UAlbany Football Battles Unbeaten Sacred Heart in Northeast Conference Play on Saturday

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Fairfield, Conn. -- UAlbany meets unbeaten Sacred Heart in a key Northeast Conference football matchup on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Campus Field. Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. ET. Fans can listen to the game on Fox Sports 980 (WOFX-AM). The Pioneers, who are 6-0 overall and 2-0 in league play, are one of three undefeated teams at the NCAA Division I FCS level.

Sacred Heart has the NEC’s top offense, as the Pioneers are averaging 34.5 points and 393.5 total yards. Quarterback Dale Fink, last year’s conference offensive rookie of the year, has thrown for 1,279 yards and 15 touchdowns. Steve Tedesco, a first-team All-NEC wide receiver, has 40 catches for 482 yards and six TDs. He recently became the program’s all-time leader in receptions. Running back Evin Jones balances the attack as the nation’s seventh-leading rusher (135.5 ypg). Rich Marrone, an inside linebacker, leads the SHU defense with 40 tackles and three forced fumbles.

UAlbany (3-3, NEC 2-0) held off Central Connecticut State, 24-22, in its first home game of the season last week. Linebacker Justin Brancaccio, the NEC’s defensive player of the week, knocked down a two-point conversion pass with 55 seconds remaining to preserve the win. Brancaccio is the team’s top tackler with 56 this year.

Quarterback Vinny Esposito, who threw for 254 yards last Saturday, accounted for three touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing) against Central Conn. State. Tailback David McCarty, who is averaging 135.2 yards on the ground, scored on a 72-yard screen pass in the third quarter. He has run for 100 or more yards in 11 of his last 12 starts.

The Great Danes, who have won eight straight against conference opponents, are playing an undefeated squad in the second half of the season for the first time since Oct. 18, 2003.