ALFRED, NY – A two-yard touchdown plunge by quarterback Tyler Johnson with 21 seconds left in the game gave the Alfred University football team a 20-16 victory over visiting Utica College Saturday afternoon at Yunevich Stadium.
With the thrilling victory, in which AU twice had to rally from, behind, the Saxons improved to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in Empire 8 Conference play, keeping alive their hopes for a conference title and a trip to the NCAA playoffs. With the loss, Utica falls to 4-5 (3-4 E8).
After Utica's Thomas Woodburn booted a 22-yard field goal with 9:52 left in regulation, Alfred took possession at its own 9-yard line and drove 91 yards in 15 plays for the winning score. Johnson's 24-yard pass to junior wideout Brendan Buisch to the Pioneer 15-yard line on fourth-and-11 kept the drive alive.
After two runs by Johnson and one by junior wide receiver Maleke Fuentes gave the Saxons first-and-goal at the Utica 2-yard line, Johnson rushed up the middle for his second TD of the game. Alfred's two-point conversion attempt failed and the Saxons led by four. Utica took the ensuing kickoff and made it to midfield before Pioneer quarterback Teddy VanGalen was sacked twice: the second by junior strong safety Liam Hobbins ended the game.
AU found itself in an early hole, as the Saxons turned the ball over at their own 34-yard line 47 seconds into the contest, leading to a 45-yard Woodburn field goal 3:11 into the game. AU punted on its next two possessions, with Utica's Josh Connor returning the second 48 yards for a touchdown, giving the Pioneers a 10-0 lead with 6:48 left in the opening frame.
Alfred got on the board late in the second. After the Saxons took possession at their own 28-yard line following a punt, Johnson hit Buisch with a 69-yard TD pass on second-and-7 to make it 10-7 Utica with 4:31 left in the half.
The AU offense struggled in the game's first 30 minutes. Aside from the big Johnson-to-Buisch scoring play, AU mustered just 145 yards of offense (including 34 rushing yards) through two quarters while turning the ball over twice. Utica didn't fare much better, producing 166 yards, with just 61 coming through the air. AU had come into the game averaging 171 rushing yards per game, while Utica possessed one of the E8's top passing games (289 yards per game).
Utica boosted its lead to six points, at 13-7, early in the third on a 26-yard Woodburn field goal with 10:18 left in the third, capping an 11-play 54-yard drive. The Pioneers had been poised to do more damage, as they had a first-and-goal from the AU 2-yard line. Two rushes put the ball at the Alfred 1-yard line before VanGalen was sacked at the Pioneer 9 by AU sophomore linebacker A.J. Licata.
The teams exchanged punts before AU took its first lead of the game, driving 35 yards in six plays following a short punt. Johnson's four-yard run with 3:33 left in the third and the ensuing PAT put the Saxons up, 14-13.
Woodburn's third field goal of the game, which put his team back on top, came after the Pioneers again failed to reach the endzone from in close. Utica had a first-and-goal at the Alfred 3-yard line, but managed just one yard on two runs before Hobbins tackled Mike Cottle for a three-yard loss on third down.
Johnson finished with 171 yards passing, completing nine of 20 passes with one score, and ran for 25 yards and two TDs. Buisch caught four passes for 127 yards and a score, while Fuentes finished with 59 yards on eight carries to pace the Saxons' ground attack. Freshman wideout Emile Frigon caught three passes for 35 yards.
Cottle ran for a game-high 115 yards on 19 attempts while VanGalen completed 18 of 32 passes for 166 yards. Connor caught seven passes for 70 yards and Mike DeRusso had four catches for 42 yards.
Licata finished with 11 tackles (nine solo), including three for loss and a sack, forced a fumble and broke up three passes. Senior linebacker Corry Wallace had 10 tackles (two for loss and a sack), while Hobbins (seven tackles, two for loss) and senior tackle Mike Steffan (three tackles, two for loss) each had a sack. Junior cornerback Shyheim Wingate had five tackles and broke up two passes.
Nick Woodman had six tackles (three for loss, one sack) and Juwan Wilson had 12 tackles (two for loss, one sack) to lead the Pioneer defense. Mike Sullivan added four tackles and a forced fumble and Dehstin Smart had three tackles and an interception.
AU wraps up its regular season next Saturday, Nov. 14, at 1 p.m. at St. John Fisher. A win over the Cardinals would clinch a share of the Empire 8 crown for the Saxons. An AU win, combined with a Cortland loss at Ithaca, would give Alfred the E8 title outright and send the Saxons to the NCAA championship tournament for the first time in five years