 miles (seven hours, non-stop). 

TWO WEEKS; TWO NEW OPPONENTS: For the second consecutive week the Pioneers will be squaring off against an opponent they have never played before … Last week UC defeated Union, 28-27, in the first meeting between the two program's … This week the Pioneers take on the Empire 8's newest addition, Frostburg … The addition of Frostburg and nationally-ranked No. 24 Salisbury to the E8 gives the conference eight total members. 

STARTING THE SEASON HOT … AGAIN: Utica is now 2-0 for the third consecutive season under Head Coach Blaise Faggiano … Last year the Pioneers opened up their season with a school-record four straight victories. 

EXPECTED TO BE A SHOOTOUT IN MARYLAND: Through two games, Frostburg (29.0 ppg) and Utica (38.0 ppg) are averaging at least four touchdowns per contest … Both teams are averaging well over 400 yards of offense per game, with the Pioneers garnering a slight edge in total production, 931-897 … The Pioneers have amassed 599 yards in the air, while the Bobcats have posted 514 … Frostburg holds the advantage on the ground, 383-332.

PIONEERS LAST WEEK: The Utica College football team rallied from an eight point deficit in the fourth quarter, taking the lead after a 7-play, 60 yard touchdown drive with 3:20 left, to lift the Pioneers to a 28-27 victory in their home opener against Union College Saturday night in front of 4,075 fans at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium … Junior quarterback Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) had another huge day, completing 27-of-35 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns … Junior wide receiver Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) had a career-day, catching a game-high eight balls for 153 yards and two touchdowns, including a key 54 yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter to help the Pioneers (2-0) remain undefeated on the young season … Junior transfer Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) led the Pioneers' ground game with 47 yards on eight carries, while junior running back Jake Scott (Rochester, NY/Irondequoit) added 40 yards on nine carries … Sophomore receiver and return specialist Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) caught seven balls for 70 yards and also returned five total kicks for 107 yards (177 total yards).

CAREER DAY FOR THE DEFENSE: Last weekend against Union, six different Pioneer starting defenders posted career-high's in tackles … Sophomore safety Eric Rindo (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) had a big day, making a career-high 15 stops for UC, while junior defensive lineman Jerrod Clowes (Rochester, NY/Irondequoit) added a career-best 11 tackles … Sophomore linebacker Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden) made a career-high ten tackles and junior safety Luke Manolescu (New York Mills, NY/Notre Dame) added nine stops to pace the Pioneer defense … Zach Jones and Alex Rukavena (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) each added a career-best eight tackles a piece for UC.

SCOUTING FROSTBURG (Courtesy of Frostburg Sports Info.): The Frostburg State football team was held scoreless in the second half and Springfield College scored three touchdowns in the second to pull away for a 48-24 victory, last weekend … The Bobcats (1-1) didn't back down as they racked up 411 yards of offense and held the ball for 37:48 in their Empire 8 Conference debut ... Senior quarterback Josh Volpe threw for 250 yards on 22-of-44 attempts with one touchdown … He completed a pass to eight different receivers while sophomore Pablo Said led the charge with 104 yards on eight receptions … On the ground, senior tailback Patrick Pinchinat ran for 101 yards on 24 carries and one score … He also caught three passes for 27 yards … Pinchinat leads the Bobcats with 284 yards rushing and three touchdowns this season … Volpe leads the aerial attack, completing 39-of-71 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns … Anthony Young and Paulo Said are Volpe's favorite targets as they each have ten catches a piece this  season … Anthony Chase leads the Frostburg defensive unit with 16 tackles, four tackles for a loss, and one sack.

IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Junior quarterback Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) ranks 15th nationally with an average of 311 yards of total offense per game … The Pioneers' offensive unit currently ranks 24th in the nation with an average of 465 yards of total offense per contest.

HONORED: Sophomore wide receiver Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) was named the College's Male Athlete of the Week after catching a career-high eight balls for 153 yards and two touchdowns last week … Junior kicker Seth Mitchell (Fonda, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) accounted for all nine of the Pioneers' first half points, to help keep the Utica College football team in the game against Union last week … For his efforts he was named the Empire 8 Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday.

IT'S A DUNN DEAL: Junior tight end Matt Dunn (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) has come up huge in two games so far this season … Dunn ranks third on the team with nine catches and he has a team-best three touchdown grabs, including the game-winner in the Pioneers' victory over Union last week.

THREE HEADED MONSTER:  The Pioneers ground game features three running backs, who will likely all see a considerable amount of touches … Utica College racked up 207 yards rushing in week one and the Pioneers now have a total of 332 yards rushing on the year … Junior Jake Scott (Rochester, NY/Irondequoit) leads the Pioneers with 120 yards and two touchdowns on the ground … Junior transfer (Mount Union) Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) has carried the ball 24 times for 107 yards and one touchdown and sophomore Jesse Baldassare (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) currently has 54 yards on 14 carries.

SPECIAL TEAMS IS KEY: Junior kicker/punter Seth Mitchell (Fonda, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) connected on three straight first half field goals of (20, 22, 38 yards), and averaged 42.5 yards per punt including a game-high 54-yarder in the first half against Union last week  … His 38 yard field goal came just before the first half clock expired and helped cut the Pioneers' deficit to just one point, 10-9 … Mitchell also connected on 1-of-1 extra points on the afternoon as the Pioneers' won their third straight home opener.

EMPIRE 8 WOES: The Pioneers have struggled in conference play as of late and they hope to snap an 11 game Empire 8 Conference losing streak that dates backs to 2008.

NON CONFERENCE SUCCESS: On the flip side, the Pioneers have fared extremely well in non-conference play and dating back to 2005 they are 18-9 against non-conference opponents … They are currently riding the highs of a nine game non-conference winning streak.

TALE OF THE TAPE: Utica is averaging 18 more points per game than Frostburg so far this season … The Pioneers have compiled four more first downs … The Utica defense has allowed 727 yards of total offense, compared to the Bobcats 952.

GAETANO IS THE PLACE TO BE: The Pioneer nation came out in droves last weekend to watch UC win its season-opener … A school-record 4,075 fans joined UC on campus to watch the thrilling one point victory over Union.