STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The Stony Brook football team heads to UAlbany for The Battle of the Golden Apple as they are set to face the Great Danes today at 3:30 p.m. for the 27th matchup in program history.

RV Stony Brook (2-3, 0-1 CAA) vs. UAlbany (1-4, 0-1 CAA)
WHERE: Albany, N.Y.
VENUE: Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 4, 3:30 p.m.
HOW TO WATCH: FloFootball
LIVE STATS: StatBroadcast … OVERALL – 11-15
… AT STONY BROOK – 9-8
… AT UALBANY – 2-7
… FIRST MATCHUP – Nov. 23, 1995 (W, 40-21)
… LAST MATCHUP – Nov. 9, 2024 (W, 24-6)

OPENING KICK

• This marks the 27th matchup in program history between these two teams after the Seawolves defeated UAlbany last season, 24-6, at LaValle Stadium.
• The Stony Brook football team defended the den in their last outing as they defeated Merrimack, 35-10, at LaValle Stadium in their final non-conference game of the season on Sept. 27.
• Roland Dempster paced the Stony Brook offense, rushing for 114 yards on 17 carries and also adding a reception for seven yards in the victory. The defense made a major impact in the win, allowing their fewest points and yards this season. Leading the way was Anthony Ferrelli, tallying a team-high 11 tackles with 1.5 sacks.
• On Friday, September 26, Stony Brook University proudly inducted Michael Bamiro '13 into the Rita & Kurt Eppenstein Athletics Hall of Fame.
• The Seawolves received votes in the AFCA Coaches Top-25 poll this week.
• This marks the series return to early October for the first time since 2007.
• The Oct. 4 date is the Battle's earliest installment since a Sept. 28 encounter in 2002.
• Marqeese Dietz will be making his first trip to Albany since joining the Seawolves this season. The WR leads the team in receptions (26) and ranks second in yards (244) and receiving touchdowns (1).
• RB Roland Dempster leads the CAA and ranks 8th in the FCS in total rushing yards with 512. He also ranks second in the CAA in rushing touchdowns (5) and rushing yards per game (104.2).
• The Seawolves will be seeking their first CAA win of the season and looking to snap a three-game conference losing streak that dates back to Nov. 16, 2024.
• P Clayton Taylor was selected as a semifinalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy, as announced by the National Football Foundation.
• This will be the second and final meeting between New York programs on the schedule, as the Seawolves defeated Fordham earlier in the year.

LAST TIME OUT 

• The Stony Brook football team defended the den on Saturday as they defeated Merrimack, 35-10, at LaValle Stadium in their final non-conference game of the season.
• Roland Dempster paced the Stony Brook offense, rushing for 114 yards on 17 carries and also adding a reception for seven yards in the victory.
• Chris Zellous continues to lead the Seawolves at quarterback, finishing with 281 total yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
• Seven different Stony Brook receivers had a reception in the game, with Jayce Freeman leading the way with three receptions for 75 yards. Marqeese Dietz had a team-high four receptions for 41 yards, while Dez Williams caught his first touchdown pass of the season.
• Leading the way defensively was Anthony Ferrelli, tallying a team-high 11 tackles with 1.5 sacks. AJ Roberts had a team-high 2.0 tackles for loss, while Franco Milano and Dyshier Clary both recorded sacks in the win.
• Michael Mannino tied his own program record with his 49-yard made field goal in the victory.
• Stony Brook tallied 251 rushing yards — their most of the season.
• The Seawolves allowed just 61 passing yards — their lowest of the season.
• Stony Brook moves to 3-0 all-time against Merrimack.

THE BATTLE FOR THE GOLDEN APPLE

• Stony Brook and UAlbany will face each other for the 27th edition of the Battle for the Golden Apple.
• The winner of each year's game is awarded the Golden Apple trophy — a tradition which first began in 2015.
• UAlbany leads the overall series 15-11.
• Saturday will be the 27th time in 30 seasons the game has been contested, including the 12th straight season since both schools became members of the CAA.
• Stony Brook has defended its home turf well in the rivalry, holding a 9-8 home record and winning seven of its last eight matchups at LaValle Stadium.
• In their meeting last season, Stony Brook took down UAlbany 24-6 at home to bring back the Golden Apple to Long Island for their first victory over the Great Danes since 2021. Roland Dempster led all Seawolves rushers with 98 yards and two touchdowns in the contest. Shamoun Duncan-Niusulu showed out for the Stony Brook defense, totaling 11 tackles and one recovered fumble. Anthony Ferrelli added seven tackles and one recovered fumble, and Rudy Silvera had six tackles, one forced fumble, and one recovered fumble in the win.

MIKE IS NOW IN THE HOF

• On Sept. 26, Stony Brook University proudly inducted Michael Bamiro '13 into the Rita & Kurt Eppenstein Athletics Hall of Fame.
• Bamiro anchored the right side of Stony Brook's offensive line from 2010-12. He started 33 straight games at right tackle, delivering consistent protection and powerful run-blocking that helped elevate the Seawolves to national recognition.
• His presence up front was key to the program's back-to-back FCS playoff appearances in 2011 and 2012 — seasons in which Stony Brook's rushing offense ranked among the top 10 in the country.
• Bamiro's outstanding play earned him first-team All-Big South and AP All-America honors in 2012. After Stony Brook, he quickly made the jump to the professional level, signing with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2013.
• He went on to play professionally at three different levels: New York Giants (National Football League), Montreal Alouettes (Canadian Football League), and the Washington Valor (Arena Football League).

ABOUT THE GREAT DANES

• The Great Danes are led by interim head coach Jared Ambrose (Shepherd, '07), who owns a 1-4 record this season. Greg Gattuso, who was the head coach of the Great Danes for over a decade through the 2025 season, is now a Senior Defensive Analyst for Penn State University.
• UAlbany picked up a victory over Cornell on Sept. 20. They have fallen to Iowa, Delaware State, New Haven, and New Hampshire this season.
• In their most recent outing, the team fell to New Hampshire, 24-6, on Saturday in their first CAA game of the season. QB Colin Paracheck completed 21-of-42 passes for 181 yards with one TD and one interception off the bench.
• The Great Danes have the 12th-best total offense and sixth-best total defense in the CAA, including the third-best passing offense and second-best passing defense in the conference.
• Ron Holmes leads the team with 47.0 tackles, while Balansama Kamara paces the team with 4.5 tackles for loss, including 2.0 sacks. CAA Preseason Honorable Mention Thomas Joe-Kamara has 30.0 total tackles this season for UAlbany.
• Leading the offense is running back Jojo Uga, with a team-best 203 rushing yards and a touchdown. Caden Burti and Carter Moses have accumulated 537 yards on 27 catches for two touchdowns this season.
• UAlbany has played two quarterbacks this season. Jack Shields, a transfer from Buffalo and Old Dominion, has 930 passing yards with seven total touchdowns and three interceptions. Colin Paracheck, a transfer from Marshall and Morehead State, has appeared in two games for 226 yards and a passing touchdown.

Bring your group out to Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium and enjoy the thrill of gameday, exclusive group benefits, and great discounted pricing to help create an unforgettable experience. 

Click here or contact the Stony Brook Athletics ticket office at 631-632-WOLF or seawolvestickets@stonybrook.edu to get started. 

More information on each theme and ticket offers will be available throughout the offseason on social media and at StonyBrookAthletics.com.

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