Hobart football closes its regular season Saturday, Nov. 14, at Buffalo State, looking to hold third place in the Liberty League and strengthen its chances of an ECAC bowl invitation.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Coyer Field in Buffalo, according to Hobart and William Smith Athletics. The Statesmen enter 6-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play; Buffalo State is 1-8 and 1-5. Tickets are available online for $9.
Taylor approaches another 1,000-yard season
Senior running back E.J. Taylor needs 26 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the third time. He leads the Liberty League with 974 yards after gaining 1,196 as a sophomore and 1,354 as a junior.
Only two players have recorded at least three 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Hobart’s program began in 1891. Don Aleksiewicz reached the mark in 1970, 1971 and 1972, while Rich Kowalski did so in all four seasons from 1972 through 1975. Both are Hobart Hall of Famers.
Taylor ran for 118 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries against Hilbert last week, averaging 14.8 yards per attempt. It was his fifth 100-yard rushing game this season and the 19th of his career.
That performance moved him past Ty Godinho into fourth place on Hobart’s career rushing list with 3,857 yards. He needs 120 yards to pass Steven Webb’s third-place total of 3,976 and 143 to reach 4,000.
Kowalski, with 4,631 yards, and Aleksiewicz, with 4,525, are the only Statesmen to reach 4,000 career rushing yards.
Hobart’s defense presents a difficult matchup
The Statesmen allow 80.6 rushing yards per game, ranking 33rd in Division III. They have held four consecutive opponents below 100: Union gained 32 yards, St. Lawrence 75, Rochester 83 and Hilbert minus-38.
Hobart’s season record for rushing defense is 87.5 yards allowed per game, set across 13 games in 2014.
The pass rush also ranks among the nation’s leaders. Hobart averages 3.22 sacks per game, 15th in Division III, while Buffalo State has allowed a Liberty League-high five sacks per game.
Senior cornerback Zeshan Dixon leads the conference with six interceptions and 12 passes defended. His averages of 0.67 interceptions and 1.33 passes defended per game rank fourth and 19th nationally, respectively.
Dixon’s interception total is Hobart’s highest since Lance Boyington had eight in 2008. Buffalo State has thrown nine interceptions this season.
Harding extends streak as Statesmen seek eighth straight series win
Junior receiver Johnny Harding has caught a pass in 30 consecutive games, two short of the program record. He has a reception in every game he has played for Hobart.
Harding extended the streak with an 11-yard touchdown catch against Hilbert. He leads the Statesmen with 28 receptions, 361 receiving yards and six touchdown catches.
Saturday will be the teams’ 13th meeting and seventh as Liberty League opponents. Hobart leads the series 9-3, including a narrower 3-2 advantage in Buffalo.
The Statesmen have won seven straight against the Bengals, including a 35-9 victory in Geneva last season. Buffalo State last beat Hobart in 1992, winning 33-0.
The Bengals also finish their regular season Saturday and will try to avoid a second consecutive one-win season.
File photo: Jeff Owczarzak/Hobart and William Smith Colleges Athletics.
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