SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — The Susquehanna University football team opens its 2026 campaign Saturday afternoon when the River Hawks travel to Union College for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
LINKS TO THE GAME
The matchup pits two programs coming off successful 2025 seasons, with Susquehanna entering the year ranked No. 20 in the D3football.com preseason poll and No. 21 in the American Football Coaches Association preseason poll. The River Hawks finished 11-3 overall and 6-0 in Landmark Conference play a year ago, advancing to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals. Union went 8-3 and finished a perfect 7-0 in Liberty League play before advancing to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Both teams squared off to open their respective seasons last year, with Susquehanna pulling out a 33-14 home victory. The game was tied at 7-7 after one quarter before the River Hawks scored 26 unanswered.
Saturday's contest also marks the beginning of the
Chris Pincince era at Susquehanna. Pincince was named the River Hawks' head coach in February after spending 10 seasons as the head coach at the University of New Haven. He enters his first season at Susquehanna with a 76-34 career record and five NCAA Division II Tournament appearances during his tenure with the Chargers.
A LOOK BACK AT 2025
Susquehanna's 11-win campaign last season was highlighted by a perfect 6-0 mark in Landmark Conference play and the program's seventh NCAA Tournament appearance. The River Hawks' offense averaged 39.93 points and 441.4 yards per game, including 250.5 passing yards and 190.9 rushing yards per contest.
The River Hawks also excelled on third down, converting 55.56 percent of their opportunities, while scoring on 65 of 65 red-zone trips, including 46 touchdowns. Defensively, Susquehanna allowed just 17.79 points and 275.4 yards per game.
Among the key returners for the River Hawks are senior quarterback
Tommy Wright, senior running back
Matt Surtz and senior defensive standout
Galen Limantour. All three are among Susquehanna's five team captains, along with senior defensive back
Ben Fleming and senior offensive lineman
Liam Kelly. Limantour, a preseason All-American selection, anchors a defense that will look to set the tone against the Garnet Chargers.
SCOUTING UNION
Union enters Saturday's season opener looking to build on an 8-3 campaign in 2025. The Garnet Chargers averaged 25.18 points and 369.8 yards per game last season, with 204.45 yards coming through the air and 165.4 on the ground.
Quarterback Cole Brisson returns to lead the Union offense, with running back Jah'Cire Jones and receivers Joe Curran and Evan Anderson among the players listed atop the Garnet Chargers' two-deep.
Union's defense allowed 17.82 points and 299.6 yards per game in 2025. The Garnet Chargers recorded 25 sacks last season and converted 70.83 percent of their fourth-down attempts, while their offense scored touchdowns on 24 of 36 red-zone trips.
Union is led by head coach Jon Drach, who enters his third season with the program. Drach owns a 43-30 career record, including an 11-10 mark at Union.
NEW SEASON, NEW CHAPTER
Saturday's game provides the first opportunity for Susquehanna to begin building on last year's NCAA quarterfinal run while introducing Pincince and his coaching staff to the River Hawks faithful.
Pincince brings more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience to Selinsgrove, including previous stops at New Haven, Fairfield, Brown, Ursinus, Holy Cross, Rhode Island and Elon. During his decade as New Haven's head coach, his teams won at least six games in each season and made five NCAA Division II Tournament appearances.
The River Hawks will look to carry the momentum of their recent postseason success into a challenging season-opening road test against a Union squad that also reached the NCAA Tournament last season.
