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Week 4: vs. StFUP 9/24 7:00


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NOTE: Today's game is on 105.7 FM, WQSH

 

Ftom TU+ UAlbany sees a changed St. Francis

When the University at Albany football team used to play Saint Francis (Pa.), the fans had every excuse to leave at halftime if they needed to show up at all.

It's not like there was any drama. The Great Danes won all 14 meetings with the Red Flash from 1999 to 2012 when they were Northeast Conference rivals in what could barely be considered a rivalry. UAlbany outscored Saint Francis by a whopping 572-179 margin in those games, including 298-44 in the seven contests played in Albany. That bumbling Red Flash is gone, according to UAlbany head coach Greg Gattuso, who sees a talented, competitive program

 

UAlbany and Saint Francis haven't met since Oct. 13, 2012, which resulted in a 36-13 Great Danes victory at University Field.

 

Gattuso is well-acquainted with Saint Francis, though. He faced the Red Flash when he was the head coach at Duquesne from 1993 to 2004. He said the first big victory of his coaching career came in a 35-34 victory over Saint Francis in 1993.

Saint Francis went 22 straight years without a winning record before going 6-4 last season under head coach Chris Villarrial, a former NFL All-Pro offensive lineman who's in his seventh season.

"I respect their coach," Gattuso said. "When I see what he's done with their program ... it's impressive." Villarrial, who played for the Bears and Bills for 11 seasons, has constructed a team that mirrors UAlbany in some ways. The Red Flash are a strong running team with junior Marcus Bagley, whose 411 rushing yards rank third in the country in the Football Championship Subdivision.

 

"The beauty about this team is, we're competitors," Ibitokun-Hanks said. "So the fact we're going against a team that's like ourselves, we're ready to compete to see who's the better team. And at the end of the day, I feel as though with the guys I have around me, I feel confident in what we're going to do this Saturday."

 

"It's driving us, but I don't think (the ranking) is our main focus," Sussman said. "I think our main focus is still us, like it's been from day one, and that's all we're going to keep focusing on from here on."

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