BROADCAST INFO: All Utica College games will be broadcast on the radio at WTLB 99.1 FM/1310 AM (ESPN Radio) by play-by-play man Dave Peroni and color analyst Fred Miller … Links for live stats and video for Saturday's contest are available at www.ucpioneers.com … Live streaming audio can also be accessed on WTLB's website, www.espnur.com … WPNR 90.7 FM will broadcast every UC football home contest this season and live streaming audio of the contest can be accessed at www.utica.edu/wpnr ... Live video for today's contest can be accessed at www.empire8.tv.
LAST TIME THESE TWO MET: Frostburg State outscored visiting Utica College 28-10 in the second half and racked up 462 total yards of offense as the Bobcats earned a 44-24 Empire 8 Conference victory in week three of last season … Frostburg, which was making its conference debut in 2011, handed the Pioneers their first loss of the year… Frostburg amassed 220 yards on the ground compared to the Pioneers 75, and the Bobcats controlled the time of possession, holding the ball on offense for 39 minutes in the 60 minute contest … UC struggled on third down, converting on just 4-of-12 attempts …
Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) completed 15 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, while
Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) caught five balls for 50 yards and a touchdown …
Luke Manolescu (New York Mills, NY/Notre Dame) made 11 tackles and broke up one pass, while
Genaro Scampone (Utica, NY/Proctor) posted 10 stops.
LAST WEEK: The Utica College football team scored 30 fourth quarter points, as it rallied from a 15 point deficit with 9:50 to go in the contest, to earn a huge come-from-behind victory, 51-44, over host Buffalo State in Empire 8 Conference action at Coyer Field last Saturday ... With the scored tied at 44-44 late in the fourth quarter, Utica's
Chris Adams (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) sacked Bengal quarterback Casey Kacz, forcing a pivotal fumble which was ultimately recovered by Cedric Hairston with just 34 seconds left in regulation … Hairston's recovery set up a four-play, 60 yard, game-winning drive in just 21 seconds, capped by senior wide receiver
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy)'s touchdown grab with 13 seconds left on the clock to advance UC's record to 3-2 on the year and 1-1 E8 play … Buffalo State (2-4, 0-3 Empire 8), which knocked off the nation's No. 1 team, Wisconsin-Whitewater three short weeks ago, has now lost three consecutive games … Senior quarterback
Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) led the way for UC with a single-game record 38 completions for 398 yards and another school-record six touchdown throws … Meier continued his banner year with a program-best 12 catches for 148 yards and a school-record four receiving touchdowns, including two in the final 2:47 of the contest (three in the fourth quarter) … Junior receiver
Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) also caught 11 balls for 115 yards and a touchdown.
"BIG" JOHN KACZMARSKI: Before Saturday's coin toss the Pioneer family will come together for a special presentation at the 50 yard line … Utica College President Dr. Todd Hutton, Athletic Director Dave Fontaine and Head Football Coach
Blaise Faggiano will be on the field with John and Robbie Kaczmarski, the parents of former UC football player 'Big” John Kaczmarski … Their son John was a proud Utica College Football student-athlete … John left us on February 10, 2008 … In honor of their son, the family started the Big John Kaczmarski Memorial Golf Outing … The tournament allowed the Kaczmarski family to generously endow the football program with a $10,000 gift … On Saturday, the Kaczmarski family will present Utica College President Todd Hutton with a $25,000 check which will go towards creating a scholarship for a Utica College student in their son John's name … This gift will last with the Utica College family forever… Utica College wants to thank the family for staying connected to the Utica College Community, as well as express their gratitude and sincerest appreciation to the Kaczmarski family for their generous gift.
HONORARY CAPTAIN: Andrew O'Bryan, a 14 year football player from Weedsport, who plays with a prosthetic leg and is currently battling Osteosarcoma will be an honorary captain for the afternoon and will walk out with the Pioneers for the coin toss before the contest … O'Bryan will be joined on the sidelines throughout the game by his mother Amy, and her sons Adam (8) and Alex (17).
COACH TO CURE MD: Coaches around the country are joining forces to support the Coach to Cure M.D. program this month … The Utica College coaches will wear patches on their sleeves Saturday to raise awareness of duchenne (pronounced doo-shin) muscular dystrophy … To donate $5 to coach to cure M.D., text the word “CURE” to 90999 … Fans can also visit www.coachtocuremd.org to make a donation.
WELCOME BACK: As part of the College's homecoming festivities, at halftime UC will pay tribute to the Pioneers who have paved the way for the future of the Utica College football program ... Saturday UC welcomes back members of the Utica College football team from the Club Football era, as well as the Pioneers who have helped kick start the varsity program for the last 12 years … This group of individuals played a major role in developing the brand of football that fans have all grown accustomed to at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.
IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE LAST YEAR: Success and failure seems to be coming in two's for the Pioneers once again this year … Utica has won its first two games of the season, before dropping two straight contests, and now they are 3-2 after a win over Buffalo State last weekend … Last season, UC opened the year with two wins, followed by two losses, followed by two more wins … If last season is any indication, the Pioneers may be staring down a victory on Saturday.
TALE OF THE TAPE: Utica is averaging 36.80 points per game this year compared to Frostburg's 25.8 ppg … The Pioneers have secured 121 first downs, the Bobcats have moved the sticks 100 times … Frostburg has an edge in the ground game, outrushing UC 761-578 … The Pioneers have amassed 1,688 passing yards compared to the Bobcats' 1,036 … UC is 50% (34-of-68) on third down conversions this year compared to Frostburgs' 47% (34-of-73) … Utica has scored 26 touchdowns, Frostburg has 18 … Utica's most productive quarter this year is the 2nd quarter where they have totaled 72 points … Coincidentally Frostburg's highest scoring output has come in the second quarter as well this year, as the Bobcats have furnished 38 points in the 2nd quarter.
WHEN GIVEN THE CHANCE, UC SCORES: The Pioneers are nearly perfect in the red zone this year, scoring on 20-of-21 chances inside the 20 yard line … 19 of the scores have been touchdowns, while one was a field goal … The Bobcats have scored a touchdown in 14-of-23 red zone chances.
4TH QUARTER EXPLOSION: In their first three games of the year the Pioneers combined for just three points in the fourth quarter … In the last two weeks UC has scored 42 fourth quarter points, including a 30 point 4th quarter effort in the Pioneers' win over Buffalo last weekend.
HOME SWEET HOME: Over the years the Pioneers have proven that they are tough to beat on their home turf at Gaetano Stadium … UC has 21 home victories all-time … In the last three years the Pioneers are 7-5 on their home turf … UC is currently 1-1 at home this year.
IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Senior quarterback
Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck), who has started 35 consecutive games for UC, is among the national leaders in several categories … He currently ranks eighth in the nation in total offense with an average of 345.60 yards per contest … He also ranks 24th in the country in passing efficiency (156.54) … Senior wide receiver
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), a native of Rome, NY, currently ranks fifth in the country with an average of 132 receiving yards per game … Meier caught a school-record four touchdowns, including the game-tying and game winning scores in the fourth quarter, as the Pioneers topped the Bengals last weekend … Meier is also tied for 11th in the country with an average of 8.20 receptions per game … Junior linebacker
Joe Giametta (Seaford, NY/MacArthur) currently ranks fifth in the country with an average of 13.40 tackles per game.
LEADING THE WAY IN THE E8: The Pioneers currently lead the Empire 8 in three different offensive statistical categories … UC is first in scoring offense with an average of 36.8 points per game … The Pioneers are first in total offense with an average of 453.20 yards per game … They are also first in passing offense (337.60 ypg).
BENKWITT HONORED: Benkwitt was named the ECAC Northwest Offensive Player of the Week Tuesday … The award was the second weekly award for Benkwitt, who was named the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week on Monday … Benkwitt set school records for completions (38) and touchdown passes (6) Saturday as he passed for 398 yards overall in the Pioneers' 51-44 come-from-behind win over Buffalo State.
RECORD SETTING DAY: Utica broke or tied 15 different single game records against Buffalo State on Saturday … The Pioneers set team records for most all-purpose attempts (84), most passes attempted (58), most passes completed (38), most total offensive plays (92), most touchdown passes (6) and most blocked kicks (2) … Meier broke the school-record for receiving touchdowns in a game with four and he set new marks for passes caught (12), points scored (24) and touchdowns scored (4) … Benkwitt set records for total offensive plays (66) and touchdown passes (6).
SCOUTING FROSTBURG: The Frostburg State University football team is coming off an exciting 28-26 victory over Hartwick where the Bobcats withstood a late fourth quarter drive for the victory ... After a bye week, FSU looks to push its Empire 8 record to 2-1 and win back-to-back games for the first time in 2012 against host Utica … Several Bobcats rank nationally after the sixth week of football … Sophomore quarterback Ken Emmons is third in the conference and 72nd nationally in total offense, helping the Bobcats to an average of 238.4 yards a game while senior Anthony Young is tied for 30th in the country and third in the E8 with 7.2 catches per game… Young is also 38th nationally in receiving yards a game, averaging 93.8 on the season … Senior Brendon Blanchette is tied for 19th in the nation with 11.8 tackles per game and is ranked third in the Empire 8 … Senior wide receiver Anthony Young is set to rewrite the record books as he enters his final season in a Bobcat uniforn … Young is second in school history with 169 receptions and needs just 12 receptions to tie first, which he should accomplish over the next two weeks after averaging 7.2 catches a game... He is in sole possession of seventh in receiving touchdowns (14) and moved into third in receiving yards (2,085) after putting up a season-high 122 two weeks ago … He has started the last 25 games at wide receiver and has caught a pass in 27-straight games. (Courtesy of Frostburg Sports Info.)
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) is on pace to break his own school record for passing yards (2,604) and through five games this year he already has 1,625 passing yards … If Benkwitt continues this pace he will become the first player in school-history to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a single season … He needs just two touchdown throws to tie his own single season record of 20 … Meier is on pace to become the first player in school-history to record over 1,000 yards receiving in a single season … Meier currently has 660 yards receiving, with five games left to play – the current single season record is held by Cody Elliot, who totaled 868 yards in 2009 … Meier is also on pace to shatter the single season receptions mark – he currently has 41 catches and the school record is held by Elliot who made 65 catches in '09 … Meier needs four more touchdowns to tie Jake Scott's 2010 single-season record of 12 … Meier is the College's all-time leader with 25 career touchdowns …
James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) is currently tied for second on the school's single season interception list – he currently has four and needs three more to tie first place Jon Klosner's 2002 record of seven …
Jesse Baldassare (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) needs 295 kick return yards to move into second place on the College's all-time list …
James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) needs two interceptions to tie former player and current assistant coach Lazarus Morgan for third place on the College's all-time interceptions list … Senior defensive end
Michael Herberger (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) needs two sacks to move into sole possession of fourth place on the College's all-time sacks list – he currently has seven.
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