FB: Empire 8

[XREDDRAGON77]

Pretty quiet over here! Saw Alfred was on top in their game when I looked! Hope my Red Dragons cleaned up their loose ends this week! Del Val took care of Kings, which makes that week 1 win look better! I hated bye weeks as a player and equally so as a fan!

[IC798891]

The Brockport-Cortland game is going to be a weird one.

Susquehanna narrowly beats both teams — one could argue they were lucky both times — in a completely different manner. They barely moved the ball for three quarters against Brockport, barely stopped Cortland for three quarters, and came away with two road wins.

But Brockport made a move at QB, swapping a senior for a first-year player, and threw up 59 points on the scoreboard. I am reminded of Ithaca doing this exact thing in 2017, and it paying off. Cortland has failed to win games these last two years when they haven't been able to blow out opponents. I wonder if the Golden Eagles are ready to take on the Dragons.

[XREDDRAGON77]

I'm going to have to say that Port will be ready! They are a solid program and can't anticipate them rolling over. Cortland hasn't played lights out defense in the big games!  Nor have they in their best years, but...they perform well enough to get by! Solid but not the best. As of late they have been more offensively oriented and played good special teams. Last week seemed to be an exception with the fumble on the KOR to seal their loss.! Brockport has always seemed to be a defense first operation.

With that said, there is a lot of football to be played before that game! Morrisville, Alfred, Utica, and Fischer come first! One week at a time!

[AUPepBand]

Proud of the Saxons, particularly the defense, in keeping a potent Catholic passing attack out of the end zone for a hard-fought 9-6 win Saterday, thanks also to Ophelia's horrible rainy/windy conditions in which many snaps went awry. AU's two scores came as a result of bad snaps...the first over the head of the QB and out of the back of the end zone for a safety; the other bad snap recovered by the Saxons at the CUA 18-yard-line, after which the AU offense scored the game's only TD. AU also had its snap problems, hindering the offensive effort.

To their credit, the Cardinals drove deep into Saxon territory late in the game and had the distance on a game-tying 35-yard field goal but it drifted left. Pat Coleman was not in the press box yesterday as he was in 1994 when he personally gave Pep an over-the-phone play-by-play of the crazy final minutes of Alfred's 35-29 win over Catholic that denied the Cardinals a playoff berth. Yet, in a way, Pat was providing the play-by-play through all the connections through d3football.com. Thanks, Mr. Coleman!

[Bartman]

Proud of the Saxons, particularly the defense, in keeping a potent Catholic passing attack out of the end zone for a hard-fought 9-6 win Saterday, thanks also to Ophelia's horrible rainy/windy conditions in which many snaps went awry. AU's two scores came as a result of bad snaps...the first over the head of the QB and out of the back of the end zone for a safety; the other bad snap recovered by the Saxons at the CUA 18-yard-line, after which the AU offense scored the game's only TD. AU also had its snap problems, hindering the offensive effort.

To their credit, the Cardinals drove deep into Saxon territory late in the game and had the distance on a game-tying 35-yard field goal but it drifted left. Pat Coleman was not in the press box yesterday as he was in 1994 when he personally gave Pep an over-the-phone play-by-play of the crazy final minutes of Alfred's 35-29 win over Catholic that denied the Cardinals a playoff berth. Yet, in a way, Pat was providing the play-by-play through all the connections through d3football.com. Thanks, Mr. Coleman!

+k Pep to your Saxons, as I caught the goal line stand for the win. Good luck during the season as I feel the Saxons have the right stuff to be a real pain to the E8 opponents this year. Thanks for the historical references which are always appreciated.

[XREDDRAGON77]

Dragons rolled again. Sus squashed Catholic. That game still stings! On to the next one!

[IC798891]

I think Brockport might be moving into dangerous territory for Cortland.

The QB switch has objectively worked. Brockport threw for the 7 TDs last year, and 8 the year before that. Gocella has already thrown 5 in three weeks. The defense is still elite — Cortland couldn't stop a Susquehanna team that scored 6 points against the Golden Eagles — and they're averaging 200 yards on the ground a game.

The Red Dragons had yet another laugher today, and improved or no, Brockport's not winning a shootout with Cortland.

But last year, Brockport threw, 8 passes all game (two of which were intercepted), and *still* managed to hang up 24 points and average more than 5 yards a play. Gocella and company have a lot of time to keep getting better.

I really thought Cortland was a lock for the E8 this year, but the new QB1 at Port has changed things

[XREDDRAGON77]

Brockport scares me! If you can't score, you can't win. Their defensive abilities may keep them in it! Luckily that game is still a few clicks down the road. For next week though, Utica can't be overlooked.  The Pioneers are playing well enough to test the Dragons. On paper the Dragons are stacked, but that's why we play the game!

[IC798891]

Brockport scares me! If you can't score, you can't win. Their defensive abilities may keep them in it! Luckily that game is still a few clicks down the road. For next week though, Utica can't be overlooked.  The Pioneers are playing well enough to test the Dragons. On paper the Dragons are stacked, but that's why we play the game!

I'm not impressed by Utica. They needed a miracle to beat a Lycoming team that Brockport and Cortland obliterated, they snuck past Rochester — who hasn't been better than the second worst team in the LL since 2015 — by 3 points.

Cortland should have no trouble with the Pioneers.

[XREDDRAGON77]

Appreciate your confidence in the Red Dragons! A 9-1 v 9-1 Cortaca showdown would be a great thing!

[IC798891]

Appreciate your confidence in the Red Dragons! A 9-1 v 9-1 Cortaca showdown would be a great thing!

Woah, woah, woah, who said anything about 9-1 vs 9-1?

Ithaca's got to get by RPI and Union, and Brockport still looms for the Dragons

[XREDDRAGON77]

Purely hypothetical! Road is still long and rough, but obviously it can't be a repeat of last year! Fingers crossed for both teams the rest of the way.

[UfanBill]

Remember next year the Hilbert Hawks are scheduled to join the Empire 8. The second year program Hawks have yet to win a football game in their existence but could this be the week? They play 0-4 Gallaudet in our nation's capital on Saturday. Have the Hawks gotten better for playing a very ambitious schedule including Union and Endicott or have 60+ point losses to those schools just beaten them down both mentally and physically? I saw them play in their opener against Union and they looked organized, disciplined, well coached and enthusiastic but hugely out manned. If the Hawks have anything left can they play with the Bison? For the sake of the E8 let's hope Hilbert's program makes progress...They have remaining games at Hobart (good luck) and at new rival Buffalo State (maybe can play with them) before hosting Lyon (a first year program from Arkansas that's already won 2 games). Next year they'll be on your schedule. Let's Go Hawks!

[Pat Coleman]

Fun interesting addition to this game:
https://www.d3football.com/notables/2023/10/gallaudet-home-of-huddle-goes-heads-up

[UfanBill]

Fun interesting addition to this game:
https://www.d3football.com/notables/2023/10/gallaudet-home-of-huddle-goes-heads-up

Thanks for that link Pat. Gotta have a lot of respect for Gallaudet.