Football | 10/15/2022 8:53:00 PM
UTICA, NY - The historic start for the 2022 Utica University football team has turned into a historic run all together. The team defeated the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles 35-21 at home on Saturday night to improve to a perfect 6-0 record.
After Brockport won the toss and deferred until the second half, the Pioneers began the game with an efficient nine play, 82 yard drive that ate up 4:14 off the clock. The biggest plays on the drive were the final two; a 21 yard pass from Braeden Zenelovic to Doug Elsesser that set up a 25 yard catch and run by Nate Palmer for his first touchdown of the evening. Utica claimed a 7-0 lead after Corey Lichtman's point after was successful.
Anthony Testa of the Eagles responded with a 55 yard return on the ensuing kickoff for Brockport to set up shop at the Utica 39 yard line. What turned out to be an eight play, 20 yard possession from the Eagles turned into a missed 36 yard field goal as the Pioneers kept a 7-0 advantage.
Both teams failed to score on their next possessions, including another missed Brockport field goal from 24 yards, as the Pioneers regained possession of the ball ahead 7-0 with 10:53 left before halftime. However, Brockport applied pressure on Utica's third drive of the game starting with a five-yard sack of Zenelovic. On the next play while under pressure, Zenelovic's pass deflected off of a lineman's helmet and was caught in the air at the three yard line by Brockport's Jordan Harris as he would then fall forward into the end zone for a pick-six. The ensuing point after was good to tie the game at 7-7.
Utica's offense returned to form following Brockport's defensive score. With 7:12 left in the half, Zenelovic connected with Palmer in stride in the end zone on a 39 yard over the shoulder throw to put the team back ahead. Lichtman, who went 5-for-5 on PAT's tonight, drilled the ball through the pipes to make it 14-7.
The Utica defense forced a three-and-out on the Eagles' next possession before the offense came up with a 10 play, 66 yard drive that resulted in another Zenelovic to Palmer touchdown, the duo's third of the night, for a 21-7 lead at halftime.
Neither team could produce points on their first drives of the third quarter before Brockport turned in its longest drive of the night on its second go-around of the new half. On a 2nd and 11 from the Utica 42, quarterback Chris McGuire scrambled for a 42 yard touchdown to pull the Eagles to within seven points following the successful PAT. The score remained 21-14 in favor of Utica entering the fourth quarter with Brockport driving.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Eagles found the end zone on a 16 yard pass from McGuire to Testa to tie the game following the point after and wrap up a five play, 65 yard drive.
The Pioneers responded immediately thanks to a five play, 61 yard drive fueled by Zenelovic. After the signal caller's first pass was incomplete, he connected to Elsesser, Joey Nare and Palmer on the next three plays for a combined 45 yards through the air to take Utica from its own 38 up to the Brockport 21. On the next play, a 13 yard rush by Zenelovic set up a 1st and goal from the Eagles' three before he took it himself up the gut for six and put the team back ahead 28-21 with a tick under 12 remaining in the game.
A 5:09 drive by Brockport that resulted in just 19 yards and a punt set up the Pioneers from their own 20 with just over six minutes left. After a balanced attack brought Utica up to the Brockport 39 with just over 3:30 left, Zenelovic dropped back and tossed one up to a contested Nare in the end zone as he made a spectacular catch over the defender for six more on what was Zenelovic's fourth touchdown pass of the night and fifth total.
While the game looked to be put away, the Eagles took the ensuing kickoff 61 yards to the Utica 22 looking to spark a late comeback. However, a holding penalty on Brockport followed by a huge sack by Jimmie Warren backed the visitors up to a 3rd and 21 from the Utica 33. With one last play on 4th and 13 with no timeouts left, McGuire's pass was intercepted by Eli Douglas at the 10 to ice the game.
The Pioneers out-gained the Eagles on offense 427-294 on 62 plays and 32:32 possession time. Penalties would not prove to harm Utica as the team was flagged 13 times for 124 yards while Brockport was penalized just four times for 45 yards.
Zenelovic threw for a career high 324 yards on 20-of-24 passing while also setting career highs with four touchdown throws and five total scores. He was also the team's second leading rusher with 34 yards. Palmer had yet another monster performance with eight catches for 162 yards and three scores. Nare broke 50 yards on the night as he reeled in three catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Warren was a menace defensively all night gor Utica as he led the team with 11 total tackles, six solo tackles and each of the Pioneers' three sacks. Dan Amady (eight tackles), John Stroughn (six), Anthony McDonald (five) and Ben Arthur (five) were each active on defense all night as well.
Utica (6-0, 2-0 Empire 8) returns home next Saturday to host nationally ranked SUNY Cortland. Kickoff from Charles A. Gaetano Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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