UTICA, NY - The Utica University football team returns from their midseason bye week this Saturday as they look to slam the gas pedal and speed through the final four games of the regular season. Their first test following the bye week is a tough Alfred University Saxons team that felled the Pioneers during last season's exciting Homecoming affair. This time, on the road, the orange and blue look to continue their revenge tour with a big win over a staunch Saxon squad. The Pioneers will need victories in their remaining contests to keep pace in the conference championship race, and it begins this weekend down at The Pit.
 
This Saturday's showdown is slated for a 12:00 PM start at Yunevich Stadium in Alfred, New York.
 
You can stream Saturday's game by heading to the following link: https://www.empire8network.com/alfredsaxons/
 
Interested spectators can also view live statistics by heading to this link:
https://gosaxons.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
 
Highlights will be available on our athletics YouTube either late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning. Click the links below to get caught up on game highlights from the previous Utica football games:
 
Week One at W&J: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1uwz6mKYyM&t=531s
 
Week Two vs RPI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktlJmXAs8HY&t=9s
 
Week Three at Hobart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNq7-fe0Dmo&t=6s
 
Week Four vs Alfred State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJTkmX2tGK0&t=11s
 
Week Five at Cortland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fncsbpbvSg0&t=8s
 
Week Six vs Morrisville: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMxhQjCwQTI
 
Week Six Recap: Last time out, the Pioneers faced off against a Morrisville team in search of its first win under head coach Eric Jendryaszek. Despite the Mustangs' lackluster record, they presented an interesting matchup for the Pioneers, with a defensive game plan heavily focused on forcing the game to be played on the ground. For a Pioneer team whose strengths rely heavily on the passing game for both offense and defense, this matchup presented an opportunity for them to improve in areas that needed attention.
 
The first half was business as usual for the orange and blue, as, despite some early resistance, the Pioneers were able to take a 20-0 lead into halftime thanks to their ability to establish the rush and play well on the ground. However, the latter half saw Morrisville mount a comeback, scoring 21 second-half points to give Utica a scare on its home field. In the end, Nicholas DeForrest (Rome, NY/Holland Patent) had two huge sacks on the Mustangs' final possession to end the visitors' comeback bid, with the Pioneers taking a hard-fought 27-21 victory into the bye week.
 
For the Pioneers, they accomplished all their goals in the first half of play, but ultimately lost the turnover battle and saw the visitors rush for more yards on the afternoon. The defense did well to limit the Mustangs in the air, but Morrisville was able to rush effectively throughout the matchup. Even so, the Pioneers were the more talented team throughout the matchup, and were able to use their individual athleticism to muscle past a gritty Morrisville squad to advance to 4-2 on the season.
 
Three Big Things:
 
1 - Offensive Creativity: Even with only seven points scored in the second half, the Pioneers continued to convert third downs at a high rate, showing that they can still be counted on to have great play calling in clutch moments. This extended to their redzone offense as well, with Matthew Pallouras (Rochelle Park, NJ/Hackensack) getting the call to convert a few redzone possessions, which he did on three occasions, wrapping up a hat trick of rushing touchdowns. Pallouras' play is a prime example of how creative and varied the Pioneer play calling can be, as the team has employed numerous different personnel groupings and play designs for various situations throughout the year. If one word can be used to describe the offensive game plan, it would be adaptability, as the team takes advantage of versatile players like Bryce Palmer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls), and Matthew Pallouras (Rochelle Park, NJ/Hackensack) to give opposing defenses a look they would have had to search for heavily on film. The result of all of this is an Empire 8-best third-down conversion percentage, with the Pioneers gaining first downs on 58.9% of their third-down tries. This is nearly 7% higher than the next closest team (Brockport at 52%), and nearly 13.5% higher than the third-ranked team (St. John Fisher at 45.5%). Additionally, the Pioneers average the most first downs per game among Empire 8 teams, moving the chains 24.7 times per outing, with Brockport in second place at 21.8 first downs per game.
 
2 - Establishing the Ground Game: Even though the Pioneers were outrushed on the afternoon, they were still able to post a season-best rushing total, as the team racked up 160 yards on the ground. Eze Frazier (Garnerville, NY/North Rockland) had a solid afternoon, gaining 101 yards on 19 attempts, good for an average of 5.1 yards per rushing attempt. Pallouras also scored his trio of touchdowns on the ground, rushing eight times for 29 yards as the team's second option. Jani Strong (Bronx, NY/Christ The King Regional) and Tyler Hall (Holbrook, NY/Sachem North) also received touches in the game. The Pioneers, despite facing a one-dimensional rushing team in Morrisville, also won the time of possession battle thanks to their ability to keep the clock and chains moving, as they held the ball for 30:32. Even in the passing game, the Pioneers were working on the ground, as the team saw 116 of its 249 yards be registered after the catch. Palmer, the leading receiver, was all about evading defenders on the ground during the matchup, as 94 of his game-high 109 yards came after the catch. Palmer also became the second receiver in two weeks to reach 1,000 career yards, joining Antonio Cianfarani (Scotia, NY/Scotia Glenville) who achieved the honor the prior week at Cortland. The Pioneers kept the clock moving and maintained a steady rhythm throughout the entire game, despite not scoring many points in the second half.
 
3 - Individual Impact: On defense and special teams, the Pioneers had a couple of key performances that helped them ward off the Mustangs as the game wound down. The aforementioned DeForrest notched his two sacks to end the affair; however, the team saw many other players also affect the contest, leading to the team picking up numerous accolades following the win. The most present among them was sophomore linebacker Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston), who was active on every play of the afternoon, racking up 17 total tackles (four solo), and a QB hurry. Thanks to his ability to slow down Morrisville's possessions, Thomas received the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week honor, although he wasn't the only Pioneer who received conference recognition. Pioneer punter Devin Taylor (New Port Richey, FL/Wendell Krinn Technical) was also recognized following his stellar day. He launched three punts for an average of 43.7 yards, also booming a 50-yarder that pinned the Mustangs inside their own 20 during a crucial juncture in the contest. Taylor set up many big Pioneer stops and received the Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week award for his efforts. Finally, on the interior defensive line, Pioneer captain Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) had himself a superb Saturday. The junior lineman logged nine tackles in the game, with four of those being solo stops. He was also dangerous outside of just stopping the run, as he batted down a pass on third down of the final Morrisville drive, setting up DeForrest for the game-winning sack. Davis became the fourth Pioneer to be named to the D3football.com Team of the Week, getting a nod as one of the best interior defensive linemen in all of Division III football on Saturday. This individual excellence at different stages of defense and special teams helped give the Pioneers a major edge, and they'll look for this kind of balance again on Saturday against Alfred University.
 
Pioneer Playmakers: Below is a list of each accolade the Pioneers have achieved through six weeks this season.
 
Week One at W&J
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Team of the Week
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Week One Game Ball
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - D3football.com Team of the Week
 
Week Two vs RPI
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (2)
 
Week Three at Hobart
Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
 
Week Four vs Alfred State
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (3)
 
Week Five at SUNY Cortland
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week
 
Week Six vs Morrisville
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
Devin Taylor (New Port Richey, FL/Wendell Krinn Technical) - Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - D3football.com Team of the Week
 
Total Awards Count
 
Team:
Empire 8 Players of the Week: 6
D3football.com Team of the Week: 4
 
Individual:
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 3
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Devin Taylor (New Port Richey, FL/Wendell Krinn Technical) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
 
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
 
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Week One Game Ball
 
Orange and Blue Archive - vs Alfred University: The Pioneers have a 7-18 record in their 25 total matchups with the Saxons. Interestingly, Alfred University is one of the only teams with which the Pioneers have matched up at least once a year during their program's history, even playing them twice during the shortened 2020 season. With so many matchups, there is tons of history between these two squads. The Saxons had the edge early in the rivalry, with their dominance in the 2000s allowing them to take the first 11 matchups against the orange and blue. However, since the Pioneers' first win over Alfred in 2012, the series has been completely even at seven wins apiece. This weekend, the visitors will look to break their historical road woes at The Pit, as the team has an overall record of 2-10 and a 2-5 mark over the past 14 matchups at Alfred U.
 
Last season, the Pioneers welcomed Alfred University in a Homecoming matchup for the ages, which came down to the final few possessions. It was an offensive affair, with both teams racking up over 400 yards of total offense. However, as time wound down, DeForrest would break through on special teams, notching a massive punt block which was scooped up and returned by Jimmy Polito to give the Pioneers a 34-31 lead with under two minutes remaining. Now with a sudden advantage, the Pioneers just needed to salt away the clock, but some late-game heroics by recent Division I transfer Dion Anderson would see the Saxons escape with a last-second 38-34 victory. Brett Fuller (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis) passed for 295 yards and three touchdowns in the close loss.
In 2019, the Pioneers secured their first road win in the series, as kicker Maki Medici nailed four field goals to give the team a big 19-10 win following an emphatic defensive effort. Utica dominated possession in the contest, holding the ball for an outrageous 41 minutes. The Pioneer defense also allowed just two third-down conversions by the hosts, stifling them to a total of just 10 points. Kwasi Addo led the defense with nine tackles, while Jimmie Warren picked up two tackles for loss.
 
In 2018, the Pioneers picked up a 30-22 victory at home after allowing just six second-half points by the Saxons. With just five minutes remaining, Dehstin Smart would return an Alfred fumble for 60 yards to essentially end the affair. After speeding out to a 13-0 lead, the Pioneers would give up 16 unanswered points to face a deficit heading into halftime. The accurate adjustments were made, though, as the team outscored the Saxons 17-6 in the second half to win. Utica's Elijah Belle grabbed an interception, a pass breakup, and five tackles for the Pioneers, while freshman quarterback Logan Wilcox paced the offense with 236 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Preparing for the Saxons: Last season, the Alfred University Saxons looked to be back on track in the Empire 8 following decades of dominance earlier in the 21st century. Thanks to a potent offense led by quarterback Chris Kelly and versatile wide receiver Dion Anderson, the Saxons finished 7-4, also securing a fourth-place finish in the Empire 8 with a 5-2 conference record. Alfred just made it into the Asa S. Bushnell Bowl, heading over to face Western Connecticut State, where they fell by a 45-14 final.
 
This season, the Saxons are 3-3, with a 1-2 record in the Empire 8. They began their season with a trio of Liberty League matchups, facing Hobart, Ithaca, and St. Lawrence to kick off the season. The Saxons would scrape out two wins in that span, defeating Hobart 28-23 thanks to some timely turnovers before dispatching St. Lawrence on the road in a 35-13 drubbing. In Empire 8 play, the Saxons have two road losses to the two remaining undefeated teams: St. John Fisher (21-7) and SUNY Cortland (65-12). However, they also captured a win on Homecoming Weekend against Hartwick (45-24).
 
On offense, the return of Chris Kelly at quarterback for the Saxons has been their biggest point of strength, as the senior signal caller has tossed for 1076 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 179 passing yards per game. His steady nature has kept the Alfred offense poised and allowed them to be under control. However, under Kelly's watch, Alfred has endured a bit of turnover turmoil, as the team has lost seven fumbles and thrown five interceptions for a turnover tally of 12. Kelly is also a pocket passer through-and-through, having just 18 rushing yards on the season. In the passing game, the Saxons like to spread the ball out amongst their three top receivers, with Carmine Hoag, Jack Buchsbaum, and Jonye Rosebury Jr. each having over 200 receiving yards on the season. It's the sophomore Section Six product Hoag, though, who gets the majority of looks down near the end zone, as despite averaging just six more receiving yards per game than the next closest player, he has far and away the most receiving touchdowns with seven, and also shared the conference's offensive player of the week award before the Saxons' bye week. Fellow sophomore Rosebury Jr. is second on the team with two receiving touchdowns.
 
Sophomore running back Tommy Nyquist leads the Saxon rushing attack, having 525 yards on 113 attempts and two rushing touchdowns. He has been the main option in the ground game for Alfred U, averaging 85.33 yards per game while also averaging 4.5 yards per rush. Junior Steven Bidwell supplements the Saxon rushing attack with 157 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 24.5 yards per game. No other Alfred rusher has over 20 total yards on the season, making this a two-man backfield.
 
On defense, it all starts with the Saxons' top player, Thomas Welch, a senior defensive back from Avon, New York, who has put together an extremely balanced season in 2025. Welch leads the team with 37 solo tackles (54 total) and is the team's leader in sacks with 4.5, despite being listed as a member of the Saxon secondary. He also has miscellaneous totals of two interceptions, three pass breakups, three quarterback hurries, 8.5 tackles for loss, and three fumble recoveries. The Saxon Swiss Army Knife also received an Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Week nod early in the season.
 
Alongside Welch is graduate linebacker TJ Marsh, who has the team lead in tackles with 56. He has also accrued 2.5 sacks, one pass breakup, two quarterback hurries, and one fumble recovery.
 
The defensive line leader is sophomore Michael Davis, who has 30 total tackles to go along with three sacks and four quarterback hurries.
 
The Saxons will be facing the Pioneers after a bye week, with both teams getting an extra week to recover and study their opponent.
 
Keys Against Alfred University: Turnovers are the main key to this contest for both teams, as the Pioneers' turnovers have cost them their two losses, while multiple Alfred University victories have come solely due to their propensity for forcing turnovers against their opponents. The Pioneers will look to run a clean unit on offense and not fall into the trap that Hobart did during week one. If the Pioneers can limit the turnovers and use their speed on defense to force the Saxons into some mistakes, they will have an edge in Saturday's matchup.
 
Halftime adjustments will also be key for the orange and blue, as their opponent has also had extra time to prepare. Expect lots of gamesmanship in this matchup between two familiar rivals.
 
After Squaring Off With the Saxons: The Pioneers will return home to Gaetano Stadium for a big game against St. John Fisher. The orange and blue will welcome the Empire 8 unbeaten Cardinals to Gaetano Stadium on Saturday, November 1st for Mohawk Valley Challengers Day. That game will be sponsored by Human Technologies and is slated for a 1:00 PM kickoff.
 
Tune in on Saturday as the Pioneers battle the Saxons!