Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Ithaca College football team suffocated visiting Frostburg State and allowed just 86 total offensive yards in a 23-0 shutout victory over the visiting Bobcats on Saturday afternoon at Butterfield Stadium. It was Ithaca's first shutout victory of an opponent since the 2012 season opener at Moravian, and the first time that the Bombers have held their opponent under 100 yards of total offense since Sept. 1, 2007 at Lycoming (90 yards). The victory moved Ithaca to the top of the Empire 8 standings with a 5-1 conference record. Ithaca is 7-1 overall. Frostburg State fell to 1-7 overall and 0-5 in the Empire 8.

Ithaca's defense had one interception, five sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and limited Frostburg State to 51 rushing yards and 35 yards passing. Frostburg State entered the game averaging 26.4 points per game and 415 yards per game. Ithaca outgained Frostburg 357-86.

Bomber linebackers and captains Jake Santora and Will Carter led the way for the defense. Santora had 16 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss with one sack and one pass break-up. Carter made 15 tackles and had two sacks among his three tackles for loss. They were career-best games in tackles for both linebackers.

The Bombers led 13-0 at halftime despite not running one play from scrimmage in Frostburg State territory in the opening two quarters. The Bombers opened the scoring on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Tom Dempsey to Joel Lynch down the right hash mark over the secondary with 5:16 remaining in the first quarter.

Ithaca made another huge special teams play right before halftime to extend the lead. Sam Carney fielded a punt at Ithaca's 33 yard line and executed a return down the right sideline with numerous blockers leading the way for a 67-yard touchdown. It was Ithaca's second punt-return touchdown of the season, following Josh Oliver's TD return at Buffalo State.

Ithaca added a 33-yard field goal by Garrett Nicholson early in the fourth quarter and closed out the game with a touchdown run from Tommy Padula with 2:33 left. It was the first-career rushing touchdown for Padula.

Freshman running back Evan Skea had 100 yards on the ground for Ithaca, a career-best total in just his second varsity game and the third 100-yard rushing game for Ithaca this season. Tom Dempsey completed 15-of-27 passes for a career-best 248 yards. He had one touchdown pass and one interception. Jared Prugar had six catches for 68 yards and Lynch finished with 91 yards on three catches.

BOMBER NOTES

* Ithaca held an advantage in time of possession, with the Bombers holding the ball for 35:43 and Frostburg had it for 24:17. The Bombers ran 65 plays to Frostburg State's 52 plays from scrimmage.

* The Bombers intercepted one Frostburg State pass, an interception by Sam Carney in the second quarter, to extend their streak of consecutive games with an interception to eight games.

* With its seventh win of the season, Ithaca has guaranteed its best record in four seasons, since going 7-3 in 2009.

Box Score and Play-by-Play