The Golden Apple rivalry usually provides a crisp, refreshing ending whenever the University at Albany and Stony Brook football programs meet each other.
The Great Danes have taken three of the past four meetings between the State University of New York programs with every game decided by seven points or fewer and one going into overtime.
Three years ago, UAlbany kicker Ethan Stark made a 48-yard field goal that bounced off and over the crossbar as time expired for a victory. Two years ago, the Great Danes led 24-0 and held off a Seawolves rally to clinch an at-large bid to the NCAA playoffs.
After not playing this fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic, UAlbany and Stony Brook meet again at 1 p.m. Saturday at Casey Stadium. For the Great Danes (1-2 overall, 1-2 Colonial Athletic Association), it’s probably a last gasp to keep their postseason hopes alive after tough back-to-back losses to Maine and Rhode Island.
“No matter what position we’re in, this game is one of the most important of the year every season just because of the rivalry,” redshirt junior A.J. Mistler said. “Because of the position we’re in, back-to-back losses, and the way the conference is going, we still have a chance to make it to the playoffs if we win out, depending on how the rest of the conference does. So it makes it even more important that it’s a rivalry, plus, it’s a do-or-die chance for us to continue on where we want to be and make the playoffs.”
That chance has already evaporated for the Seawolves (0-3, 0-3), led by head coach Chuck Priore, a UAlbany alumnus. Stony Brook has lost its first three games to Villanova, Delaware and Maine and have only three remaining.
“This week, you’ve got to shake the cobwebs,” Priore said. “Losing’s never easy. It’s a unique spring from the perspective of … these young men are going through a lot of things. We’ll play with the parts we have and we’re excited about playing Albany and having a chance to compete against our rivals.”
UAlbany coach Greg Gattuso is in the unique position during this abbreviated spring season of trying to win games with his older players while also trying to prepare his less experienced members for the upcoming fall season.
He pointed out the Great Danes didn’t have any padded practices last fall before workouts were called off because of the pandemic, which has made it harder on his veteran players.
“That’s why you kind of sit in the middle for this spring season,” Gattuso said. “Because these (younger) guys could not perform next fall in a very challenging schedule if they didn’t have these games. The hard thing for the older guys is the amount of training we missed in the fall … It’s really difficult for these guys, the soft-tissue injuries, the rhythm. There’s a lot of issues that go into some of the pandemic issues we had here. So it’s tougher on the older guys, believe it or not.”
Gattuso said he expects the Great Danes to be about as healthy as they’ve been all spring for the Stony Brook game. Among the players injured are senior linebacker Levi Metheny, who hurt an arm against Rhode Island, and sophomore wide receiver Tyler Oedekoven, who missed that game with an undisclosed injury.
Redshirt junior Anthony Lang said he’s looking forward to getting the Golden Apple trophy for the third straight year.
UAlbany defensive end Anthony Lang said he is looking forward to the rivalry game against Stony Brook, and retaining the Golden Apple trophy. (ENP Photography)
ENP Photography
“It’s just what’s been passed on before I even came here,” he said. “Stony Brook is our rivalry for the apple. I remember when we won by that field goal and it felt good to be at our home field, getting the apple and celebrating with the team. We definitely want to repeat that.”
