Kickoff: 4:00 PM ET
Venue: Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium, Albany, New York (Capacity: ~8,500)
Broadcast: FloFootball / ESPN+
Weather Forecast (Albany, NY)
Temperature: ~72°F (22°C) at kickoff, cooling into the mid-60s by the 4th quarter
Conditions: Clear skies, light winds (5–7 mph)
Impact: Ideal football weather; no disruptions expected.
Injury Report
Cornell (0–0, Ivy League – season opener):
QB position unsettled after graduation of Jameson Wang ’25; five active QBs available.
RB Ean Pope – Healthy; 527 rushing yards in 2024.
WR Samuel Musungu – Healthy; 82 receptions, 952 yards, 10 TDs last season.
Defense – Healthy; unit gave up 31 points to UAlbany in 2024.
UAlbany (0–3, CAA):
QB Jack Shields – Healthy; 817 passing yards, 5 TDs, 2 INTs through three games.
RB Griffin Woodell – Healthy; 111 rushing yards, 1 TD.
WR Caden Burti – Healthy; 247 receiving yards, 1 TD.
WR Tavahri Groves – Healthy; 140 yards, 2 TDs.
Defense – Healthy, but has allowed nearly 32 points and 400 yards per game.
Key Player Matchups
Cornell QB (TBD) vs. UAlbany Secondary
With Cornell breaking in a new starter, Albany’s defense must capitalize on inexperience.
WR Samuel Musungu (Cornell) vs. UAlbany Corners
Musungu is Cornell’s top returning weapon; Albany must prevent explosive plays.
QB Jack Shields (UAlbany) vs. Cornell Pass Rush
Shields has been productive but turnover-prone; Cornell must pressure him early.
RB Griffin Woodell (UAlbany) vs. Cornell Front Seven
Woodell’s ability to establish the run could open up play-action for Shields.
Recent Team Form
Cornell Big Red (2024 season: 4–6, 3–4 Ivy)
11/23/24: L 17–9 @ Columbia
11/16/24: W 39–22 vs. Dartmouth
11/9/24: L 67–49 vs. Penn
11/2/24: W 49–35 @ Princeton
10/26/24: L 23–21 @ Brown
Trend: Offense averaged 30.2 PPG in 2024 under HC Dan Swanstrom.
UAlbany Great Danes (0–3, 2025 season)
9/13/25: L 24–17 vs. New Haven
9/6/25: L 37–32 @ Delaware State
8/30/25: L 34–7 @ Iowa (FBS)
Trend: Offense averaging 18.7 PPG; defense allowing 31.0 PPG.
Series History
All-time series: UAlbany leads 1–0.
Last meeting: Oct. 5, 2024 – UAlbany won 31–10 at Cornell.
This is Cornell’s first-ever trip to Albany.
Betting Trends
Cornell:
2–3 SU in last 5 games (2024).
3–2 ATS in last 5.
Overs hit in 3 of last 5.
UAlbany:
1–4 SU in last 5 games.
2–3 ATS in last 5.
Overs hit in 3 of last 5.
Head-to-Head: UAlbany covered in the only prior meeting (2024).
Historical Betting Results
Cornell: Often undervalued ATS in Ivy play; overs common when offense clicks.
UAlbany: Struggles ATS as a home favorite; overs frequent when defense falters.
CAA vs. Ivy Trends: CAA teams cover ~62% of the time in September non-conference games.
Game Odds
Cornell Big Red 49.5
Albany Great Danes – 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 19, 2025
