ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 20 Ithaca College football team will play its third straight road game to begin the 2023 season on Saturday, September 16 as the Bombers travel to Alfred University for a 1 p.m. kickoff. Both teams are coming off wins and are 1-1 on the year.

GAME COVERAGE

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STATISTICS

ITHACA | ALFRED

ALL-TIME SERIES: Ithaca and Alfred will meet for the 63rd all-time meeting on Saturday at Yunevich Stadium. Ithaca leads the series, 42-18-2, and has won the past four games by an average of 27 points.

LONG TIME RIVALS: Alfred is the Bombers' second longest rivalry in program history, dating back to 1933 and 62 previous games. IC has only played Cortland more times (80).

ALFRED PET POLICY: Alfred University does not allow pets to be brought into athletic events. Anyone bringing pets to athletic events will be asked to either leave or wait in their vehicles with their pets.

STOLA HONORED BY LIBERTY LEAGUE: Ben Stola was named Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week on Monday afternoon after he recorded 10 total tackles (seven solo) with an interception that was returned 17 yards and set up the Bombers' opening score in the 20-17 victory over Endicott.

BOMBERS OVERCOME 10-POINT DEFICIT: At Endicott last Saturday, the Bombers scored the first touchdown of the game just over three minutes into the contest. The Gulls would then hold IC scoreless until midway through the fourth quarter and built a 17-7 lead, but the Bombers scored a pair of touchdowns over the final seven minutes of play to pull off the victory. A.J. Wingfield scored the first touchdown on a 2-yard run and then Sam Kline hauled in a 30-yard completion from Wingfield for the eventual game-winner with 2:06 remaining in the contest.

D3FOOTBALL.COM TOP 25: IC remains in the top 25 poll after the second week but dropped from No. 18 to No. 20 despite the win over Endicott. The two-spot drop was due in part to losses by Mary Hardin-Baylor and Bethel, who were both ranked ahead of IC heading into Week 2, along with Aurora and John Carroll leaping over IC.

THE SCOOP ON IC: The Bombers have relied heavily on their run game each of the past two weeks, which has resulted in a per game average of 172 yards on the ground. Jake Williams leads the way with 163 yards on 29 attempts, while Wingfield has 83 yards on 18 carries. Jalen Hines has seen a lot of action in the backfield as well with 24 carries for 66 yards.

After a tough opener in which Wingfield only completed 36.7-percent against Johns Hopkins, he went 16-for-23 (69.6%) against Endicott. Kline has been the main target through two games with 10 receptions for 167 yards and two scores, while Jalen Leonard-Osbourne has 62 yards on seven catches.

Stola is tops on the defense with 20 tackles and Jake Connolly ranks second with 16 tackles.

Darren Brunner has been a difference maker thus far in the punt game as he has averaged over 41 yards in nine attempts, while Derek Baldin averages 61 yards per kickoff and booted his first touchback last week.

AN INSIDE LOOK AT ALFRED: The Saxons are 1-1 on the season after a 31-9 loss to Hobart in the opener and 34-0 shutout of Juniata last Saturday.

Alfred is averaging 21.5 points and 336.5 yards per game through two contests. The defense allows 237.5 yards and only 92.5 through the air.

Max Freeman will be the feature running back for the Saxons as he has rushed for 191 yards on 34 carries and two touchdowns, while Braden Alexander has 121 yards and two scores on 19 attempts.

Chris Kelly has thrown for 336 yards with two receivers logging more than 100 yards so far – Jacob Kelsey (111) and Dion Anderson (102).

Defensively, Joe Copp leads the team with 20 total tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss, while TJ Marsh and Roque Santiago each have 17 tackles on the year.

UP NEXT: Ithaca heads into its bye week and will host Hobart on September 30 for the Bombers' home opener at 1 p.m. IC will also hold a dedication to the newly renovated field which will now be called Bertino Field at Butterfield Stadium.