Box Score (BOX SCORE)

CORTLAND, NY—Buffalo State (0-1/0-1) led 12-7 early in the second half, but could not hold off nationally-ranked No. 13 Cortland (1-0/1-0) in a 28-12 defeat in the season opener today at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex.

Cortland quarterback Dan Pitcher was 13 of 27 for 169 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Justin Autera had 20 carries for 82 yards with a score, and John Babin had five catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

Buffalo State quarterback Ryan Lehotsky (N. Royalton, OH/N. Royalton) finished 21 of 33 for 237 yards. Mike Doherty (Tonawanda/Kenmore East) had six catches for 93 yards. Running back Ismail Brooks (Auburn/Auburn) had nine carries for just 30 yards, but also caught four passes for 93 yards.

Kevin Healy (East Meadow/East Meadow) led the Bengals' defense with eight tackles. Pasquale Vacchio (Glen Head/North Shore) had seven tackles with a sack, and Jordan Boser (Geneva, IL/Geneva) had four stops, a sack and an interception.

Buffalo State outgained Cortland, 296-250, for the day, and each team had 13 first downs. The Bengals were slowed, however, by nine penalties for 95 yards, compared to seven Cortland penalties for 69 yards.

Cortland returned the opening kick 66 yard to the Bengals' 23, but Buffalo State's defense backed the Red Dragons up and forced a punt. The Bengals' first possession started on their own 6, but a 67-yard catch and run by Doherty from Lehotsky put Buffalo State in scoring position. Nick Debbins (Lancaster/Lancaster) booted a 25-yard field goal to open the scoring.

Buffalo State extended its lead early in the second quarter when Vacchio sacked Pitcher and forced a fumble, allowing defensive end Kimani George (Brooklyn/William E. Grady) to grab the loose ball and rumble 25 yards into the end zone. Debbins missed the extra point, leaving the score 9-0.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty enforced on the ensuing kick gave Cortland a good drive start on its next possession, as the Red Dragons took over on the Bengals' half of the field. Cortland needed just four plays to march 45 yards, capped by a 26-yard scoring play by Babin on a wide receiver screen from Pitcher, cutting the deficit to the halftime score of 9-7.

Buffalo State opened the second half with a 12-play, 65-yard drive, but could only come away with a 27-yard Debbins' field goal to push the lead to 12-7.

Cortland took control for the remainder of the third quarter, however, assembling long scoring drives on each of its next two possessions to push the score to 21-12 through 45 minutes of play. Pitcher connected with Brian Haber for a 24-yard scoring strike for the first score, and then Pitcher and Babin combined again for a 12-yard score.

Cortland completed the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run by Autera with less than two minutes remaining.

Buffalo State will play its only non-conference game of the season next Saturday under the lights at St. John Fisher at 7 p.m.