Brockport, NY – The Brockport Golden Eagles (2-1, 0-0 E8) are set to open Empire 8 play in Week 4, as they travel to Hartwick College (1-2, 0-1 E8). Game time is scheduled for noon on Saturday down in Oneonta.
 
DATE – TIME: September 26^th, 2026 – 12pm
LOCATION: Wright Stadium – Oneonta, NY
LINKS: Video | Stats
 
Bouncing Back in Week 3: The SUNY Brockport football team took down RPI at home to celebrate the 2026 Homecoming & Family Weekend at Brockport. The Golden Eagles improved to 2-1 following the 45-10 victory over the Engineers. The Golden Eagles finished with 581 yards of total offense in the game, compared to just 185 for RPI. Brockport posted 28 points in the first half on the way to a dominant, 45-10, victory. The Golden Eagles got back on track in Week 3 after a tough loss on the road to Hobart, 27-14, in Week 2.
 
Slywka's Special Teams Award: Following an all-around performance in Week 3, Kyle Slywka was named the Empire 8 Football Special Teams Player of the Week. To start off the game, Slywka surprised everyone lining up at wideout and on the first play of the game going 75 yards for a receiving touchdown. It was the first reception and offensive touchdown of his collegiate career. Defensively, he was a key part of the secondary that helped hold RPI to just 185 yards of total offense for the game. Then on special teams he serves as a primary kick returner for the Golden Eagles. He not only had one kick return for 23 yards, but he also blocked a punt in the second quarter making his impact felt all over the field this past Saturday.
 
Jackson's First Start: Week 3 marked the first collegiate start for sophomore quarterback Zymier Jackson. On the way to picking up his first win as a starter, Jackson went 10-for-18 with 188 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air. He also added 66 rushing yards on 10 carries. On his first snap of the game, he hit Kyle Slywka for a 75-yard touchdown. He also connected with Derrion Battle on a tough, scramble throw that went 45 yards for a touchdown. Overall, it was a solid performance from the dual-threat quarterback who has taken over the offense.
 
101 Career Receptions for Slywka: During the Homecoming Weekend win over RPI, Nolan Slywka racked up four receptions for 40 yards. Doing so officially puts him past the 100 receptions mark for his career at Brockport with 101 catches so far. In total, Slywka has 101 receptions, 1,447 yards, and 15 receiving touchdowns as a Golden Eagle. He currently ranks 11^th in the record book in receiving yards and tied for 14^th in receptions for his career. The star wideout looks to climb further up the all-time rankings a Brockport with plenty of football left to play this season.
 
Lethal Legs in the Backfield: The Golden Eagles have multiple options in the run game that have proven to be a weapon through the first three games. Derrion Battle leads the charge, averaging 103 yards per game and 10.0 yards per carry. The freshman back has totaled 309 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, to go with 71 yards and a score through the air. Anthony Vino has a pair of touchdowns and currently averages 12.3 yards per carry. Zymier Jackson (19 carries) and Allan Paul (16 carries) both have 96 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
 
Strong Defensive Showing: Brockport's defensive unit looked solid in the win over RPI at home. Brockport forced four turnovers and allowed just 10 first downs all game. Across 32 rushing attempts, RPI was held to just 74 yards and 2.3 yards per carry. The Engineers were held to 185 yards of total offense and only found the end zone once. The opposing pass game was held in check to just 111 yards, which included three Brockport interceptions and three sacks from the pass rush.
After Week 3, the Golden Eagle defense now ranks nationally in the following stat categories:
 
T-1^st – 4^th Down Conversion Defense (.000 pct)
6^th – Total Defense (166.3 ypg)
6^th – Passing Yards Allowed (93.7 ypg)
13^th – Team Passing Efficiency Defense (81.70 rating)
T-25^th – 1^st Downs Defense (28 allowed)
 
Playmakers for the Defense: For the second week in a row, Nazhier Wilson has lead the defense with double-digit tackles. He had 11 against RPI, with a sack, and 17 total tackles against Hobart. Austyn Gollnitz is standing out as well, making plays all over the field for the Brockport defense. Against RPI, the outside linebacker had a full line with six tackles, a strip sack, a fumble recovery, and an interception. Brady Schnell was tested a few times in the secondary in Week 3, he responded with his first interception of the season and two pass breakups. Sal Montaperto Jr. (2.0 sacks) and Ari Gefell (1.5 sacks) have both provided value to the Brockport pass rush as well early this season.
 
Scouting Hartwick: Hartwick is coming off a tough, 55-3, loss to Cortland last Saturday in its first conference matchup of the season. Hartwick rushed for a total of 10 yards on the ground, averaging 0.4 yards per carry. The Hawks also ended up with just 86 passing yards through the air last week. Going back to Week 2, Hartwick came away with its first win of the year; a 47-13 win over Buffalo State. In the game, Akil Williams rushed for a total of 133 yards over 14 rush attempts, and he scored two touchdowns. QB Ty'Lyn Blackwell Williams went 11-for-15 with for 191 passing yards while throwing three touchdowns. Struggling defensively, the Hawks are currently allowing 403.7 yards of total offense and an average of 36.67 points per game.
 
Brockport vs Hartwick: Since joining the Empire 8 in 2014, Brockport is 11-0 against Hartwick College in the head-to-head matchup. In 2025, Brockport came away with a dominate 56-0 win over Hartwick at home. In 2024, it was a 53-0 win for the Golden Eagles on the road. Then in 2023, Brockport dominated 63-0. That marks three straight games with the Brockport defense shutting out the Hawks, creating a 172-0 running score of the last three years.
 
Courage Bowl Coming Up Next: Following the action in Week 4 at Hartwick, the Brockport Football team returns to Bob Boozer Field for one of the program's top annual events. The Golden Eagles will host St. John Fisher for the annual Courage Bowl for the kids of Camp Good Days on Saturday, October 3^rd. Kickoff for the game in Week 5 is scheduled for 6pm.