Game #7: Alfred University (4-2, 1-1 Empire 8) vs Hartwick Hawks (1-5, 0-1 Empire 8)
Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019; 1 p.m.
(Yunevich Stadium at Merrill Field, Alfred, NY)
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The Matchup: Alfred looks to rebound after a tough loss on the road to No. 21/22 Cortland, hosting Hartwick Saturday at Yunevich Stadium. Alfred is 4-2 overall and 1-1 in Empire 8 action. Hartwick has lost its last three contests, sitting at 1-5 overall and 0-1 in the conference. The Saxons come off a 21-31 loss at Cortland last Saturday, while the Hawks fell to St. John Fisher College by a 49-21 score.

Series History
This is the 36th meeting between Alfred and Hartwick. The Saxons lead the all-time series, 26-8-1. The teams first met back in 1936, a 0-0 tie. From there, the teams played every year from 1937 to 1950, with the Saxons winning all 10 matchups. The teams didn't play from 1942-45 due to World War II.

The series picked back up in 1994, a 24-17 Alfred win, but the Hawks got on the board the next season, a 28-21 home win. The teams have played every year since, with the exception of the 1997 season. Alfred has won the last four contests.

Last Time We Met
Last year's contest was a 41-3 Alfred victory on the road. Alfred jumped out to a 17-0 first quarter lead, keeping its foot on the pedal all afternoon. Alfred outgained Hartwick by a 437-149 margin, as the Saxon defense held the Hawks to just two rushing yards. Ben Burk '19 completed 14-of-18 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns, throwing those TD passes to Kevin Bragaglia and Chris Harders '19. Bragaglia also added a rushing touchdown. Keandre Sanders led the receiving corps with four receptions for 78 yards. The Alfred defense picked off a season-best five Hartick passes, including two from Ryan Elliot. Cole Reed '19 led the team with 10 tackles (eight solo).

A Look at the Saxons
AU comes into Saturday's contest with a 4-2 overall record, and a 1-1 mark in the Empire 8. Alfred has received votes in five of the seven regular season D3football.com Top 25 polls, and have started 4-2 or better in each of the last five seasons.

    Alfred's Record After Six Games, Last Five Seasons
    2019: 4-2
    2018: 4-2
    2017: 5-1
    2016: 6-0
    2015: 4-2

The Saxons have fared well at "The Pit", with a perfect 3-0 record this season. Alfred sports a 22-5 record at home since the start of the 2015 season. Statistically, AU averages 28.5 points per contest, holding teams to 17.7 points per game, good for third in the conference. Defensively, the team leads the Empire 8 in sacks (21) and are second in rushing yards allowed (60.2 yards allowed per game), passing yards allowed (171.0 per game), and total yardage allowed (231.2 yards allowed per game). Offensively, the Saxons lead the league in first downs (23.3 per game), time of possession (33.33 minutes per game), and rushing (280.8 yards per game). They are second in third down percentage (50.7 percent).
Casey Boston leads the offense with 633 yards, completing 54.7 percent (58-of-106) of his passes. He has six touchdowns through the air, adding 186 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Aaron Griffin leads the league in rushing with 863 yards on 133 touches (6.5 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns. Kevin Bragaglia adds 262 yards on 50 carries and three touchdowns. In the air, A.O. Othman has a team-leading 216 yards, on 15 receptions and three touchdowns. Steven Moretti-Ransom leads the team with 18 receptions, contributing 91 yards. Zach Leinenbach (10 receptions, 156 yards) and Griffin (11 receptions, 69 yards) are the other receivers with double-digit receptions. Defensively, Nick Milgate is one of the nation's leaders in tackles (64), adding two forced fumbles and three sacks. Leo Pamphile leads the team with 6.5 sacks. Sean Cameron and Ryan Elliot have both recorded interceptions for the Saxons.

A Look at the Hawks
Hartwick enters Saturday's contest with a 1-5 overall record, and are 0-1 in Empire 8 action. The Hawks' lone win came on the road - a 30-20 victory across the street at Alfred State Sept. 14. Hartwick is looking for its first Empire 8 victory in some time, the Hawks have lost 12 consecutive league contests, stretching back to the 2017 season. Their last victory was a 52-34 blowout win over Morrisville State on Oct. 7.

Statistically, the Hawks are fourth in the Empire 8 with five interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. They're also the least penalized team in the league, averaging just 87 penalty yards a game. Hartwick is seventh in both scoring offense (15.2 points per game) and points allowed (36.5 points per game).

Grant Harman leads the team in passing, completing 51.3 percent (79-of-54) of his passes for 1,025 yards, eight touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Kishaun Bell is the team's leading receiver, with 20 receptions for 367 yards (18.4 yards per reception) and four touchdowns. Devon Brown has 53 carries for 238 yards on the ground, while Davien Kuinlan has 154 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Matt Scotman leads the team with 38 tackles, and Kyle Kessler has a pair of interceptions.

Last Time Out for the Saxons
The Saxons come off a tough 31-21 loss on the road to No. 22 Cortland. AU struck first with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Casey Boston to Keandre Sanders late in the first quarter. Cortland's special team's unit took over, as Cole Burgess returned a kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown, then blocked an Alfred punt, leading to Cortland's second score. The Red Dragons extended the lead to 21-7 at the half. Alfred began the second half with a long drive, capped off by a Boston 1-yard touchdown run. After the Red Dragons struck with another rushing touchdown, the Saxons once again clawed back with one of the longest drives of the season - a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, capped off by Boston's third touchdown of the game. Cortland's capped the scoring with a 32-yard field goal.

AU dominated statistically, out-gaining Cortland by a 416-221 margin, including an impressive 309-55 margin on the ground. Aaron Griffin posted his third consecutive 100+ yard game, rushing for 201 yards. Boston rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns. In the air, the senior completed 13-of-29 passes for 107 yards. Defensively, Nick Milgate led the team with 11 total tackles and a pass breakup. Milgate was named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.

Last Time Out for the Hawks
In last week's Empire 8 opener against St. John Fisher College, the Hawks held a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, after a five-yard touchdown pass from Grant Harman to Jack Steinman. Fisher responded in the second quarter after its defense held off Hartwick on a goal line stand, exploding for three touchdown passes to take a 21-7 lead into half.
After Hartwick scored a touchdown to begin the second half, St. John Fisher pulled away, rushing for three consecutive touchdowns en route to a 49-21 road victory.
Grant Harman completed 22-of-44 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions. Harman fed Jason Fucci all afternoon in the air to the tune of six receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown. Jack Steinman added six receptions for 84 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Matt Scotman led the way with nine tackles, adding a blocked kick.

Run Griffin Run
- Aaron Griffin is among the nation's best running backs, rushing for 858 yards in five games this season
- Griffin is seventh nationally in rushing yards and seventh with 143.0 rushing yards per game
- Griffin is also 24th nationally with 6.45 rush yards per carry and 34th 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 five contests (91 vs. George Fox, 97 at Ithaca, 229 vs. Rochester, 179 vs. Morrisville, 201 at Cortland)

Thank Your Offensive Linemen
    - Griffin's production is due in part to a strong offensive line unit, headlined by starters Robert Felder Jr., Patrick Hannon, Wes Senn, Robert LoSordo, and Ethan Stewart
    - Casey Boston and Kevin Bragaglia have also benefited from strong run blocking. Boston has rushed for 186 yards on 37 attempts (4.1 average), and Bragaglia is second on the team in rushing with 262 yards on 50 carries (5.2 average)
    - Alfred leads the Empire 8 in rushing yards (1,685 yards, 280.8 yards per game, 5.8 yards per carry)
    - The Saxons rank 12th nationally in rushing yards per game, and 16th in time of possession (33:33 minutes)
    - AU is also on pace to break the school record for rushing yards per game in a season (1989 team rushed for 247.1 yards per game)

Sack Party
- Alfred leads the Empire 8 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 64 tackles and two forced fumbles
-Milgate was honored by D3Football.com on Sept. 17, named to its Team of the Week
-Milgate also earned Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week honors last Monday, Oct. 21

Alfred in the NCAA National Rankings
- Rushing Yards Per Game        Aaron Griffin        7th (143.0)
- Rushing Yards                         Aaron Griffin        7th (858)
- Rush Yards Per Carry             Aaron Griffin        24th (6.45 yards per carry)
- Rushing Touchdowns              Aaron Griffin        34th (7)
- All Purpose Yards Per Game  Aaron Griffin        27th (154.50)
- Sacks Per Game                     Leo Pamphile      11th (1.30)
- Tackles for Loss Per Game    Nick Milgate         15th (2.0)
- Tackles Per Game                  Nick Milgate         33rd (10.5)
- First Downs                            Team                    35th (140)
- First Downs Allowed               Team                   36th (92)
- Third Down Conversion Percentage    Team      20th (.500)
- Rushing Offense Per Game   Team                    12th (280.8 yards)
- Rushing Defense Per Game  Team                    6th (60.2 yards per game allowed)
- Sacks Per Game                    Team                    18th (3.5)
- Total Defense                         Team                    7th (231.2 yards per game allowed)

The Saxons Offensive Ranking in the Empire 8
- Completion Percentage          Casey Boston    4th (.547)
- Rushing Yards Per Game       Aaron Griffin      1st (131.4)
- Rushing Yards                        Aaron Griffin      1st (858)
- Rush Yards Per Carry            Aaron Griffin       1st (6.45 yards per carry)
- Rushing Touchdowns             Aaron Griffin       4th (7)
                                                 Casey Boston     7th (4)

The Saxons Defensive Ranking in the Empire 8
- Sacks per Game                    Leo Pamphile     1st (1.30)
                                                 Rodney Bailey    7th (0.50)
                                                 Nick Milgate        7th (0.50)
- Solo Tackles Per Game         Nick Milgate        1st (5.5)
                                                 Raeqwon Greer   5th (4.8)
- Tackles for Loss Per Game    Nick Milgate        2nd (2.0)
                                                 Leo Pamphile     4th (1.7)
- Total Tackles Per Game         Nick Milgate       2nd (10.5)
- Passes Defended Per Game  Ryan Elliott        7th (1.0)

The Saxon Special Teams Ranking in the Empire 8
- Field Goals Made                    Dustin McCaslin    4th (2)
- Punt Return Average               Kevin Bragaglia    4th (6.6 yards per return)

AU Empire 8 Athletes of the Week honorees
•The Saxons have played six games in 2019 and have placed a student-athlete on the Empire 8 Athlete of the Week slate in three of those weeks:
    -Week One        Leo Pamphile (10 tackles; 5 TFL; 4 sacks)
    -Week Four        Aaron Griffin (229 rushing yards; 3 rushing TDs)
 -Week Seven        Nick Milgate (11 tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1 Pass Breakup

AU D3Football.com Team of the Week honorees
•The Saxons have played six 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)