Game #6: Alfred University (4-1, 1-0 Empire 8) at Cortland Red Dragons (5-0, 2-0 Empire 8)
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019; 1 p.m.
(SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex, Cortland, N.Y.)
Live Video    Live Audio    Live Stats
 
The Matchup: Alfred travels to No. 22/21 Cortland for a key Empire 8 showdown. Alfred, receiving votes in the latest D3football.com poll, returns to action after a bye week, and have won two consecutive games to earn a 4-1 overall record and a 1-0 Empire 8 mark. Cortland, ranked 21^st by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and 22^nd by D3football.com, is undefeated at 5-0 overall and 2-0 in conference. Both teams come off of narrow victories against Morrisville State.
 
The Series: This is the 45^th meeting between the two clubs, with Alfred holding a 31-12-1 advantage. Prior to 2015, Alfred won 12 straight in the series and nine in a row from 1977-86. This includes two postseason victories: an NCAA second-round win at Cortland in 2010 (34-20) and the ECAC North Central Bowl at home in 2013 (21-14). Four of the last five matchups have been decided by a touchdown or fewer. Alfred and Cortland first met on the gridiron in a night game at Alfred in 1940, a 21-0 Saxon win. Both teams played again after the Second World War in 1946 and 1947, then faced each other every year from 1952-86.
 
Last five meetings:
2018: Alfred 38, Cortland 33 (Alfred, N.Y.) *
2017: Cortland 20, Alfred 17 (OT) (Cortland, N.Y.) *
2016: Alfred 41, Cortland 28 (Alfred, N.Y.) *
2015: Cortland 20, Alfred 14 (Cortland, N.Y.) *
2013: Alfred 21, Cortland 14 (ECAC North Central Bowl Championship, Alfred, N.Y.)
* Empire 8 Matchup

NEWS & NOTES
Last Time We Met
- The Saxons won 38-33 at Yunevich Stadium at Merrill Field on September 22, 2018
- Cortland jumped out to a 14-0 lead, scoring on their first two possessions
- Alfred answered with a Nas Smith touchdown run and a 68-yard touchdown connection from Ben Burk '19 to Robert Smith, tying the game at 14.
- Cortland and Alfred traded second-quarter touchdowns, before the Saxons took a 24-21 halftime lead on a Ben Sennett '19 25-yard field goal
- Cortland tied the game right after halftime on a field goal, before a Kevin Bragaglia touchdown run gave Alfred a 31-24 lead
- Bragaglia put the game away with a scintillating 92-yard punt return late in the third quarter, the longest punt return in school history
- Bragaglia's punt return was #1 on Alfred University's 2018-19 Top Plays of the Year
- Bragaglia finished with 242 all-purpose yards
- Cole Reed '19 led the defense with 16 total tackles (eight solo), a sack, and an interception
- The Alfred defense forced a season-high five interceptions in the win
 
A Look at the Saxons
- Alfred enters the weekend with a 4-1 overall record, 1-0 in Empire 8 action
- The Saxons have started 4-1 or better in each of the last five seasons (started 4-1 in 2018 and 2015; started 5-0 in 2017 and 2016)
- Alfred is receiving votes in the latest D3football.com polls
- Alfred has been in the D3football.com polls in five of the seven weeks this season (includes preseason)
- The Saxons are third in the Empire 8 in scoring (30.0 ppg.) and third in scoring defense (15.0 papg.)
- The Saxons are also second in the Empire 8 in average yards per offensive play (6.1) and second in average yards per play allowed (3.8)
- Leading passer is Casey Boston with 526 yards and five touchdowns (129.46 QB rating)
- Leading rusher is Aaron Griffin with 657 yards (131.4 per game) and seven touchdowns
- Leading receiver is A.O. Othman with 15 receptions for 216 yards and three touchdowns
- Leading tackler is Nick Milgate with 53 tackles (9.5 for loss)
- Sean Cameron and Ryan Elliott each have an interception
 
A Look at the Red Dragons
- Cortland comes into this weekend with a perfect 5-0 record, 2-0 in Empire 8 action
- Cortland is ranked 22 in D3football.com and 21 in the American Football Coaches Association polls
- The Red Dragons lead the Empire 8 with 47.8 points per game and are second in scoring defense (13.6 ppg)
- Cortland leads the Empire 8 in average yards per play (6.7)
- Leading passer is Brett Segala with 1,255 yards passing and 14 touchdowns
- Leading receivers are the combo of Cole Burgess (21 receptions, 415 yards, five touchdowns) and Jason Carlock (23 receptions, 324 yards, five touchdowns)
- Leading rusher is Zach Tripodi with 617 yards (123.4 yards per game) and five touchdowns
- Leading tackler is Gregory Alfieri with 39 total tackles and 1.5 sacks
- Dylan Dubuque, Stone Murray, and Evans Riviere each have two interceptions
 
Last Time Out for the Saxons
- The Saxons defeated the Mustangs of Morrisville State 28-21 on Homecoming (Oct. 5) from Yunevich Stadium at Merrill Field
- AU jumped out the gate early, scoring on its first drive, a 13-play, 65-yard drive capped off by a 1-yard Aaron Griffin touchdown run
- AU took a 14-0 lead on its next drive, as Casey Boston found A.O. Othman on a four-yard touchdown pass
- AU took a commanding 21-0 lead after Boston tallied his second touchdown pass of the day, finding Nazier Landes for 35 yards
- Morrisville clawed back, ending the half with a 15-play touchdown drive. Bill Flatow found Jermaine Cooper for 12 yards as Alfred led, 21-7 at halftime
- The Mustangs struck first in the second half, as Flatow found Cooper again, as Morrisville trailed 21-14
- With the ball and the chance to tie the game, Sean Cameron picked off a Flatow pass near the goal line, giving Alfred the ball back
- 15 plays and 95 yards later, Alfred took a 28-14 lead after an 18-yard touchdown run from Griffin, his second of the day
- Morrisville made it a game again, as Flatow threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this time to Kyle Tuohy as AU held a 28-21 lead with 7:49 to go
- The AU defense stood strong at the end, as Rodney Bailey sacked Flatow on a fourth-down play with 2.4 seconds to go in regulation
- Boston threw for 109 yards and two touchdowns
- Griffin rushed for 179 yards, adding two touchdowns
- Raeqwon Greer led the defense with 12 tackles (nine solo) and 1.5 for loss
- Greer was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week on Oct. 8
- Alfred outrushed Morrisville, 243 yards to 23
 
Last Time Out for the Red Dragons
- Cortland also defeated Morrisville State, 42-28
- The teams traded scores in the first quarter, as Morrisville held a 14-10 lead after a Kinsey Williams touchdown run
- Cortland took advantage in the second quarter, with touchdown runs by Tai-sean Dodd and Zach Tripodi, taking a 24-14 lead into halftime
- Williams kept Morrisville State in the game with his second touchdown run to start the third quarter as Cortland led 24-21
- The Red Dragons extended the lead, as Brett Segala found Jason Carlock for a 14-yard touchdown pass and Nick Mongelli added a 25-yard field goal to extend the lead to 34-21 with 12:30 to go in the fourth
- Morrisville scored right after. Bill Flatow found Jermaine Cooper for a nine-yard TD pass as the Mustangs trailed, 34-28
- The Red Dragons closed the game out Tripodi's second touchdown run of the game, this time from 18 yards out to give Cortland a 42-28 lead
- Tripodi tallied a career-high 165 yards rushing and two touchdowns
- Segala completed 21-of-33 passes for 232 yards and a score
- The teams combined for 909 yards of total offense – 462 by Cortland (232 passing, 230 rushing) and 447 by Morrisville (383 passing, 64 rushing)
 
Run Griffin Run
- Aaron Griffin is among the nation's best running backs, rushing for 657 yards in five games this season
- Griffin is ninth nationally in rushing yards and eighth with 131.4 rushing yards per game
- Griffin is also 17th nationally with 6.64 rush yards per carry and 17th in rushing touchdowns (seven)
- Griffin tallied a career-high 229 yards vs. Rochester on Sept. 28 - the sixth-highest individual rushing total in AU history
- Named to the D3football.com Team of the Week on Oct. 1 and the Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 30
- Griffin has rushed for 90+ yards in each of the last four contests (91 vs. George Fox, 97 at Ithaca, 229 vs. Rochester, 179 vs. Morrisville)
 
Sack Party
- Alfred leads the Empire 8 and is sixth nationally with 21 sacks
- Leo Pamphile leads the team with 6.5 sacks, followed by Nick Milgate and Rodney Bailey with three each
- 10 Saxons have recorded at least a sack
 
Milgate Takes Over in the #32
- Senior linebacker Nick Milgate was hand-selected by the AU coaching staff to wear the #32 at AU in 2019 in honor of NYS Trooper Nicholas F. Clark '11, who was tragically killed in the line of duty in the summer of 2018
- Milgate has 187 tackles and eight interceptions in his career entering the 2019 season
- He is a health & fitness management major
- Named a team captain for the 2019 season
- Native of Hilton, NY where he attended Hilton High School
- Named Empire 8 All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2017 and 2018
- Milgate currently leads the team with 53 tackles and two forced fumbles
- Milgate was honored by D3Football.com on Sept. 17, named to its Team of the Week
 
Alfred in the NCAA National Rankings
6th, Sacks, 4.2/game
11th, Total Defense, 233.2 yds./game
11th, Rushing Offense, 275.2 yds./game
12th, Fewest Tackles for Loss Allowed, 3.8/game
13th, Rushing Defense, 61.2 yds./game
14th, Third Down Conversion Percentage, 51.7 pct.
23rd, Punt Return Defense, 2.0 yds./return
30th, Scoring Defense, 15.0 pts./game
30th, Time of Possession, 33:01/game
34th, First Downs, 117
35th, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage, 62.5 pct.
37th, Tackles for Loss, 8.0/game

Individual rankings 
Aaron Griffin, 8th, Rushing, 131.4 yds./game
Leo Pamphile, 10th, Sacks, 1.3/game
Aaron Griffin, 17th, Rushing Yards per Carry, 6.6 yds./rush
Aaron Griffin, 17th, Rushing Touchdowns, 7
Nick Milgate, 28th, Tackles for Loss, 1.9/game
Nick Milgate, 33rd, Total Tackles, 10.4/game
Aaron Griffin, 34th, All Purpose Yards, 142.2 yds./game
 
AU Empire 8 Athletes of the Week honorees
The Saxons have played five games in 2019 and have placed a student-athlete on the Empire 8 Athlete of the Week slate in two of those weeks:
Week One - Leo Pamphile (10 tackles; 5 TFL; 4 sacks)
Week Four - Aaron Griffin (229 rushing yards; 3 rushing TDs)
 
AU D3Football.com Team of the Week honorees
The Saxons have played five games in 2019 and have placed a student-athlete on the D3Football.com Team of the Week on three occasions:
Week Two - Nick Milgate (13 tackles; 6.0 TFL; 2.0 sacks)
Week Four - Aaron Griffin (229 rushing yards; 3 rushing TDs)
Week Five - Raeqwon Greer (12 tackles; 9 solo; 1.5 TFL)