FB: Empire 8

[Bengalsrule]

I see the Buff St - Ithaca game will be carried live on Time Warner Sports Network this Sat.
Plus ..I'm sure they will rerun the game all week like they did the Buff St- Bport game.
Should be a good game. Boyes being an IC alum and all. Back in the early-mid 90's these 2 football programs were dominant. IC with Neil Weideman at QB..and Buff st with Tracy Bacon.
This year.. I'll go with IC and their stout defense being the difference.

Boyes was in contention to be the next HC at Ithaca, but there were, as I heard it, issues preventing it. And then it seemed like the two programs were linked.

Buff State's 1992 playoff upset of Ithaca at Butterfield really seemed like it was going to signal the Bengals arrival as a national player. Strangely, they went 1-7 in the NCAAs after that. They just never got a toehold, so to speak. Conversely, Ithaca's win over Buff State in the 1994 playoffs helped them go to the national semifinals and seemed like it would signal that the transition from the Butterfield era would be smooth. But the Bombers didn't qualify for the postseason for another six years, in large part because they lost to Buffalo State each season from 1995-1999.

I always wonder how Ithaca's history would have been different had Boyes been the coach. I recall a lot of grumbling in the mid-late 90s about it, but that really seemed to die down as the Bombers made some noise nationally in 2001 and 2003.

No HC homecoming controversy this weekend. BENGALS HC weekend opponent is Ithaca! D3viewer thanks for that lil bit of history. Never knew about Boyes connection to IC!! I imagine that that adds a little more intrigue to this weekends E8 home opener!?!

[Bombers798891]

Yea I was watching it from in back of the endzone (scoreboard side) and recall a controversial call in OT.  I may be getting it confused with the last play of the W&J game in 1994 where Cummisky got leveled in the endzone for what would have been the game winning TD.

Well, hey, let's chat about the most painful loss in modern Bomber football history. How about two minutes before that play when All-American return man Jeff Higgins got tripped up by the ankle on route to the endzone on a punt (Man, did Ithaca ever not have punt returners who were awesome? They don't just print them off an assembly line, they print the assembly lines) I still remember everyone going nuts when he got the seam. he was GONE...and then he was down.

That 1994 team was probably overrated, honestly. They had two regular-season losses, and an abysmal offense. They won a lot of close, low-scoring games, including the BSU game (10-7). Ironically, if I were picking the best Welch-era teams, I'm not even sure that squad cracks my Top 5.

That team did get it done when it mattered though.  And it was splattered with studs at all positions. (Higgins WR, Connley DT, Nichols DE/OLB, Ragusa and Raucsh on the line.)

Also palumbo and another stud WR that I can't remember.  Kind of a balanced team, and the second year Ithaca stopped running the option?

Palumbo was 1993. Caught a still school record 74 passes that year for 1,119 yards. Finished with just 90 catches, so that was either his senior year or he got hurt. Todd Sandagato was probably the guy you were thinking of for 1994. (59 for 820)

The 1994 team was surprisingly limited on offense. They only scored 24 points in one game that year (St. Lawrence), and failed to get to 17 in seven different games. But the defense allowed opponents to reach 17 points just twice in 13 games. Best defense I've ever seen. Even an average offense wins them the Stagg Bowl that year, IMO.

Wins are wins, of course, so the 1994 team gets the credit for doing enough to come out 10-3. But I think that team might have been as close to 6-4 as a Stagg Bowl, as strange as it sounds. Still a fantastic season though.

I'm not sure if Ithaca ran the option in 1993 under Butts or not, actually

[Jonny Utah]

Yea I was watching it from in back of the endzone (scoreboard side) and recall a controversial call in OT.  I may be getting it confused with the last play of the W&J game in 1994 where Cummisky got leveled in the endzone for what would have been the game winning TD.

Well, hey, let's chat about the most painful loss in modern Bomber football history. How about two minutes before that play when All-American return man Jeff Higgins got tripped up by the ankle on route to the endzone on a punt (Man, did Ithaca ever not have punt returners who were awesome? They don't just print them off an assembly line, they print the assembly lines) I still remember everyone going nuts when he got the seam. he was GONE...and then he was down.

That 1994 team was probably overrated, honestly. They had two regular-season losses, and an abysmal offense. They won a lot of close, low-scoring games, including the BSU game (10-7). Ironically, if I were picking the best Welch-era teams, I'm not even sure that squad cracks my Top 5.

That team did get it done when it mattered though.  And it was splattered with studs at all positions. (Higgins WR, Connley DT, Nichols DE/OLB, Ragusa and Raucsh on the line.)

Also palumbo and another stud WR that I can't remember.  Kind of a balanced team, and the second year Ithaca stopped running the option?

Palumbo was 1993. Caught a still school record 74 passes that year for 1,119 yards. Finished with just 90 catches, so that was either his senior year or he got hurt. Todd Sandagato was probably the guy you were thinking of for 1994. (59 for 820)

The 1994 team was surprisingly limited on offense. They only scored 24 points in one game that year (St. Lawrence), and failed to get to 17 in seven different games. But the defense allowed opponents to reach 17 points just twice in 13 games. Best defense I've ever seen. Even an average offense wins them the Stagg Bowl that year, IMO.

Wins are wins, of course, so the 1994 team gets the credit for doing enough to come out 10-3. But I think that team might have been as close to 6-4 as a Stagg Bowl, as strange as it sounds. Still a fantastic season though.

I'm not sure if Ithaca ran the option in 1993 under Butts or not, actually

Ron Smith was the QB in 1993 and I'm 90% sure there was not much option.  I could have sworn we scored more than 24 points against Albany in week 1 of 1994 (if the website had some media guides I could check!)

And yes you are right.  Palumbo was a senior for the 1993 season, it was Sandagato I was thinking of.

[Bombers798891]

Ron Smith was the QB in 1993 and I'm 90% sure there was not much option.  I could have sworn we scored more than 24 points against Albany in week 1 of 1994 (if the website had some media guides I could check!)

And yes you are right.  Palumbo was a senior for the 1993 season, it was Sandagato I was thinking of.

Albany game was 22-11.

You can find 2008-11 media guides here:

http://bombers.ithaca.edu/sports/2009/10/2/FB_1002093536.aspx?path=football

The 1993 team seems like such a weird team to me, almost the forgotten team, which is somewhat ironic. But other than Palumbo's monster year, I don't recall a thing about it

[AUPepBand]

Congrats on IC TE Jared Prugar on being named to the Team of the Week!

TE Jared Prugar, Sr., Ithaca
Prugra had six catches for 165 yards in Ithaca's 17-3 win against Union, including a 56-yard catch that set up a touchdown two days later.

Pep is just wondering why it took a couple days before the Bombers finally punched it in. 

Seriously? After all these years, can't you just send me an email when you have a correction?

Let's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.

Right. I just thought that perhaps I could get some professional courtesy from a fellow journalist.

I don't at all mind if you point them out here and laugh, that's actually OK. I'd laugh too.

But if there's a correction, please also email me. I have days where I don't get to the message board and I'd like to know about and fix these things because I still take the journalism craft seriously around here. It really grinds my gears when the only notice of an error is here on the boards, because I may not read every board every day.

Will do, Pat! Actually, seems like a long time since this copy editor has found any errors in your material...keep up the good work!  +K

On Saxon Warriors!

[Jonny Utah]

Ron Smith was the QB in 1993 and I'm 90% sure there was not much option.  I could have sworn we scored more than 24 points against Albany in week 1 of 1994 (if the website had some media guides I could check!)

And yes you are right.  Palumbo was a senior for the 1993 season, it was Sandagato I was thinking of.

Albany game was 22-11.

You can find 2008-11 media guides here:

http://bombers.ithaca.edu/sports/2009/10/2/FB_1002093536.aspx?path=football

The 1993 team seems like such a weird team to me, almost the forgotten team, which is somewhat ironic. But other than Palumbo's monster year, I don't recall a thing about it

1993 had Ron Smith at QB and a few contributers from the 1991 national championship team (Matt George, Jake Cerrone, Billy Mayes Jr.).  They had some ass-whoopings that year though.

1994 also had a schedule with 4 d2 teams I believe (AIC, Springfield, CW Post, Mansfield).

[sjfcards]

Ron Smith was the QB in 1993 and I'm 90% sure there was not much option.  I could have sworn we scored more than 24 points against Albany in week 1 of 1994 (if the website had some media guides I could check!)

And yes you are right.  Palumbo was a senior for the 1993 season, it was Sandagato I was thinking of.

Albany game was 22-11.

You can find 2008-11 media guides here:

http://bombers.ithaca.edu/sports/2009/10/2/FB_1002093536.aspx?path=football

The 1993 team seems like such a weird team to me, almost the forgotten team, which is somewhat ironic. But other than Palumbo's monster year, I don't recall a thing about it

1993 had Ron Smith at QB and a few contributers from the 1991 national championship team (Matt George, Jake Cerrone, Billy Mayes Jr.).  They had some ass-whoopings that year though.

1994 also had a schedule with 4 d2 teams I believe (AIC, Springfield, CW Post, Mansfield).

As a Fisher fan, I like to pretend that D3 football started in 2003.

[fisheralum91]

That is probably the most awesome sentence I've read!

[Bombers798891]

1994 also had a schedule with 4 d2 teams I believe (AIC, Springfield, CW Post, Mansfield).

Good call on the quartet of D-III schools. That gives you a good idea of how different D-III football was then.

Best stat ever: That IC team won games in which it scored: 17, 16, 15, 14, and 13 points.

I think, however, if I were ranking Welch's teams it would go: 2004, 2003, 2001, 2008, then 1994.

[AUPepBand]

1994 also had a schedule with 4 d2 teams I believe (AIC, Springfield, CW Post, Mansfield).

Good call on the quartet of D-III schools. That gives you a good idea of how different D-III football was then.

Best stat ever: That IC team won games in which it scored: 17, 16, 15, 14, and 13 points.

I think, however, if I were ranking Welch's teams it would go: 2004, 2003, 2001, 2008, then 1994.

That's one thing about Butterfield that Pep always respected. His Bombers had arguably the most challenging schedules and, early in his coaching career, it resulted in .500 seasons. But after awhile, the program was strengthened by playing said programs and when the D3 playoffs came along, the Bombers were right there at the top. Having read her book, Pep is thinking Lois is co-architect of the Butterfield Bomber Legacy.

And, from what Pep's seen thus far, Ithaca, the first E8 team to ground the Sea Gulls, are going to make some noise in the E8 this year.

[dlippiel]

Dlip's write up on Union's 17-3 loss to Ithaca and the preview for their game against SLU this week is up on dlip's blog. www.dlipthedutchman.blogspot.com

[sjfcards]

Any Fisher guys making it to Growney for homecoming this weekend?

[AUPepBand]

Pep will be a groomsman in a wedding tomorrow and thus is likely a no-show for the Alfred-Brockport State Homecoming clash under the lights at Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium tomorrow night. 

These boards are rather quiet...is no one exited it's almost saterday?

On Saxon Warriors!

[sjfcards]

Sort of a slow week for the boards, but in an effort to start a discussion...

Predictions for the weekend:

Ithaca 24
Buff State 17

Alfred 28
Brockport 21

Fisher 38
Cortland 17

[AUPepBand]

Sort of a slow week for the boards, but in an effort to start a discussion...

Predictions for the weekend:

Ithaca 24
Buff State 17

Alfred 28
Brockport 21

Fisher 38
Cortland 17

Pep can agree with these prognostications. Pep is curious whether the AU defense is up to the task against a potent Brockport State Screaming Eagle offense and whether the Homecoming hoopla/first night game/first game on the turf will work toward the home team's advantage. Pep is hoping for a good turnout from Alfred, although, regrettably, Pep will likely not be done with a wedding in time to make the game. AU 30, Brockport 28.

Pep is also curious whether Millennium Force Buffalo State, having been humbled a bit last week, would like to make a statement in its E8 opener but the Bengals face a Bombers team that appears much more seasoned in 2013. Ithaca 35, Buffalo State 21.

Fisher is off to a Top Thrill Dragster start and finds forever formidable foe Cortland State a bit down from previous years. Fisher 49, Cortland State 15.

Ride on!