November 4, 2006. The Rowan Profs rallied to defeat Cortland 14-7 in overtime Saturday in Glassboro. Both defenses played outstanding football. Cortland out gained Rowan 172-135 in total yardage. However the Profs forced the game's only turnover and took advantage of their limited opportunities.

Brilliant sunshine and seasonal autumn temperatures set the stage for this huge NJAC battle. Cortland came into the game undefeated in the NJAC and 8-0 overall. Rowan had only 1 loss to a Division III opponent. Initially Cortland looked the be the deserved favorite in this contest despite Rowan holding a 9-2 series advantage. Cortland's defense forced a short punt after Rowan's first possession of the game. Cortland's offense took the ball at the Prof's 45-yard line. Cortland went right to work on the ground attack choosing to run at the nation's leading rush defense. The offensive line controlled scrimmage and Cortland gained 28 yards on 7 consecutive carries. Senior Matt Rickert was the workhorse with 6 carries. After an incomplete pass Cortland ran a pitch play to Stef Sair. Sair ran outside left for a 17-yard touchdown run to give Cortland a 7-0 lead.

Rowan's second offensive possession was more futile than its first. Tailback Davon Edwards lost 4 yards on his first carry, and lost 3 more yards on his second carry, as Adam Haas and Dave D'Aurelio shot through the line to wrap up the ball carrier. Vaunted quarterback Mike Orihel came under pressure on third down and fired incomplete to Will Barnes. Another short punt set Cortland up at the Rowan 30-yard line.

Cortland's inability to capitalize on offensive opportunities began on their second possession. A false start penalty erased a 5-yard pass play from Ray Miles to Anthony Morat. A rush for no gain and an incompletion forced fourth down with no yards gained. Matthew Mintz shanked the punt for only 1-yard giving Rowan a reprieve.

Cortland's defense answered the call as it would on numerous occasions this afternoon. Mike Orihel was sacked 3 times on the Prof's next possession, with Haas, D'Aurelio, and Rich Coyne burying him for losses. But each time Cortland took the ball on offense, the Rowan Profs defense managed to thwart Cortland's early attempts to open up a big lead. The game's turning point came late in the second quarter. With Cortland facing third down and 7 yards to go from its own 38-yard line, Ray Miles was intercepted by Rowan's Kevin Bellamy. Bellamy returned the ball 12 yards to the Cortland 30-yard line to set up a short field for the Profs' offense. Mike Orihel and the Rowan offense took advantage of the turnover. Orihel fired a 14-yard touchdown pass to Emory Lester to tie the football game at 7-7.

The Cortland offense responded to Rowan's momentum by driving the length of the field in the half's final 3:38. The rushing of Matt Rickert, Dustin Bowser, and Mike Sveda pounded out positive gains. Ray Miles spread the ball around taking what Rowan gave them. Cortland drove from its own 33-yard line to the Profs' 15-yard line with 0:27 remaining. Matthew Mintz came out for a 32-yard field goal attempt but missed when the wind blew the ball into the right upright. The half ended 7-7 with Cortland missing another golden opportunity to score.

The frustration continued as the second half began. Cortland took the opening possession from its own 35-yard line down to the Rowan 24-yard line. Again Miles completed short passes to keep Rowan off balance. But a false start penalty knocked Cortland back to the Rowan 29-yard line. Cortland could not move the ball forward and ended up punting from the Rowan 30-yard line on fourth and 16 yards to go.

Things went from frustrating to disastrous early in the fourth quarter. After Stef Sair returned a punt 47-yards to give Cortland the ball at the Rowan 36-yard line, Ray Miles was injured on a hard tackle. Senior Bryan Shea was called into action at quarterback, and the first snap went 13-yards backward after what appeared to be miscommunication between the quarterback and center. Cortland ended up punting again after missing a golden opportunity.

The Profs defense shut Cortland down the remainder of the fourth quarter, while Cortland's defense battered the Rowan offense. Freshman quarterback Sean Pratt replaced Shea late in regulation but could not spark the Red Dragons. Regulation ended with defense the only decided winner, and the score dead locked at 7-7.

In overtime Cortland won the toss and elected to play defense first. Mike Orihel again took advantage of the short field. Orihel ran play-action on second down and hit Jim Migliore wide open in the end zone for a 21-yard score. Cortland could not answer offensively, and Rowan wrapped up a 14-7 overtime victory over Cortland.

Rowan can clinch their third consecutive NJAC Championship with a victory over William Paterson this Saturday. For Cortland, they remain Rowan's toughest foe but still not able to take down the Profs. Cortland's playoff aspirations are now dependent on a victory over Ithaca College next Saturday. The Cortaca Jug will be played at Cortland next Saturday at noon.