Utica, NY (10/1/2013) – The Utica College football team returns home on Saturday for the
Indium Corporation Coach to Cure MD Homecoming Football Game as the Pioneers square off against visiting Ithaca College on the turf at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. The key Empire 8 Conference contest is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and it is a part of the College's homecoming festivities on campus.   Â
INDIUM CORP. COACH TO CURE MD GAME: For the sixth year in a row, college football coaches nationwide are joining together in support of the Coach To Cure MD program, which will be held at Saturday's game … The rapidly growing annual effort has raised more than a million dollars to battle Duchenne muscular dystrophy … At Saturday's game the Utica College coaching staff will wear Coach To Cure MD logo patches on the sidelines and college football fans are being asked to donate to research projects supported by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. focused entirely on Duchenne muscular dystrophy … Football fans can donate to Duchenne muscular dystrophy research by either going online to www.CoachtoCureMD.org or by texting the word CURE to 90999 (a $5 donation will automatically be added to your next phone bill) … Last year, more than 10,000 college coaches at a record 580 different institutions participated in Coach To Cure MD events … Both of those figures are higher than in any of the program's first five years (2008-2012) … Last season marked the first time all 124 Football Bowl Subdivision schools participated, and the five-year fundraising total is just over $1 million.
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 on the Pioneers schedule page at www.ucpioneers.com … Live streaming audio can also be accessed on WTLB's website, www.espnur.com … UC's student radio station 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.
GET THE APP: All UC football broadcasts can be heard on the new My Hometown Sports App. available in the Google Play store and on Apple ITunes ... It's a free App. so download today!
SOCIAL MEDIA: If you can't make it out to the game make sure to follow live updates on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers … If you are at the game on Twitter, or talking about the game on Twitter, make sure to use #LetsGoUC … You can also "Like" the Pioneers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCpioneers.
LAST TIME UC PLAYED ITHACA: (9/29/2012) - The Ithaca College football team jumped out to a 24-10 lead in the first half and used great ball control (38:43 time of possession) and a balanced offensive attack (490 yards of total offense) in the second half to down visiting Utica College 40-22 in Empire 8 Conference action at Butterfield Stadium on September 29, 2012 … Ithaca, which was receiving votes in the AFCA and D3football.com national polls, remained undefeated on the year and avenged a 20-15 loss at the hands of the Pioneers in 2011 ... The Bombers had just three full possessions in the second half, which led to two touchdowns, while the Pioneers only had three offensive drives in the entire second half as well, scoring on two of them.Â
ALL-TIME AGAINST ITHACA: The Pioneers are currently 1-11 in 12 previous meetings against Ithaca College ... UC broke a ten game losing streak against the Bombers in 2011 when the Pioneers topped Ithaca for the first time in program-history. Â
LAST TIME OUT: (10/12/2013) – The Utica College football team broke nine different single game records, and snapped a two game slide, as the Pioneers topped host Frostburg State 44-27 in Empire 8 Conference action at Bobcat Stadium last Saturday afternoon … Senior running back
Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) broke the school-record for touchdowns scored in a single game after turning in a five touchdown performance on 32 carries and 122 yards on the ground … Larson also became the College's all-time leader with 20 career rushing touchdowns … Utica trailed 27-25 headed into the fourth quarter of play, but the Pioneers outscored host Frostburg 19-0 in the final 15 minutes of action to improve their record to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Empire 8.
WELCOME TO GAETANO: Utica has won four of its last six games at Gaetano Stadium dating back to last season … UC is 11-7 at home dating back to the beginning of the 2010 season … The Pioneers went 3-2 at home in 2012, 2011 and 2010 … The Pioneers are currently 2-1 at home this season, with wins coming over Lewis & Clark and Union in weeks one and two.
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 Frostburg State last weekend ... In each of the last two seasons, UC opened the year with two wins, followed by two losses, followed by two more wins ... If the last two seasons are any indication, the Pioneers may be staring down a victory on Saturday.
EMPIRE 8 OPPONENTS: Last weekend, the Pioneers snapped a three-game Empire 8 Conference losing streak dating back to the end of last season … UC set a school-record with four conference victories last year … The Pioneers are currently 1-1 in the conference and have 15 victories against Empire 8 Conference opponents in program-history.
ON THE NATIONAL SCENE: As a team, the Pioneers currently rank 33rd nationally and first in the Empire 8 in sacks allowed with an average of 0.80 per game … The Pioneers' secondary ranks 35th nationally and first in the conference after allowing just 157.4 passing yards per game … UC currently ranks 26th nationally and first in the conference with 14 turnovers gained … Quarterback
Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) ranks ninth nationally with an average of 27.00 completions per game … Punter
Dakota Peel (Alden, NY/Alden) ranks ninth nationally with an average of 41.8 yards per punt … Junior receiver
Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) ranks eighth nationally in receptions per game (8.6) and receiving yards per game (125.0) … Senior
Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) ranks 14th nationally with an average of 8.0 receptions per game … Senior running back
Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) ranks ninth nationally with nine rushing touchdowns.Â
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Last weekend against Frostburg, UC set a new team single game record by completing 83.8% of its passes … 86 all-purpose attempts was a new school-record for a single game … 30 points scored by
Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) was a new single game record at UC … 32 carries for Larson last Saturday also ranks second all-time at UC for a single game … Three forced fumbles in a single game last weekend tied for second all-time at Utica … Larson passed Jake Scott (17 rushing TD's) and is now the school-record holder with 20 career touchdown runs … Larson needs 452 rushing yards to break the College's all-time record for rushing yards in a career …Â
Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) is currently the school's all-time leader in pass completion percentage (67.0%) … Butkiewicz needs 129 yards passing to move into third place on the College's career passing yards list … Butkiewicz needs two touchdown passes to move into third place on the College's all-time passing touchdowns list …Â
Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) moved into second place on the College's all-time receiving yards list last weekend, passing Cody Elliot '09 … Acevedo now has 2,154 career receiving yards … Acevedo needs 123 all purpose yards to move into second place all-time on the College's career list, passing All-American
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) '12 … Acevedo recently moved into sole possession of second place on the College's career receiving touchdowns list, he now has 15, surpassing James Proniewych '07 … Acevedo and
Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) rank first and second all-time at UC with 6.73 and 5.08 career receptions per game, respectively … Last Saturday, Larson and Acevedo became the fifth and sixth players in school-history to join the 100+ career points scored club … Larson currently ranks second all-time with 120 career points scored … Acevedo ranks fourth all-time with 106 career points scored …
Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden) is now tied for seventh place all time with Travis Ladd '10 with 106 career assisted tackles … Sophomore kicker
Thomas Woodburn (West Islip, NY/West Islip) needs to make one extra point to move into second place on the College's all-time extra points made list … He currently has 37 extra points and is tied with Mike Blanchfield '06 ... Woodburn also needs two field goals to move into second place on the College's all-time field goals made list, he currently has 11 for his career.Â
WATCHING THE BLIND SIDE: The Pioneers offensive line has done a tremendous job protecting quarterback
Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) this season … The offensive line leads the Empire 8 by allowing just four sacks through five games this season.
LARSON HONORED BY E8: Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) was named the Empire 8 Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday … Larson broke the school-record for touchdowns scored in a single game after turning in a five touchdown performance on 32 carries and 122 yards on the ground last weekend … He ranks second on the College's all-time list with 1,320 career rushing yards and he ranks second all-time with an average of 88.0 rushing yards per game over the course of 15 career contests.
ACE HONORED BY D3football.com: Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week on Tuesday … Acevedo broke the school-record for receiving yards in a single game after racking up 252 yards and two touchdowns on ten catches in the Pioneers' 44-27 win over host Frostburg State on Saturday … He has caught 43 balls for 625 yards and four touchdowns through five games this season … He is averaging 14.5 yards per catch … He also caught a season-long 68 yard touchdown pass in the Pioneers' win on Saturday.
UC'S MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) was named the College's Male Athlete of the Week on Monday … Butkiewicz set a new single game school record with 431 yards passing as he completed 31 of his 36 passing attempts in Utica's win on Saturday … He threw two touchdown passes including a game-high 68-yard TD completion for UC's opening score … On the year, Butkiewicz ranks second in the conference with a 66.8 completion percentage and an average of 264.8 yards per game … He has racked up 1,324 yards passing and has seven touchdowns through five games.
LENAHAN ROAMS THE SECONDARY: Junior safety
James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) ranks 13th nationally and first in the conference with an average of 0.80 interceptions per game … He also ranks 45th in the conference with an average of 4.5 tackles per game.
SPECIAL TEAMS ARE KEY: Dakota Peel (Alden, NY/Alden) has punted 26 balls for a total of 1,088 yards this season … He has boomed six punts over 50 yards and six of his punts have pinned the opponent inside the 20 yard line … He has a season-long punt of 57 yards this year … Through five games, Peel is currently the school's single season record holder with an average of 41.85 yards per punt.
BIG GAINERS: Wide receiver
Gregory Palmer (Richland, NY/APW) is currently averaging a team-best 20.40 yards per catch … Through five games he has five catches for 102 yards.Â
GIAMETTA RACKS UP TACKLES: Senior linebacker
Joe Giametta (Seaford, NY/MacArthur) ranks fourth in the Empire 8 with an average of 10.2 tackles per game this season … He has 51 total tackles to go along with two sacks … He is one of just six players to average 10.0+ tackles per game.  Â
WELCOME BACK DANA: After missing nearly four full games due to injury, senior linebacker
Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden) came back with a vengeance on Saturday, posting 11 tackles and a fourth quarter interception to help the Pioneers outscore host Frostburg 19-0 in the final quarter.Â
HANSEN GETS IN THE BACKFIELD:Â Senior linebacker
Ryan Hansen (Woodcliff Lake, NJ/Pascack Hills) is tied for eighth in the E8 and ranks second on the team with an average of 9.0 tackles per game.
SULLIVAN DEFENDS: Safety
Mike Sullivan (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) ranks second in the conference with an average of one pass defended per game this season (four pass break ups, one interception).
WATCH YOUR BACK: 6-foot-5 sophomore defensive end
Nick Woodman (Utica, NY/Proctor) ranks third on the team with 27 tackles this season … He also has one sack, one pass break up and one forced fumble.Â
TOUGH AS IT GETS: Four of the Pioneers opponents this season are either ranked or receiving votes in the current D3football.com National Poll … UC has taken on No. 6 Hobart and Salisbury (receiving votes) and will also play No. 19 St. John Fisher and Ithaca (receiving votes).
STAT LINE: UC has 116 first downs compared to its opponents' 101 … UC has completed 137 passes compared to its opponents' 29 and the Pioneers have compiled 1,325 passing yards compared to their opponents' 787 … The Pioneers' offense has compiled 1,941 total yards of offense compared to its opponents' 1,855.
GOOD ON 3RD DOWN: The Pioneers have converted on 36-of-80 third down attempts this year (45.00%).
BALANCED OFFENSE: The Pioneers have featured a very balanced offense so far this season … UC is averaging 123.2 rushing yards per game and 265.00 passing yards per game … The Pioneers are averaging 5.0 yards per play in the first five games.
SCORING IN THE RED ZONE: Utica has scored on 19-of-27 red zone chances (inside the 20 yard line) … 16 of the Pioneers 19 red zone scores have been touchdowns.
TALE OF THE TAPE: The UC defense has allowed an average of 26.60 points per game, Ithaca has allowed 11.4 points per game … The Utica defense has allowed an average of 157.40 passing yards per game compared to the Bombers' 213.0 … UC is averaging 26.40 points per game compared to Ithaca's 19.6 ppg … UC has 116 first downs compared to the Bomber's 81 … Utica leads in rushing yards per game 123.2-112.4… Utica is averaging 265.0 passing yards per game compared to Ithaca's 209.6.
SCOUTING ITHACA: Ithaca is currently 4-1 overall and is receiving votes in the D3football.com National Poll … The Bombers' lone loss of the season came at the hands of Empire 8 Conference foe Hartwick College on the road two weeks ago … IC has wins over Alfred (17-6), Buffalo State (24-20), Union (17-3) and Moravian (31-7) … Ithaca is 2-1 in conference play this year … The Bombers feature a very stingy defense, allowing a conference-best 11.4 points per game, which is also 14th in the nation … IC leads the conference in both red-zone defense and red-zone offense … Rakim Jones leads the Bomber rushing attack with an average of 76.4 rushing yards per game to go along with four rushing touchdowns … Quarterback Phil Neumann is averaging 188.2 passing yards per game … Neumann also has four touchdown throws … Tom Dempsey has also seen action under center, averaging 98.3 yards passing per game in three games played … Joel Lynch is the most targeted receiver with 20 catches for 238 yards and one touchdown this season … The vaunted Ithaca defense is led by Jake Santora, who ranks fourth in the Empire 8 with 10.2 tackles per game … Santora also has 6.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception and one forced fumble … Brian Hardenberg ranks second on the team with 40 tackles and he also has three sacks and two recovered fumbles … Will Carter leads the defense with four sacks this year.Â
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