Game 5
The College at Brockport at Utica College
Saturday, October 8, 2016 – 4 pm
Empire 8 Game
Charles A. Gaetano Stadium – Utica, N.Y.

BROCKPORT, N.Y. – Coming off a bye week, The College at Brockport football team heads to Utica, N.Y. this weekend to face the Pioneers in an Empire 8 matchup set for 4 pm.

The contest will mark the fifth meeting between the two teams.  The Golden Eagles took the first two matchups by a combined score of 84-0.  In 2014 and 2015, Utica bounced back with a pair of wins, 42-28 and 22-19.  In last year's overtime loss, Dan Andrews scored all three touchdowns for Brockport, including a 47-yard run in the third quarter.

In their last game, the Golden Eagles suffered a heartbreaking 42-38 loss to nationally ranked St. John Fisher College in the 12th annual Courage Bowl to benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times.  In front of a season-high 8,452 fans, the first three drives of the game saw each team find the end zone, giving Brockport a 28-7 lead at halftime.  Fisher closed the gap and took their first lead of the game midway through the fourth quarter, but Brockport regained a three point lead with 1:31 remaining. With 32 seconds left, Fisher faced first-and-goal at their own one yard line.  Rashad Baker broke up a pass in the end zone, but a quarterback sneak on the ensuing play would give Fisher the 42-38 win.

Brockport outrushed the Cardinals 229 to 115, but the Cardinals held the advantage in total yards, 501 to 482.  McKean finished with 18 completions for 253-yards including one TD pass.  Andrews tabbed 131-yards off of 31 carries, scoring four times.  Ian Gilhousen led Brockport receivers with 81-yard off of three receptions for one TD.  On the defense, Sean McKean paved the way with 10 tackles while Ryan Johnson tabbed nine.  James Rupp recorded eight tackles with Jake O'Connell and Matt Szymanski each had seven.  Ed Suriano and Dennis Thomas III each recorded one sack, both for a loss of four-yards.

On the season, Andrews leads Golden Eagles running backs with 478-yards and eight touchdowns.  The Rochester, N.Y. native is currently tied for first among all Division III football in points per game with 15.0.  The eight rushing TDs also puts Andrews at eighth in the nation.  Brian McKean also broke into the national rankings this week and is currently sixth in the nation, and first in the conference, with a completion percentage of 72.48.  McKean also ranks second in the conference with a passing efficiency of 164.97.

The Golden Eagles sit atop the Empire 8 in seven statistical categories.  Brockport ranks first in kickoff return defense, rushing defense, punt return defense, defensive touchdowns, turnovers lost, third down conversion percentage, and completion percentage.  The third down conversion percentage, and completion percentage are good for the top five in the nation.  Brockport sits third in completion percentage with 73.7 and fourth in third down conversion percentage with 57.6.

For Utica, running back Ryan Burnett ranks eighth in the conference with 60.2 rushing yards per game.  Quarterback Teddy VanGalen is fourth in completion percentage with 62.2 while Beniquez ranks seventh with 76.0 receiving yards per game.  On the defense, Wilson ranks eighth in the conference with 9.0 tackles per game.

Utica had a strong start to its 2016 season, posting a four game winning streak before suffering their first loss of the season last week at Ithaca.  The Pioneers trailed 16-7 entering the final frame and got within two with 9:47 remaining but host Ithaca responded with a touchdown with just over four minutes remaining to jump to a 23-14 lead.

Freshman Lindell Reed tabbed nine carries for 19-yards and one TD.  Reed leads the team with six rushing touchdowns thus far.  Jerred Beniquez led Utica with 10 catches for 113-yards and one TD.  Shawn Merchant tabbed eight catches for 98-yards.  The Pioneer defense was led by Juwan Wilson with 13 tackles, one interception and a fumble recovery.  Anthony Bierria-Anderson had eight tackles while Matt Stone and Nick Pizzarelli each had six.

Following this weekend's game, the Golden Eagles will return home for two weeks to host Ithaca College and SUNY Cortland.  The Bombers come to town on Oct. 15 with kick off slated for 1 pm.  Homecoming weekend follows on Oct. 22 with kick off against Cortland at 3 pm.

Be sure to stay up to date on all your Golden Eagle scores and awards by following @BportAthletics on Twitter and by liking the "Brockport Golden Eagles" Facebook page.

VIEW GAME NOTES HERE