SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Union College football team bounced back from their first loss of the season last week, trouncing SUNY Buffalo State College 45-0 in the Dutchmen’s Liberty League opener Saturday afternoon.
Union was without senior quarterback Donovan Pacatte, who suffered an injury to his non-throwing arm in last week’s game with Utica College.
Freshman quarterback Patch Flanagan assumed the signal-calling duties against the Bengals, and more than did his job, throwing for three touchdowns, and accounting for 161 total yards of offense.
It was the Ike Irabor show on Union’s first drive, though. The senior tailback capped off a dominant 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with a rushing touchdown from four yards out to give the Dutchmen the early 7-0 lead.
Next Union series, and it was Flanagan’s turn to get in on the action. He found first-year wide receiver Nicholas Dunneman through the air for a 15-yard touchdown strike, pushing the Dutchmen lead to 14 points.
Following a Buffalo St. fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Union was set up with a short field on its’ next set of downs. But it only took one play to reach the end zone. Flanagan launched a towering pass that was hauled in by senior wide receiver Andre Ross Jr. for a 28-yard score, and after one quarter of play, Union led 21-0.
After another defensive stand from the Dutchmen, the offense sought to go 4-4 on touchdown drives to start the game, and did so after Irabor punched in an 11-yard scamper to make it 28-0.
Irabor finished with a season-high 129 yards on the ground, and has recorded a rushing touchdown in every game this year.
Union would tack on two more touchdowns, and a field goal in the second half to cruise to a 45-0 victory.
Jeff Behrman’s squad now sits at 4-1 on the season, and hits the road next week for a matchup with St. Lawrence University.