EMPIRE 8

2026 Season Preview, Presented by Hansen Ratings
Cortland
CortlandCortland, NY
Brockport
BrockportBrockport, NY
Utica
UticaUtica, NY
St. John Fisher
St. John FisherPittsford, NY
Alfred
AlfredAlfred, NY
Alfred State
Alfred StateAlfred, NY
Morrisville State
Morrisville StateMorrisville, NY
Hartwick
HartwickOneonta, NY
2025 Season Recap
Team | W-L (Conf) Rating
1. Cortland | 8-3 (7-0) 27.6
2. Utica | 8-3 (6-1) 20.2
3. St. John Fisher | 7-4 (5-2) 6.5
4. Brockport | 7-4 (4-3) 22.7
5. Alfred State | 5-5 (3-4) -6.1
6. Alfred | 4-6 (2-5) -4.7
7. Hartwick | 4-6 (1-6) -15.6
8. Morrisville State | 0-10 (0-7) -14.2
Postseason Results
Auto Bid
0-1
Cortland
At-Large
0-0
Bowl(s)
1-2
Utica, St. John Fisher, Brockport
W-L
1-3
Conference Summary
4.6
Avg. Rating
63%
Avg. Ret.
61%
Offense
66%
Defense
Players to Watch
YARP/G = Yards Above
Replacement per Game
Tyler Szalkowski - QB, Sr
Utica - 73.5 YARP/G
Noah Currier - RB, Sr
Alfred State - 30.7 YARP/G
Jacque LaPrarie - WR, Sr
Cortland - 19.8 YARP/G
Logan Frederick - TE, Sr
Utica - 38.0 YARP/G
Liam Malgieri - OL, Sr
Brockport - 20.7 YARP/G
Nazair Jean-Lubin - DB, Sr
Cortland - 43.1 YARP/G
Liam Nealy - DB, Jr
Brockport - 34.0 YARP/G
Aidan Lochner - LB, Sr
Cortland - 33.9 YARP/G
Jayden Ferrell - DL, So
Brockport - 30.0 YARP/G
George Gjelaj - DL, Sr
Cortland - 29.4 YARP/G
Games to Watch
Game Score = Measure of
Quality & Competitiveness
11/14: Ithaca (-0) @ Cortland LL Game Score: 28.6 Cortland 23.3-23.3 - 63%
11/7: Cortland (-6.5) @ Brockport Game Score: 20.2 Cortland 28.1-21.6 - 66%
9/5: Washington and Jefferson (-4.5) @ Utica PAC Game Score: 19.6 Washington and Jefferson 28.4-23.9 - 62%
9/5: Cortland (-7.5) @ Grove City PAC Game Score: 19.4 Cortland 29.5-22.3 - 68%
11/14: Brockport (+2.5) @ Utica Game Score: 18.7 Utica 24.1-21.5 - 57%
2026 Season Preview
Cortland
Projected W-L: 8.3-1.7 (6.2-0.8)
Return
Prod.
Total
72%
(49)
Returning Production
National #49 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
79%
(38)
Returning Offense
National #38 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Off.
64%
(83)
Returning Defense
National #83 of 243
Conference 4th of 8
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
50%
Auto Bid Odds
National #17 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
21%
At-Large Odds
National #13 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #119 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
31.0
(17)
Rating
National #17 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
43.1
(17)
Adjusted Offense
National #17 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
AdjO
12.1
(22)
Adjusted Defense
National #22 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
AdjD
Brockport
Projected W-L: 7.6-2.4 (5.4-1.6)
Return
Prod.
Total
58%
(120)
Returning Production
National #120 of 243
Conference 6th of 8
50%
(163)
Returning Offense
National #163 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
Off.
68%
(65)
Returning Defense
National #65 of 243
Conference 3rd of 8
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
24%
Auto Bid Odds
National #46 of 243
Conference 2nd of 8
13%
At-Large Odds
National #30 of 243
Conference 2nd of 8
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #119 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
21.9
(36)
Rating
National #36 of 243
Conference 2nd of 8
34.9
(61)
Adjusted Offense
National #61 of 243
Conference 3rd of 8
AdjO
13.0
(27)
Adjusted Defense
National #27 of 243
Conference 2nd of 8
AdjD
Utica
Projected W-L: 6.8-3.2 (5.4-1.6)
Return
Prod.
Total
66%
(71)
Returning Production
National #71 of 243
Conference 4th of 8
69%
(79)
Returning Offense
National #79 of 243
Conference 3rd of 8
Off.
62%
(88)
Returning Defense
National #88 of 243
Conference 5th of 8
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
23%
Auto Bid Odds
National #47 of 243
Conference 3rd of 8
11%
At-Large Odds
National #33 of 243
Conference 3rd of 8
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #119 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
20.1
(44)
Rating
National #44 of 243
Conference 3rd of 8
35.6
(52)
Adjusted Offense
National #52 of 243
Conference 2nd of 8
AdjO
15.5
(41)
Adjusted Defense
National #41 of 243
Conference 3rd of 8
AdjD
St. John Fisher
Projected W-L: 6.3-3.7 (3.8-3.2)
Return
Prod.
Total
71%
(52)
Returning Production
National #52 of 243
Conference 2nd of 8
55%
(136)
Returning Offense
National #136 of 243
Conference 5th of 8
Off.
91%
(4)
Returning Defense
National #4 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
3%
Auto Bid Odds
National #119 of 243
Conference 4th of 8
3%
At-Large Odds
National #85 of 243
Conference 4th of 8
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #119 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
7.2
(89)
Rating
National #89 of 243
Conference 4th of 8
25.3
(129)
Adjusted Offense
National #129 of 243
Conference 4th of 8
AdjO
18.1
(54)
Adjusted Defense
National #54 of 243
Conference 4th of 8
AdjD
Alfred
Projected W-L: 2.7-7.3 (2.0-5.0)
Return
Prod.
Total
42%
(203)
Returning Production
National #203 of 243
Conference 8th of 8
43%
(194)
Returning Offense
National #194 of 243
Conference 8th of 8
Off.
42%
(197)
Returning Defense
National #197 of 243
Conference 8th of 8
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
0%
Auto Bid Odds
National #174 of 243
Conference 5th of 8
0%
At-Large Odds
National #177 of 243
Conference 6th of 8
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #119 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
-8.6
(157)
Rating
National #157 of 243
Conference 5th of 8
23.9
(142)
Adjusted Offense
National #142 of 243
Conference 6th of 8
AdjO
32.5
(168)
Adjusted Defense
National #168 of 243
Conference 6th of 8
AdjD
Alfred State
Projected W-L: 4.4-5.6 (1.7-5.3)
Return
Prod.
Total
56%
(135)
Returning Production
National #135 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
54%
(142)
Returning Offense
National #142 of 243
Conference 6th of 8
Off.
59%
(107)
Returning Defense
National #107 of 243
Conference 6th of 8
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
0%
Auto Bid Odds
National #180 of 243
Conference 6th of 8
0%
At-Large Odds
National #147 of 243
Conference 5th of 8
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #119 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
-9.1
(160)
Rating
National #160 of 243
Conference 6th of 8
24.9
(133)
Adjusted Offense
National #133 of 243
Conference 5th of 8
AdjO
34.0
(178)
Adjusted Defense
National #178 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
AdjD
Morrisville State
Projected W-L: 2.7-7.3 (2.1-4.9)
Return
Prod.
Total
66%
(72)
Returning Production
National #72 of 243
Conference 5th of 8
72%
(67)
Returning Offense
National #67 of 243
Conference 2nd of 8
Off.
59%
(111)
Returning Defense
National #111 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
0%
Auto Bid Odds
National #185 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
0%
At-Large Odds
National #189 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #119 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
-10.6
(167)
Rating
National #167 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
17.1
(195)
Adjusted Offense
National #195 of 243
Conference 8th of 8
AdjO
27.7
(129)
Adjusted Defense
National #129 of 243
Conference 5th of 8
AdjD
Hartwick
Projected W-L: 3.1-6.9 (1.4-5.6)
Return
Prod.
Total
71%
(54)
Returning Production
National #54 of 243
Conference 3rd of 8
62%
(105)
Returning Offense
National #105 of 243
Conference 4th of 8
Off.
81%
(13)
Returning Defense
National #13 of 243
Conference 2nd of 8
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
0%
Auto Bid Odds
National #185 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
0%
At-Large Odds
National #189 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #119 of 243
Conference 1st of 8
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
-14.9
(183)
Rating
National #183 of 243
Conference 8th of 8
21.0
(163)
Adjusted Offense
National #163 of 243
Conference 7th of 8
AdjO
36.0
(190)
Adjusted Defense
National #190 of 243
Conference 8th of 8
AdjD
Auto Bid = Conference AQ; At-Large = Pool C at-large bid; Bowl = automatic bowl tie-ins (ECAC bowls are not included)
Note: Projections use prelim. returning production. Ranks in parentheses are national, of 243 teams. Data: stats.ncaa.org | Analysis: Logan Hansen