The game garnered the nickname "Biggest Little Game in the Nation" from Sports Illustrated, and typically attracts more than 10,000 fans. The Cortaca Jug could easily attract 12,000 to 15,000 fans, but the schools cap the amount of tickets available for safety concerns inside their on campus stadiums.
Ithaca leads the series 34-18, but Cortland has a slim 8-7 lead in the last 15 years.
But the tide began to turn in 1988. Under head coach Dennis Kayser, Cortland won its first eight games of the season prior to Cortaca. Ithaca was also undefeated in its first eight games, setting the stage for one of the biggest Division 3 football games played that season. On the old Davis Field in Cortland, the Red Dragons stunned Ithaca College 21-20 behind the running of Garreth Grayson and throwing of quarterback Rich Keefer.
Ithaca avenged the Cortaca loss, defeating Cortland 24-17 in the national quarterfinals just three weeks later. The Bombers went on to destroy Ferrum 62-28 in the semifinals, and Central 39-24 in the championship game behind the spectacular running of Mike Scott. The way Ithaca dominated the semifinal and championship games led many polls to rank Cortland #2 in the nation at the end of the 1988. So it could be argued that the 1988 Cortaca Jug game was played between the two best teams in the nation.
While Cortland has become a consistent force in upstate New York football since opening its on campus stadium in 2002, the once dominant Ithaca program has struggled to live up to its own lofty expectations. This seasons marks the first time in 40 years that Ithaca will not finish with a winning record. The Bombers will be playing for pride and history this Saturday, as it begins the road back to upstate New York dominance.
Cortland appears to have the edge on paper. Senior quarterback Dan Pitcher has thrown for over 2100 yards with a fantastic 168.1 Passing Efficiency Rating. John Babin has emerged as one of Eastern Region's top wide receivers, catching 63 passes in 9 games for 1019 yards and a school record 14 touchdowns. The Red Dragons lost star running back Justin Autera to injury in the second game of the season. But senior Dorian Myles and freshman Bronson Green have combined for over 1200 yards rushing, with Myles averaging 5.3 yards per carry behind a big, veteran offensive line.
The Ithaca offense has struggled to score points throughout 2011. The Bombers average only 20 points per game, well below their normal output. Normally a team which prides itself on its running game, the Bombers average only 3.0 yards per carry as a team. The passing game has been mistake prone, with 15 interceptions to only nine touchdowns thrown. Quarterback Phil Neumann is coming off a disappointing game against Alfred, where he completed only 10-of-31 passes.
But this is Cortaca. Anyone who follows Cortaca knows anything can happen once the game starts. In fact, nine of the last 12 Cortaca Jug games have been decided by seven points or less, with two games decided in overtime.
There are kinks in the Red Dragons' armor, and reason to believe Ithaca has a good chance to win. Cortland is coming off a confusing defensive effort against Brockport, where it yielded 549 yards of offense and 42 points to a 2-7 football team. Brockport scored 24 points and had over 370 yards of offense prior to half-time.
Cortland kicker Marc Corrado has attempted only 8 field goals this season, with a long of 31 yards. He is just 1-of-3 from beyond 30. The Red Dragons return game of Kadeem Miller (21.2 yards per return) and John Babin (22.6 yards per return) has been average, and nowhere near the explosiveness it had with Autera returning kicks. In games which are historically close, special teams can play a huge factor. Ithaca may have the special teams edge.
The Bombers also have recent history on its side. Ithaca has won three of the last four Cortaca Jugs, and Cortland as a team has struggled against Empire-8 foes such as Alfred University and St. John Fisher.
Like most Cortaca Jug games, I expect this one will come down to a key special teams play, or a turnover. I don't buy Cortland as an overwhelming favorite.
The only thing I am absolutely sure of is that the sell-out crowd will see another incredible game between these two upstate New York rivals. See you Saturday!
What are some of your favorite memories from Cortaca?
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