Football Game Notes (vs. Rowan)

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Buffalo State (0-5) at #3 Rowan (5-0) - Saturday, October 12, 2002 - 1:00 p.m. - Coyer Field (Buffalo, NY)

Series Record

Buffalo State is 1-8 all-time against Rowan, including five losses against the Profs in the NCAA Playoffs. Rowan avenged its 2000 loss to the Bengals last season by defeating Buffalo State 63-14 in Glassboro, NJ. Tony Racioppi threw for 249 yards and had four touchdown passes for the Profs. Sterling Anderson led the Bengals with 118 yards rushing.

Radio Coverage

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About the Coaches

Buffalo State is led by second-year head coach Bob Swank who became the Bengals' third head coach since the program's inception in 1981. After a late hire last season, Swank brings his first recruiting class into the mix this season as he and his staff will look to return the program to the postseason for the 11th time in 12 years. Swank came to Buffalo State after spending six seasons as the Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator at Methodist College in Fayetteville, NC. Prior to Methodist, Swank was the defensive backs coach at Midwestern State, and played quarterback and defensive back at Widener University.

In April, Jay Accorsi was named head coach of the Rowan University football team. He is the seventh coach in the program?s history. The past two years, Accorsi has been the defensive coordinator. He started with the Profs as a graduate assistant coach in 1993. In his playing days, he was a running back for four years at Nichols, where he earned his bachelor?s degree in 1985. He also has a master?s in sports science from the US Sports Academy.

The Matchup?

Buffalo State is off to an 0-5 start and has played nine consecutive quarters without scoring a point.

Rowan enters today?s contest 5-0, having most recently overcome a 19-0 deficit to defeat NJAC-rival College of New Jersey 30-25. The Profs are averaging just 26.4 points-per-game, but are only allowing 12.4.

The Last Time...

Rowan avenged its 2000 loss to the Bengals last season by defeating Buffalo State 63-14 in Glassboro, NJ. Tony Racioppi threw for 249 yards and had four touchdown passes for the Profs. Sterling Anderson led the Bengals with 118 yards rushing.

Last Week?

Buffalo State?s struggles continued on Saturday, as the Bengals were defeated by Brockport (4-1) ,38-0, before a crowd of 2,677 at Special Olympics Stadium. The shutout was the second in as many weeks for Buffalo State, and was the first time the Bengals were held scoreless in back-to-back games since 1983.

Brockport dominated the Bengals in nearly every facet of the game, as Buffalo State did not register a single first down, compared to the Golden Eagles? 26, and Brockport?s offense gained 505 total yards of offense versus the Bengals? 16. Despite the lopsided play, Buffalo State found itself trailing just 14-0 at halftime, but Brockport?s dominance continued in the second half as the Golden Eagles ran away with the victory.

One of the lone bright spots for the Bengals was a 46-yard kick return by Curtis Hathcock (Buffalo/Bennett). Hathcock totaled 117 yards on five attempts as he surpassed the Bengals? school record for kick return yards in a season with 562 on 25 returns. The old record was 489 by Lamont Rhim, set in 1994.

Nick Warren (Cheektowaga/West Seneca East) and Tyree Parker (Buffalo/Burgard) played well for Buffalo State on the defensive side of the ball. Warren registered 13 tackles, including eight solo stops, three for a loss, and one quarterback sack. Parker also had 13 stops, and also intercepted his second pass of the season. Mike Haynes (Buffalo/Cleveland Hill) recovered a pair of fumbles and was credited with a forced fumble and a pass break-up, and Shaun Zelasko (Hamburg/Hamburg) recorded a blocked field goal.

The loss was the Bengals? 13th straight, as the team matched its worst start to a season at 0-5. Buffalo State opened 0-5 in 1987 and 1989.

Polling...

Rowan is currently ranked third in the nation according to the AFCA poll. Still on the Bengals schedule this season is #9 Ithaca and #21 Washington & Jefferson.

Record Breaker...

Buffalo State return specialist Curtis Hathcock surpassed a school record for kick return yards in a season last week at Brockport. The junior-transfer has 562 yards on 25 returns. The previous record was 489 yards by Lamont Rhim in 1994.

Previous Meetings?

2001 - Rowan 63, Buffalo State 14

2000 - Buffalo State 20, Rowan 17

1999 - Rowan 43, Buffalo State 7

1998 - Rowan 28, Buffalo State 21

1998 - Rowan 19, Buffalo State 17 *

1996 - Rowan 21, Buffalo State 20 *

1995 - Rowan 46, Buffalo State 7 *

1993 - Rowan 29, Buffalo State 6 *

1992 - Rowan 28, Buffalo State 19 *

* - Denotes NCAA Playoffs







Media Contact:
Jeffrey Ventura, Sports Information Director | 7168786030 | venturjm@buffalostate.edu