UAlbany Kicks Off CAA Football Season With 34-13 Victory Over Fordham
Rob Washburn
Box Score
ALBANY, N.Y. (August 26, 2023) - UAlbany got the 2023 CAA Football season off to a strong start as the Great Danes never trailed in a 34-13 victory over Fordham on Saturday night at Casey Stadium.
Quarterback Reese Poffenbarger, the CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, picked up where he left off, completing 23-of-40 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns while adding 47 yards rushing. Roy Alexander caught six passes for 58 yards and two TD’s and Nate Larkins ran for 69 yards on 12 carries as UAlbany piled up 399 of offense.
The Great Danes’ defense was also impressive, limiting a Fordham offense that averaged nearly 50 points per game last season to just one touchdown and 235 total yards. Linebacker Dylan Kelly recorded a team-high 12 tackles and a pair of sacks. Defensive ends Anton Juncaj and A.J. Simon tallied three sacks apiece as UAlbany registered eight on the night.
Three of Poffenbarger’s four TD passes came in the first half. He opened with a six-yard strike to Roy Alexander to put UAlbany on top 7-0 with 5:30 left in the first quarter. The sophomore added two more TD throws in a 50-second span late in the second quarter. Griffin Woodell made an eight-yard scoring catch, and following a Fordham turnover, Alexander had an 18-yard grab that made it 21-6 at the half.
Fordham pulled with 21-13 after scoring on its opening drive of the second half, but the Great Danes regained control when Poffenbarger found Brevin Easton in the corner of the end zone to make it 31-13 early in the fourth quarter. John Opalko provided field goals of 21 and 26 yards for UAlbany.
After playing its season opener at home for the first time since 2014, UAlbany travels to Marshall next Saturday.