Game #8 - Buffalo State Bengals vs. Brockport Golden Eagles (I-90 BOWL)
Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021 - 12:00 PM
Coyer Field (Buffalo, N.Y.)
LIVE STATS VIDEO AUDIO - 91.3FM WBNY-Buffalo & My Team Media
The Matchup…It's rivalry week for the Buffalo State football team, as the Bengals host Brockport in the annual I-90 Bowl game at noon Saturday. Buffalo State has played no team more than Brockport, as the two teams have met every season since the Bengals' second varsity season in 1982. Brockport holds a 21-17 advantage, winning the last four matchups after Buffalo State won five of six meetings from 2010-2015.
SERIES HISTORY
The I-90 Bowl…Buffalo State and Brockport compete annually for the I-90 Bowl Trophy which was designed by former Buffalo State football player Aaron Woloszyn. Although Brockport and Buffalo State have met on the gridiron each season since 1982, Saturday marks the 19th year of the trophy, which celebrates the rivalry that has developed between these two storied football programs. The winning school retains the trophy on its campus until next year's meeting.
The "Ruby" Season...Buffalo State Football embarks on its 40th season of varsity competition in 2021. Sept. 12, 1981 was the first varsity football game for the Bengals, falling to Alfred. The Bengals finished 3-3 in their opening season, defeating Niagara twice, sandwiched around a victory over St. John Fisher by a 16-7 score. The Bengals originally started as a club program in 1980, before earning varsity status the next year.
Buffalo State 150...This year marks the 150th year of Buffalo State College. Founded in 1871, Buffalo State has grown tremendously, and is now the largest comprehensive four-year college in the State University of New York system, educating over 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year.
The Bengals' Last Game…The Bengals dropped a road contest at Liberty League-leading Ithaca by a 51-7 score last Saturday. Ithaca was ranked 16th and 14th in that week's D3Football.com and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) national rankings.
Tom Dupee (Brownville, N.Y./General Brown) tallied 150 all-purpose yards, including the lone touchdown of the game for the Bengals, coming off the bench to pass for 65 yards on 9 of 21 passing and 85 yards on the ground. Dylan Gotay (Schenectady, N.Y./CBA) rushed for 47 yards on six carries. Tariq Nelson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Boys and Girls) led the receivers with 10 receptions for 68 yards. Defensively, Justin Jones (Amherst, N.Y./Canisius) led the defense with nine tackles, 2.5 for loss and six solo, Ethan Biscaro (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia) and Brandon Barksdale (Buffalo, N.Y./Bennett) each tallied seven tackles (five solo), and Daveitto McKenzie (White Plains, N.Y./Woodlands) forced a fumble and tallied his first career interception, adding four tackles.
The Bengals fell behind early in a rain-soaked Saturday road matchup, as the Bombers jumped out to a 48-0 lead through three quarters. Beginning the fourth quarter, Gotay started the Bengals drive with a 39-yard run, the longest run this season. A few plays later, Dupee finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. Ithaca later kicked a 22-yard field goal for the final 51-7 margin.
Buffalo State out-rushed Ithaca by a 132-104 margin, recording nine first downs on the ground.
Inside the Numbers...The Bengals are third in the conference with 1.71 sacks per game...They're also third with 37 penalties on the season...Barksdale is second in the conference with 1.1 passes defensed per game...Mike Glinski (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca West) leads the league and is 31st nationally with 9.8 tackles per game. Jones is second in the conference with 4.0 solo tackles per game...Nas Jackson (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's) is second in the conference with 17.8 yards per kick return...Cam Crosier (Kenmore, N.Y./Kenmore West) is third in the league with 4.6 receptions per game.
Liberty League Honors...The following Buffalo State student-athletes have earned Liberty League weekly honors this season:
Sept. 7 - Tariq Nelson (Liberty League Honor Roll)
Oct. 4 - Mike Glinski & Justin Jones (Liberty League Honor Roll)
Oct. 23 - Daveitto McKenzie (Liberty League Honor Roll)
Scouting Brockport...The Golden Eagles enter the weekend with a 5-2 overall record and a 3-1 mark in Empire 8 contests. Brockport's only losses were to the Empire 8 and Liberty League leaders in Cortland and Ithaca, respectively. The Golden Eagles come off a 41-14 victory over Hartwick in its homecoming matchup.
Brockport has traditionally made its bones on the defensive end, and this year's version is no different. The Golden Eagles are second nationally in rushing defense (35.1 yards allowed) and interceptions (17), third in passing efficiency defense (75.6 rating), fourth in turnovers gained (22), and fifth in total defense (192.1 yards allowed per game).
Individually, Jack Cheshire is the leader under center, and he's completed 114 of 221 passes for 1,131 yards and five touchdowns to six interceptions. His main target is Imhotep Cromer with 45 receptions for 547 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Jala Coad is closing in on his second 1,000-yard season of his career, as the junior has 910 yards on 194 carries, scoring 10 touchdowns.
Defensively, Ben Damiani leads the way with 42 tackles. Andrew Covais leads the way with 2.5 sacks, adding 37 tackles. Alaan Montgomery leads the team with five interceptions, a mark that is tied for fifth nationally. Raylens Boutin is right behind with four interceptions, as an impressive seven Golden Eagles have recorded a pick. On the special teams' end, Nate Wigent is 8 for 10 in field goal attempts, with his two misses coming between 30-39 yards out.
Last Time We Met...Brockport piled up 556 total yards in the game and scored 28 points in the third quarter to pull away for a 55-22 victory over host Buffalo State on Sept. 21, 2019, retaining the I-90 Bowl trophy for the fourth-consecutive year.
Gino Bonagura stepped in front of a Freddy June pass and returned it 34 yards to the Brockport 6 early in the first quarter which led to a 29-yard field goal by Tommy Carr to open the scoring for the Bengals. Brockport responded with a nine-play, 25-yard drive capped by a 25-yard scramble by June to put the Golden Eagles ahead 7-3.
Brockport needed just one play on its first possession of the second quarter to extend the lead to 13-3 when June hit Imhotep Cromer with a 61-yard scoring strike.
After an Andrew Covais interception just two plays later, Brockport converted the short field into a 2-yard touchdown reception again from June to Cromer. Buffalo State cut the deficit to 20-9 with a seven-play, 74-yard drive on its next possession, culminating with a 14-yard touchdown grab by Jordan Evert.
Brockport blew the game open in a third quarter that featured 41 total points and a combined 17 enforced penalties for 159 yards. The Golden Eagles found the end zone twice in the first five minutes on a 52-yard scramble by June and a 7-yard run by Coad.
Buffalo State answered with a 50-yard scoring scamper by Myles McKinney, but Brockport was back on the board just 17 seconds later on an 81-yard bomb from June to DaQuan Hubbard. Buffalo State cut the gap to 41-22 with a 17-yard scoring pass from Zak Ciezki to Angel Tamarez.
The Golden Eagles topped off the wild third quarter with a 12-yard touchdown run by Coad and then completed the scoring with just 14 seconds remaining in the fourth on a 24-yard run by Justin Morrison.
Brockport finished with 556 yards of total offense, including 365 on the ground. Buffalo State had 344 yards of total offense.
The Wizard of 'Oz'...Christian Ozolins was promoted to interim head football coach on Nov. 16, 2019 and will serve in that capacity through the 2021 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 University 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 Sharon reside in South Buffalo with their son CJ who played football at Canisius High School.
Looking Ahead…The Bengals hit the road for the final time in the 2021 season, traveling back to the Finger Lakes region to take on Hobart from Geneva on Saturday, Nov. 6 beginning at 1 p.m.
