SUNY CORTLAND FOOTBALL NOTES
50th Annual Cortaca Jug Game
Cortland (9-0) vs. Ithaca College (8-1)
Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008; 12 p.m.; SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex; Cortland, N.Y.
Game broadcast live on WXHC, Homer (101.5 FM and www.wxhc.com)
Game televised live by Time Warner Sports Channel 26 (Central New York Region)
TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT

THE MATCHUP: Cortland looks to complete its first unbeaten, untied regular season since 1988 and second overall as the Red Dragons host rival Ithaca College in the 50th Annual Cortaca Jug game. Cortland, 9-0, has already clinched an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III playoffs by virtue of its New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) title, but a win over the Bombers could give the Red Dragons a regional top seed in the tournament.

Ithaca, 8-1, is guaranteed a share of the Empire 8 title with a 5-1 league mark and would earn the league's NCAA automatic bid if Alfred defeats St. John Fisher Saturday. The Bombers, however, can put themselves in great position for an NCAA at-large berth with a victory over the Red Dragons.

Cortland enters the game ranked sixth nationally by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and seventh by D3football.com. Ithaca is ranked 18th by the AFCA and 17th by D3football.com.

THE SERIES: This is the 50th time that Cortland and Ithaca are playing for the Cortaca Jug. The schools actually started playing in 1930 and have met every year since 1948. Ithaca leads the overall series 37-26-3. In 1959, however, Cortland captain Tom Decker and Ithaca captain Dick Carmean originated the Cortaca Jug as the prize for the winner of the “Route 13 Rivalry.” Each year, the game's result is printed on the Jug. The first Jug ran out of room for scores in the mid-1980's, necessitating a second Jug that sports the most recent results.

Ithaca leads the Jug series 32-17, which does not include the Bombers' 1988 NCAA playoff win over the Red Dragons. Cortland, however, is 7-5 versus the Bombers since 1996, including wins four of the last six years. Ithaca, however, currently possesses the Cortaca Jugs after its convincing 40-17 victory at home last November in front of approximately 9,700 fans.

The Red Dragons won in overtime both in 2006 (23-20 in Cortland) and 2005 (37-30 at Ithaca), as well as victories in 2003 (16-15 at Ithaca) and 2002 (16-12 in Cortland). Of the last 11 games, nine have come down to the final two minutes with the outcome in doubt. The only games in that span that weren't close were last year's contest and the 2004 game in Cortland, when Ithaca pulled away from a 23-22 lead late in the third quarter to win 47-22.

CORTLAND CAPSULE: Senior tailback Andrew Giuliano rushed 21 times for 146 yards and tied his career high with four touchdowns, and senior quarterback Ray Miles completed 20-of-30 passes for a career-best 348 yards and two scores as Cortland defeated Brockport, 42-30, at home last Saturday.

Giuliano set a school record for touchdowns scored in a season with 21 and became the seventh player at Cortland to rush for more than 2,000 career yards (2,142). He is also the school single-season record-holder with 126 points scored. Omar Darling set the previous school season records with 18 touchdowns and 108 points scored in 1998.

Cortland senior wide receiver Zacc Guaragno made eight catches for 156 yards and a touchdown and senior Eric Hajnos finished with four receptions for 103 yards and a score. Four Cortland players posted double-figure tackle totals. Senior linebacker Jim Smith recorded 19 tackles, nine solo, and an interception and earned both NJAC Defensive Player of the Week and ECAC Division III Southeast Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Sophomore linebacker Colan Shue had 15 tackles, sophomore linebacker Brian Haas made 11 tackles and picked off a pass and sophomore safety Chris Hanlon recorded 10 tackles. Freshman cornerback D.J. Romano registered two interceptions, forced a fumble and made eight tackles. Romano and Smith were both selected to the D3football.com national “Team of the Week” for their efforts.

Giuliano's 1,188 rushing yards this season (132.0 per game) is the third-highest total in school history. Miles has completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 2,174 yards and 14 touchdowns. He's the third Cortland quarterback to pass for 2,000 yards in a season twice, having accomplished the feat with 2,157 yards last year. The others are Jeff Humble (1998 and 1999) and J.J. Tutwiler (2001 and 2002). Senior Jeffrey Lang has been a double-threat this fall as Cortland's kicker (7-11 field goals, 36-39 PAT kicks) and starting tight end (22 catches, 328 yards, 2 TD). Smith paces the team with 89 tackles and Romano, despite taking over a starting cornerback role in mid-season, leads the squad with four interceptions.

Head coach Dan MacNeill is in his 12th season with the Red Dragons. He has a record of 78-44 (.639), ranking first at Cortland in career winning percentage and second in career victories. The winning percentage leader prior to this season was Dennis Kayser with a 26-15 mark (.634) from 1986-89, and Carl “Chugger” Davis is the school's victory leader with a 105-67-17 mark between 1932-62 (no games from 1943-45 due to World War II). MacNeill will be coaching Cortland in the postseason for the seventh time this fall – his teams made previous NCAA showings in 1997 and 2005 and ECAC appearances in 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2007. MacNeill is a 1979 Cortland alumnus and played linebacker and defensive tackle from 1975-78.

A LOOK AT...ITHACA COLLEGE: Ithaca guaranteed itself a share of the Empire 8 title with a 43-35 victory at Alfred University last Saturday. The Bombers led 43-21 early in the fourth quarter before holding off a late rally by the Saxons. Ithaca overcame injuries to starting quarterback Dan Juvan and starting tailback Thomas Bergerstock in the game. Tailback Dan Ruggiero rushed 25 times for 192 yards and four touchdowns and Brian Grastorf completed 9-of-16 passes for 161 yards and a score. Matt Scalice made 15 tackles and recorded two pass breakups.

Bergerstock has enjoyed one of the best seasons by an Ithaca running back with 1,203 yards and a school single-season record 20 touchdowns in eight games. He ranks fifth on the school's single-season rushing yardage list.  Juvan has passed for 1,682 yards (59.9 completion percentage) and 11 touchdowns. Tight end Brian Weverbergh is the Bombers' top receiver with 37 catches and is second with 537 yards and four touchdowns. Kyle Crandall leads the team in those categories with 539 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Scalice is Ithaca's top tackler with 60 stops and John Scanlon has 59 tackles, 10 for lost yardage. Jason Chier is third on the team with 44 tackles and tops the club with four interceptions.

This year marks the 38th consecutive winning season for the Bombers. Head Coach Mike Welch is participating in his 28th Cortaca Jug game as head coach, assistant coach or player. He took over as Ithaca's head coach in 1994 and has an overall record of 120-42 (.741), including a 7-7 record against Cortland.

 NOTEBOOK:

* At halftime, Cortland will honor its 1988 squad that went 10-0 in the regular season. They eventually finished 11-1 and tied for fifth in the NCAA Division III playoffs. They are the only Cortland football team to go unbeaten and untied during an entire regular season. A number of the players from that team are expected to be in attendance along with head coach Dennis Kayser.

* Cortland's 10-game winning streak (dating back to its ECAC win versus Union last November) is tied for third-longest among current streaks in Division III. Monmouth College (IL) has won 13 straight games, followed by Trine University (IN) with 11 in a row. Cortland is one of three schools, along with Trinity College (CT) and Millsaps College (MS), that has won 10 straight. Cortland's last loss came at Ithaca last November.

* Cortland remains atop the ECAC Lambert Meadowlands Division III poll for the fifth straight week. Ithaca moved up one spot to fourth. The poll, which represents the top teams in the East region, is as follows:

ECAC Lambert Meadowlands Div. III Poll (Nov. 10)
1. Cortland (9-0), 78 pts.
2. Muhlenberg (PA) (9-0), 72 pts.
3. Wesley (DE) (7-1), 60 pts.
4. Ithaca (8-1), 53 pts.
5. Washington & Jefferson (PA) (8-1), 39 pts.
6. Montclair St. (NJ) (8-1), 31 pts.
7. Trinity (CT) (8-0), 30 pts.
8. Salisbury (MD) (7-2), 27 pts.
9. RPI (7-1), 19 pts.
10. Hobart (7-1), 15 pts.

* Cortland and Ithaca are the top two teams in the latest NCAA East Region rankings. The rankings (along with those from the other three NCAA regions) are eventually used to help determine NCAA playoff at-large selections as well as tournament seeding.

NCAA East Region Rankings (Nov. 12)
1. Cortland (9-0 regional, 9-0 overall)
2. Ithaca (7-1, 8-1)
3. Montclair St. (8-1, 8-1)
4. Hobart (7-1, 7-1)
5. RPI (7-1, 7-1)
6. Hartwick (6-2, 6-2)
7. Plymouth St. (8-1, 9-1)
8. Rowan (7-2, 7-2)
9. Curry (9-1, 9-1)
10. Albright (7-2, 7-2)

* Ray Miles is on pace to record the best passing efficiency rating in one season at Cortland. His current rating is 163.2, and the school record (minimum 100 pass attempts) is 157.5 by Alex Smith in 2006, followed by J.J. Tutwiler with ratings of 153.7 in 2001 and 137.7 in 2002. The rating, which has been calculated by the NCAA since 1979, weighs four statistics – completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdowns per attempt and interceptions per attempt.

* Cortland has scored on 34 of its 39 trips (87.2 percent) into the “red zone” (inside opponent's 20-yard line) through nine games with 27 touchdowns and seven field goals. One of Cortland's five “failures” resulted from taking a knee at the end of the game at Western Connecticut. The Red Dragons were 5-of-6 versus Brockport last week with five touchdowns and a missed field goal.  Since 2000, the Red Dragons' best red zone success rates were 82 percent last fall and 81 percent in both 2001 and 2006. Cortland's opposition this season is 24-of-32 (75 percent) in the red zone with 21 touchdowns and three field goals, along with two missed field goals, two interceptions, a fumble and three turnovers on downs.

* Cortland and Ithaca rank in the top 30 nationally in Division III in the following statistical categories:

Cortland – Team NCAA Top 30 Ranks
13th, Passing Efficiency Rating, 163.4
13th, Kickoff Returns, 24.0 yards/return
20th, Rushing Defense, 85.4 yards/game
27th, Tackles for Losses, 7.8/game
tied 30th, Scoring Offense, 34.8 points/game
35th, Passing Offense, 246.3 yards/game

Cortland – Individual NCAA Top 30 Ranks
Andrew Giuliano, 6th, Scoring, 14.0 points/game
Andrew Giuliano, 18th, Rushing, 132.0 yards/game
Ray Miles, 12th, Passing Efficiency Rating, 163.2
Derrick Woodard, 23rd, Kickoff Returns, 27.1 yards/return
Kyle Peterson, 25th, Punting, 39.6 yards/punt
Zacc Guaragno, tied 26th, Receiving Yardage, 101.6 yards/game

Ithaca – Team NCAA Top 30 Ranks
10th, Punt Returns, 16.4 yards/return
17th, Total Offense, 443.1 yards/game
18th, Scoring Offense, 38.2 points/game

Ithaca – Individual NCAA Top 30 Ranks
Jason Chier, 7th, Punt Returns, 17.6 yards/return
Thomas Bergerstock, tied 7th, Scoring, 13.3 points/game
Thomas Bergerstock, 14th, Rushing, 135.7 yards/game

* Cortland has completed 36 passes of 20 yards or more in nine games this season, compared to 29 such passes in 11 games in both 2006 and 2007.

* Ray Miles ranks third on Cortland's career touchdown passing chart with 39, which includes 14 this season along with 19 last year and six as a sophomore. Cortland's career leader is J.J. Tutwiler with 45 from 2000-03, followed by Dick Puccio with 40 from 1988-91.

* Only seven times in school history has Cortland won a game when allowing 30 or more points, and two of those games have been this season. In the season opener, the Red Dragons won at Morrisville 51-37 – the most points ever given up by Cortland in a win. Last week, Cortland defeated Brockport, 42-30. The previous five occasions came versus Albany in 1987 (37-35), at Springfield in 1996 (33-30, OT), at Buffalo State in 1998 (58-31), versus Rowan in 2001 (32-31) and at Ithaca in 2005 (37-30, OT).

* Three players on this year's team are familiar faces from previous seasons, but did not play last year. Linebacker Josh Jablonski played two games in 2002 before an injury ended his season. He played full seasons in 2003-05 and used his 2002 medical redshirt in 2006. However, an injury limited him to two games that year, and he received a hardship waiver to earn another season of eligibility, which he's using this season. Defensive back Mark Schaller played in 2004 and 2005 before concentrating on just playing as a point guard in basketball the last two years (he played four years of basketball total). Also returning this year is Derek Ziders, who was a kicker in 2004 and 2005 and a long-snapper in 2006 but did not play last season. Ziders was also part of the program in 2003 and redshirted in the last year Division III allowed non-medial redshirt seasons for players who did not see game action.

* Sophomore cornerback Joe Lopez recorded five pass breakups at Kean in September, the most by a Red Dragon player in one game since Steve McGowan broke up six passes in a home win versus Brockport on Oct. 7, 1989.

* Cortland's roster this season features three sets of brothers – senior linebacker Jim Smith and freshman running back Bill Smith, senior tailback Andrew Giuliano and sophomore wide receiver Anthony Giuliano, and sophomore quarterback Dan Pitcher and freshman offensive lineman Matt Pitcher. In addition, four current Red Dragons are brothers of players who have been on the Cortland roster within the last two years – sophomore fullback Dom Sair (defensive back Stef Sair), sophomore linebacker Brian Haas (defensive lineman Adam Haas), sophomore running back Chris Rickert (running back Matt Rickert) and sophomore defensive back David Landesberg (defensive back Adam Landesberg).

* Senior Jeffrey Lang turned in a rare statistical feat earlier this season in Cortland's win at Kean. Both Cortland's starting tight end and kicker, Lang made a 34-yard field goal and all three of his point-after kicks. He also caught a two-point conversion pass from holder Wayne Wheeler on a broken play and finished with five receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown. He is the first player in school history to score on a touchdown, a field goal, a two-point conversion and an extra-point kick in the same game. In fact, no previous Cortland player ever scored all four ways in the same season.

Cortland's Weekly Award Winners (game date/opponent in parentheses)

Andrew Giuliano, Sr., Tailback
NJAC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 6 at Morrisville)
D3football.com National “Team of the Week” (Sept. 6 at Morrisville)
NJAC Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 1 at The College of New Jersey)

Jeffrey Lang, Sr., Kicker/Tight End
D3football.com National “Team of the Week” (kicker) (Sept. 27 at Kean)
NJAC Special Teams Player of the Week (kicker) (Oct. 25 vs. William Paterson)

D.J. Romano, Fr., Cornerback
NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Week (Oct. 4 vs. Buffalo St.)
D3football.com National “Team of the Week” (Nov. 8 vs. Brockport)

Jim Smith, Sr., Linebacker
NJAC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 20 at Rowan)
ECAC Southeast Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 20 at Rowan)
D3football.com National “Team of the Week” (Sept. 20 at Rowan)
NJAC Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 8 vs. Brockport)
ECAC Southeast Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 8 vs. Brockport)
D3football.com National “Team of the Week” (Nov. 8 vs. Brockport)

Bryan Wiley, Jr., Defensive End
D3football.com National “Team of the Week” (Nov. 1 at The College of New Jersey)


SCHEDULES/RESULTS:

 
CORTLAND (9-0)
Sept. 6    * at Morrisville                             W 51-37
Sept. 20    * at Rowan (NJ)                         W 27-20
Sept. 27    * at Kean (NJ)                           W 32-28
Oct. 4    * BUFFALO ST.                              W 35-14
Oct. 11    * MONTCLAIR ST. (NJ)                 W 23-17
Oct. 18    * at Western Conn. St.                 W 41-14
Oct. 25    * WILLIAM PATERSON (NJ)          W 38-0
Nov. 1    * at The College of New Jersey      W 24-18
Nov. 8    * BROCKPORT                             W 42-30
Nov. 15    ITHACA                                     12:00

* NJAC game (9-0)  (HOME GAMES IN CAPS)

ITHACA (8-1)
Sept. 6    LYCOMING (PA)                        W 17-16
Sept. 13    at King's (PA)                          W 38-28
Sept. 20    * HARTWICK                           W 69-42
Sept. 27    * at St. John Fisher                 L 6-37
Oct. 11    * at Norwich (VT)                      W 41-6
Oct. 18    FROSTBURG ST. (MD)                W 51-24
Oct. 25    * UTICA                                    W 42-7
Nov. 1    * SPRINGFIELD (MA)                   W 37-8
Nov. 8    * at Alfred                                  W 43-35
Nov. 15    at Cortland                               12:00

* Empire 8 game (5-1)   (HOME GAMES IN CAPS)
 
CORTLAND vs. ITHACA – SERIES RECORD
(Ithaca leads overall series 37-26-3 and Cortaca Jug series 32-17)

 
Year    Winner       Score      Site
1930    Cortland    12-0        Cortland   
1931    Ithaca       12-6         Ithaca
1932    Tie             0-0          Ithaca
1933    Tie             6-6         Cortland   
1934    Ithaca        7-0         Ithaca
1948    Cortland    19-0       Cortland
1949    Cortland    32-7       Ithaca
1950    Ithaca        7-6        Cortland
1951    Ithaca        13-6       Ithaca
1952    Cortland    39-6       Cortland
1953    Cortland    32-0       Ithaca
1954    Tie             13-13    Cortland
1955    Cortland    28-0       Ithaca
1956    Cortland    37-0       Cortland
1957    Cortland    32-13      Ithaca
1958    Cortland    16-6       Cortland
1959    Cortland    13-7        Ithaca
1960    Ithaca        12-6       Cortland
1961    Ithaca        34-0        Ithaca
1962    Ithaca        24-12      Cortland
1963    Ithaca        22-7        Ithaca
1964    Cortland    16-0        Cortland
1965    Ithaca        13-12      Ithaca
1966    Cortland    24-11      Cortland
1967    Cortland    11-7        Ithaca
1968    Cortland    34-13      Cortland
1969    Ithaca        36-28      Ithaca
1970    Cortland    7-0          Cortland
1971    Ithaca        21-13      Ithaca
1972    Cortland    21-16      Cortland
1973    Ithaca        41-33      Ithaca
1974    Ithaca        34-33      Cortland
1975    Ithaca        21-6        Ithaca
1976    Ithaca        28-12      Cortland
1977    Ithaca       38-17       Ithaca
1978    Ithaca        27-13      Cortland
1979    Ithaca       42-7         Ithaca
1980    Ithaca        24-7        Cortland
1981    Ithaca        42-0        Ithaca
1982    Cortland    21-17      Cortland
1983    Ithaca       49-26       Ithaca
1984    Ithaca       42-6         Cortland
1985    Ithaca       41-0         Ithaca
1986    Ithaca       40-12       Cortland
1987    Ithaca       37-15       Ithaca
1988    Cortland    21-20      Cortland
1988    # Ithaca    24-17       Ithaca
1989    Ithaca       28-0         Ithaca
1990    Ithaca       28-14       Cortland
1991    Ithaca       23-14       Ithaca
1992    Cortland   22-20       Cortland
1993    Ithaca       32-14       Ithaca
1994    Ithaca       15-13       Cortland
1995    Ithaca        35-19      Ithaca
1996    Cortland    41-13      Cortland
1997    Cortland    33-28      Ithaca
1998    Ithaca       37-29       Cortland
1999    Cortland    26-21       Ithaca
2000    Ithaca        19-14       Cortland
2001    Ithaca        21-14       Ithaca
2002    Cortland    16-12       Cortland
2003    Cortland    16-15       Ithaca
2004    Ithaca        47-22       Cortland
2005    Cortland    37-30 (OT)  Ithaca
2006    Cortland    23-20 (OT)  Cortland
2007    Ithaca       40-17       Ithaca

# NCAA quarterfinals