SUNY CORTLAND FOOTBALL NOTES
Cortland Red Dragons (4-0, 2-0 Empire 8) vs. Utica Pioneers (4-0, 1-0 Empire 8)
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026; 1 p.m.; Charles A. Gaetano Stadium; Utica, N.Y.

TICKETS: $5; can be purchased at the gate (cash preferred)

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THE MATCHUP: Cortland heads to Utica in a battle of undefeated and nationally ranked teams for a crucial Empire 8 contest. Cortland (4-0, 2-0 E8) is ranked 16th in Division III by the AFCA and 17th by D3football.com, while the Pioneers (4-0, 1-0 E8) are 21st in the AFCA poll and 22nd in the D3football.com poll.
 
THE SERIES: Cortland is 12-1 lifetime versus Utica. The Red Dragons won at home last season, 28-13, and Cortland won the previous five meetings decisively - a 45-7 win at Utica in 2024, a 56-3 decision at home in 2023, a 48-21 win at Utica in 2022, and 45-0 and 44-12 victories at home in 2021 and 2019, respectively. The previous four games in the series, however, were much tighter. Cortland won by seven points in Utica in 2018, by one point at home in 2017, and by seven points in overtime at home in 2015, while Utica won, 24-13, at home in 2016. The schools also faced each other during the first three years that Utica played a full varsity schedule from 2001-03.
 
Last season, Mike Rescigno ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns and completed 11-of-15 passes for 143 yards and a score in Cortland's victory. Sam Cotton and Jacque LaPrarie each caught TD passes, with LaPrarie's TD coming off a 41-yard pass from Cotton after a handoff. Matt  Lotter finished with nine tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and blocked an extra point kick. Aidan Lochner and Allen  Flore Jr. each intercepted a pass. Utica quarterback Tyler Szalkowski finished 23-of-44 passing for 339 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions and Logan Frederick caught nine passes for 135 yards and a TD.
 
CORTLAND CAPSULE:  Jacque LaPrarie tied a school single-game record with three touchdown receptions, and Cortland held an opponent without an offensive touchdown for the third straight game, in last weekend's 62-6 home win over Morrisville. Cortland outgained Morrisville in total offense, 586-134, including a 314-34 rushing advantage. The Red Dragons had a 40:28-19:32 advantage in time of possession and held the Mustangs to 0-for-12 on third-down conversions and 0-for-1 on fourth down.
 
LaPrarie, the Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week, is the 18th player in school history to catch three TD passes in a game. He finished with four receptions for 91 yards, including 11-yard and 39-yard TD grabs in the final 1:17 of the first half and a 12-yard TD catch with 8:22 left in the third. Sonny Mayo finished with an interception and a fumble recovery, Wilkenson Joseph forced a fumble, and Aidan Lochner led the team with six tackles. George Gjelaj broke up two passes and Lochner had one pass breakup. Cole Callard made both of his field goal attempts and was 8-for-8 on PAT kicks.
 
Over its last three games, Cortland has shut out Union, 26-0, allowed a late field goal in a 55-3 win over Hartwick, and kept Morrisville's offense out of the end zone. The Mustangs' points came via an interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter.
 
Mike Rescigno, one of five Cortland QBs versus Morrisville, finished 19-of-30 passing for 227 yards and four scores. Through four games, Rescigno has rushed for 378 yards (94.5 per game) with four touchdowns and is 58-of-96 passing (60.4 percent) for 785 yards and eight touchdowns with one interception. Ethan Gallo has carried 53 times for 281 yards (70.3 per game) with six touchdowns. Joe Iadevaio has a team-high 20 receptions for 201 yards. Jayson Zeva has caught 13 passes for 187 yards and three scores, and LaPrarie has nine catches for a team-high 208 yards, and is tied with Zeva with three TD grabs.
 
Lochner paces the Red Dragons with 22 tackles, followed by Joe Galea with 18 stops. Galea leads the Red Dragons with 3.5 sacks and six total tackles for loss. Memphis Ferguson has 16 tackles and three pass breakups, and Anthony Luciano has 15 tackles. Callard has made 21-of-23 PAT kicks and is 4-for-5 on field goal attempts, including 4-for-4 from inside 40 yards. Gavin Dandrea averages 39.4 yards on 11 punts with five inside the 20 and one touchback.

Cortland ranks fifth nationally in Division III in scoring defense, allowing 6.8 points per game. The Red Dragons rank eighth nationally in rushing defense (39.5 yards/game), 10th in total defense (179.5 yards/game), and ninth in rushing offense (262.3 yards/game).
 
Tom Blumenauer is in his second season as Cortland's head coach and is currently 12-3 (.800) with the Red Dragons. He and his assistants were named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year in 2025. Blumenauer came to Cortland from Franklin & Marshall, where he led the program to a combined 21-11 record, including an 11-8 mark in the competitive Centennial Conference, from 2022-24. The Diplomats won postseason bowl games versus Delaware Valley in 2024 and King's (Pa.) in 2023. Prior to F&M, "Coach Blu" served as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Williams College for six years from 2016-21, and his prior coaching stops include Bowdoin in 2015, Endicott in 2014 and St. Lawrence from 2010-13.
 
A 2007 Ithaca College graduate, Blumenauer played outside linebacker and free safety for the Bombers for two seasons from 2005-06. He was a two-time All-Empire 8 selection and was named to the 2006 Football Gazette All-East Region team. He's a native of Brentwood, N.Y., and was a football and wrestling standout at Brentwood High School.
 
A LOOK AT...UTICA UNIVERSITY:  Utica has opened the season 4-0 for the first time since 2023 after winning its Empire 8 opener at previously unbeaten Alfred State, 58-13, last Saturday. The Pioneers moved into the top 25 in both the D3football.com and AFCA polls, marking for the first time the program has been ranked during the regular season (Utica was ranked 20th by D3football.com in the final poll following the postseason).
 
Tyler Szalkowski completed 23-of-30 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in the win at Alfred State. Gabriel Zawolo caught seven passes for 109 yards and a score, and Drevariis Yeomas ran eight times for 108 yards and a touchdown. Eze Frazier finished with 13 carries for 79 yards and two touchdowns. Nico Duarte was perfect on three field goals, connecting from 38, 31 and 20 yards. Isaish Thomas led Utica's defense with 12 tackles and Nathan Hernandez finished with nine tackles, an interception and a pass breakup.
 
Szalkowski is one the nation's top passers this fall, ranking third nationally in Division III with 26.5 completions per game, fourth with 335.8 passing yards per contest, fifth in completion percentage at 75.7 percent, and 10th in total offense with 324.8 yards per game. Duarte is the national leader with 2.8 field goals made per game and a 100 percent field goal accuracy mark. Thomas ranks eighth in the country with 11.8 tackles per game, and Zawolo is ninth with 8.5 receptions per game.
 
Utica ranks second nationally with 12 turnovers gained, sixth with 102 first downs, and ninth with 335.8 passing yards per game. The Pioneers are also ninth nationally with seven interceptions and ninth with a plus-2.0 turnover margin.
 
Blaise Faggiano is in his 19th season as Utica's head coach. His overall record with the Pioneers is 102-82 (.554), including a 10-2 record and the program's first-ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2022. Utica won at Susquehanna in the NCAA opening round that season before losing at Mount Union in the second round. Faggiano's Utica squads also posted an 8-3 record and hosted the ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl last year and went 9-2, capped by a win over Hobart in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl, in 2024. The Pioneers registered 7-4 marks and made ECAC bowl game appearances in 2014, 2016 and 2018, and went 6-5 with an ECAC berth in 2021. Prior to his arrival at Utica, Faggiano spent nine seasons as defensive coordinator at St. John Fisher. He's a 1993 Ithaca alumnus, and as a player he helped the Bombers win the 1991 NCAA Division III title.
 
NOTEBOOK:
 
* Cortland has a 35-game Empire 8 winning streak dating back to late in the 2019 season. The Red Dragons have been a member of the Empire 8 since 2015. The Red Dragons won the outright league title and NCAA automatic bid in 2021 (6-0), 2022 (6-0), 2023 (6-0), 2024 (7-0) and 2025 (7-0) and were co-champions in both 2015 and 2019, earning an NCAA bid in 2015. Cortland also finished second or tied for second in the league in 2017 and 2018. Cortland previously competed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) for 15 seasons from 2000-14 and finished in at least a tie for first place six times. Three current Empire 8 members - Cortland, Morrisville and Brockport - at one point played in the NJAC. Cortland, Morrisville and Alfred State are affiliate members of the E8 in football only. Brockport moved from affiliate to full-time status in the league in 2024. Alfred University, Hartwick, St. John Fisher and Utica also are full conference members.
 
* During Cortland's current 35-game Empire 8 winning streak, only three games were decided by two scores or less. The margin of victory breakdown during the streak is:
 
33+ points              23 times
25-32 points           3 times
17-24 points           6 times
9-16 points             2 times (28-13 vs. Utica, 2025) (32-21 at Hartwick, 2019)
1-8 points               1 time (29-28 at Brockport, 2024)
 
Cortland's last Empire 8 loss was a 32-26 home overtime setback versus Brockport in 2019.
 
* Cortland is 6-5 all-time in overtime games, with the last its 32-26 home loss to Brockport in 2019. All 11 games were decided in the first extra session.
 
* Cortland and Utica rank in the top 40 nationally in Division III in the following team and individual categories:
 
CORTLAND:

5th, Scoring Defense, 6.8 pts./game
7th, Team Passing Efficiency Defense, 79.6 opponent rating
8th, Rushing Defense, 39.5 yds./game
9th, Rushing Offense, 262.3 yds./game
10th, Total Defense, 179.5 yds./game
11th, First Downs Offense, 98
14th, Time of Possession, 35:05/game
19th, Total Offense, 471.3 yds./game
21st, Scoring Offense, 42.8 pts./game
27th, Passing Yards Allowed, 140.0 yds./game
33rd, Turnovers Lost, 3
34th, Third Down Conversion Percentage Defense, 23.5 pct.
34th, First Downs Defense, 41
35th, Fumbles Lost, 1
36th, Red Zone Offense, 91.3 pct.

Cortland is one of undefeated 46 Division III teams (15 of those are 4-0)

Ethan Gallo, 12th, Rushing Touchdowns, 6
Mike Rescigno, 18th, Rush Yards per Carry, 7.4 yds./attempt
Ethan Gallo, 21st, Total Touchdowns, 6
Cole Callard, 21st, Field Goal Percentage, 80.0 pct.
Cole Callard, 25th, Field Goals, 1.0/game
Mike Rescigno, 28th, Total Offense, 290.8 yds./game
Chris Carter Jr., 28th, Fumbles Recovered, 1
Sonny Mayo, 28th, Fumbles Recovered, 1
Mike Rescigno, 30th, Rushing Touchdowns, 4
Mike Rescigno, 30th, Points Responsible For, 18.0 pts./game
Mike Rescigno, 35th, Passing Touchdowns, 8
Jacque LaPrarie, 35th, Yards per Reception, 23.1 yds./catch
 
UTICA:

2nd, Turnovers Gained, 12
6th, First Downs Offense, 102
6th, Fumbles Recovered, 5
9th, Passing Offense, 335.8 yds./game
9th, Interceptions, 7
9th, Turnover Margin, plus-2.0/game
11th, Completion Percentage, 73.1 pct.
25th, Total Offense, 461.5 yds./game
26th, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage, 77.8 pct.
27th, Defensive Touchdowns, 1
32nd, Scoring Offense, 39.5 pts./game
32nd, Time of Possession, 33:38/game
33rd, Sacks, 3.3/game
35th, Fumbles Lost, 1
37th, Team Passing Efficiency Defense, 104.3 opponent rating

Utica is one of undefeated 46 Division III teams (15 of those are 4-0)
 
Nico Duarte, 1st, Field Goal Percentage, 100.0 pct.
Nico Duarte, 1st, Field Goals, 2.8/game
Tyler Szalkowski, 3rd, Completions, 26.5/game
Tyler Szalkowski, 4th, Passing Yards, 335.8 yds./game
Tyler Szalkowski, 5th, Completion Percentage, 75.7 pct.
Isaiah Thomas, 8th, Tackles, 11.8/game
Gabriel Zawolo, 9th, Receptions, 8.5/game
Tyle Szalkowski, 10th, Total Offense, 324.8 yds./game
Nico Duarte, 10th, Scoring, 12.0 pts./game
Gabriel Zawolo, 13th, Receiving Touchdowns, 5
Tyler Szalkowski, 19th, Passing Touchdowns, 9
Nathan Hernandez, 19th, Interceptions, 0.8/game
Tyshawn Taylor, 22nd, Receiving Yards, 108.0 yds./game
Tyler Szalkowski, 25th, Passing Efficiency, 173.2 rating
Gabriel Zawolo, 25th, Punt Returns, 12.0 yds./return
Tyler Szalkowski, 26th, Yards per Pass Attempt, 9.6 yds./attempt
Five players (Calvin Crews, Charlie Higgins, Darrien Insogna, Jack Lamphere, Brady Rhatigan), 28th, Fumbles Recovered, 1
Eze Frazier, 30th Rushing Touchdowns, 4
Gabriel Zawolo, 34th, Total Touchdowns, 5
Logan Frederick, 38th, Receptions, 6.3/game

2026 Cortland Weekly Award Winners (game date/opponent in parentheses)
 
Joe Galea, Sr., Linebacker
Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 12 at Union)
 
Jacque LaPrarie, Sr., Wide Receiver
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 26 vs. Morrisville)
 
Mike Rescigno, Jr., Quarterback
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 19 vs. Hartwick)


SCHEDULES/RESULTS:

CORTLAND (4-0, 2-0 Empire 8)
 
Sept. 5            at Grove City (PA)................................. W 28-18
Sept. 12          at Union................................................. W 26-0
Sept. 19          * HARTWICK......................................... W 55-3
Sept. 26         * MORRISVILLE......................................W 62-6
Oct. 3             * at Utica.................................................. 1:00
Oct. 17            * at Alfred Univ. .................................... 12:00
Oct. 24           * ST. JOHN FISHER................................ 1:00
Oct. 31            * ALFRED ST. ....................................... 1:00
Nov. 7             * at Brockport.......................................... 12:00
Nov. 14           Ithaca (Yankee Stadium)........................ 1:00
 
* Empire 8 game      HOME GAMES IN CAPS
 
UTICA (4-0, 1-0 Empire 8)

Sept. 5            WASH. & JEFF. (PA).............................. W 26-11
Sept. 12          at RPI..................................................... W 38-14
Sept. 19          HOBART................................................. W 36-29
Sept. 26         * at Alfred State........................................ W 58-13
Oct. 3             * CORTLAND.......................................... 1:00
Oct. 10           * at Morrisville.......................................... 12:00
Oct. 24           * ALFRED UNIV. .................................... 12:00
Oct. 31            * at St. John Fisher................................. 2:00
Nov. 7            * at Hartwick............................................. 1:00
Nov. 14           * BROCKPORT...................................... 12:00
 
* Empire 8 game      HOME GAMES IN CAPS


CORTLAND vs. UTICA – SERIES RECORD
(Cortland leads 12-1)
 
Year             Winner···························· Score                       Site
2001             Cortland··························· 45-8                         Utica
2002             Cortland··························· 58-12                       Cortland
2003             Cortland··························· 43-7                         Utica
2015             Cortland··························· 47-40 (OT)               Cortland
2016             Utica··································24-13                       Utica
2017             Cortland··························· 24-23                       Cortland
2018             Cortland··························· 45-38                       Utica
2019             Cortland··························· 44-12                       Cortland
2021             Cortland··························· 45-0                         Cortland
2022             Cortland··························· 48-21                       Utica
2023             Cortland............................56-3                         Cortland
2024             Cortland............................45-7                         Utica
2025             Cortland............................28-13                       Cortland