Utica isn't a bad squad. I wouldn't think they are a team that one should look past. Depending on the weekend they are good enough my to give a good team some troubles.

They're 3-5, and the 6th place team in the conference. Brockport is going to get washed by Cortland

Quote from: IC798891 on November 03, 2024, 07:01:08 PMThey're 3-5, and the 6th place team in the conference. Brockport is going to get washed by Cortland

As good as Brockport's defense may be, Cortland's offense is at another level altogether. Pep doubts that Brockport's offense, while improved this year, can keep up. Heck, AU, which this year has made a habit of letting teams back in due to muffed punts, blocked punts and pick sixes, to Pep's surprise, scored 38 at Utica.

On Saxon Warriors!

Well, I don't want to be crude, but I said a good team. Poor, average, good, great, and elite would be my basic categories!

09 November 2024

Brockport V Cortland - Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium - Gametime 1200 EST

Current Forecast - Partially cloudy, high of 49 (Perfect!)

This is the one, Empire 8 conference championship. Brockport is 6-4 for the last ten matchups, but lost their hats to the eventual national champions in 2023. The Eagles will need all hands on deck, Robinson, Marianetti, and Haettich on the defensive side, Gocella, Simmons, and the pair of Manneh and Slywka at wideout on the offensive side.

Previous prediction stands,

Cortland 31
Brockport 21

Then on to the best part of the year, last but never least Alfred and in my personal opinion, the best stadium in the conference.

Defacto Championship Game! 
#2 scoring offense v the #1 scoring defense! Someone's gonna got give! Cortland's gonna take those Eagle wings over to Hooters and toss em in some 3 Mile Island sauce! Breaded of course!

Hungrier Brockport having its way with mistake-prone Cortland through the first quarter .....GEagles 14-0 on Gocella TD pass and blocked punt recovery in the end zone.

And a heavyweight fight breaks out in the second quarter ....trading haymakers. Bport 21-14 late in the period. Dragons M. Balogna 28 yd. FG closes out the half at the horn making it 21-17.

Each team with blocked punt (Port TD) and INT ..... Cort Z. Boyes 15x24, 239 yds, TD, INT; Port B. Gocella 9x18, 136, 2 TDs, INT. Dragon J. Zeva 4 catches, 79 yds, TD; Eagle N. Slyka 4x103, TD. E. Gallo rushing TD for CSt.

Port's showing their talons! I'd like to think Cortland has settled in a bit and can now dictate their destiny! Still a dog fight to go! Nobody is rolling over in this one!

Cortland gathers third quarter steam but settles for M. Balogna 25 yd. FG after getting inside Port 5. Then drive stalls and Balogna misses 35 yd. FG. Through three periods ......Eagles 21-20.

BUT ....starting fourth period Bport drive results in Gocella tossing TD pass of 37 yds to B. Caldwell for 28-20 lead. Brockport capitalizing, particularly on third downs ........not so Cortland!!!! Finally .....Boyes leads 75 yd march and completes 19 yd. TD toss to S. Cotton in end zone corner. Port stops Boyes on 2-pt. straightaway conversion run .....Port by 28-26 at 11:06 ......

Back and forth we go ......

Port looks to run out the clock with drive starting with 7:08 left. Takes clock to 1:54 when Cortland regains possession at own 27. Boyes works his magic to Port 21. M. Balogna kicks 38 yd. FG at 0:31 that JUST carries crossbard for 29-28 Cortland lead .... Port, whose kickoff return unit excels all day, returns kickoff to C-32. First play INT by Dragon N. Jean-Lubin at 0:11. His second pick of the game.

Over.......MAGNIFICENT PERFORMANCE BY BOTH SIDES .....Only Cortland lead is the final ........29-28

Not too many words to describe that game. PORT played like animals! Close losses to #2 and #6 in nail biters! It's a shame they will likely get passed over for the tourney, but if they somehow make it...

What a great D3 football game . Congrats to both Cortland and Brockport for leaving it all on the field. My takeaway is Cortland is a bit more vulnerable on Defense than I thought and Brockport's Defense stood up to an offensive machine but just fell short.Congrats to the Red Dragons for keeping the streak alive and winning the E8, and to Brockport this NCAA tournament must find a place for you somehow despite the rigid rankings system.

And some numbers in this title match ....

  Corts 593 total yards (179 run, 414 pass) and 30 first downs, Port 332 (96, 236) and 15
 
  Z. Boyes 33x54 passing, 414 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT (first of the season) and 13 runs, 54 yds; B. Gocella 15x32, 236, 3 TDs, 1 INT

  Corts E. Gallo 18 carries, 102 yds, 1 TD. Port I. Simmons 26, 101 yds
 
  Corts S. Cotton 10 catches, 85 yds, 1 TD (FIRST RECEPTIONS OF THE SEASON for last season's E8 rookie of the year as DB); J. Zeva 9, 121 yds, TD. Port N. Slyka 5, 125 yds, 2 TDs; D. Manneh 5, 68 yds

  Penalties: Corts 10 for 85 yds; Port 3 for 15 yds


 

Not sure I've seen a Cortland game where we had to settle for 3 field goals(not counting 1 missed FG)! Lot of "What ifs" in that game offensively! The score didn't really match the offensive stats! Luckily the only stat that counted worked in our favor!

Back in the late 90s, we never looked at Brockport as anything more than another team on the schedule. Then we had a guy transfer there who stayed in touch with a few of us. According to him, Brockport looked at us as a legitimate rival! We didn't (even though we had little success against them)! So...even with Ithaca on the horizon, I don't believe Cortland was looking to next week. Brockport is legit and came to play today!

Stats have been updated - Boyes finishes with 414 passing yards.

Full box at:
https://www.cortlandreddragons.com/sports/football/stats/2024/brockport/boxscore/10491

Cortland loses 1st place votes but Brockport jumped into the top 25!