BUFFALO, NY--Josh Felicetti was 13-of-22 for 243 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 16 Ithaca College (1-0) past host Buffalo State (0-1), 38-21, in the season-opener for both teams today at Coyer Field.

Ithaca needed just four plays to drive 41 yards and open up a 7-0 just 1:17 into the game, capped off by a 38-yard pass from Felicetti to PJ Canestrari. After a three-play drive by Buffalo State, the Bombers extended their lead to 10-0 on a 19-yard field goal by Brett Kitenplon. Buffalo State responded with an 18-play, 72-yard drive down to the Ithaca 3-yard line, but failed on a fourth down conversion and came away empty.

Ithaca scored first in the second quarter, extending its lead to 17-0, after a 24-yard reception from Felicetti to Justin Esposito, finishing a 13-play, 87-yard drive.

Buffalo State responded later in the second stanza with a lengthy drive of its own, covering 68 yards in 15 plays, ending with a 7-yard touchdown strike from Mike Mikolaichik to Jonathan Allen. The Bombers responded on the very next play from scrimmage, however, when Felicetti hit Esposito for a 56-yard score, giving Ithaca a 24-7 lead at the half.

The Bombers scored first in the second half a four-yard touchdown from Felicetti to Canestrari for the second time in the game. Alex Baez’s 8-yard touchdown run later in the third quarter extended the Ithaca lead to 38-7.

Buffalo State managed to cut into the deficit in the fourth quarter, scoring on a Mikolaichik 1-yard run and an 8-yard completion from Mikolaichik to Jeff Shostak, but the Bengals ran out of time on their comeback bid.

Ithaca amassed 466 yards of offense as the teams combined for 860 total yards from scrimmage. Esposito finished the game with three catches for 120 yards and the two scores. Canestrari also caught three balls for 51 yards and two touchdowns. Baez led the Bombers’ ground attack with 84 yards on 12 carries and Jamie Donovan had 83 yards on 13 attempts. Jose Colon anchored the Ithaca defense with 11 tackles, including four solo stops. Adam Jason had seven tackles and 1.5 sacks.

For Buffalo State, Mikolaichik set a school record for passing attempts in a game, going 27-of-53 for 276 yards and two touchdowns. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 47 yards on 13 attempts, with a touchdown. Allen had 10 catches for 96 yards and a score, and Shostak reeled in seven balls for 78 yards and a touchdown. Michael Haynes led the Bengals’ defense with 12 tackles, and Hank Pirowski added nine stops.

Buffalo State will open Atlantic Central play next weekend with a road meeting with Wesley in Dover, Del. Ithaca will play at in-state-rival Hartwick.