Click the image above to hear some of the Pioneers' thoughts headed into the Ithaca game.
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.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Pioneers are currently 1-10 in 11 previous meetings against Ithaca College … UC broke a ten game losing streak against the Bombers last season when the Pioneers topped Ithaca for the first time in program-history.
LAST TIME AGAINST ITHACA: The Utica College football team outscored visiting Ithaca College 20-5 in the second half on its way to a 20-15, come-from-behind, victory in Empire 8 Conference action at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium last season … Utica engineered a game-winning drive, capped by
Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove)'s (injured this season) 15 yard touchdown run with 1:01 left in regulation to help the Pioneers defeat Ithaca for the first time in program-history in front of a state-wide television audience … The final six minutes of the contest proved to be pivotal, as the lead changed hands twice, with the Pioneers coming out on top as the final horn sounded … Larson rushed for over 100 yards for the fourth consecutive game and scored all three of the Pioneers' touchdowns, tying the school-record for rushing touchdowns in a single game … UC's defensive unit set a school-record with seven sacks on the day, with most of the pressure coming in the form of different blitz packages, including three second half sacks from then-senior captain
Zachary Jensen (Vernon, NY/Vernon Verona Sherrill) … Three sacks in a single game tied a school-record … Quarterback
Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) remained poised and ready to strike, choreographing the game-winning drive to perfection, as he guided the Pioneers' to their fifth win of the season – tying 2010's win total - which ranks second in program-history … Benkwitt finished the day with 28 completions for 299 yards … Receiver
Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) proved to be Benkwitt's favorite target as he caught a game-high nine balls for 97 yards … Tight end
Matt Dunn (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) added seven catches for 91 yards, while
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) caught seven balls for 53 yards.
TALE OF THE TAPE: Utica has scored 111 points this year compared to Ithaca's 91 … The Pioneers have 71 first downs compared to the Bombers' 60 … Ithaca has an edge in rushing yards, 601-387 … The Pioneers have a strong lead in passing yards, 991-562 … UC has a 51% (21-of-41) 3rd down conversion rate compared to Ithaca's 46% (19-of-41) … The Pioneer defense has four interceptions compared to Ithaca's two … UC has scored 16 touchdowns compared to IC's 12.
CONFERENCE OPENER'S: The last time UC won its conference opener was in 2008 when the Pioneers traveled to former E8 member Springfield College and knocked off the Pride 16-12 … This is the first time UC is playing Ithaca in its conference opener.
BEFORE THE BY WEEK: The nationally-ranked No. 14 Hobart College football team racked up 502 yards of total offense and scored 14 fourth quarter points, as it pulled away from host Utica College, to earn a 45-26 victory in a battle of undefeated teams at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium on Sept. 15th … The Pioneers (2-1) trailed by just five points midway through the fourth quarter, but two timely touchdown runs of 59 yards and 18 yards by Hobart's Bobby Dougherty essentially sealed the victory for the Statesmen (3-0) … It was huge defensive plays and another solid game from the Pioneers' passing unit that kept the contest close down the stretch … UC forced four fumbles (recovered three), blocked one punt, and senior quarterback
Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck), who was making his 33rd consecutive start, threw for 313 yards and three touchdowns … The Pioneers' four forced fumbles was a new program-record.
RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE AGAINST HOBART: Two Saturday's ago against Hobart, the Pioneers set or tied six different single-game school records … The Pioneers broke the school-record for forced fumbles (four) … Benkwitt set a new school record for most total plays (60 total/45 passes, 15 runs) …
Shawn Mitchell (Philadelphia, NY/Indian River) tied two single-game records with two forced fumbles and three pass break ups … The Pioneers tied two single game records with three fumbles recovered and five pass break ups.
IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) is currently ranked 15th nationally with an average of 330.67 yards of total offense per contest … Senior
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) ranked sixth in the country with an average of 118.67 yards receiving per contest … Junior
Joe Giametta (Seaford, NY/MacArthur) is tied for seventh in the nation with 14.33 tackles per game.
LEADING THE WAY IN THE E8: As a team the Pioneers sit atop the conference rankings with an average of 459.33 yards of total offense per game … Meier leads the conference in receiving yards per game … Giametta leads the E8 in tackles per game … Benkwitt leads the conference in passing efficiency (165.05).
MEIER MAKING THE MOST OF HIS SENIOR SEASON: Senior
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), who recently became the College's all-time leading scorer, leads the team and the conference with 356 yards receiving this season … He also has four touchdown catches.
MURPHY COMING ON STRONG: Junior receiver
Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) has ten catches for 106 yards … He had his best game of the year last week against Hobart when he caught six balls for 53 yards and a touchdown.
IRONMAN: Senior quarterback
Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) is making his 34th consecutive start, marking the longest active streak on the team … Benkwitt did not miss a start in each of his first three seasons … He leads the team with 68 completions for 928 yards and 11 touchdowns.
GIT 'ER DUNN: Senior All-American
Matt Dunn (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) is tied for second on the team with 11 catches and he also has three touchdowns.
SMITH'S STILL GOT IT: Former backup quarterback, turned wide receiver,
Paul Smith (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) threw a touchdown to
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) against Hobart after a backwards pass from Benkwitt … Smith is currently tied for second on the team with 11 catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns.
GIAMETTA MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF: Junior linebacker
Joe Giametta (Seaford, NY/MacArthur) leads the team with 43 tackles through three games so far … He also has one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two tackles for a loss.
HANSEN MAKES BIG PLAYS: Junior linebacker
Ryan Hansen (Woodcliff Lake, NJ/Pascack Hills) leads UC with two sacks and he also has one interception for a return of 32 yards this season.
SACK ATTACK: 10 different Pioneer defenders have at least a half of a sack this season …
Ryan Hansen (Woodcliff Lake, NJ/Pascack Hills): 2.0,
Kyle Taft (Salt Point, NY/F.D. Roosevelt): 1.0,
Michael Herberger (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North): 1.0,
Anthony Cipoletti (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West): 1.0,
Luke Manolescu (New York Mills, NY/Notre Dame): 0.5,
Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden): 0.5,
Josh Visalli (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro): 0.5,
Jerrod Clowes (Rochester, NY/Irondequoit): 0.5,
Adam Luczak (Letchworth, NY/Silver Springs): 0.5,
Chris Adams (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa): 0.5.
MANOLESCU & LENAHAN PROVIDE THE SAFETY NET: Senior free safety
Luke Manolescu (New York Mills, NY/Notre Dame) ranks second on the team with 24 tackles this season … He also has three tackles for a loss and one pass break up … Sophomore safety
James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) ranks first on the team with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries … Lenahan also ranks fourth on the team with 15 tackles to go along with one pass break up.
OFFENSE IS HOT IN 2ND & 3RD QUARTERS: The Pioneers have scored 87 of their 111 total points this year in the second and third quarters … UC's most productive quarter has proven to be the second, where the Pioneers have scored 48 points.
4TH QUARTER WOES: The Pioneers hope to turn it up in the fourth quarter as they have only scored three points in the fourth quarter this season.
RECEIVING VOTES: The undefeated Bombers moved up 12 spots in the second American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll released Monday … The Bombers received 48 points, good for fifth among the "other teams receiving votes" (30th overall) … IC is also is receiving votes in D3football.com's fourth regular-season poll … The Bombers received seven points, good for 17th among other teams receiving votes (44th overall).
SCOUTING THE BOMBERS: The Ithaca College football team (3-0, 1-0 Empire 8) is ranked among the national leaders in six team and four individual statistical categories, according to statistics released by the NCAA through games of Sept. 22 … As a team, the Bombers rank fourth in sacks (4.33 per game), 16th in total defense (229.33 ypg), 22nd in sacks allowed (0.67 per game), 30th in tackles for loss (8.33 per game), 34th in scoring defense (15.0 ppg) and 39th in pass efficiency defense (100.39) … In individual statistics, senior wide receiver Joseph Ingrao (Nesconset/St. Anthony's) is ninth in receptions (8.33 per game) and 24th in receiving yards per game (104.67 ypg); senior running back Clay Ardoin (Dolgeville/Dolgeville) is 16th in rushing (132.3 ypg) and senior AJ Vallone (Haworth, N.J./Northern Valley Regional) ranks 20th in punting (41.18 yards per kick). (Courtesy of Ithaca Sports Info.)
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Benkwitt is the only quarterback in program-history to attempt 1,000 or more passes in a career … Benkwitt eclipsed 700 completions for his career last week, giving him 715 all-time … He needs two touchdown passes to reach 70 for his career … He has an incredible career completion percentage of 63.7 (He has both thrown and completed more passes than any other QB in school-history) …
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) became the College's all-time leading scorer in week two and he now has 128 career points … Meier needs 174 yards receiving to move into second on the College's all-time list … Meier and
Matt Dunn (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) currently rank third and sixth on the College's all-time receiving yards list … Meier has 1,621 career receiving yards and Dunn recently broke the 1,000 yard barrier, he now has 1,129 … Dunn needs eight catches to reach the 100 catch mark for his career … Dunn needs one touchdown catch to tie for third on the College's all-time receiving touchdowns list – He currently has 11 touchdown catches …
Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) needs one touchdown catch to tie two others for eighth on the College's all-time list … Murphy needs 73 yards receiving to move into ninth on the all-time receiving yards list (He currently has 530) … Kicker Josh Sommers is a perfect 6-for-6 in career extra point attempts …
Jesse Baldassare (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) ranks third on the College's all-time list with 617 career kick return yards …
Genaro Scampone (Utica, NY/Proctor) ranks seventh all-time with 92 career assisted tackles …
Michael Herberger (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) needs one sack to move into a tie for sixth place on the College's all-time sacks list (He currently has 6.0) … Two Saturday's ago against Hobart the Pioneers set or tied six different single-game school records … The Pioneers broke the school-record for forced fumbles (four) … Benkwitt set a new school record for most total plays (60 – 45 passes, 15 runs) …
Shawn Mitchell (Philadelphia, NY/Indian River) tied the single-game records with two forced fumbles and three pass break ups … The Pioneers tied the single game records with three fumbles recovered and five pass break ups.
