THE MATCHUP: Cortland hosts Springfield in the opening round of the 32-team NCAA Division III football playoffs. The winner advances to the second round versus either RPI or Endicott next Saturday.
THE SERIES: Cortland and Springfield are meeting for the 34th time, but the first time since 2000. The overall series is tied 16-16-1, including a Springfield victory at home in 2000 and a Cortland win at Davis Field, the Red Dragons' previous home facility, in 1999. The teams played every year from 1946-53, 1969-79 and 1987-2000. In the lone previous postseason meeting between the schools, Springfield defeated Cortland, 49-26, at Springfield in the 1995 ECAC Northeast Bowl.
CORTLAND CAPSULE: Cortland registered just the second 10-0 regular season in school history, and the first since 1988. The Red Dragons won the Empire 8 title with a 6-0 mark to earn their first NCAA playoff berth since 2015. The Red Dragons are making their 10th NCAA showing overall. Cortland advanced to the national quarterfinals in 1988 as part of a 16-team tournament field and in 2008 in a 32-team tournament. Cortland has won its last four first-round games (2008, 2010, 2012 and 2015), all at home.
Cortland ranks third nationally in Division III in scoring defense (8.4 points/game), fourth in total defense (198.2 yards/game), eighth in rushing defense (64.1 yards/game), 10th in passing defense (134.1 yards/game) and 13th in scoring offense (45.1 points/game).
Brees Segala, the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year, has completed 164-of-240 passes (68.3 percent) for 2,144 yards and 29 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He's also rushed for 344 yards and five touchdowns. Linebacker Dylan Dubuque, the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year, has 50 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, along with two forced fumbles, an interception, three pass breakups and two defensive touchdowns. Defensive lineman Nick Lardaro was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year after registering 37 tackles, including 5.5 sacks and 17 total tackles for loss.
Derek Cruz leads Cortland's receiving unit with 57 catches for 694 yards and nine touchdowns. JJ Laap has caught 41 passes for 670 yards and nine scores, and Trevor Ash has 29 receptions for 301 yards and six scores. Jaden Alfanostjohn, despite not playing until the third game of the season, leads the Red Dragons with 606 rushing yards, including six touchdowns.
Justin Wheeler is the team's leader with 63 tackles, followed by Christian Legagneur with 55 stops and Paul Imperiale with 54 tackles. Devin Smith shares the team lead with 5.5 sacks among his 37 tackles, and Mark Noel has a team-best four interceptions. Liam Casey averages 39.0 yards per punt and Nick Guglielmo is 47-for-53 on PAT kicks and 4-for-4 on field goal attempts.
Head Coach
Curt Fitzpatrick and his assistants were named Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year. He is in his second year at Cortland, but first season on the field, after seven seasons as head coach at Morrisville State.
He guided the Mustangs to four winning seasons (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019), including one conference championship title and three postseason ECAC bowl appearances. In 2014, Morrisville finished with a 9-2 mark, claimed a share of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) crown with a 6-1 league mark, and earned a berth to the ECAC North Central Bowl, where they captured the college's first postseason championship title as an NCAA Division III member. Fitzpatrick was voted the NJAC Co-Coach of the Year by his peers and was named the D3football.com East Region Coach of the Year.
Fitzpatrick served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utica College from 2008-12. He graduated from St. John Fisher College in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in management. A standout quarterback for the Cardinals, Fitzpatrick served as a team captain and was a four-year letterman. In his final season, he earned Empire 8 all-conference honors and set school passing records in touchdowns (30) and yards (2,366) while leading the program to a 10-2 overall record and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. He returned to his hometown of Fulton, N.Y., to coach quarterbacks and wide receivers at Fulton High School in 2005, and served as quarterbacks coach at St. John Fisher for two seasons from 2006-07. During those two years the Cardinals went a combined 23-4, won two Empire 8 crowns, and advanced to the NCAA semifinals (2006) and quarterfinals (2007).
A LOOK AT...SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE: Springfield rebounded from a 1-3 start to the season in non-league play to finish 6-0 in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) to earn the league's NCAA automatic berth. The Pride clinched the title last Saturday with a 28-14 win over Catholic in only their third home game of the season. Springfield is making its seventh NCAA tournament appearance and first since 2017. The Pride advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2000.
Springfield's triple option offense currently ranks second nationally in Division III with 365.9 rushing yards per game and 10th in time of possession (33:50/game). Fullback Tim Callahan has rushed for 732 yards and eight touchdowns, quarterback David Wells has 720 rushing yards and 10 scores, halfback Isaiah Cashwell-Doe has 698 rushing yards on only 64 carries, with six touchdowns, and fullback Patrick Ladas has 582 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Wells has completed only 10 passes, but those completions have covered 443 yards.
Aiden Lewin is Springfield's leader with 76 tackles, including 7.5 for losses, and he has intercepted two passes. DJ Brown has 63 tackles and two forced fumbles. Ronald Beard paces the Pride with three interceptions, and he shares the team lead with Damien Rabis with nine pass breakups. Christian Hutra, the NEWMAC Special Teams Player of the Year, is 8-for-10 on field goal attempts, with a long of 40 yards, and is 37-for-39 on PAT kicks. Patrick Tuohy averages 39.2 yards per punt.
Mike Cerasuolo took over as Springfield's head coach in January 2016. The NEWMAC Coach of the Year for the second time, Cerasuolo has an overall record of 36-16 (.692), which includes a 10-1 season in 2017 and an 8-3 mark and New England Bowl win in 2018. A 1993 Springfield alumnus, Cerasuolo was the Pride's offensive coordinator for 15 years prior to becoming head coach. His previous assistant coaching stops included one season as offensive coordinator at Cortland in 1996.
NOTEBOOK:
* Record Book Watch: Cortland is approaching the following school individual and team records:
Most PATs kicked, season:
49, Jeffrey Lang (49-for-52), 2008
47, Nick Guglielmo (47-for-53), 2021 (current)
47, Nick Mongelli (47-for-50), 2018
Highest Rushing Average per Attempt, season (minimum 100 attempts)
6.2, Dorian Myles, 2012 (123 carries, 765 yards)
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 2021 - currently 6.3 yards/carry (96 carries, 606 yards)
Touchdown Passes Thrown, season:
31, Dan Pitcher, 2011
29, Steven Ferreira, 2015
29, Brees Segala, 2021 (current)
Best Passing Efficiency Rating, season:
169.1, Steven Ferreira, 2015
163.1, Dan Pitcher, 2011
Brees Segala, 2021 - currently at 179.9 rating
Most Defensive Touchdowns, season:
3, Chuck Eich, 2003
2, Dylan Dubuque, 2021 (current)
Team, Most Victories, season
11 in 1988 (10-0 regular season, 1-1 NCAA playoffs)
11 in 2008 (9-1 regular season, 2-1 NCAA playoffs)
2021 team currently 10-0
Team Scoring Average, season:
39.3 points/game, 2018 (10 games)
2021 team currently averaging 45.7 points/game
Team, Most Interception Returns for Touchdowns, season:
4 in 2021 (10 games) (current)
4 in 2012 (11 games)
Team Lowest Sack Rate Allowed, season:
1.97 percent, 2019 (7 sacks on 355 pass plays - 348 passes plus 7 sacks)
2.50 percent, 2021 (7 sacks on 280 pass plays - 273 passes plus 7 sacks) (current)
3.58 percent, 2002 (12 sacks on 335 pass plays - 323 passes plus 12 sacks)
SCHOOL RECORDS ALREADY BROKEN:
Team, Blocked Kicks Returned for Touchdown, season:
6 in 2021 (previous record 3 in 2019)
Blocked Kicks, career:
11, Travis Alvarez (2016-17, 2019, 2021) (extended his own school record this season)
* Cortland finished the regular season with a 10-0 record, marking only the second time that's happened in school history. The 1988 Red Dragon squad was 10-0 and won its opening NCAA game versus Hofstra as part of a 16-team tournament field before losing at Ithaca in the national quarterfinals and ending 11-1. The only other Cortland team to win 11 games in a season was the 2008 unit that was 9-1 in the regular season and beat Plymouth State and Curry in the NCAA playoffs, in a 32-team field, before losing at Mount Union in the national quarterfinals to finish 11-2.
* Cortland enters the game ranked third nationally in Division III in scoring defense, allowing 8.4 points per game. The Red Dragons are also fourth in total defense (198.2 yards/game), eighth in rushing yards allowed (64.1/game) and 10th in passing yards allowed (134.1 yards/game). Over the past 50 years, Cortland's best scoring defense season came in 1989, when the Red Dragons posted a then-Division III record six shutouts and held teams to 6.1 points per game in the regular season (9.4 including the postseason). Prior to 1970, Cortland teams held opponents to under 10 points per game on numerous occasions, with the best mark of 2.3 points per contest in 1933.
* Cortland went 21 straight quarters without allowing a touchdown until Ithaca found the end zone in the third quarter during last week's Cortaca Jug game. Cortland opponents have scored eight touchdowns this season (seven on offense and one on defense). Conversely, Cortland has scored 64 touchdowns this year, including six on special teams (five blocked punt returns, one blocked field goal return) and five on defense (four interception returns, one fumble recovery).
* Cortland won its third Empire 8 title since joining the conference in 2015. The Red Dragons were outright league champs this fall with a 6-0 record, and were the league co-champion in both 2015 and 2019, earning an NCAA automatic berth 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, Brockport and Morrisville State - at one point played in the NJAC and are affiliate members of the E8 in football only. The other league teams - Alfred, Hartwick, St. John Fisher and Utica - are full conference members.
* Cortland continues to be on pace to break the school record for scoring average. The Red Dragons are averaging 45.7 points per game through 10 games, with at least 28 points scored in each contest and 45 or more points seven times. The school record for scoring average in a season is 39.3 points per game in 2018.
* Cortland is tied for third nationally with five defensive touchdowns, along with four other schools. Rose-Hulman and Westminster (Pa.) lead Division III with six defensive touchdowns each. Dylan Dubuque has scored two defensive touchdowns (one fumble recovery, one interception return), while Christian Legagneur, Stone Murray and Mark Noel have one defensive TD apiece. The school record for most defensive touchdowns by one player in a season is three by Chuck Eich (pronounced IKE) in 2003.
* Cortland ranks second in Division III nationally with six blocked punts (Wheaton (IL) is first with eight). The Red Dragons have set a school single-game record with five blocked punts returned for touchdowns. Cortland's other blocked punt nearly resulted in a score – a blocked a punt at TCNJ was recovered at the Lions' 3-yard line. The previous school record of three blocked punt touchdowns occurred in 2019. Adding in Cortland's blocked field goal for touchdown at St. John Fisher, the Red Dragons have returned six blocks for TDs this season, doubling the previous school mark of three from 2019.
* Cortland ranks second nationally in red zone offense (at or inside the opponents' 20-yard line) with a 93.5 percent success rate. The Red Dragons have scored on 43 of its 46 red zone trips with 38 touchdowns and five field goals. The three Red Dragon red-zone failures this year were taking a knee at the end of a home win over Buffalo State, a fumble at Morrisville State that resulted in the Mustangs' fumble return for a touchdown, and a blocked field goal versus Alfred. Cortland has allowed its opponents inside the red zone only 19 times, resulting in 12 scores (five touchdowns, seven field goals), a blocked field goal, an interception, a fumble, and four turnovers on downs.
* Senior Brees Segala and his brother, current running backs coach
Brett Segala, are believed to be the first brothers to each start at quarterback at Cortland. Brett played in 26 games, 24 as a starter, from 2016-19 and is Cortland's career leader in passing yardage (6,518), completions (467) and touchdown passes (59). Their father, James, was a standout quarterback and baseball catcher at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was inducted into the Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. Brees and Brett are both named after quarterbacks who went on to legendary NFL careers – Drew Brees and Brett Favre.
* Cortland head coach
Curt Fitzpatrick has won his first 10 games as the Red Dragons' head coach - the best winning streak to start a Cortland football coaching career. The best unbeaten debut by a Cortland coach belongs to Carl "Chugger" Davis, who began his career with an 11-0-6 mark (4-0-3 in 1932, 5-0-2 in 1933, and 2-0-1 before losing in 1934). Davis had a combined record of 24-2-7 in his first five seasons from 1932-36.
* A total of 23 different players have scored for Cortland through nine games this season, the most by a Red Dragon team since at least 1978. The 2012 and 2019 teams each had 19 players reach the scoring column, while the 2007 and 2011 teams each had 18 players score.
* Cortland is 6-5 all-time in overtime games, with the last a 32-26 home loss to Brockport in 2019. All 11 games were decided in the first extra session. Cortland's first-ever overtime game came at Springfield in 1996, with the Red Dragons winning, 33-30, on a Brian Anthony field goal.
* On Sept. 21, it was announced that the 2022 Cortaca Jug rivalry game between Cortland and Ithaca will be played at Yankee Stadium. Tickets sales for that game began on Nov. 16. The teams set the Division III single-game attendance record in 2019 with 45,161 fans at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
* Cortland and Springfield rank in the top 40 nationally in Division III in the following team and individual categories:
CORTLAND:
2nd, Red Zone Offense, 93.5 pct.
2nd, Third Down Conversion Percentage, 55.6 pct.
2nd, Blocked Punts, 6
3rd, Scoring Defense, 8.4 pts./game
3rd, Defensive Touchdowns, 5
3rd, Third Down Conversion Percentage Defense, 20.3 pct.
4th, Total Defensse, 198.2 yds./game
4th, Team Passing Efficiency Defense, 83.1 opponent rating
5th, Blocked Kicks (included blocked punts), 8
6th, Net Punting, 38.7 net yds./punt
8th, Rushing Defense, 64.1 yds./game
8th, Punt Return Defense, 1.1 yds./return
9th, Sacks Allowed, 0.7/game
10th, Passing Yards Allowed, 134.1 yds./game
12th, Team Passing Efficiency, 171.4 rating
13th, Scoring Offense, 45.1 pts./game
13th, First Downs Defense, 129
19th, Fumbles Recovered, 11
20th, Completion Percentage, 65.9 pct.
21st, Blocked Kicks Allowed, 1
22nd, Turnover Margin, plus-1.1/game
22nd, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage, 60.0 pct.
24th, Tackles for Loss Allowed, 3.8/game
25th, Punt Returns (included blocked punt returns), 13.9 yds./return
27th, First Downs Offense, 226
27th, Passes Had Intercepted, 5
27th, Red Zone Defense, 63.2 pct.
29th, Turnovers Gained, 23
34th, Time of Possession, 32:31/game
(Cortland is one of 12 unbeaten teams in Division III)
Tommy Heuer, 3rd, Punt Return Touchdowns (includes blocked punt returns), 2
Carl Greene, Mike Pellittiere and DJ Trent, 10th, Punt Return Touchdowns (includes blocked punt returns), 1
Justin Wheeler, 7th, Fumbles Recovered, 3
Brees Segala, 8th, Passing Efficiency, 179.9 rating
Brees Segala, 12th, Passing Touchdowns, 29
Brees Segala, 13th, Completion Percentage, 68.3 pct.
Dylan Dubuque, 13th, Blocked Kick, 3
Brees Segala, 14th, Points Responsible For, 20.4/game
Brees Segala, 22nd, Yards per Pass Attempt, 8.9 yds./attempt
Stone Murray, 22nd, Blocked Kicks, 2
Nick Lardaro, 25th, Tackles for Loss, 1.7/game
Devin Smith, 26th, Forced Fumbles, 0.3/game
Christian Legagneur, 27th, Fumbles Recovered, 2
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 29th, Rush Yards per Carry, 6.3 yds./attempt
Derek Cruz, 37th, Receiving Touchdowns, 9
JJ Laap, 37th, Receiving Touchdowns, 9
SPRINGFIELD:
1st, Blocked Kicks Allowed, 0 (one of 20 teams to not allow a blocked kick this season)
1st, Passing Yards per Completion, 23.4 yds./completion
2nd, Rushing Offense, 365.9 yds./game
7th, Red Zone Offense, 89.6 pct.
10th, Time of Possession, 33:50/game
11th, Punt Return Defense, 2.0 yds./return
13th, First Downs Offense, 243
13th, Passes Had Intercepted, 4
17th, Net Punting, 36.8 net yds./punt
25th, Sacks Allowed, 1.0/game
30th, Third Down Conversion Percentage, 47.3 pct.
Christian Hutra, 9th, Field Goal Percentage, 80.0 pct.
2021 Cortland Weekly Award Winners (game date/opponent in parentheses)
Travis Alvarez, Offensive Line
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Nov. 13 vs. Ithaca)
Joshua Cordero, Defensive Back
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 18 vs. Buffalo State)
Derek Cruz, Wide Receiver
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 23 vs. Utica)
Dylan Dubuque, Linebacker
Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 16 at Hartwick)
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 30 vs. Alfred)
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Nov. 6 at St. John Fisher)
Paul Imperiale, Linebacker
Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 23 vs. Utica)
Brees Segala, Quarterback
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 4 at Wittenberg)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 11 at TCNJ)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 9 vs. Brockport)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 6 at St. John Fisher)
Justin Wheeler, Linebacker
Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 11 at TCNJ)
Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 9 vs. Brockport)
SCHEDULES/RESULTS:
CORTLAND (10-0)
Sept. 4 at Wittenberg (OH)............................ W 38-16
Sept. 11 at The College of New Jersey.......... W 49-6
Sept. 18 BUFFALO STATE............................. W 58-9
Oct. 2 * at Morrisville State........................... W 58-7
Oct. 9 * BROCKPORT.................................. W 31-10
Oct. 16 * at Hartwick...................................... W 48-3
Oct. 23 * UTICA.............................................. W 45-0
Oct. 30 * ALFRED.......................................... W 47-3
Nov. 6 * at St. John Fisher............................ W 55-3
Nov. 13 ITHACA............................................ W 28-27
* Empire 8 game (6-0) HOME GAMES IN CAPS
SPRINGFIELD (7-3)
Sept. 4 at Western New England (MA)......... L 13-24
Sept. 11 at Rowan (NJ)................................ W 46-24
Sept. 18 at Union........................................... L 23-30
Sept. 25 at Husson (ME)................................ L 21-26
Oct. 9 * COAST GUARD ACAD. (CT)......... W 60-0
Oct. 16 * at Norwich (VT)............................. W 56-7
Oct. 23 * at WPI (MA).................................... W 46-17
Oct. 30 * MERCHANT MARINE ACAD. ........ W 28-23
Nov. 6 * at MIT.............................................. W 17-7
Nov. 13 * CATHOLIC (DC)............................ W 28-14
* NEWMAC game (6-0) HOME GAMES IN CAPS
CORTLAND vs. SPRINGFIELD – SERIES RECORD
(Series tied 16-16-1)
Year Winner............... Score Site
1946 Cortland............. 14-12 Springfield
1947 Springfield.......... 22-7 Cortland
1948 Springfield.......... 28-6 Springfield
1949 Springfield.......... 30-7 Cortland
1950 Springfield.......... 21-7 Springfield
1951 Springfield.......... 28-12 Cortland
1952 Tie...................... 14-14 Springfield
1953 Springfield.......... 34-6 Cortland
1969 Cortland............. 40-21 Springfield
1970 Springfield.......... 21-12 Cortland
1971 Cortland............. 14-12 Springfield
1972 Cortland............. 17-10 Cortland
1973 Springfield.......... 34-20 Springfield
1974 Cortland............. 31-0 Cortland
1975 Cortland............. 20-0 Springfield
1976 Cortland............. 17-15 Cortland
1977 Springfield.......... 62-0 Springfield
1978 Cortland............. 14-6 Cortland
1979 Springfield.......... 27-14 Springfield
1987 Springfield.......... 48-28 Springfield
1988 Cortland............. 7-3 Cortland
1989 Cortland............. 10-0 Springfield
1990 Cortland............. 41-14 Cortland
1991 Springfield.......... 20-13 Springfield
1992 Cortland............. 26-6 Cortland
1993 Springfield.......... 55-33 Springfield
1994 Cortland............. 35-0 Cortland
1995 Springfield.......... 49-26 Springfield (ECAC Northeast Bowl)
1996 Cortland............. 33-30 (OT) Springfield
1997 Cortland............. 24-8 Cortland
1998 Springfield.......... 62-34 Springfield
1999 Cortland............. 21-18 Cortland
2000 Springfield.......... 48-28 Springfield