Football To Close 2015 At Stony Brook In “Empire Clash”
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ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University at Albany football team closes the 2015 season on the road Saturday, traveling to take on SUNY in-state rival Stony Brook in the third annual “Empire Clash.” Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.
THE BATTLE FOR THE GOLDEN APPLE
Introduced this season, the winner of the football game between UAlbany and Stony Brook will take home The Golden Apple trophy. Beginning in the fall of 2016, both schools will expand the rivalry series to include results from match-ups across all sports that will award points based upon head-to-head competition.
FINAL GAME FOR UALBANY SENIORS
Saturday's clash marks the final college game for UAlbany's 10 seniors: #99 Corbin Connell (DL); #44 Colin Cooper (LB); #97 Samuel Gray (DL); #3 Malachi Lawrence (WR); #8 Jojo McClary (CB); #13 Jamal Merritt (S); #66 Wesley Sanon (OL); #92 Michael Smith (DL); #47 Patrick Toole (K); #91 Zach Troutman (DL). In the last five years, the senior class has led UAlbany to two Northeast Conference championships, the University's first FCS Playoff appearance (against Stony Brook in 2011), 28 wins, and successfully transitioned the team into the highly competitive CAA.
LAST TIME OUT
On a celebratory night honoring both the nation's veterans and the squad's 10 seniors, UAlbany suffered a 24-14 defeat to the University of New Hampshire after falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter. With the loss, the Great Danes fell to 3-7 overall and 2-5 in conference play, while the Wildcats improved to 6-4 on the season and 4-3 in the CAA. UAlbany totaled 360 yards of offense led by freshman quarterback Neven Sussman's 136 passing yards (9-23-1) and 75 rushing yards with a touchdown run. Freshman running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks led the ground game with 86 rushing yards on 13 carries, while redshirt freshman Elliot Croskey totaled 58 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Redshirt sophomore Brad Harris recorded a team-high three receptions for 63 yards. Defensively, redshirt freshman DaSharnte Thompson logged a career-high 12 tackles, including nine solo, and recovered a fumble. Jamal Robinson also topped his career-best with 11 tackles (10 solo), while Jamal Merritt brought down nine (8 solo), forced a fumble, and picked off a pass for 12 yards.
UALBANY, STONY BROOK SERIES
Saturday's meeting will mark the 17th in program history between Stony Brook and UAlbany. Playing each other for 13 consecutive years between 1995 and 2007, the Great Danes won six straight in the span (1996-2001). The rivals also met in the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs after Stony Brook captured the Big South Conference title and UAlbany won the Northeast Conference automatic bid. Stony Brook stole a 31-28 win in the nail-biter, intercepting a tipped pass in the back of the end zone with 47.4 seconds remaining. Both joining the CAA for the 2013 season, Stony Brook won the first “Empire Clash,” 24-3, at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, marking the last game in the Bob Ford coaching era. Last season, UAlbany topped the Seawolves 27-17 in the 2014 finale at home.
SCOUTING STONY BROOK
Stony Brook enters the weekend with a 5-4 overall record and 2-5 mark in the CAA. The Seawolves come off two straight wins over Howard (14-9) and Rhode Island (19-17). The win over the Rams marked the 100th of Head Coach Chuck Priore's career. Priore is a 1982 graduate from UAlbany and started his coaching career under Bob Ford's tutelage at his alma mater. The Seawolves are led offensively by senior Conor Bednarski who has totaled 701 passing yards and five touchdowns (64-128-1) and receiver Ray Bolden's four touchdown catches and 653 receiving yards on 57 receptions. In the ground game, Donald Liotine pilots the squad with four touchdowns and 505 rushing yards on 126 carries. Defensively, the Seawolves lead the CAA, holding opponents to just 260.1 yards per game.
LAST TIME VS. THE SEAWOLVES (Nov. 22, 2014)
Capping his tenure with a career-long 68-yard touchdown run in the closing minutes of Nov. 22nd's in-state rivalry game versus Stony Brook, redshirt senior running back Omar Osbourne led UAlbany to a 27-17 victory over the visiting Seawolves. With the win, UAlbany finished its first season under Head Coach Greg Gattuso with a 7-5 overall record and 3-5 mark in the CAA. Meanwhile, Stony Brook dropped to 5-7 on the season and 4-4 in conference play. Osbourne totaled 166 rushing yards and a touchdown in his final game donning purple and gold, carrying the ball 24 times. Redshirt senior Will Fiacchi totaled 135 passing yards and a touchdown, taking sole possession of first-place all-time and raising the record to 7,150 yards. Senior Cole King led the receiving corps with five catches and 72 receiving yards, ending his career ranked second all-time for receptions (148) receiving yards (2,217), and touchdown catches (18) at UAlbany. True freshman wide receiver Josh Gontarek recorded his first rushing touchdown of his career on a 13-yard run, while also snagging three receptions for a total of 14 yards. He finished his rookie campaign with a team-high nine touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Brad Harris also had three catches, accruing 33 yards. Defensively, junior Kyle Sakowski led the Great Danes with two interceptions and a fumble force and recovery. In addition, he added four tackles, including one for a loss. Redshirt sophomore Michael Nicastro recorded a game-high 10 tackles (4 solo) and also had an interception, while T.J. Idowu followed with eight tackles (4 solo).
A UALBANY WIN WOULD…
- Improve UAlbany's record to 4-7 overall.
- Give UAlbany an 11-6 all-time record vs. Stony Brook.
- Give UAlbany a 2-4 road record this season.
- Improve UAlbany's all-time varsity record to 268-182.
- Improve Coach Gattuso's career record to 108-44.
- Improve Coach Gattuso's record at UAlbany to 11-12.
A UALBANY LOSS WOULD…
- Make UAlbany's record 3-8 overall.
- Give UAlbany a 10-7 all-time record vs. Stony Brook.
- Give UAlbany a 1-5 road record this season.
- Drop UAlbany's all-time varsity record to 267-183.
- Drop Coach Gattuso's career record to 107-45.
- Drop Coach Gattuso's record at UAlbany to 10-13.
ALSTON BREAKS KICKOFF RETURN RECORD
With 35 kickoff returns this season, freshman Dione Alston broke the UAlbany program record for returns in a season, previously held by Kevin Chillis (34) in 2013. Alston has averaged 22.7 yards per return, totaling 796 yards for a UAlbany FCS program record. Alston needs just 30 more yards on kickoff return to break the all-time single-season record set by Ben Alston (825 on 31 returns) in 1990.
ALSTON NAMED TO CFPA KICKOFF RETURN WATCH LIST
Freshmen kickoff return Dione Alston has been named to the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS Kickoff Return Team Watch List. In his rookie season, Alston has recorded 796 yards on kickoff, averaging 22.7 yards per carry, including a season-long 96-yard touchdown return against Richmond.
IBITOKUN-HANKS NAMED TO CFPA FRESHMAN PERFORMER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Freshman running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks has been named to the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS National Freshman Performer of the Year Watch List. Ibitokun-Hanks leads UAlbany's rushing game with 585 rushing yards on 98 carries, and two touchdowns. The freshman from Newark, N.J. has been named the CAA Rookie of the Week twice this season.
ROBERSON CLIMBS SINGLE-SEASON RECEPTIONS LADDER
With 43 catches this season, freshman wide receiver Zee Roberson ranks 14th all-time in program history for single-season receptions. To break the top-10, Roberson needs six more receptions to tie Chris Phillis' 49 (2000). The single-season record is 67 held by Tim Bush (2008).
UALBANY FOOTBALL WEEKLY ON MY4
For the second straight year, a UAlbany football coaches show will air on MY4 (WNYA) this season. NBC13 (WNYT) sports director Rodger Wyland hosts the 30-minute show with Great Danes football coach Greg Gattuso every Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
