ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 15/18 Ithaca College football team hosts Union College this Saturday, October 14 for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Bertino Field at Butterfield Stadium. In a battle of the top two teams in the Liberty League, Ithaca is 4-1 and Union is a perfect 6-0 – both teams are currently 2-0 in the Liberty League.

COVERAGE

WATCH | LISTEN | LIVE STATS | GAME NOTES

STATISTICS

ITHACA | UNION | LIBERTY LEAGUE

ALL-TIME SERIES: Ithaca hosts Union this Saturday for the 19th all-time meeting dating back to 1985. Ithaca has won 14 of those matchups, including 11 of the past 12 showdowns. Last season, Ithaca topped Union in Schenectady, 31-28, to clinch the Liberty League title and automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.

CONTROLLING DESTINY: The winner of this game will be 3-0 in the Liberty League and will control its own destiny towards an automatic bid for the remainder of the season. Ithaca has Rochester, St. Lawrence and Buffalo State left on its Liberty League slate, while Union has Hobart, Buffalo State and RPI.

CFCU COMMUNITY DAY: Ithaca College is thrilled to welcome CFCU as the presenting sponsor and host all CFCU members for a "Community Day" on Saturday. All CFCU staff and community members who show their card at the gate will receive free entry to the game.

MAJOR AWARD WINNERS: On Monday, the Liberty League named Jake Connolly defensive performer of the week and Derek Baldin special teams performer of the week. On Tuesday, D3football.com selected Connolly to its team of the week.

Connolly played a major factor in that victory as he recorded 11 total tackles, one sack and two interceptions. Connolly's first interception came in the first quarter on RPI's opening drive and his second occurred at the end of the second quarter inside IC's own 10-yard line.

Baldin made two field goals from 27 and 34 yards in Ithaca's 20-17 overtime win at RPI. His 34-yarder was the game-winning kick in overtime. He also made both PATs and averaged over 63 yards on four kickoffs - two of which went for touchbacks. 

THRILLER IN TROY: It's always a battle for IC when the Bombers travel to RPI. The Bombers wound up on the wrong end of the scoreboard in the previous four trips to Troy in 2003, 2017, 2019 and 2021, but broke that skid this past weekend with a 20-17 overtime victory.

IC trailed, 7-0, after the first quarter but took a 10-7 lead into halftime. The Engineers jumped back ahead, 14-10, early in the fourth quarter and IC went back on top, 17-14, with less than a minute remaining in regular. RPI would kick a game-tying field goal as time expired to go to overtime.

RPI had the first possession and Isaiah Couser came up with a 16-yard sack on third down to force the Engineers into a long field goal attempt, which was blocked by Derek Slywka.

The Bombers would run three plays and brought Baldin onto the field for the game-winning kick from 34 yards out.

IN THE RANKS: The Bombers moved up one spot to 15th in the D3football.com Top 25 Poll and remained at No. 18 by the AFCA. Union is receiving votes in both polls.

STAT LEADERS: Ithaca currently ranks within the top 25 nationally in numerous categories – fumbles lost (1^st), turnovers lost (4^th), sacks allowed (4^th), red zone defense (16^th), interceptions thrown (19^th) and blocked kicks (25^th).

Union, on the other hand, has been putting up video game like numbers and rank within the top 25 in 16 different statistical categories, most notably first in total defense, first down defense and first down offense. The Garnet Chargers are also second in third down defense, third in scoring defense, fourth in rushing defense, fifth in rushing offense and fifth in passing yards allowed.

MORE ABOUT THE GARNET CHARGERS: Union enters the game with a 6-0 overall record and has outscored its opponents this season, 260-31. The Garnet Chargers (formerly known as the Dutchmen) have scored over 34 points in five of their six games, including two contests in which they put up 65 and 63 points.

Union averages nearly 500 yards of offense per game and allows just over 140. Nearly 300 of those yards (292) come on the ground as Michael Fiore (615 yards and 12 TDs) and Jonathan Anderson (561 yards and five TDs) lead the way. Anderson is coming off a 211-yard performance against Rochester, which garnered by Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week honors, while Fiore rushed for 169 yards and two scores in the 21-17 win.

Donovan Pacatte has thrown for 1143 yards and seven scores this season. His favorite target has been Robbie Tolbert with 22 receptions for 273 yards, while Landers Green has 296 yards on 17 catches.

There are no eye-popping individual numbers on the defensive side of the ball, but 20 players have recorded at least one tackle for loss. Union also has 11 interceptions on the year, led by three from Spencer Goldstien.

UP NEXT: The Bombers travel to the University of Rochester next Saturday, October 21 for a 12 p.m. kickoff at Fauver Stadium.