GAME NOTES

ITHACA, N.Y. – After nearly a month, the Ithaca College football team will return home to Butterfield Stadium to host Utica College in an Empire 8 Conference matchup at 1 p.m. this Saturday, October 1. Ithaca last played on its home natural grass surface on September 3 – the team's season opener against Union.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats | Video | Radio

Community and CFCU Day:
Today's game is Community Appreciation Day presented by CFCU. All members and employees of CFCU will be admitted to the game for free with proper membership/employee identification.

Special Halftime Show:
At halftime of Saturday's game, DownBeat Percussion will perform on the field. DownBeat Percussion is the official drum line for the Buffalo Bills.

All-Time Series:
Ithaca leads the all-time series against Utica, 13-2, dating back to 2001. Ithaca won the first 10 meetings between the conference rivals until Utica prevailed, 20-15, in 2011. The Bombers would then win the next three meetings up until last year's 30-27 overtime setback.

The Bombers have shutout Utica four times in the series (66-0, 13-0, 49-0 and 37- 0), and have also allowed less than seven points in four other matchups.

Ithaca is 8-0 at Butterfield Stadium against the Pioneers.

Last Time Out:
Ithaca struggled to move the ball at Alfred University last Saturday, Sept. 24, and would fall to the Saxons, 20-6. The Bombers managed to produce just 169 yards of total offense in the contest, with 173 coming through the air.

Alfred's first touchdown of the game came on a pick-6 from 25 yards out on Ithaca's second possession of the game. The Saxons added another touchdown on a 16-play, 93-yard drive that burned over nine minutes off the clock in the second quarter. Alfred's lead grew to 20-0 after a fake punt by Ithaca set the Saxons up at the IC 30- yard line late in the third quarter.

Ithaca's only score of the game came with 4:57 left in the fourth quarter on a 27- yard pass from Wolfgang Shafer to JR Zazzara.

Scouting the Pioneers:
Utica enters today's contest with a 4-0 overall record and a 2-0 mark in the Empire 8. The Pioneers have defeated two nationally-ranked teams this season – then-No. 18 Ohio Northern, 34-30, on Sept. 10 and No. 23 Cortland, 24-13, last weekend.

The Pioneers rank within the top 50 nationally in 11 different team categories. Utica averages nearly 395 yards a game offensively, while the defense allows 315 yards, but has forced eight turnovers – three of which were returned for touchdowns.

Quarterback Teddy VanGalen is on the verge of eclipsing 1,000 passing yards on the season, as he's thrown for 995 yards through four games. Utica has four receivers on its team that have gone over 100 yards this season, and a fifth knocking on the door with only eight yards to go.

Statistics:

Ithaca | Utica | Empire 8

Empire 8 Schedule:

Utica at Ithaca – 1 p.m.
Buffalo State at No. 14 St. John Fisher – 1 p.m.
Alfred at Morrisville – 1 p.m.
Cortland at Hartwick – 2 p.m.
Off - Brockport