Game #3:  Brockport Golden Eagles (1-1) at Buffalo State Bengals (0-2)
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 -    Noon
Coyer Field (Buffalo, N.Y.)

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The Matchup…Buffalo State and Brockport meet for the 38th time with the Golden Eagles holding a 20-17 edge in the all-time series.  The Bengals (0-2) are seeking their first win of the season and looking to snap a three-game skid against Brockport.  The Golden Eagles are 1-1 after a 14-0 victory at home against Framingham State last Saturday.  The winner of the game will retain the I-90 Bowl Trophy on its campus until next season.

The Bengals' Last Game…Utica scored all 26 points in the second half to defeat visiting Buffalo State 26-15 in a non-conference clash at Gaetano Stadium.     
     Senior quarterback Zak Ciezki was 19 of 31 for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception and also had 43 rushing yards on 11 attempts. Joe Stewart was the Bengals' top receiver with six catches for 50 yards. Devin Delmont led the Bengals on defense with 11 tackles. Gino Bonagura had 10 tackles and an interception, and Darren Wesley had a pick-6, and Elloheim Tucker also had an interception.
     The only points of the opening half came in the form of a 33-yard Tommy Carr field goal as time expired to give Buffalo State a 3-0 edge at the break.
     Utica finally broke through on its second possession of the second half, evening the score with a 30-yard field goal by Make Medici.The Pioneers took a lead they would not relinquish on the next possession, needing just three plays to go 56 yards, capped by a 25-yard touchdown pass from Logan Wilcox to JJ O'Connor.
     Wesley stepped in front of a Wilcox pass late in the third quarter and returned it 23 yards to the house to cut the deficit to 10-9, but the ensuing extra point was blocked and Marquis Simpson returned it 98 yards to tack on two points for Utica.
     The Pioneers marched 60 yards in eight plays on the next possession and pushed the lead to 19-9 on a 2-yard scoring run by Jamarious Morgan.
     O'Connor added another touchdown catch from 30 yards with 6:33 remaining to extend the Utica lead to 26-9.
     Ciezki connected with Jordan Evert for a 5-yard touchdown with 1:08 remaining to complete the scoring.
     Utica finished with 328 total yards, compared to 319 by Buffalo State.

Pick-6...Darren Wesley registered a 23-yard interception return for a touchdown during the Week 2 loss at Utica. It was the Bengals' first defensive touchdown since Ish Height had a 46-yard pick-6 against Morrisville on Sept. 24, 2016. 

Tackle attack...Three Bengals rank among the Liberty League leaders in total tackles through two games.  Devin Delmont is second with 18, while Gino Bonagura and Anthony Wasiyo are tied for fifth with 17 apiece.

Century mark...Senior wide receiver Jordan Evert topped the 100-yard mark with 101 receiving yards on eight catches in the Bengals' opening loss against St. John Fisher.

Signal call from the hardwood...Buffalo State's starting quarterback Zak Ciezki was originally recruited as a football player, but elected to play basketball instead for the past three seasons.  In 63 games with the Bengals' hoops team from 2016-2019, Ciezki averaged 3.1 points and had 34 steals as a guard.  As a senior in high school, Ciezki led Cheektowaga's football team to a Section VI Class B championship in 2014.

Oh captain, my captains...Four players will lead Buffalo State in 2019 as team captains.  Senior offensive lineman Dave Lauer will represent the offensive side of the ball.  The defense will be led by senior safety Gino Bonagura and senior defensive end Anthony Wasiyo, while senior kicker Tommy Carr will be the special teams captain.

With honors...Buffalo State returns a pair of players that earned All-Empire 8 honors last season.  Senior offensive tackle Dave Lauer was named second team, while senior wide receiver Jordan Evert earned honorable mention recognition in 2018.

New Home...Buffalo State is officially an affiliate member of the Liberty League starting this season.  The move stabilizes both The Liberty and Empire 8, creating a pair of seven-team conferences that will collaborate for both non-conference scheduling and a postseason bowl game.  Buffalo State will compete with Hobart, Ithaca, RPI, Rochester, St. Lawrence and Union in the Liberty League. The Bengals played as an independent from 1981 through 2003, then joined the Atlantic Central Football Conference for 2004 and 2005, played in the New Jersey Athletic Conference from 2006-2011, and then in the Empire 8 from 2012-2018.

About the Bengals' Coach…
     Christian Ozolins was promoted to interim head football coach on Nov. 16 and will serve in that capacity through the 2019 season.
     Ozolins joined the Bengals' coaching staff in 2003 and was promoted to assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2013. He also served as the offensive backs coach and the recruiting and academic coordinator.
     His previous college coaching experience includes stints at Maryville, Methodist, Alfred and Hamilton. As a player, he played in the NAIA National Championship Game for Cumberland University in Tennessee.
     He earned his bachelor's in education from Cumberland and completed a master's degree from Alfred University. Christian also serves as the recreation and intramurals manager on campus. He and his wife Shaton reside in South Buffalo with their son CJ who plays football as a senior at Canisius High School.