St. John Fisher Tops Utica 35-24 in Matchup of Unbeaten Football Teams
In a battle of unbeaten teams, nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College improved to 5-0 on the year and 1-0 in the Empire 8 Conference, as the Cardinals picked up a 35-24 win at Utica College (4-1) in front of 3,567 fans on Saturday.
Fisher, ranked 20th in the AFCA poll and 24th in the d3football.com, racked up 511 yards of offense, while the defense held Utica to just three points over the final 39:52 and forced two turnovers in the second half.
The Cardinals converted 8-of-11 third downs, while Utica was 4-for-13 on third down attempts.
Tim Bailey passed for 290 yards and four touchdowns, while Dan Witkowski scored three touchdowns in the first half.
Utica jumped out to a 7-0 lead on its first possession. The Pioneers got the ball in Fisher-territory after Bailey fumbled on the first play from scrimmage.
Fisher, however, answered back and tied the game at 7-7, as the Cardinals drove 64 yards on 12 plays with Witkowski scoring on a 7-yard pass from Bailey.
Utica regained the lead on its next possession however driving six plays on 61 yards, making it 14-7.
Fisher tied the game early in the second quarter, as Witkowski scored his second touchdown of the day, diving into the right-corner of the endzone on a 20-yard pass from Bailey, making it 14-14.
Utica took the lead again at 21-14, capping a 7-play, 70-yard drive with 9:52 left in the second quarter.
Fisher tied the score for the third time in the night midway through the second quarter, as Witkowski scored his third touchdown of the night on a 47-yard crossing pattern. The touchdown tied the Fisher record for receiving touchdowns in a game and marked the second time in his career the senior has accomplished the rare feat.
Fisher took its first lead of the game on a four-yard run from FuQuan Borum, his eighth touchdown of the season, giving Fisher a 28-21 with 2:36 left in the first half. The big play of the drive came on a 46-yard bomb from Bailey to Ryan Francis.
Fisher, who led 28-21 at halftime, forced Utica to kick a field goal on the opening possession of the second half. The Pioneers had the ball at the Fisher 2, but a sack by Shawn Masood led to Utica settling for three points.
After a 40-yard interception return by Adam Burdick# on a third-and-15 play, giving the Cardinals the ball at the Utica 30, Fisher scored six on a 26-yard pass from Bailey to Ryan Schmidt.
The play came on a third-down play with Bailey escaping a sack to find Schmidt on the right sidelines, pushing Fisher’s lead to 35-24 late in the third quarter.
Utica tried to the cut the lead to eight points early in the fourth quarter, but a 38-yard field goal clanked off the left up-right.
Fisher drove the ensuing drive deep into Utica territory, but Ryan Kramer fumbled the ball out of the back of the end giving, giving Utica the ball at its own 20 with 7:19 left in the game.
Utica penetrated the Fisher 30, but Zach Dolan sealed the win with his first career interception at the Fisher 13.
For Fisher, Borum rushed for 93 yards on 20 carries, while Kramer gained 73 yards on 11 attempts. Schmidt caught eight passes for 80 yards, while Francis caught seven balls for 100 yards. Witkowski snagged five passes for 96 yards.
Brenden Moore led the Fisher defense with 11 tackles, while Burdick and Joe Leavell each made 10. Dolan finished with a career-high nine.
>Chad Monheim was a perfect 5-for-5 on extra points.