Brockport, NY – This Saturday at 12pm, the SUNY Brockport football team will kick off against No. 22 Susquehanna for the first home game of the season.
 
DATE – TIME: September 9^th, 2023 – 12pm
LOCATION: Bob Boozer Field - Brockport, NY
LINKS: Video | Stats | Game Notes
 
 I-90 Bowl Game Victory: The Golden Eagles won a third straight season opener, claiming the I-90 Bowl Game Trophy for a seventh straight year. It was Brockport-style football from start to finish as the defense dominated and the offense stuck with its talented backfield and strong line up front. Jala Coad made his return to the team with 83 rushing yards for two touchdowns on the way to a dominant, 42-6, victory.  Mike Talbert Jr. had a great day at the office on defense with seven total tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and a pair of pass breakups defensively. Kyle Haettich also made seven stops, including a forced fumble and a fumble recovery late in the game.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week:  On Tuesday, September 5^th the Empire 8 released its selections for E8 Football Players of the Week. Raylens Boutin was chosen as the Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week. Boutin, a preseason All-American, came up with a big play on special teams for the Golden Eagles in their 42-6 win over Buffalo State in the I-90 Bowl Game. Before halftime, he received a punt and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. Outside of his return work on special teams, Brockport's star corner also made plays defensively. Boutin finished the game with six total tackles, coming on four solo stops and a pair of assisted tackles.
 
Rushing Attack: In week one against Buffalo State, the Brockport offense leaned heavily on the ground game. With a strong line upfront and a talented backfield, the Golden Eagles rushed for 214 yards and four touchdowns on 47 rush attempts. Jala Coad leads the backfield with 83 yards and two scores. Gino Fontanarosa ran for 54 yards and a touchdown, while Todd Simonds added 42 yards and a score. Freshman Cameron Mesh even got in on the action with 39 yards on nine carries in his collegiate debut.
 
Defense Standing Tall: As expected from Brockport, the defense dominated in the season opener at Buffalo State. The defensive unit allowed no touchdowns and only gave up six total points from a pair of field goals. The Golden Eagles held the Bengals to just 224 yards of offense, including just 139 passing and 85 rushing yards. They held the opposing quarterback to just a 41.4 completion percentage on the day. Forcing three-and-out consistently, Buffalo State was forced to punt eight times in week one thanks to Brockport's tenacity on defense. The Bengals converted for a first down on just 2-of-13 third down plays.
 
Behind the Center: Todd Simonds completed 15 of his 29 pass attempts in week one. Brockport's starting quarterback threw for 133 yards in the game and earned a passer rating of 90.25. Freshman Jake Ritts made his first appearance for the Green and Gold, completing the first pass of his career for a 21-yard touchdown.
 
Making Some Noise: Right from the opening drive, it was clear that Simonds was looking to link up with freshman wideout, Nolan Slywka. Brockport's first-year receiver completed his first collegiate game with seven receptions for 65 yards. Slywka was key in a few scoring drives, helping to convert on multiple third and fourth down conversions. The lone receiving score on the day came from Tyler Ronk, who finished with two catches for 30 yards and a score.
 
Preseason All-American Punter: Dan Giangrasso was only called on to punt four times in the season opener. He finished the game with an average punt of 44.75 yards, including a long of 60. In the second quarter, the veteran booted his longest kick of the day to pin Buffalo State down at its own 3-yard line. His great punt eventually led to a three-and-out which setup a punt return for a touchdown before halftime.
 
Point After Touchdowns: Brockport's Nate Wigent handled the kicking duties for the point after attempts in week one. The senior kicker went a perfect 6-for-6 on extra points in the contest, starting the year off with a 100% success rate on PATs.
 
Scouting Susquehanna: After starting the season at No. 22 in the D3football.com preseason poll, the River Hawks maintained its spot in the rankings after a week one victory. They defeated Bridgewater College, 51-19, on the road for the season opener. With a balanced offensive attack, Susquehanna totaled 359 yards thanks to 155 rushing and 204 passing yards. Quarterback Josh Ehrlich went 19-for-24 for 186 yards and two scores through the air to go with a team-high 74 yards on the ground. He connected with wideout Kyle Howes six times for 92 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Susquehanna allowed just one touchdown from the opposing offense. Bridgewater's run game was held to just 70 yards on 2.1 yards per carry. The River Hawks also made a big play on special teams with a 44-yard punt return for a touchdown. Saturday's game against Brockport will be the first ever matchup between the two programs.
 
Up Next: Following the home opener this weekend, Brockport will head back on the road for week three. The Golden Eagles will matchup against Wilkes University on Saturday, September 16^th at 12pm.