Football | 10/3/2026 4:25:00 PM
MORRISVILLE, NY – The Alfred State football team overcame a second-half deficit and rushed for 387 yards as the Pioneers defeated SUNY Morrisville, 33-21, on Saturday afternoon at Drake Field. With the victory, Alfred State improves to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
Xzavier Patrick led a dominant rushing attack with 190 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Chase Shepanski added 148 rushing yards and a score while completing 15-of-27 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Jackson hauled in five receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown, while Liam Rogers added two catches, including a touchdown reception.
As a team, Alfred State piled up 508 yards of total offense, including 387 on the ground, and controlled possession for 39:33. The Pioneers converted 13 of their 25 third- and fourth-down attempts and finished with 28 first downs.
Defensively, Chris Bergman and Trevor Maly each recorded seven tackles. Julio Santiago finished with 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss, while Aaron Ellis added a half-sack. The Pioneers limited Morrisville to 216 total yards and just 56 passing yards.
After a scoreless first quarter, Alfred State broke through early in the second. Xzavier Patrick capped a six-play, 61-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run to give the Pioneers a 6-0 advantage. Later in the quarter, quarterback Chase Shepanski powered in from one yard out and Matthew Perry's extra point pushed the lead to 13-0.
SUNY Morrisville responded before halftime with a four-yard touchdown run, trimming the Alfred State lead to 13-7 at the break.
The Mustangs seized momentum in the third quarter. Morrisville had two rushing touchdowns to regain a 21-13 lead midway through the period.
The Pioneers answered with an impressive 13-play, 64-yard march. On fourth-and-four, Shepanski connected with Jordan Jackson for a 16-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 21-19 heading into the fourth quarter.
Alfred State continued its comeback early in the final frame. A methodical 11-play drive ended with a five-yard touchdown pass from Shepanski to Liam Rogers. The Pioneers successfully converted the two-point attempt on a pass from Jackson to take a 27-21 lead with 9:42 remaining.
The defense then came up with a crucial stop, forcing a turnover on downs deep in Pioneer territory. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Alfred State put the game away when Patrick broke free for a 46-yard touchdown run with 3:37 left to extend the lead to 33-21.
The Pioneers will have a bye this upcoming weekend before returning home on October 17 to host SUNY Brockport. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 pm.