Players to watch: AU — Tyler Johnson, FR, QB; Austin Dwyer, SR, TB; Josh Phillips, SR, WR; Jonathan Ruffin, SR, WR; Tyler DeRosa, SR, TB; Michael Perkins, JR, FS; Seiji Hinton, SR, DB; Corry Wallace, SO, MLB; Calvin Bain, SO, CB; Justin Collen, SR, DE.
Cortland — Tyler Hughes, JR, QB; Justin Autera, SR, TB; Dylan Peebles, JR, TB; John Babin, JR, WR; Nate Burgo, SO, WR; Tristan Laurore, FR, ILB; Andrew Tolosi, JR, SS; Ke'shaun Stallworth, SO, CB; Jesse Scanna, JR, OLB; Carson Lassiter, FR, CB.
 
Key matchups: AU pass defense against Cortland pass game that produces 216 yard per contest. Cortland starts three wideouts, a tight end and a single back. Putting pressure on junior QB Tyler Hughes will be key, as will containing him in the pocket, as Hughes has run for a team-high 553 yards with five rushing TDs…Cortland run game that produces 148 yard against a Saxon rush defense that allows 146 yards on the ground per game. AU sophomore middle linebacker Corry Wallace (103 tackles) will help lead a defense aimed at shutting down the Red Dragons' ground game…Alfred running game vs. a Cortland defense that holds opponents to 135 yards  rushing per game.  The Saxons, who average 154 yards rushing, look to bounce back from last week's loss at Fisher, when AU ran for only 68 yards…AU freshman quarterback Tyler Johnson and the AU receivers against a Cortland defense that allows 261 yards per game through the air but has 16 interceptions …AU had five turnovers at Fisher and will look to limit its mistakes against a Cortland defense that forced three turnovers in last weekend's win at Ithaca.
 
Game Notes: Today's game marks the 40th meeting all-time between the Alfred University Saxons and SUNY Cortland Red Dragons. AU leads the all-time series 28-10-1 and has won the last 11 meetings. The last time these two teams played, at Cortland in the second round of the NCAA playoffs in 2010, Alfred won 34-20. The last time they met in Alfred, in 1985, AU won 31-0.
 
About the Red Dragons: Cortland is 6-4 overall after last weekend's 28-24 victory at Ithaca. The Red Dragons finished the season with a 5-2 record in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play.

    Cortland averages 364 yards of offense per contest, with 216 coming through the air and 148 per game on the ground.       Junior Tyler Hughes will start at quarterback. A backup for most of the year, Hughes is making his second start today. On the season, he has completed 68 of 123 passes for 821 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception. Cortland starts three wide receivers, led by junior John Babin, who has 72 catches for 1,174 yards and 13 touchdowns. Sophomore Nate Burgo has 13 catches for 176 yards and junior Dylan Peebles, the backup tailback, has 12 catches for 185 yards and two TDs.

    Hughes leads the team in rushing with 553 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Justin Autera has 308 yards and three touchdowns and Peebles 501 yards and five TDs.

    The Red Dragon defense allows 396 yards per game (135 rushing, 261 passing). Freshman inside linebacker Tristan Laurore has a team-leading 96 tackles, including 11 ½ for loss. Junior strong safety Andrew Tolosi has 73 tackles (3 ½ for loss) with three interceptions and six forced fumbles.

    Sophomore cornerback Ke'shaun Stallworth has five interceptions; junior outside linebacker Jesse Scanna has 12 ½ tackles for loss (seven sacks) and three fumble recoveries; and freshman corner Carson Lassiter has four interceptions and eight pass breakups.

    Autera averages 20.8 yards on kick returns and 6.2 yards on punt returns. Senior Nick Daley has made 33 of 34 PATs and 10 of 11 field goal tries. Daley averages 36.9 yards per punt.

 
About the Saxons: AU is 7-3 overall after last weekend's 48-13 regular-season ending loss at Empire 8 Conference foe St. John Fisher.

    The Saxons are averaging 382 yards of offense (228 passing, 154 rushing). Freshman quarterback Tyler Johnson has completed 128 of 217 passes for 1,617 yards with 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

    Senior wide receiver Josh Phillips leads the team in receptions (50), receiving yards (785) and TD catches (seven). Senior wideout Jonathan Ruffin has caught 31 passes for 568 yards and three touchdowns; sophomore tight end Isiah Young has 21 catches for 270 yards and senior fullback Chuck Beckwith has three touchdown receptions.

    Senior tailback Austin Dwyer leads the Saxons in rushing with 553 yards and 10 touchdown runs. Johnson has 361 yards rushing with four touchdowns and senior tailback Tyler DeRosa has run for 341 yards and one touchdown. Beckwith has 173 yards rushing with one TD and sophomore cornerback Calvin Bain has rushed for five touchdowns.

    The AU defense allows 341 yards per game (195 passing, 146 rushing). Sophomore middle linebacker Corry Wallace leads the team in tackles with 103 (6 ½ for loss) and shares the team lead in interceptions with four. He has also forced a fumble.

    Sophomore linebacker Peter Diak has 57 tackles (3 1/2 for loss, 2 ½ sacks), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery; Bain has 45 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups; junior free safety Michael Perkins has 40 tackles and four interceptions; senior safety Seiji Hinton has 50 tackles (6 ½ for loss, two sacks), two interceptions and two forced fumbles; and senior end Justin Collen has 36 tackles (7 ½ for loss, team-best six sacks) and two forced fumbles.

    Bain and Dwyer average 22.1 and 22.6 yards, respectively, on kick returns, and Ruffin averages 5.9 yards on punt returns. Freshman Thomas Gioia has made 29 of 37 PATs and seven of nine field goals. Freshman Ryan McDonnell averages 36.5 yards per punt.