ITHACA, N.Y.—The Red Dragons take home the bacon, topping Ithaca College (IC) at the 62nd Cortaca Jug by just a point.
Cortland held a clear lead over Ithaca for the first two quarters of the game, going touchdown for field goal against Ithaca College, but it would seem that during halftime the Bombers found their mojo
Ithaca College muscled out a touchdown early in the third that would start a momentum that nearly won them the game. Cortland was flagged for illegal batting at one point, giving IC a little edge as they chased their second touchdown for the quarter. A stellar interception by Ithaca’s Nathaniel Potts would put the ball back in Bomber Control and, a few plays later, lead to IC claiming their third touchdown for the quarter.
Cortland would reach the end zone by the end of the third as well, putting the score at 27-21 for the start of the fourth; Ithaca College leading. Cortland scored another touchdown in the fourth. IC’s Hail Mary moment was a 35-yard field goal to eke out ahead—not out of their limits since Nicholas Bahamonde managed a 45-yard goal in the first quarter—but it was to no avail.
Cortland’s win on Saturday gives them a perfect regular season for 2021, and breaks the Cortaca streak Ithaca College has held since 2017. The final score was 28-27; a close game, but coals on the fire for next year. Cortaca Jug, the storied football rivalry between Ithaca College and SUNY Cortland, will be transcending local playing fields and stepping into the grand stage of Yankee Stadium in 2022.
The game will take place on November 12th, 2022, and tickets will go on sale for the general public on November 16th at cortacajug.com. Ithaca and Cortland College will each receive 5,000 tickets in the fall of 2022 for sale to their students, faculty and staff.