CORTLAND (WBNG) – SUNY Cortland and Ithaca have been a rivalry for generations, but none are bigger than football. The 65th edition of the Cortaca Jug is scheduled to begin on November 16.

“There’s definitely some animosity there,” said Alex Tchiprot, a senior in sports media at Ithaca College. “Cortland was able to come to Butterfield Stadium last year and get a win.”

“I’m a Yankees fan, so I think I might hate them more than the Red Sox,” said Casey Stoughton, junior sports management major at SUNY Cortland.

The Red Dragons have lost just three games in the last three seasons, including one against the Bombers in 2022. Ithaca is 6-3 this season and head coach Michael Toerper is looking to replicate the success that he met at Yankee Stadium two years ago. .

“The purity of the sport is awesome, that’s what college football is all about, these are two schools that aren’t far from each other and are excited to support their teams in different ways,” said Toerper. “That’s really what college football is all about.”

The game returns to Grady Field for the first time in three years, rekindling the flames on the SUNY campus for Saturday’s showdown.

“The team is very excited, the campus is moving like it should be around Cortaca,” said SUNY Cortland head football coach Curt Fitzpatrick. “It’s also going to be a really good football game, so we’re excited.”

Normally, if you ask, athletes will say that every game should be treated the same, but there’s no denying that the Bombers and Red Dragons have had this one circled on the schedule all season long.

You’re not just playing for yourself, you’re playing for the name on the jersey, you’re playing for this city on the helmet,” said SUNY Cortland senior defensive lineman Matt Ferrer.

“I got a bunch of texts from alumni before this game,” Ithaca senior defensive back Jake Connolly said. “Many children in my classes congratulated me and wished me good luck in this match.”

The Bombers lead the all-time series with 43 wins to Cortland’s 35. The game has been played since 1930, with the introduction of the Cortaca jug to the competition in 1959. The game has not seen a consecutive jug winner in four seasons.

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