ITHACA, N.Y. – The 61st Cortaca Jug Game on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. will set the all-time attendance record for a NCAA Division III contest. Ithaca and Cortland are set to kickoff at 1 p.m. in "The Biggest Little Game in the Nation" in front of more than 45,000 fans, as announced by Director of Athletics Susan Bassett '79 at Wednesday's press conference.
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ALL-TIME SERIES: Saturday's game will mark the 78th all-time meeting between Ithaca and Cortland. It will also be the 61st Cortaca Jug Game in the long-time rivalry. Ithaca leads the rivalry, 41-33-3, overall and is 36-24 in Jug Games. The Bombers have won the last two meetings after Cortland won seven straight matchups from 2010-16.
The longest winning streak in the series goes to the Bombers, who won nine in a row from 1973-81. After a Cortland win in 1982, IC would go on to win five more. From 1952-59, Cortland went 7-0-1 against Ithaca, which included a 13-7 win in the first Cortaca Jug in 1959.
IC and Cortland have played just two overtime games against each other. The Red Dragons prevailed in both contests, 37-30 and 23-20, in 2005 and 2006.
Cortland does lead the all-time series in shutout wins with seven, while IC has won five games without allowing a point. Cortland's largest margin of victory came in a 37-0 win in 1956, while Ithaca's biggest victory was a 42-0 outcome in 1981. Neither team has been shutout since 1989 (28-0 Ithaca).
DIVISION III RECORD: As announced in early October, the 61st Cortaca Jug Game set the NCAA Division III attendance record with more than 39,000 tickets sold. At last count (November 4), ticket purchases exceeded 43,000. At the Wednesday press conference, that number was updated to more than 45,000. An official attendance number will be announced during the game.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: Both teams are currently receiving votes in the D3football.com Top 25 Poll. Cortland is ranked seventh in the second East Regional Rankings, and still has a shot to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
IC STATISTICAL LEADERS: Ithaca remains one of the top DIII teams in multiple statistical categories. IC is seventh in passing offense (335.9 yards per game), sixth in first downs (233), seventh in punt return defense (1.17 yards), eighth in third down conversion percentage (53.3%), 11th in completion percentage (67.9%)13th in scoring offense (44.0) and 25th in total offense (455.1 yards per game).
The Bombers also rank first in the nation in blocked kicks and punts allowed with zero.
Individually, senior Joe Germinerio is fourth in the country in completions per game (26.3), third in total offense (347.2), fifth in passing yards (2,877), sixth in passing yards per game (319.7), sixth in touchdowns (30), seventh in points responsible for per game (22.9) and 10th in completion percentage (69.1%).
Junior Andrew Vito ranks sixth in receptions per game at 8.4, while senior Will Gladney is ninth in receptions per game at 7.9 and ninth in the nation in receiving touchdowns with 14.
Freshman Nicholas Bahamonde remains first in the nation in field goal percentage.
SCOUTING CORTLAND: The Red Dragons are 7-1 on the season (as of Nov. 2) after starting the season 7-0. Cortland was ranked as high as No. 18 in the nation before its loss to Brockport. The Red Dragons are also one of the top offenses in the nation with 42.3 points per game, which is 18th in DIII. The offense is 10th in sacks allowed and tackles for loss allowed. Cortland's special teams is equally impressive with 10 blocked kicks, which is first overall.
Brett Segala paces the offense with 2,113 yards passing with 19 touchdowns, while Zach Tripodi has rushed for 893 yards and seven touchdowns.
Cole Burgess and Jason Carlock have each hauled in seven touchdown receptions this season. Burgess has 739 yards on 39 receptions, while Carlock has 550 yards and 34 catches.
Defensively, Gregory Alfieri leads the team with 73 total tackles, to go along with 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Dylan Dubuque is second in tackles with 59 and tackles for loss with 8.0. Devin Smith ranks first on the defense with 9.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. Stone Murray and Evans Riviere each have three interceptions this season.
CORTACA GIVING CHALLENGE: For the first time, IC and Cortland will go head to head off the field to see who has the strongest donor support. Whichever school secures the most donors through game day wins the challenge and the vice president of institutional advancement from the losing school will have to write a personal check to the winning school's Annual Fund!
Gifts made between noon on Tuesday, November 12 and 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, November 16 will count toward challenge totals.
DONATE HERE.
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY AT METLIFE STADIUM |
Rank |
Date |
Game |
Attendance |
Result |
1 |
Sept. 27, 2014 |
Notre Dame vs. Syracuse |
76,802 |
Notre Dame, 31-15 |
2 |
Oct. 23, 2010 |
Notre Dame vs. Navy |
75,614 |
Navy, 35-17 |
3 |
Oct. 1, 2016 |
Notre Dame vs. Syracuse |
62,794 |
Notre Dame, 50-33 |
4 |
Aug. 31, 2013 |
Penn State vs. Syracuse |
61,202 |
Penn State, 23-17 |
5 |
Oct. 16, 2010 |
Army vs. Rutgers |
41,292 |
Rutgers, 23-20 OT |
6 |
Sept. 8, 2012 |
USC vs. Syracuse |
39,507 |
USC, 42-29 |
7 |
Sept. 25, 2010 |
NY Urban League Football Classic:
Morgan State vs. Howard |
34,167 |
Morgan State, 20-3 |
8 |
Sept. 20, 2014 |
NY Urban League Football Classic:
Howard vs. Morgan State |
28,712 |
Morgan State, 38-35 |
9 |
Sept. 14, 2013 |
NY Urban League Football Classic:
Benedict vs. Virginia State |
25,816 |
Benedict, 30-14 |
10 |
Sept. 24, 2011 |
NY Urban League Football Classic:
Howard vs. Morgan State |
24,996 |
Morgan State, 14-9 |
|
Nov. 16, 2019 |
Cortaca Jug:
SUNY Cortland vs. Ithaca College |
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