Cortland Looks to Claim Fifth Straight E8 Title against Brockport Saturday

Football | 11/7/2025 3:32:00 PM

SUNY Cortland looks to clinch its fifth straight Empire 8 crown with a win over Brockport in a battle of two of the conference's top teams. Cortland, ranked 15th nationally by the AFCA and 20th by D3football.com, enters the game with a 6-0 league record and is playing its final conference contest. Brockport is 4-1 in the league; if the Golden Eagles win, they can clinch the Empire 8 title on Nov. 15 with a victory at home versus Utica. Cortland can still win the title with a loss to Brockport if the Golden Eagles lose to Utica.

SUNY CORTLAND FOOTBALL NOTES
Cortland Red Dragons (7-1, 6-0 Empire 8) vs. Brockport Golden Eagles (6-2, 4-1 Empire 8)
Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025; Noon; Grady Field; Cortland, N.Y.

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($6 Adults; $5 Senior citizens (65+), Youth ages 5-17 and Veterans; Free for SUNY Cortland students/faculty/staff with college ID)

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THE SERIES: Cortland and Brockport are meeting for the 76th time. The teams have played every season since 1948, except for 1950 (the 2020 season was canceled). Cortland leads the overall series 53-20-2, including four straight wins from 2021-24. Brockport won six of the seven games contested from 2013-19, while Cortland won five straight from 2008-12.
 
Last season, Cortland clinched the Empire 8 title with a thrilling 29-28 win at Brockport. Mike Baloga, currently a Red Dragon student assistant coach, made a 38-yard field goal with 27 seconds left to give Cortland its lone lead of the day. Nazair Jean-Lubin secured the win with an interception at the Cortland 12-yard line with 11 seconds left after Brockport's Daniel Manneh returned a kickoff 57 yards to the Red Dragon 33-yard line. Sam Cotton led Cortland with 10 receptions for 140 yards and a TD and Jayson Zeva finished with nine catches for 121 yards and a score. Brockport's Ben Gocella completed 15-of-32 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns and Isaiah Simmons ran 26 times for 101 yards.
 
CORTLAND CAPSULE: Mike Rescigno tied the school single-game record with five touchdown passes, and the Red Dragons' six total TD passes also tied a school record, as Cortland won at Alfred State, 49-7, last Saturday. Rescigno completed 16-of-26 passes for 251 yards and the five scores, while Craig Galea went 4-for-4 for 17 yards and a TD. Joe Iadevaio caught two TD passes, while Jacque LaPrarie, Sam Cotton, Jayson Zeva and Andrew Fiore each had a scoring reception. Matt Lotter and Gavin Guers led the team with six tackles each, and Nazair Jean-Lubin registered an interception, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery.
 
Rescigno is Cortland's leading rusher with 111 carries for 843 yards (105.4 per game, 7.6 per attempt) and 10 touchdowns. He's completed 90-of-152 passes for 1,240 yards and 17 touchdowns. Ethan Gallo averages 73.9 rushing yards per game with nine touchdowns, along with one receiving score. Cortland's top four receivers are within three catches of each other. Zeva leads the team with 21 receptions for 197 yards and three scores, Cotton has 20 catches for 380 yards and three touchdowns, LaPrarie has caught 19 passes for team highs of 381 yards and six scores, and Iadevaio has 18 receptions for 231 yards and four touchdowns.
 
Aidan Lochner paces the defense with 47 tackles and three fumble recoveries. Lotter has 42 tackles and Alessandro DeRosa has made 40 stops. Jean-Lubin leads the Red Dragons with four interceptions and 10 pass breakups. Sonny Mayo and Memphis Ferguson each have forced two fumbles, and Aden Wiser is the team leader with 6.5 sacks. Cole Callard is 43-of-43 on PAT kicks and 5-for-8 on field goal attempts and Gavin Dandrea averages 36.4 yards on 25 punts.
 
Tom Blumenauer is in his first season as Cortland's head coach. He 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...SUNY BROCKPORT: Brockport comes into the game with a 6-2 record, with both of its losses occurring in overtime - 30-24 at current Liberty League co-leader RPI on Sept. 20 and 31-24 at St. John Fisher on Oct. 4.
 
Last Saturday, the Golden Eagles scored a combined 41 points over the second and third quarters to defeat visiting Alfred University, 51-0. Isaiah Simmons ran 22 times for a season-high 236 yards and three touchdowns, highlighted by a 99-yard TD run midway through the third quarter. Ben Gocella was 18-of-26 passing for 158 yards and a score and Daniel Manneh caught nine passes for 125 yards and a TD. Luca Friedman recorded three tackles for loss, including two sacks, and a forced fumble. Friedman, Jahmere Clarke and Nazhier Wilson each finished with five tackles. Zach McGowan made all three of his field goals, the longest from 41 yards out.
 
For the season, Simmons has rushed 180 times for 1,078 yards and 16 touchdowns and has one receiving touchdown. He ranks seventh nationally in Division III with 134.8 rushing yards per game and he's tied for fourth nationally with 17 total touchdowns. Gocella is 134-of-188 passing (71.3 pct.) for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Manneh leads the Golden Eagles with 53 receptions for 758 yards and seven scores and Nathan Williams has caught 22 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Friedman leads the Brockport defense with 46 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. Liam Nealy has 36 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups and Colton Thorp has a team-best six pass breakups. McGowan is 6-for-6 on field goals and 26-of-29 on PAT kicks, and Connor Parker averages 40.7 yards on 16 punts. Manneh averages 40.3 yards per kickoff return and 12.6 yards per punt return. He returned a kickoff 80 yards for a score and a punt 67 yards to paydirt in Brockport's home win versus Hartwick.
 
Jason Mangone is in his 13th year as Brockport's head coach and enters the game with an overall record of 95-36 (.725). He joined the Golden Eagles' coaching staff in 1998 and was the program's offensive coordinator from 2003 until his promotion to head coach. Brockport won three straight Empire 8 titles from 2017-19. The 2017 squad, featuring current Cortland offensive line coach Mark Sanchez starting at center, finished 13-1 overall (10-0 regular season) and advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals. The 2018 squad also went 10-0 in the regular season (11-1 overall) and lost in the NCAA second round, and the 2019 team was 9-3 and advanced to the NCAA second round. Mangone also led Brockport to ECAC bowls 2013, 2016, 2023 and 2024.
 
Mangone played two years at Alfred University before transferring to Brockport in 1997. He started at quarterback in 1997 and 1998, and he set school single-season records for completion percentage and efficiency rating in his first year. Mangone graduated from Brockport in 2000 and earned a master's degree from the school in 2012.
 
NOTEBOOK:
 
* Cortland enters Saturday's game with a 32-game winning streak in Empire 8 play dating back to late in the 2019 season. Cortland's last league loss was a 32-26 overtime loss at home to Brockport on Nov. 2, 2019, and the Red Dragons' last Empire 8 loss in regulation was at Brockport, 21-16, on Nov. 3, 2018. 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) and 2024 (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, finishing 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 new addition 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, Hartwick, St. John Fisher and Utica also are full conference members. Hilbert was an Empire 8 member in 2024 but moved to the Liberty League in 2025.
 
* Mike Rescigno has rushed for 843 yards through eight games - the highest total by a Cortland quarterback in a single season. The previous record of 774 yards was set by Zac Boyes in 15 games in 2023. Rescigno is ranked second in Division III nationally for rushing average by a quarterback at 105.4 yards per game. Jamarrius Courtney of Crown (Minn.) is first at 155.0 yards per game.
 
* Cortland has allowed only 10 touchdowns and seven field goals in seven games this fall. Of those 10 touchdowns, two came on interception returns (Grove City and Union) and another was in the final nine seconds by Hartwick in a 59-9 Cortland win.
 
* Cortland is tied for second nationally in Division III with 24 turnovers gained (Randolph-Macon is first with 28, while Cortland is tied Adrian). The Red Dragons have intercepted 13 passes and have recovered 11 fumbles.
 
* Cortland is tied for fifth nationally in Division III in red zone offense, scoring 39 out of 41 times (95.1 pct.) when reaching the opponent 20-yard line. The 39 scores included 34 touchdowns along with five field goals. Cortland also excels in stopping teams in the red zone - the Red Dragons are seventh nationally in red zone defense, allowing scores just 57.9 percent of the time (11-of-19) with six touchdowns and five field goals.
 
* Mike Rescigno became just the fourth Cortland player since 2011 to be responsible for six touchdowns in a game with his four TD passes and two rushing touchdowns on Oct. 18 versus Alfred. The other Red Dragons since 2011 to be responsible for at least six touchdowns in a game were:
 
Dan Pitcher at Brockport (64-43 Win on 11/5/11) - 5 TD passes, 2 TD rushes
Steven Ferreira vs. Hartwick (48-45 OT Win on 10/3/15) - 4 TD passes, 2 TD rushes
Zac Boyes at Morrisville (52-15 Win on 9/30/23) - 4 TD passes, 2 TD rushes
 
* Cortland averages 2.5 sacks per game. Cortland's 20 sacks include 12 different players with at least a half sack. Aden Wiser's team-high 6.5 sacks this season include 2.5 in the opening week versus Grove City and three at Morrisville. The last Cortland player with at least 2.5 sacks in a game twice in the same season was Ben Nagle in 2007 (3.0 at Kean; 4.0 at home vs. Union in the ECAC Northeast Bowl).

* Cortland and Brockport rank in the top 40 nationally in Division III in the following team and individual categories:
 
CORTLAND:
 
2nd, Fumbles Recovered, 11
2nd, Turnovers Gained, 24
2nd, Team Passing Efficiency Defense, 87.2 opponent rating
5th, Red Zone Offense, 95.1 pct. (39-of-41)
7th, Red Zone Defense, 57.9 pct. (11-of-19)
8th, Scoring Defense, 11.0 pts./game
9th, Sacks Allowed, 0.6/game
11th, Interceptions, 13
12th, Passing Yards Allowed, 143.5 yds./game
14th, Rushing Offense, 239.8 yds./game
20th, Turnover Margin, plus-1.1/game
23rd, Total Defense, 257.3 yds./game
26th, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage Defense, 33.3 pct.
26th, Defensive Touchdowns, 2
27th, Scoring Offense, 40.5 pts./game
29th, Punt Returns, 12.8 yds./return
35th, First Downs Defense, 118
 
Ravi Dass Jr., 1st, Punt Returns, 20.3 yds./return
Nazair Jean-Lubin, 3rd, Passes Defended (Interceptions plus Breakups), 1.8/game
Aidan Lochner, 3rd, Fumbles Recovered, 3
Mike Rescigno, 5th, Rush Yards per Carry, 7.6 yds./rush
Anthony Luciano, 16th, Fumbles Recovered, 2
Nazair Jean-Lubin, 17th, Interceptions, 0.5/game
Mike Rescigno, 17th, Points Responsible For, 20.3 pts./game
Mike Rescigno, 24th, Rushing Touchdowns, 10
Mike Rescigno, 26th, Rushing, 105.4 yds./game
Jacque LaPrarie, 26th, Yards per Reception, 20.1 yds./catch
Aden Wiser, 31st, Sacks, 0.8/game

BROCKPORT:
 
2nd, Total Defense, 183.6 yds./game
2nd, First Downs Defense, 84
4th, Rushing Defense, 45.6 yds./game
5th, Team Tackles for Loss, 8.8/game
7th, Team Passing Efficiency Defense, 93.9 opponent rating
8th, Scoring Defense, 11.0 pts./game
9th, Passing Yards Allowed, 138.0 yds./game
11th, Third Down Conversion Percentage Defense, 26.8 pct.
12th, Third Down Conversion Percentage, 53.5 pct.
12th, Tackles for Loss Allowed, 3.1/game
13th, Completion Percentage, 69.7 pct.
16th, Sacks Allowed, 75.0 pct.
21st, Red Zone Defense, 65.0 pct. (13-of-20)
21st, Net Punting, 37.8 net yds./punt
25th, Red Zone Offense, 88.9 pct. (32-of-36)
26th, Defensive Touchdowns, 2
29th, Scoring Offense, 39.9 pts./game
30th, Team Passing Efficiency, 162.4 rating
30th, Time of Possession, 32:36/game
31st, Total Offense, 444.8 yds./game
33rd, Rushing Offense, 209.9 yds./game
33rd, First Downs Offense, 184
38th, Fumbles Recovered, 7
40th, Sacks, 2.6/game
 
Isaiah Simmons, 3rd, Rushing Touchdowns, 16
Isaiah Simmons, 4th, Total Touchdowns, 17
Isaiah Simmons, 5th, Scoring, 12.8 pts./game
Kyle Slywka, 5th, Punt Return Touchdowns, 1
Daniel Manneh, 5th, Punt Return Touchdowns, 1
Daniel Manneh, 6th, Kickoff Return Touchdowns, 1
Isaiah Simmons, 7th, Rushing Touchdowns, 134.8 yds./game
Ben Gocella, 12th, Completion Percentage, 71.3 pct.
Daniel Manneh, 16th, Punt Returns, 12.5 yds./return
Isaiah Simmons, 18th, All-Purpose Yards, 151.5 yds./game
Daniel Manneh, 19th, All-Purpose Yards, 144.6 yds./game
Ben Gocella, 24th, Passing Efficiency, 169.2 rating
Daniel Manneh, 28th, Receptions, 6.6/game
Isaiah Simmons, 31st, Rush Yards per Carry, 6.0 yds./rush
Ben Gocella, 32nd, Yards per Pass Attempt, 8.9 yds./attempt
Daniel Manneh, 35th, Receiving Yards, 94.8 yds./game

2025 Cortland Weekly Award Winners (game date/opponent in parentheses)
 
Cole Callard, Fr., Kicker
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 20 at Hartwick)
 
Ethan Gallo, Jr., Running Back
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 25 at St. John Fisher)
 
Matt Lotter, Sr., Linebacker
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 4 vs. Utica)
 
Anthony Luciano, Jr., Safety
Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 13 vs. Union)
 
Mike Rescigno, So., Quarterback
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 27 at Morrisville)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 18 vs. Alfred Univ.)
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 1 at Alfred State)

SCHEDULES/RESULTS:

CORTLAND (7-1, 6-0 Empire 8)

Sept. 6           GROVE CITY (PA)................................. L 14-31
Sept. 13          UNION.................................................. W 30-6
Sept. 20         * at Hartwick........................................... W 59-9
Sept. 27         * at Morrisville........................................ W 48-3
Oct. 4             * UTICA.................................................. W 28-13
Oct. 18           * ALFRED UNIV. .................................... W 65-12
Oct. 25           * at St. John Fisher................................. W 31-7
Nov. 1             * at Alfred State...................................... W 49-7
Nov. 8            * BROCKPORT....................................... 12:00
Nov. 15           at Ithaca................................................. 12:00

* Empire 8 game      HOME GAMES IN CAPS

BROCKPORT (6-2, 4-1 Empire 8)
 
Sept. 4            at Buffalo State...................................... W 41-0
Sept. 13          HOBART................................................ W 14-10
Sept. 20         at RPI...................................................... L 24-30 (OT)
Sept. 27         * HARTWICK........................................... W 56-0
Oct. 4             * at St. John Fisher.................................. L 24-31 (OT)
Oct. 18           * ALFRED STATE.................................... W 48-14
Oct. 25           * at Morrisville.......................................... W 61-3
Nov. 1             * ALFRED UNIV. .................................... W 51-0
Nov. 8            * at Cortland............................................. 12:00
Nov. 15           * UTICA................................................... 2:00
 
* Empire 8 game      HOME GAMES IN CAPS
 

CORTLAND vs. BROCKPORT – SERIES RECORD
(Cortland leads 53-20-2)