BUFFALO, NY—Buffalo State (2-0) piled up 598 yards of total offense and improved to 2-0 for the first time since 1999 with a 42-40 victory over visiting Brockport (1-1) to claim the I-90 Bowl trophy for the third time in four years today in a non-conference game at Coyer Field.
Buffalo State senior quarterback Casey Kacz (Amherst/Sweet Home) was 25 for 34 for 387 yards and a touchdown while adding 74 rushing yards and 14 attempts. Mike Doherty (Tonawanda/Kenmore East) had a career day with 10 catches for 228 yards. Rich Pete (Utica/TR Proctor) rushed for 104 yards on 11 carries and two scores, and Ismail Brooks (Auburn/Auburn) added three rushing touchdowns. Brian Greene (Syracuse/Liverpool) and Mitchell Thomas (Buffalo/Sweet Home) led the Bengals' defense with nine tackles each.
Brockport's offense totaled 546 yards, with quarterback Ty Stoldt (Alden/Alden) going 29 of 44 for 414 yards and five touchdowns. Jake Spalik (Johnson City/Johnson City) led the Golden Eagles with eight catches for eight catches for 116 yards and two scores, as he set Brockport's all-time record for career receiving yards, surpassing the previous record of 2,077. Andrew Mrozek (Depew/Lancaster) had seven grabs for 106 yards and found the end zone twice, and Tyrone Nichols (Troy/Lansingburgh) had 75 rushing yards and a score on 14 carries.
The teams combined to score 54 second-half points after the game was deadlocked at 14-14 at the intermission.
Brockport opened the scoring with the only points of the first quarter on a 22-yard touchdown catch by Mrozek on a fourth-and-2 play to take a 7-0 lead.
The Bengals took a 14-7 lead, scoring on each of their next two possessions. After Brooks scored on a 7-yard option run, Pete put the Bengals ahead on a 1-yard plunge.
Brockport evened the score at 14-14 with just 45 seconds remaining in the first half, converting on another fourth-down play, when Stoldt hit Spalik for a 14-yard strike.
The Golden Eagles took a 21-14 lead just two plays into the second half on a 76-yard catch and run by Darryl Thompson (Central Islip/Central Islip), but the Bengals answered immediately and on the next possession. Kacz connected with Ryan Carney (Olean/Olean) on a 46-yard strike to even the score at 21-21.
Brockport scored again on their next possession on a 10-yard run by Nichols, but Chris Hall (Pasadena, CA/St. Francis) darted off the edge and blocked the extra point, which would prove to be a pivotal play in the game.
Down by just six, Buffalo State responded with a pair of touchdowns early in the fourth quarter to take a lead it would not relinquish. The Bengals found the end zone on an 8-yard scamper by Pete and a 2-yard run by Brooks.
Spalik scored his second touchdown of the day on a 7-yard reception with 4:43 remaining, but Brockport's two-point attempt failed, leaving the score 35-33.
Buffalo State pushed the lead to nine at 42-33 on Brooks' third touchdown of the day from 2 yards out with 2:03 remaining. Brockport worked quickly to find the end zone one more time, scoring on a 27-yard pass from Stoldt to Mrozek with 1:08 remaining, but the Golden Eagles could not recover the onside kick attempt.
Buffalo State will host the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater next Saturday at noon.