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31
Winner Union UNION 8-0 , 5-0
21
Ithaca College ITHACA 7-1 , 4-1
Winner
Union UNION
8-0 , 5-0
31
Final
21
Ithaca College ITHACA
7-1 , 4-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UNION Union 10 7 0 14 31
ITHACA Ithaca College 7 7 0 7 21

Game Recap: Football |

NCAA Bound and Liberty League Champs!

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

ITHACA, N.Y. -- For the first time since 2011, the No. 24/25 Union College football team is Liberty League champions, and for the first time since 2006, the Dutchmen will be heading to the NCAA Tournament. Union secured both the conference title and NCAA berth with a 31-21 win over No. 7/8 Ithaca on Saturday afternoon at Butterfield Stadium.
 
With the win Union improves to 8-0 on the season and 5-0 in league play, while Ithaca drops to 7-1 and 4-1 in league play. The win secures at-least a share of the Liberty League title with the Bombers, as both teams could still finish the season with a 5-1 conference record. In that case, Union would still win the head-to-head against Ithaca and claim the league's automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.
 
Summary
  • Union scored the second most points that Ithaca has given up this season, and the Bombers entered the contest with back-to-back shutouts.
  • Ithaca's 21 points is the fewest points the Bombers have scored this season.
  • Despite giving up 497 yards to the Bombers, Union's defense limited Ithaca to only two red zone chances.
  • Ike Irabor tied a season high, scoring three touchdowns. He rushed for 181 yards, just shy of his season-high 191.
  • Union rushed for a total of 223 yards, the most Ithaca has given up all year.
  • William Bellamy completed 17 of 26 passes for 194 yards and one touchdown.
  • Andre Ross Jr. caught five passes for 98 yards and one touchdown.
  • Evan Gilland and Paul Chambers both had 10 tackles each for the Dutchmen.
  • Will Halpin III added a career-long 38-yard field goal in the first quarter.
 
How It Happened
The Dutchmen got to work early, as the defense kept Ithaca to a three-and-out on the opening drive, while the offense followed up with a 13-play, 74-yard drive to score on Union's first possession.
 
After taking the early lead, however, Ithaca responded with a 73-yard pass to tie the game back up. Union added a field goal before the end of the first quarter for a 10-7 lead.
 
The Bombers then strung together a 16-play, 93-yard drive toward the end of the second quarter to take their only lead of the contest. Fortunately for the Dutchmen the lead didn't last long. Union drove right back down the field and Irabor scored his first touchdown of the day with 55 seconds remaining in the half to put Union back on top, 17-14.
 
Both teams started the second half locked in a defensive battle, as neither team scored in the third quarter. However, in the fourth quarter, Irabor found the back of the end zone again, capping off a 68-yard drive for a 24-14 lead.
 
Ithaca kept battling and eventually cut Union's lead back to three, completing an 82-yard drive with 3:16 left in the contest.
 
In the final minute of play, Irabor broke loose for his longest run of the day, sprinting 46 yards for his third trip into the end zone, giving Union back the 10-point lead with just 55 seconds to play.
 
The victory was then sealed with Vincenzo DiCaterino recovered a fumbled snap on the ensuing Ithaca possession.
 
Up Next for the Dutchmen
Union takes a break from league play next weekend, hosting Utica for a non-conference game on Saturday, Nov. 9.
 
The Dutchmen will complete the regular season on Nov. 16, hosting Rensselaer for the 70th annual Dutchmen Shoes Game.

The 2019 NCAA DIII Football Championship will begin on Saturday, Nov. 23.
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