BRONX, N.Y. – The Jugs are returning to South Hill as the nationally ranked No. 11/12 Ithaca College football team defeated No. 9/11 SUNY Cortland, 34-17, in the 63rd Cortaca Jug Game at Yankee Stadium on November 12. The Bombers are now 38-25 in the series as 40,232 fans packed into Yankee Stadium on the final regular season game to witness IC improve to 10-0.
Ithaca won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Cortland received the kick and returned it to 29-yard line. The Red Dragons' drive quickly came to an end as Matt DeSimpliciis notched a sack of Zac Boyes on third down.
The Bombers began their opening drive near midfield and immediately moved deep into Cortland territory with a 28-yard completion from A.J. Wingfield to Jon Crowley. Three plays later, Jake Williams hauled in a pass and rumbled 10 yards to give IC a 7-0 lead with 10:31 left in the first quarter.
Cortland knotted the game at 7-7 on its next drive as Boyes connected with JJ Laap for a 10-yard strike with 3:25 to go.
IC continued to roll early on as the Bombers put three more points on the board to make it a 10-7 game with a 37-yard field goal from Nicholas Bahamonde on the final play of the quarter. The Bombers marched 56 yards on eight plays, which was aided by a pair of 15-yard penalties on Cortland.
The Bombers' lead grew to 17-7 at the 10:14 mark of the second quarter as Michael Anderson scored off a touch pass from Wingfield and raced around the right side, avoiding a few Cortland defenders to the way to the end zone. That scoring drive traveled 60 yards on nine plays as IC ran for 33 yards.
Wingfield went 9-for-10 for 89 yards in the first half.
IC then forced the first of two Cortland turnovers on the next drive as Michael Roumes forced a strip sack of Boyes and Matt DeSimpliciis recovered at the Ithaca 42-yard line with 5:18 remaining in the half.
The Bombers were unable to capitalize on the takeaway and had to punt the ball back to the Red Dragons with just over three minutes left.
Cortland threatened to close out the half with points, but Boyes was intercepted by DeSimpliciis in the end zone with 11 seconds on the clock. DeSimpliciis returned the pick to the 16-yard line and IC went into the half with a 17-7 advantage.
Anthony D'Addetta returned second half kickoff 87 yards down to the Cortland 12-yard line. The Bombers had to settle for a 24-yard field goal from Bahamonde to give IC a 20-7 edge with 13:15 remaining.
Cortland pulled back to within a score at 20-14 with 6:52 left as Jaden Alfanostjohn punched in a touchdown from 1-yard out. Boyes was a menace for the IC defense during the drive as he ran for 63 yards.
The Red Dragons then forced a turnover as JC Mertz stripped Wingfield at the Cortland 36-yard line and Max Llewellyn recovered at the 43-yard line with 3:16 remaining.
That turnover turned into three points as Mike Baloga made a 29-yard field goal with 13:13 left in the contest.
Four minutes later, Julien Deumaga made a highlight reel catch of a Cortland defender and raced into the ed zone for a 40-yard touchdown to put the Bombers back ahead by 10 points at 27-17.
On Cortland's first snap on the next drive, Boyes was intercepted down the middle of the field by Kevin Schoch at the IC 41-yard line.
The Bombers put the game out of reach with 6:39 to go as Williams burst through the line to break one tackle and then stiff armed another Red Dragon defender on his way to the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown run, giving IC a 34-17 victory.
The Cortaca Jug ended on a Jason Haber sack.
IC outgained Cortland, 336-303, as the Bombers threw for 209 and ran for 127.
Wingfield was 18-for-20 through the air for 209 yards and three touchdowns. Williams ran for 69 yards on 10 carries and had 63 receiving yards on five receptions with two touchdowns. Anderson finished the game with 43 yards on five catches.
On defense, Schoch led the way with 12 total tackles and the interception, while Haber finished with 10 tackles and four tackles for loss. DeSimpliciis also racked up 10 tackles with an interception and fumble recovery. Roumes and Derek Slywka added seven tackles each.
Ithaca will find out its opponent and location at 5 p.m. on Sunday during the NCAA Selection Show.
No. 11/12 Ithaca Downs No. 9/11 Cortland, 34-17, in 63rd Cortaca Jug
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2022
Nov 12, 2022