ALBANY, N.Y. -- In the second of three consecutive road games, the University at Albany football team will be up against No. 5 Youngstown State Saturday. The meeting will mark the first in the programs' two histories. Battling to keep their records unblemished, the 2-0 squads will kickoff at 4:00 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.

CATCH THE ACTION
Watch at Home: Saturday's action will be video streamed live by Youngstown State.
Listen: The game can be heard locally on WCDB-FM (90.9 FM) or online at wcdbfm.com. Rodger Wyland and Zach Bye will have the call.
Tweet: Follow @UAlbanySports on Twitter for live updates, photos and highlights.
Live Stats: Live stats can be found here. A full recap and box score will be available at the conclusion of the game at UAlbanySports.com.
Game Notes

UALBANY QUICK HITS
• UAlbany kicked off its 40th season of varsity football vs. Colgate on Sept 1. The 40-23 win, improved the Great Danes' record to 5-9 in season-openers in the Division I FCS era.
• UAlbany is currently the only 2-0 team in the Northeast Conference.
• With the 35-10 win over Robert Morris, UAlbany improved its record to 8-6 against the Colonials all-time. The Great Danes are now 11-3 in Northeast Conference openers, and 7-1 in those that come on the road.
• UAlbany was chosen to repeat as Northeast Conference Champions, as announced by the NEC office.
• Six Great Danes were placed on the All-NEC Preseason Team.
• Last season, the Great Danes received their first NCAA FCS Playoff berth and advanced to the NCAAs for the first time since 1977.
• UAlbany finished 2011 ranked 23rd in the FCS Coaches Poll and was just off the TSN's Top-25, receiving votes.
• The Great Danes received votes in both The Sports Network Top-25 and 2012 FCS Coaches Poll for preseason, Week 1, and Week 2.
• UAlbany has won or shared five Northeast Conference championships (2002, 2003, 2007, 2008 & 2011).
• In 2011, the Great Danes reached the eight-win plateau for the fourth time as a NCAA Division I FCS program.
• The Great Danes have registered six consecutive winning seasons for the first time in the program's history (2006-11) and look for their seventh in 2012.
• Bob Ford is fourth among the FCS all-time leaders in career victories and is first among active NCAA Division I FCS coaches with 257 career victories.
• Bob Ford recorded his 250th win as a college head coach on Oct. 8, 2011.
• Ford is in his 40th varsity season as head coach at UAlbany with a 248-157 record.
• The National Football League's New York Giants have made the UAlbany campus its summer training camp home since 1996.
• The Danes are 19-33 in non-conference action as a NCAA Division I FCS program.
• UAlbany has an 8-14 record in FCS games decided by three points or less.

RANKED OPPONENT HISTORY
• The Great Danes will play a nationally ranked squad for the 20th time in UAlbany's FCS history Saturday.
• Youngstown State ranks fifth in the Sports Network Top-25 Poll, receiving four first-place votes.
• The Penguins are also ranked No. 8 in the FCS Coaches Poll.
• The last time UAlbany played a ranked team was in the 2011 FCS Playoffs, facing No. 22 Stony Brook. The Danes fell, 31-28, in heartbreaking fashion.
• UAlbany owns a 4-15 record against ranked foes.
• The last time the Great Danes beat a ranked opponent was Sept. 19, 2009 when they topped #20 Maine, 20-16.
• The last time the Great Danes beat a ranked opponent on the road was Sept. 16, 2006 when they overcame #11 Delaware, 17-10.
• No. 5 Youngstown State will match the third-highest ranked team UAlbany has ever faced, playing No. 1 Montana in 2002, No. 2 Montana in 2007, and No. 5 Massachusetts in 2008.
• The Penguins will be the highest ranked opponent since the Great Danes went to No. 5 Massachusetts on Aug. 30, 2008. Massachusetts won, 28-16.
• The Great Danes have played at least one ranked opponent every season since 2002.

UAlbany vs. Ranked Division I FCS Teams
Nov. 18, 2000    #12 Hofstra 55, Albany 28
Sept. 7, 2002    #1 Montana 45, Albany 7
Nov. 23, 2002    Albany 24, #21 Duquesne 0 (ECAC Classic)
Sept. 6, 2003    #6 Northeastern 51, Albany 0
Oct. 2, 2004    #21 Lehigh 44, Albany 14
Sept. 10, 2005    #24 Hofstra 36, Albany 7
Sept. 17, 2005    #25 Massachusetts 40, Albany 0
Sept. 16, 2006    Albany 17, #11 Delaware 10
Sept. 23, 2006    Albany 19, #23 Central Connecticut State 14
Sept. 15, 2007    #19 Hofstra 28, Albany 13
Sept. 22, 2007    #2 Montana 35, Albany 14
Dec. 1, 2007    #24 Dayton 42, Albany 21 (Gridiron Classic)
Aug. 30, 2008    #5 Massachusetts 28, Albany 16
Sept. 20, 2008    #10 New Hampshire 32, Albany 24
Sept. 27, 2008    #17 Delaware 38, Albany 7
Sept. 12, 2009    #17 Massachusetts 44, Albany 7
Sept. 19, 2009    Albany 20, #20 Maine 16
Sept. 11, 2010    #10 Stephen F. Austin 59, Albany 14
Nov. 26, 2011    #22 Stony Brook 31, Albany 28 (NCAA First Round)

SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES
2012 Record: 2-0, 1-0 NEC
2011 Record: 8-4, 7-1 NEC
NEC Preseason Poll: 1st
Head Coach: Bob Ford (40th season at UAlbany/43rd overall) (248-157-0/257-178-1/72-23 NEC)

THE COACH: Bob Ford is in his 40th season at the helm, coming off his fifth Northeast Conference title in 2011 and fourth NEC Coach of the Year Award. He ranks first among all active NCAA Division I FCS coaches with 257 career victories and is also fourth among the FCS all-time leaders in career victories.

SEASON OUTLOOK: Eight return from the NEC's top scoring and total offensive team in 2011, including first-team all-conference lineman Kadeem Williams and second-team running back Drew Smith who ran for 1,092 yards. Second-team selection Ryan Kirchner also returns for his senior season after being the Danes' leading receiver for the past two seasons, including 56 catches for 615 yards last fall. UAlbany will look to fill the void of the NEC's Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Dan Di Lella, with sophomore Will Fiacchi. Fiacchi is fairly untested in game-play, making two short appearances in 2011 with one pass attempt. Despite his lack of experience, the Great Danes are confident in his abilities to lead the squad this season. Defensively, the Great Danes have been among the NEC leaders in rushing yards allowed for four consecutive seasons, finishing second in scoring defense in 2011, and should be just as strong in 2012. The Danes return five starters, including first-team all-conference selection Jon Morgan, who totaled 106 tackles last fall. All-NEC selection Leon Saddler will also be back on the gridiron, leading the squad's defensive backs. Punter Paul Layton, who averaged a league-leading 42.6 yards, returns for his junior season. The Danes look to senior Sean Kenny to fill the shoes of All-NEC kicker Herb Glass, who made 37-of-42 field goals in his career.

LAST TIME OUT: Sophomore wide receiver Cole King's five catches for 124 yards and three touchdowns led UAlbany to a 35-10 win over Robert Morris Saturday, September 8 at Joe Walton Stadium. The Great Danes improved to 11-3 in Northeast Conference openers and 7-1 that come on the road. Sophomore quarterback Will Fiacchi went 17-for-21, throwing for 208 yards, rushing for 35 yards and tallying four total touchdowns (3 passing; 1 rushing) in the win. In the all-around team performance, UAlbany recorded 66 plays for 385 yards on offense and five sacks for a loss of 43 yards and two interceptions for 29 yards on defense, while holding Robert Morris to 208 yards on offense.

PROGRAM HISTORY: UAlbany football started at the club level in 1970, before moving to Division III and varsity status three years later. The Great Danes competed at the Division II level from 1995-98, and won two Eastern Football Conference titles in that period. Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) play arrived in 1999 with membership in the Northeast Conference. UAlbany has won five NEC titles.

SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
2012 Record: 2-0, 0-0 MVFC
2011 Record: 6-5 overall, 4-4 MVFC (T-4th)
MVFC Preseason Poll: 3rd
Head Coach: Eric Wolford (11-13, third season at YSU)

THE COACH: In just two seasons with the Youngstown State football program, Head Coach Eric Wolford has moved the Penguins back into postseason contention and is showing the nation that the program is on the cusp of returning to national prominence. In 2011, the Penguins, who have won four FCS National Championships, defeated a top-ranked team in the regular season for the first time in school history. The Penguins knocked off No. 1 North Dakota State 27-24 on Nov. 12 in the Fargodome. The Bison won the FCS championship with its lone loss coming to the Penguins. Prior to YSU, Wolford served as an assistant coach at South Carolina, Illinois, Arizona, North Texas, Houston, South Florida, and Kansas State.

SEASON OUTLOOK: Youngstown State, which averaged a league-best 36.2 points per game last year, returns 10 from a squad that scored 56 touchdowns and finished 6-5. The Penguins were the only team to beat national champion North Dakota State, topping the Bison 27-24 at the Fargodome. The Penguins have made significant strides in the last few seasons under third-year head coach Eric Wolford. YSU has quietly put together one of the most effective offensive attacks in the country led by junior quarterback Kurt Hess and are stacked at the running back position piloted by senior Jamaine Cook. The Penguins' defense has also proven itself in the first two weeks of the season, holding Pitt to 17 points and Valparaiso to zero.

LAST TIME OUT: After stunning Pittsburgh, 31-17, in Week 1, YSU racked up 524 yards of total offense, including 354 on the ground in its 59-0 victory over Valparaiso. The 524 yards ranks in the top 20 in school history for most total offense yardage gained by the Penguins.

A PERFECT START
For the third time in FCS program history, UAlbany started the season 2-0, earning wins over Colgate and Robert Morris. The last time the Great Danes started 2-0 was in 2001 when the Great Danes burst out to a 5-0 mark to begin the year. They finished 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the NEC that season. Besides 2001, UAlbany won its first two contests in 1999, also the first year of NCAA Division I FCS play. This weekend, UAlbany looks to go 3-0 to start the season for just the second time in the program's FCS history.

PERFORMANCE FIT FOR A KING
Quarterback Will Fiacchi threw three touchdown passes in the Great Danes' 35-10 NEC victory over Robert Morris and all three went to sophomore receiver Cole King. The dynamic pass-catcher hauled in scoring strikes of 40, 9, and 41 yards. King totaled 124 yards on five receptions in what was a breakout performance for the sophomore who showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie in 2011. Averaging 18.8 yards per catch, King made 31 receptions for 582 yards and six scores during the Danes' championship run of a year ago.

KING CATCHES KIRCHNER IN TD GRABS
Cole King became the 5th UAlbany player to ever record three receiving touchdowns in a single game when he did so at Robert Morris. Teammate Ryan Kirchner is the only other one in the FCS era to do so when he hauled in three against Sacred Heart on Nov. 19, 2011.

DANES' DEFENSE STRONG IN NEC OPENER
UAlbany's relentless pursuit of the quarterback resulted in five sacks and two interceptions for its defense this past Saturday. The Great Danes held Robert Morris to 10 points and 208 yards of total offense in what was the Northeast Conference opener for both sides. Robert Morris quarterback Matt Layman went 12-for-25 passing for 121 yards against the defending NEC champion Danes and had to withstand pressure almost all afternoon. Defensive lineman Michael Smith sacked Layman for a 13-yard loss, the largest of the day, on a 3rd-and-7 play during the Colonials' first possession of the fourth quarter. Cornerback Randall Exantus, who finished with four tackles and a pass break-up, joined in on the sack attack as well as he dropped Layman for an 11-yard loss late in the first half.

McCLARY MAKES A DIFFERENCE
He is only a rookie and is not a starter, but neither of those two factors prevented Albany cornerback JoJo McClary for making an impact during the NEC opener at Robert Morris. McClary made four tackles, including one for a loss, to go along with an interception and pass break-up in the 35-10 triumph.

FIACCHI FITTING IN
Quarterback Will Fiacchi led the Great Danes to a 35-10 win over NEC foe Robert Morris, and 2-0 start to the 2012 season. Fiacchi accounted for four touchdowns, passing three to wide receiver Cole King and rushing one, while completing 17-of-21 passes for 208 yards. The Marcellus, N.Y. native also rushed for 35 yards on seven carries in the victory. The redshirt sophomore is in his first season as a starting quarterback for the Great Danes.

BIG OFFENSE
The Great Danes' top-ranked offense in the NEC has scored 24 or more points in 15 of the last 17 games, owning a 13-4 record in that span.

SPREADING SUCCESS
The Great Danes have won 10 of their last 12 games and 10 of their last 11 regular season contests. UAlbany's last loss came to #22 Stony Brook in the FCS Playoffs last year (31-28). Their last loss in the regular season was to Bryant (31-17) on Nov. 5, 2011.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COACH FORD!
Coach Ford celebrated his 75th birthday Tues. Sept. 11. The team surprised him with a cake, gifts, and a rousing rendition of the "happy birthday" song at the end of practice. In the FCS era, Coach Ford has played three games on his birthday, with a 1-2 record.

VS. COLGATE (9/1): The Great Danes logged a 40-23 win over Colgate in the 2012 season opener. The Danes' defensive line was the story of the night, blocking two punts for eight consecutive points on a safety and touchdown, in addition to breaking up four passes as the airborne ball crossed the line of scrimmage. The Great Danes' defense also forced the Raiders into two fumbles and an interception. Senior Jon Morgan led the squad with nine tackles, including eight solo, while senior linebacker Dean Mercuris broke up a game-high three passes. Offensively, senior Drew Smith and sophomore Omar Osbourne both rushed for career highs, as Smith led UAlbany with 174 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Osbourne also broke his career best in two categories, rushing 113 yards while logging 146 all-purpose yards. Making his debut as starting quarterback, redshirt sophomore Will Fiacchi completed 16-of-25 pass attempts for 143 yards.

SMITH, BAKOU EARN NEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Leading the University at Albany to a 40-23 victory over Colgate in the season-opening clash, seniors Drew Smith and Ocieka Bakou garnered the Northeast Conference's Offensive Player of the Week and Special Teams Player of the Week honors for Week 1, respectively. Smith led UAlbany with a career-high 174 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. The performance marked Smith's 19th 100-plus yard rushing game and moved the Schenectady, N.Y. native up two spots in the career rushing ladder, now ranking sixth in program history with 2,369 yards. In addition, Smith had his third-best career all-purpose running game, totaling 195 yards, which puts him just 26-yards away from moving into third place all-time at UAlbany with 3,536 career all-purpose yards. On the other side of the ball, Bakou served as the Great Danes' game-changer Saturday night, blocking two punts for nine consecutive points on a safety and touchdown. Trailing, 10-7, Bakou's first blocked punt ricocheted into the end zone, forcing Colgate to push the ball out the back to settle for a safety. Like déjà vu, Bakou got a mitt on Colgate's next punt attempt from the 35-yard line, allowing teammate Kyle Jordan to pick it up and run it back to give the Danes' a 16-10 advantage after the extra point, as well as the lead for good with 3:01 minutes left in the first half. Bakou's performance marked a career-best. He also single-handedly matched UAlbany's 2011 team kick block total.

DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Senior defensive end Dean Mercuris batted down three Raider passes in UAlbany's win over Colgate, in addition to three tackles. Senior linebacker Jon Morgan led the Great Danes' defense against Colgate's running game with nine tackles, including eight solo, as UAlbany held Colgate to just 163 rushing yards. Tramaine Wilson chalked the first interception of the 2012 season, snagging a ball at their own three-yard line and running 33-yards before being brought down.

UAlbany's Active Career Tackles Leader
206, Jon Morgan (ILB, 2009- ) No. 21 all-time - he needs 6 more to tie for 20th.

40-for-40
Forty was not only the number of points that Albany scored in its Week 1 win over Colgate, but it is also the number of seasons head coach Bob Ford has been at the helm. Ford, who has long been deemed "The Architect of Albany Football," was appointed the head coach when Albany reinstated its football program in 1970 following a 46-year absence.

DOUBLE TROUBLE IN THE BACK
For the first time since 2006, two tailbacks recorded over 100-yards rushing in the same game. Against Colgate last week, Drew Smith (174) and Omar Osbourne (113) combined for 287 of UAlbany's 315 rushing yards that game. The last time two players logged over 100-yards apiece was when Marcus Allen (149) and Omar Johnson (135) led the Great Danes to a 24-13 win over Sacred Heart on the road, Oct. 14, 2006.

NEC No. 1
With six first-place votes, UAlbany was chosen to repeat as Northeast Conference Champions, as announced by the NEC office during the 2012 Preseason Teleconference on Thursday, August 2. The Great Danes, who made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA FCS Playoffs last season, earned their first preseason number one ranking since 2009. In addition to the preseason team rankings, UAlbany placed six players on the All-NEC Preseason Team, led by wide receiver Ryan Kirchner and punter Paul Layton.

CAA 2013
The University at Albany's Vice President Athletic Administration and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Lee McElroy and the commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Association Tom Yeager formally announced that the Great Dane football program will be joining the CAA for the 2013 season on Wednesday, August 8. UAlbany and New York state rival Stony Brook will join current CAA members Maine, New Hampshire, James Madison, Delaware, Richmond, William & Mary, Villanova, Rhode Island and Towson beginning next season. UAlbany has had good success over CAA members, having tallied a 6-5 all-time record. The Great Danes have previously faced Delaware (1-1 record), Maine (3-2), Towson (2-1) and New Hampshire (0-1). The Great Danes will look to expand on its rivalry against Stony Brook, having played the Seawolves 15 times and tallying a record of 10-5 all-time.

ALL-AMERICA
Junior offensive tackle Kadeem Williams was named to the 2012 FCS Preseason All-America Third Team by College Sporting News. Williams was one of 100 student-athletes at the Football College Subdivision level to earn Preseason All-America honors. Williams is a 6-foot-7, 310-pound offensive lineman for the Great Danes. A native of Jersey City, N.J., Williams played in all 12 games for UAlbany as a redshirt freshman and was named to the Northeast Conference First Teamn after blocking for one of the top offensive teams at the FCS level.

BUILT FORD TOUGH
UAlbany's Bob Ford is first among active NCAA Division I FCS coaches with 257 career victories. He is also fourth on the all-time FCS chart. Ford, the architect of the UAlbany program, has a 248-157 career record in his 40th season. Under his direction, the Great Danes have moved from the club level in 1970 to its present NCAA Division I FCS status. Ford, who has a 257-178-1 career record at the collegiate level, earned his 200th UAlbany win in a 20-17 victory against Robert Morris in 2005. More than 100 of Bob Ford's assistant coaches are currently working in the professional, college and high school ranks. Dave Campo, a former UAlbany graduate assistant in 1973, is the defensive backs coach of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. Dave Clawson (Bowling Green), Pete Lembo (Ball State) and Kevin Morris (Massachusetts) are in the Mid-American Conference. Ford assistants who are Division I FCS head coaches include Al Bagnoli (Pennsylvania), Kevin Callahan (Monmouth), Walt Hameline (Wagner) and Chuck Priore (Stony Brook).

NEC TITLES
The Great Danes captured their fifth Northeast Conference championship with a 31-21 win over Sacred Heart on Nov. 19, 2011. QB Dan Di Lella threw four touchdown passes, including two in each half, as the Great Danes shared the crown with Duquesne. UAlbany defeated Wagner, 30-11, in the 2008 regular-season finale to win its fourth NEC crown. WR Tim Bush caught 10 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns. UAlbany became the first NEC champion to win the Gridiron Classic in a 28-0 blanking of Pioneer Football League winner Jacksonville. In 2007, UAlbany upended Central Connecticut State, 49-14, for its third title. TB David McCarty piled up 247 rushing yards and two TDs. UAlbany won the title outright in 2002 with a 19-7 victory over Monmouth. TB Gary Jones rushed for 103 yards and QB Ryan Roeder scored on a 59-yard run in the second quarter. The Great Danes went on to defeat No. 21 Duquesne, 24-0, in the ECAC Football Classic. UAlbany shared the NEC crown with Monmouth in 2003. TB Gary Jones ran for 195 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-7 win against Robert Morris in his team's final conference game of the season.

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
UAlbany became an associate member of the Northeast Conference in 1999. The NEC's current football playing membership includes Bryant, Central Connecticut State, Duquesne, Monmouth, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis, Pa., and Wagner. Football has been sponsored by the NEC as a conference sport since 1996.

NEC CONSISTENT
The Great Danes have won four or more conference games in all 13 seasons as a Northeast Conference member.

UAlbany Football's Postseason Appearances
Nov. 19, 1977, NCAA DIII Quarterfinal (at Hampden-Sydney), 51-45, W
Nov. 26, 1977, NCAA Division III Semifinal (at Widener), 33-15, L
Nov. 23, 1985, ECAC-North DIII Championship (at Plymouth State), 33-21, W
Nov. 23, 2002, ECAC Division I-AA Classic (vs. Duquesne), 24-0, W
Dec. 1, 2007, Gridrion Classic (at Dayton), 42-21, L
Dec. 6, 2008, Gridiron Classic (vs. Jacksonville), 28-0, W
Nov. 26, 2011, NCAA DI FCS Playoffs First Round (at Stony Brook), 31-28, L

SEVEN WINS
UAlbany has reached the seven-win mark in nine of 13 seasons at the Division I FCS level. The Great Danes own an 88-56 record as a NCAA FCS program during that period. UAlbany has registered seven-plus victories 19 times in its history. The Great Danes set the program's single-season FCS record with nine wins in 2008.

SMITH RUSHES UP THE LADDER
UAlbany's Drew Smith has worked his way into the top-10 on the school's career rushing chart. Smith, a senior, is the ninth UAlbany player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a career. With his 174 yards vs. Colgate, he moved up two spots and now currently ranks sixth (2,426 yards). After rushing 57 yards at Robert Morris, Smith needs just 186 more yards to move into fifth, and tie with Brian Manigault (1998-2001). In addition, Smith is climbing the all-purpose yards ladder. Totaling 314 all-purpose yards through the first two games, Smith now ranks second all-time with 3,755 all-purpose yards in his career. He is 1,221 yards away from David McCarty's record (4,976).

GOING ON 20 100+
UAlbany tailback Drew Smith accounted for 100-plus all-purpose yards for 20th time in his career against Robert Morris, totaling 119. In Week 1 vs. Colgate, he also surpassed the 100 mark, finishing with 195. He ranks among the program's top 10 all-time with 3,755 all-purpose yards.

Smith's Top Rushing Games
174 vs. Colgate, 9-1-12
155 vs. Columbia, 9-24-11
149 vs. Wagner, 10-29-11
135 vs. Sacred Heart, 11-19-11
131 vs. Monmouth, 11-12-11
129 vs. Maine, 9-2-10
113 vs. Saint Francis, Pa., 10-1-11
101 vs. Duquesne, 10-8-11

Smith's Top All-Purpose Games
239 vs. Georgia Southern, 9-5-09
215 vs. Sacred Heart, 11-19-11
195 vs. Colgate, 9-1-12
170 vs. Wagner, 10-29-11
155 vs. Columbia, 9-24-11
150 vs. Maine, 9-2-10

UAlbany's Career All-Purpose Yards Leaders
1. David McCarty (2006-09), 4,976
2. Drew Smith (2008- ), 3,755
3. Gary Jones (2002-03), 3,639
4. Greg Garrett (1996-99), 3,562
5. Dan Gmelin (1994-97), 3,185

KIRCHNER CATCHES THIRD
Senior wide receiver Ryan Kirchner sits in third all-time at UAlbany with 131 career receptions. He needs five more receptions to tie for second and 17 more to break Tim Bush's record of 147. In his junior year, wide receiver Ryan Kirchner became the fourth player in school history to surpass 100 career receptions on Nov. 12, 2011. He set the program's FCS single-game record with three touchdown catches vs. Sacred Heart on Nov. 19, and also caught 12 passes against Stony Brook (11/26) to set UAlbany's Division I single-game record. With 56 receptions, he had the fourth-highest single-season total in program history.

UAlbany's Career Receptions Leaders
1. Tim Bush (2007-09), 147
2. Dan Gmelin (1994-97), 136
3. Ryan Kirchner (2009- ), 131
4. Chris Phillis (1999-01), 124
5. Irani DeAraujo (2004-07), 95

SHUTDOWN
UAlbany's defense has recorded 11 shutouts as a Division I FCS program with the last being a 24-0 victory against Wagner on Oct. 29, 2011. UAlbany held the Seahawks to 204 total yards, including 25 passing. The Great Danes have blanked six NEC opponents at the FCS level.

UAlbany's Defensive Shutouts (since 1999)
Oct. 16, 1999: Albany 40, Massachusetts-Lowell 0 (164 total yards)
Nov. 6, 1999: Albany 41, Sacred Heart 0 (233 total yards)
Nov. 23, 2002: Albany 24, Duquesne 0 (146 total yards)
Oct. 9, 2004: Albany 38, St. Francis, Pa. 0 (227 total yards)
Nov. 19, 2005: Albany 41, Fordham 0 (104 total yards)
Oct. 21, 2006: Albany 48, St. Francis, Pa. 0 (161 total yards)
Oct. 28, 2006: Albany 34, Wagner 0 (140 total yards)
Dec. 6, 2008: Albany 38, Jacksonville 0 (228 total yards)
Sept. 2, 2010: Albany 3, Maine 0 (246 total yards)
Oct. 9, 2010: Albany 48, St. Francis, Pa. 0 (81 total yards)
Oct. 29, 2011: Albany 24, Wagner 0 (204 total yards)

OVERTIME GAMES
The last time UAlbany went to overtime was when the Great Danes fell to Colgate, 37-34, on Sept. 3, 2011. The Raiders' TB Nate Eachus scored on a one-yard run. Prior to that in 2010, Central Connecticut State edged UAlbany, 30-27, as Joe Izzo made a 32-yard field goal in the first extra period. UAlbany recorded the program's first ever overtime victory in a 22-16 decision against Hofstra on Sept. 13, 2008. TB David McCarty's 7-yard touchdown run decided the outcome. UAlbany suffered setbacks in its previous two OT decisions.

UAlbany's Overtime History
Oct. 21, 2000: Sacred Heart 35, Albany 28 (OT)
Oct. 12, 2002: Drake 49, Albany 42 (2OT)
Sept. 13, 2008: Albany 22, Hofstra 16 (OT)
Oct. 22, 2010: Central Conn. State 30, Albany 27 (OT)
Sept. 3, 2011: Colgate 37, Albany 34 (OT)

ALL-ACADEMIC
Senior offensive tackle Jordan Migliore was named to the 2011 Capital One District I Academic All-America Football Team. Migliore, a 6-foot-6, 295-pound senior, has a 3.84 cumulative GPA in a dual major of criminal justice and sociology.

CAPTAINS
Instead of having three or four captains this season, the Great Danes will have a captain represent every position. Each was voted captain by those players at his position and will be responsible for his position group and for communicating with the coaching staff regarding any concerns among the team. For games, the captains will rotate, with those being decided on game week.

Captains by position
QB - Will Fiacchi
TB - Drew Smith
WR - Ryan Kirchner, Nick Hutcherson
OL - Antonio Bazzoffi
TE - Paul Booker
DL - Oceika Bakou, Dean Mercuris
ILB - Jon Morgan
OLB - Kyle Jordan
S - Justinian Mason
CB - Leon Saddler
P - Paul Layton

TOP CROWDS
A crowd of 18,118 watched UAlbany play Georgia Southern in the 2009 season opener, the fifth largest in program archives. UAlbany appeared before 22,196 against Delaware the previous year. UAlbany played before the largest crowd in its football history against second-ranked Montana in 2007. More than 23,000 were in attendance.

UAlbany's Top Football Attendance Marks
1. 23,097 vs. Montana, 9-22-07
2. 22,196 vs. Delaware, 9-27-08
3. 22,016 vs. Delaware, 9-16-06
4. 19,511 vs. Montana, 9-7-02
5. 18,118 vs. Georgia Southern, 9-5-09
6. 15,112 vs. Massachusetts, 8-30-08
7. 14,000 vs. Central Florida, 11-8-80

HOME CROWDS
UAlbany's season-opening crowd of 6,194 vs. Colgate on Sept. 1 marked the ninth largest home crowd in Great Danes football history. The 2010 Homecoming crowd of 6,624 was the third largest to see the Great Danes play at home and biggest since Nov. 6, 1978. Attendance has topped 6,000 fans 10 times since 1973.

UAlbany's Top Home Crowds
1. Nov. 6, 1978: 7,500 vs. Ithaca
2. Sept. 20, 1975: 7,500 vs. Ithaca
3. Oct. 9, 2010: 6,624 vs. Saint Francis, Pa.
4. Oct. 5, 1974: 6,500 vs. RIT
5. Sept. 10, 1984: 6,500 vs. Ithaca
6. Oct. 13, 2007: 6,419 vs. Sacred Heart
7. Oct. 10, 2009: 6,255 vs. Duquesne
8. Sept. 10, 2005: 6,212 vs. Hofstra
9. Sept. 1, 2012: 6,194 vs. Colgate
10. Oct. 12, 1996: 6,082 vs. Union

CLOSE GAMES
UAlbany has played in eight games decided by three points or less since the start of the 2009 season. The Great Danes were in three close affairs last season, including an OT loss against Central Connecticut State. The Great Danes were in four games decided by three points or less in the 2009 season. UAlbany last had four games decided by three points or less in 1993. In the 1987 campaign, five contests came down to a differential of three points or less.

UAlbany's Close Decisions (since 2009)
Sept. 5, 2009: Georgia Southern 29, Albany 26
Oct. 17, 2009: Albany 20, Bryant 17
Oct. 31, 2009: Central Conn. State 31, Albany 29
Nov. 7, 2009: Robert Morris 13, Albany 10
Sept. 2, 2010: Albany 3, Maine 0
Oct. 2, 2010: Albany 23, Yale 20
Oct. 22, 2010: Central Conn. State 30, Albany 27 (OT)
Sept. 3, 2011: Colgate 37, Albany 34 (OT)

CAREER VICTORIES
UAlbany's Bob Ford is fourth among the winningest Football Championship Subdivision head coaches in career victories (257). Grambling's Eddie Robinson leads the list with 408.

Winningest FCS Coaches All-Time By Victories
408, Eddie Robinson, Grambling (408-165-15, 55 years)
314, Roy Kidd, Eastern Kentucky (314-124-8, 39 years)
300, Tubby Raymond, Delaware (300-119-3, 36 years)
257, Bob Ford, St. Lawrence, Albany (257-177-1, 43+ years)
246, Mike Kelly, Dayton (246-54-1, 27 years)
245, Billy Joe, Cheyney, Central State, Florida A&M, Miles
(245-127-4, 34 years)
241, Jim Tressel, Youngstown State, Ohio State (241-79-2, 25 years)

Bob Ford's Milestone Wins (Overall)
#50 at Cortland Oct. 28, 1978 41-31
#100 at Rensselaer Oct. 3, 1987 30-17
#150 vs. Merrimack Oct. 4, 1997 42-3
#200 at Wagner Nov. 11, 2003 28-7
#225 at Central Conn. Nov. 17, 2007 49-14
#250 vs. Duquesne Oct. 8, 2011 38-10

McCARTHY PROMOTED TO ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH
Announced Aug. 28th, University at Albany offensive coordinator Ryan McCarthy has been promoted to associate head coach. McCarthy is in his 11th season with the UAlbany football program and fifth as offensive coordinator. Last season, McCarthy put together the best offense in the Northeast Conference, as the Danes finished first for both total and scoring offense. In addition, quarterback Dan Di Lella broke the program's season record with 2,859 total offensive yards and 2,804 passing yards gained en route to the NEC championship title. In the past four seasons under McCarthy, tailback David McCarty became the school's all-time rushing leader with 4,287 yards, quarterback Vinny Esposito finished his career as the program's No. 2 passer with 5,692 yards, and wide receiver Tim Bush recorded a Great Danes-best 147 career receptions.

UP NEXT
UAlbany will play its third consecutive road game at No. 25 Maine next Saturday. The Great Danes own a 3-2 all-time record against the Black Bears. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. at Alfond Sports Stadium.