Utica, NY (10/1/2013) – The Utica College football team is set to host the Community of Resources and Expertise (CORE™) Anti-Bullying Game as the Pioneers square off against visiting Buffalo State on the turf at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium Saturday. The Empire 8 Conference contest is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. and it will be televised regionally across New York State on the Time Warner Cable Sports Network.
CORE ANTI-BULLYING GAME: The first 250 fans through the gates will receive a free innovative water bag (similar to a water bottle) courtesy of CORE and t-shirts will also be given away throughout the contest … CORE provides students safer and healthier school environments through the implementation of proven school- and community-based programs … Bully-Proofing Your School is a program run by CORE and it is a nationally recognized program designed to curtail and ultimately eliminate bullying and harassment in schools by creating a safe and caring school culture.
BROADCAST INFO: Today's game will be televised on the Time Warner Cable Sports Network in Albany (Channel 323), Buffalo (Channel 87), Rochester (Channel 98), Syracuse (Channel 323) and New York City (197) … On the call for Time Warner will be Mark Larson (Play-by-Play) and Dale Drypolcher (Color Analyst) … 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 streaming video for Saturday's contest can be accessed at www.empire8.tv.
GET THE APP: All UC football radio broadcasts on WTLB 99.1 FM 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 BUFFALO: (10/6/2012) - 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 over host Buffalo State in Empire 8 Conference action at Coyer Field last season. A fumble recovery for UC with 34 seconds left in regulation 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.
ALL-TIME AGAINST BUFFALO:Â Saturday's game marks just the second meeting between Utica and Buffalo in the Pioneers' 14-year history ... This is just the fifth time in program-history that the Pioneers have played a school from the State University of New York (SUNY) system ... The SUNY system does not offer an athletic conference for football, like it does for other Division III sports, and Buffalo State joined the Empire 8 as a football affiliate member at the beginning of last year.
LAST TIME OUT: (10/19/2013) – The Utica College football team took a 21-20 lead with 10:32 to go against visiting Ithaca College in an Empire 8 Conference contest at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium, but the Bombers scored the eventual game-winning touchdown with 3:10 left on the game clock to seal the 26-21 victory on the Pioneers homecoming last Saturday … UC junior quarterback
Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) completed 22-of-40 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw four interceptions and the Pioneers fumbled a punt in the first quarter which led to the Bombers first score of the contest … UC's record moved to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in Empire 8 Conference play, while the Bombers improved to 5-1 and 3-1 in the E8 … Ithaca's stingy defense held UC running back
Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) to just 38 yards and one touchdown on the ground … Neither team amassed over 300 yards of total offense as the Bombers edged the Pioneers 281-277 in total yards … It was Larson's seven yard touchdown plunge with 10:32 to go in the contest that brought the Pioneers from behind to give them a 21-20 lead in the fourth quarter … 21 points by the Pioneers tied the most points scored that the Bomber defense has allowed all season.
WELCOME TO GAETANO: Utica has won four of its last seven games at Gaetano Stadium dating back to last season … UC is 11-8 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 2-2 at home this season, with wins coming over Lewis & Clark and Union in weeks one and two.
EMPIRE 8 OPPONENTS: Two weekends ago against Frostburg, 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 1-2 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 30th nationally and first in the Empire 8 in sacks allowed with an average of 0.83 per game … The Pioneers' secondary ranks 33rd nationally and first in the conference after allowing just 159.3 passing yards per game … UC currently ranks 17th nationally and second in the conference with 17 turnovers gained … The Pioneers defense also ranks 19th nationally and first in the E8 with nine fumbles recovered this year.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Utica senior running back
Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) needs 413 yards rushing to become the College's all-time rushing leader … He currently has 1,358 yards on the ground for his career … Larson needs 26 rushing attempts to become the school's all-time leader in carries … Larson scored a rushing touchdown last weekend to extend his school-record to 21 career rushing touchdowns … Junior quarterback
Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) moved into third place on the College's all-time passing yards list last weekend, he now has 1,756 career passing yards … Butkiwicz needs one touchdown throw to become just the third QB in school history to throw for ten or more touchdowns … Butkiewicz is the College's all-time leader with a career pass completion percentage of 65.2 … Junior receiver
Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) needs 187 yards receiving to break the College's all-time record for receiving yards in a career … Former All-American
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) '12 currently holds the school-record for receiving yards with 2,477 … Acevedo needs 19 catches to move into second place on the College's all-time receptions list – he currently has 158 in two and a half seasons … Acevedo needs 116 all-purpose yards to become just the second player in school-history to amass over 3,000 all-purpose yards in a career … In 23 career games Acevedo averages 125.4 all-purpose yards per game … Larson and Acevedo are two of just five players in program-history to total over 100 points in a career … Sophomore kicker
Thomas Woodburn (West Islip, NY/West Islip) needs to make two field goals to move into second place on the College's all-time list for field goals made … Junior safety
James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) now stands alone in second place all-time with nine career interceptions … Senior linebacker
Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden) cracked the top ten all-time in career tackles last weekend as he is now tied for ninth all-time 189 career tackles.
MITCHELL HONORED BY EMPIRE 8: Sophomore cornerback
Jeff Mitchell (Onondaga, NY/Onondaga) (Onondaga, NY/Onondaga) was named the Empire 8 Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Monday … Mitchell recorded a career-best 11 tackles (10 solo) and added two pass break ups in the Pioneers' game against Ithaca College on Saturday … He ranks second on the team this season with four pass break ups and seventh on the squad with 23 tackles … 22 of his 23 tackles this season have been solo.
ACEVEDO IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) currently ranks sixth nationally and first in the conference with 762 receiving yards … He ranks seventh in the nation and first in the E8 with 127.0 receiving yards per game and he also ranks seventh nationally with an average of 8.8 receptions per game … He has caught ten balls in each of the last two games and he has posted three games this season where he has caught ten or more passes.Â
LARSON FINDS THE ENDZONE: Running back
Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) ranks 15th in the country and first in the conference with 10 rushing touchdowns this year … He also ranks 24th nationally and first in the conference with an average of 10.0 points scored per game … Larson has carried the ball 127 times for 507 yards … He is averaging 84.50 yards per game and 4.0 yards per carry.Â
LENAHAN GOES AND GETS IT: Junior safety
James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) ranks sixth nationally and first in the conference with an average of 0.80 interceptions per game … His four interceptions this season leads the E8 and he also has three pass break ups.Â
BUTTKIEWICZ HITS THE TARGET: Junior quarterback
Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) ranks ninth nationally and first in the conference with an average of 26.17 completions per game this season … He also ranks 33rd nationally with a completion percentage of 64.9% … He has completed 157 of 242 attempts for 1,564 yards and eight touchdowns … His average of 257.7 passing yards per game ranks 36th nationally and second in the E8.Â
IT'S HARD TO GET PAST GIAMETTA: Senior linebacker
Joe Giametta (Seaford, NY/MacArthur) is tied for fourth in the conference with an average of 10.2 tackles per game … He is one of just six players in the conference to average 10 or more tackles per contest … He has totaled 61 tackles in six games this season … He also has two sacks.
HANSEN HAVING A BIG SENIOR YEAR: Senior linebacker
Ryan Hansen (Woodcliff Lake, NJ/Pascack Hills) ranks seventh in the conference with an average of 8.8 tackles per game … He also ranks fourth in the conference with 8.5 tackles for a loss of 30 yards.
SULLIVAN MAKES PLAYS: Sophomore transfer
Mike Sullivan (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), originally from nearby Whitesboro, NY, currently ranks fifth in the conference with an average of 1.00 passes defended per game … He has five pass break ups and one interception … He also forced, recovered and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the Pioneers' loss to Ithaca last weekend.
"PEEL"IN' OFF BIG PUNTS: Punter
Dakota Peel (Alden, NY/Alden) ranks second in the conference with an average of 41.0 yards per punt this season … He has punted 31 balls for a total of 1,272 yards this season … He has boomed seven punts over 50 yards and seven of his punts have pinned the opponent inside the 20 yard line … He has a season-long punt of 57 yards this year.
MURPHY IS A FAMILIAR TARGET: Senior wide receiver
Jamie Murphy (Canadaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) ranks second on the team with 44 catches for 321 yards and one touchdown this season … His 7.3 catches per game ranks second in the conference, only behind Acevedo.  Â
DANA HAS NOT MISSED A BEAT: After missing nearly four full games due to injury, senior linebacker
Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden) has not missed a beat with 18 tackles in the past two games … He has also posted two tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and he intercepted a pass against Frostburg two weekends ago.  Â
KICK RETURN SPECIALIST: Freshman Jerred Beniquez leads the Empire 8 with an average of 25.6 yards per kick return … He has returned 14 kickoffs this year for 358 yards, including a career-long 57 yard return.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, No. 24 Salisbury and Ithaca (receiving votes), and will also play No. 25 St. John Fisher.
STAT LINE: UC has 128 first downs compared to its opponents' 116 … UC has completed 159 passes compared to its opponents' 82 and the Pioneers have compiled 1,547 passing yards compared to their opponents' 956 … The Pioneers' offense has compiled 2,218 total yards of offense compared to its opponents' 2,136.
GOOD ON 3RD DOWN: The Pioneers have converted on 41-of-95 third down attempts this year (43.16%).
BALANCED OFFENSE: The Pioneers have featured a very balanced offense so far this season … UC is averaging 111.8 rushing yards per game and 257.83 passing yards per game … The Pioneers are averaging 5.0 yards per play in six games.
SCORING IN THE RED ZONE: Utica has scored on 21-of-29 red zone chances (inside the 20 yard line) … 18 of the Pioneers 29 red zone scores have been touchdowns.
TALE OF THE TAPE: The UC defense has allowed an average of 26.50 points per game, Buffalo has allowed 35.43 points per game … The Utica defense has allowed an average of 159.33 passing yards per game compared to the Bengals' 260.7 … UC is averaging 25.50 points per game compared to Buffalo's 30.86 ppg … UC has 128 first downs compared to the Bengals' 134 … Buffalo leads in rushing yards per game 161.6-111.8… Utica is averaging 257.83 passing yards per game compared to Buffalo's 231.14.
SCOUTING BUFFALO: Buffalo State (3-4, 1-3 Empire 8) picked up its first Empire 8 win of the season last Saturday at home in convincing fashion, defeating Frostburg State, 60-28 … Junior wide receiver Mike Doherty has caught 42 passes for a career-high 708 yards and three touchdowns through seven games for the Bengals … Doherty missed the entire 2012 season after suffering a major knee injury less than a week before the team's season opener … Doherty led the Bengals in receptions (46), yards (659) and touchdowns (4) in 2011 as a sophomore … Freshman running back Trey Jones rushed for a career-high 82 yards on eight carries against Frostburg last week, including a 29-yard touchdown scamper to cap the Bengals' scoring for the game … Running back Rich Pete, originally from Utica, NY, is 13 rushing yards away from 2,000 career yards … Doherty is three receptions short of 100 in his career … Cornerback Chris Hall needs one interception to reach ten for his career … Wide receiver Caesarae Lewis needs three receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career … Buffalo State rushed for a season-high 302 yards against Frostburg last week, with seven different rushers getting at least one carry … Four of those rushers (Rich Pete, Trey Jones, Ismail Brooks and Casey Kacz) rushed for at least 55 yards on the day.
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