Game #2 - Buffalo State Bengals at Cortland Red Dragons
Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021 - 2:00 PM
SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex (Cortland, N.Y.)
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The Matchup…After a week two "bye", the Buffalo State football team makes the trip east, facing Cortland State in a non-conference matchup Saturday at 2 p.m. Cortland holds a 22-14 edge all-time between the two SUNY foes, and have won the last three games. The Bengals won five straight against the Red Dragons from 2012-2016. The two SUNY foes have competed against each other in every season since 1984.

The "Ruby" Season...Buffalo State Football embarks on it's 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 kicked off the 2021 season with a narrow 21-14 loss to St. John Fisher College at Coyer Field on Sept. 4. Turnovers proved large for the Bengals early on, as the first two drives ended with interceptions, including one in the end zone as the Cardinals held a 7-0 lead after the first quarter. Buffalo State turned things around in the second, as a 14-play, 93-yard drive ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Cam Sionko (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) to Che'Kore Moore (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) with 14 seconds remaining in the half.

St. John Fisher opened the second half with a score, on a Dahmir Pross one-yard touchdown run. Buffalo State responded on the very first play from scrimmage on its next drive, as Sionko connected with Tariq Nelson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Boys and Girls) on an 80-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14. Fisher retook the lead to end the third quarter. Hunter Walsh found Jonathan Letta in the back corner of the end zone as the Cardinals led 21-14, heading into the final quarter.

Buffalo State had four fourth-quarter possessions with a chance to tie the game. After going three-and-out on the first drive, the next two drives resulted in turnover on downs in Cardinal territory. On the final drive of the game for the Bengals with 1:33 left, Sionko completed three passes, including a 40-yard sideline grab by Cam Crosier (Kenmore, N.Y./Kenmore East), to get back into Fisher territory. Facing 4th-and-7 from the Cardinal 27-yard line, Sionko's pass to Nas Jackson (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joe's) was broken up by the Fisher defense, as the Cardinals kneeled a couple of times to end the game.

Sionko completed 25 of 40 passes for 308 yards in his first collegiate start, throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions. Nelson was the top receiving target, catching eight balls for 124 yards and a touchdown. Moore tallied five receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown. Omar Robinson (Arverne, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) recorded 29 carries for 94 yards. Mike Drywa (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) led the Bengal defense with 11 tackles, including one for loss. Griffin Mack (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) added seven tackles with one forced fumble. Despite the loss, Buffalo State out-gained St. John Fisher by a 450-283 margin, including a 142-88 margin on the ground.

Last Time We Met... Cortland found the end zone on each of its first four possessions and cruised to a 59-21 victory over visiting Buffalo State on Sept. 28, 2019.

Cortland opened the game with a 62-yard kick return by Angelo Foster and scored five plays later on a 3-yard run by Tyrell Plaza. The Bengals answered with a 9-play, 61-yard drive, capped by a 3-yard Martin Bailey '20 touchdown run. Cortland's offense had its way on each of its next three possessions, however, scoring on a 1-yard run by Zach Tripodi, a 1-yard run by Tai-Sean Dodd, and a 22-yard pass from Brett Segala to Jason Carlock to take a 28-7 lead early in the second quarter. The Red Dragons' offense was finally stopped on its fifth possession, when Gino Bonagura '20 intercepted Cegala and returned it 37 yards to the house to cut the deficit to 28-14 with 3:11 remaining in the first half.

Cortland scored 17 consecutive points between the second and third quarter. Buffalo State broke the run with a nine-yard Jordan Evert touchdown reception midway through the third quarter, but Cortland tallied 14 more points to wrap the scoring.

The Bitka Bowl...Saturday's game could also earn the "Bitka Bowl" nickname. Buffalo State Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Terrence "Terry" Bitka will coach against his son, sophomore offensive lineman Ryan Bitka. Terry was a standout football player at Cortland State, captaining the Red Dragons in the mid-80s as an offensive lineman.

The Buffalo State-Cortland ties don't end there. Special Teams coordinator G. Chandler Williams Jr. was a four-year student-athlete for the Red Dragons, suiting up as a wide receiver and defensive back until 2015. First-year assistant coach DeAngelo Walker was also a four-year student-athlete for the Red Dragons, playing cornerback after beginning his career as a quarterback. In addition, Cortland quarterback Zac Boyes is the son of former longtime Buffalo State head football coach and Athletic Director Jerry Boyes.

Full Nelson...It was an explosive first contest for Nelson. Nelson totaled 124 yards on eight catches and a touchdown against St. John Fisher College in the season opener, marking the fifth game in a row that a Bengal receiver topped 80 yards in a game, stretching back to the 2019 season.

In addition, Nelson's 80-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter marked the longest touchdown reception for a Bengal since Ryan Carney '16 caught a 92-yard pass from Kyle Hoppy '17 in the 2014 season (10/4/14 vs. Frostburg State). Nelson was named to the Liberty League's Honor Roll on Tuesday, Sept. 7 for his efforts.

Oh Captain, My Captains...Four players will lead Buffalo State in 2021 as team captains.  Junior linebacker Mike Drywa (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) and senior defensive back Darren Thompson (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's) will lead the Bengal defense, while senior wide receiver Nas Jackson (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's) and senior offensive lineman Kyle Schreader (Lockport, N.Y./Starpoint) will lead Buffalo State offensively.

Scouting Cortland...Cortland comes into Saturday's home opener with a 2-0 record. The Red Dragons took care of business the last two weeks, defeating Whittenberg 38-16 in the opener and routing The College of New Jersey by a 49-6 score last Saturday. Cortland is 30th in the country in scoring offense at 43.5 points per game, and is 29th in scoring defense, allowing 11.5 points. They lead the country with three defensive touchdowns.

Senior Brees Segala leads the team in passing, completing 41 of 59 attempts for 559 yards, throwing six touchdowns to one interception. On the ground, junior Ashton Capone has 46 carries for 208 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. In the air, Segala's top target is junior J.J. Lapp, who has 14 receptions for 256 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Trevor Ash has 11 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, senior Justin Wheeler leads the way with 16 tackles (three for loss) adding a sack, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Senior defensive back Christian Legagneur has two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.

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 will wrap up their two-game road trip against SUNY foes with a visit to Morrisville State, on Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. The Bengals are 8-2 all-time against the Mustangs and have won two of the last three matchups.