PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College football team returns home on Saturday in what will mark the final home contest of the 2017 season as the Cardinals host SUNY Cortland at 2 p.m. in an Empire 8 battle at Growney Stadium.  The game has added significance for Fisher as it coincides with senior day as the team will honor the members of its senior class prior to kickoff. 

There are plenty of ways to take in the action on Saturday including listening to the game on ESPN Rochester at 95.7 on your FM dial or 950 AM.  You can also listen to Gene Battaglia on the call through your computer by visiting ESPN Rochester's official website.   

Fans can follow the game's progress through LIVE STATS and LIVE VIDEO or by following Fisher on Twitter - @FisherAthletics.  Want to learn more about both teams? Read up on this week's full set of game notes.

This weekend, the College also celebrates Family Weekend with several activities and events.  For a complete schedule, please click here.

SERIES HISTORY: The Cardinals have faced off with the Red Dragons nine times overall dating back to their first meeting nearly 30 years ago in 1988.  In that stretch, Fisher has won four of its last five games including a 31-24 victory last season in a battle of top-25 teams.  Over nine games, Fisher has averaged just over 19 points per game, however, take away the first four games of this series and Fisher has outscored Cortland, 162-140.
 
LAST TIME OUT: It was a tale of two halves for Fisher in its last game as the Cardinals fell at Ithaca, 35-10 despite holding a lead at halftime.  After marching down the field to the tune of a 17-play 77-yard drive that ate up nearly nine minutes of time, Fisher would string together another long drive to end the second quarter capped by a season-long 37-yard field goal by DEVIN DZIKOWICZ to hold a 10-7 edge at intermission.  The pause in action seemed to work in Ithaca's favor though as the Bombers scored 28 unanswered points en route to the non-conference win.  The game was actually a lot closer than the final score would suggest.  Ithaca had 16 first downs overall while Fisher earned 15 and the Cardinals actually ran more plays (69 to 64). Fisher was also better on third down as head coach PAUL VOSBURGH'S team moved the chains six times on third down while Ithaca managed to do so twice.  
 
THANK YOU SENIORS: Saturday's game is bitter sweet as it marks the last home game for the Cardinals' senior class.  Over the last three-plus seasons, this class has been a part of 25 wins and has reached the postseason three times including a win in the ECAC Division III Northwest Bowl in 2014.  Thank you to MIKE COLLICHIO, JAMES CHAMBERS, JONATHON PIERSMA, COLIN McGRAW, J.J. MULVEY, EVAN MAJEWSKI, CHRISTOPHER BIRYLA, JASON MICELLI, SETH BILLINGTON, COLE ANSLEY-PURPURA, DAVID CARROLL, JUSTIN RIVERA, MIKE HASTINGS, JOHN HORNE, NELSON BURKE, MIKE MINTEL, KHARI DEMOS, KODY ASHLEY, JAMES FIACCHI and WYATT STEHLE.   
 
RED DRAGONS IN THE RED ZONE: Entering Saturday's game, Cortland has been nearly perfect on the season inside their opponent's 20-yard line.  To date, the Red Dragons have scored 26 times in 29 red zone chances with 18 touchdowns.  To put that into perspective, Cortland is coming away with points nearly 90 percent of the time in breaches the 20.

WHEN WE LAST MET: Last season, Fisher picked up a signature win over the Red Dragons after holding on for a 31-24 win on Cortland's home field.  At the time, both teams were ranked in the top 25 according to D3football.com with Cortland sitting at No. 15 while the Cardinals were ranked 21st overall.  After falling behind 3-0 to start the game, Fisher rattled off three consecutive touchdown drives before the Red Dragons clawed their way back to within one score courtesy of a 77-yard touchdown pass.  DEMARRE NELSON came up with two key interceptions in the win while WILLIAM COON and MIKE COLLICHIO combined for 165 receiving yards.
 
2,000 YARDS AND COUNTING: Speaking of Collichio, the senior wide receiver moved into elite company last weekend after eclipsing 2,000 receiving yards in his career.  To date, the Webster native sits in fifth place all-time with 2,004 yards on 139 career receptions. 
 
SCOUTING CORTLAND: The Red Dragons enter this weekend's contest in second place overall in the Empire 8 standings after coming away with a 20-17 win two weeks ago over then nationally-ranked Alfred. To date, their only loss in conference play came at the hands of No. 11 Brockport as the Golden Eagles won that SUNY school showdown, 52-38.  Despite its record, however, Cortland's offense isn't going to overwhelm its opponents as head coach Dan MacNeill's squad is averaging nearly 369 yards of total offense per game, which ranks fifth overall in the conference. 
 
Quarterback STEVEN FERREIRA is having a strong senior season as he ranks third overall in the E8 in passing yards (1,754) and is second in touchdown passes with 16 through seven games.  ANGELO FOSTER has proven to be his top target as the wideout has collected 477 yards on 26 catches to go along with three touchdowns while NICK ANDERSON has hauled in a team-best 31 catches for 389 yards and six TDs.  Additionally, Ferreira has two more weapons at the wide receiver position as ALEX WASSERMAN and ZACH TRIPODI have combined to receive 38 passes for 517 yards and four touchdowns. 
 
Through seven games this season, the Red Dragons are averaging 118 rushing yards per game, which ranks sixth among eight teams in the conference.  JOHNNIE AKINS has accrued 510 yards and six scores on 92 carries so far this season while Ferreira runs the option to the tune of 186 yards on 99 attempts.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, Cortland is led by MARK DeLUISE's 55 tackles while ISAAC HICKS and MAX JEAN have combined to produce 88 total tackles.  DYLAN FERRARI has created problems for opposing linemen as he has 4.5 sacks to his credit while GREGORY ALFIERI has sacked the quarterback three times in all.  The Red Dragons' secondary has also stepped up this season and ranks second overall in the Empire 8 with 10 interceptions.           
 
HALL OF FAME NEWS: The St. John Fisher College Athletics Hall of Fame will see two former football players enshrined during an induction ceremony on November 3 at the Woodcliff Hotel and Spa as Noah Fehrenbach '06 and Gene Lang '07 will each be honored.  A three-time All-Conference honoree and an All-American selection in 2005, Fehrenbach rewrote the record books at Fisher and is still the program's all-time leader in receiving yards with 3,083 (nearly 1,500 yards more than second place), receptions (205) and touchdowns (36).  A two-time All-American, Lang was named to the Third-Team All-Decade Team by D3football.com at the conclusion of his career at linebacker.  To date, he still ranks third all-time in total tackles with 325.  Lang is a two-time First-Team All-Conference selection by the Empire 8 and was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 – the conference's first-ever player to earn that award.  Furthermore, he was named All East Region by D3football.com twice and went on to be named the 2006 Don Hansen Gazette Linebacker of the Year.
 
ON THE HORIZON: After Saturday's game, Fisher will close out the regular season with two road games at Morrisville (November 4th) and Buffalo State (November 11th).