What a difference six years makes.

On Sept. 22, 2001, unbeaten Ithaca College defeated a winless St. John Fisher College 52–0, allowing just 64 yards of total offense. Twelve of the Cardinals’ 16 drives lasted three plays or fewer, while the Bombers amassed 289 rushing yards and scored six touchdowns.

On Sept. 22, 2007, unranked Ithaca will host sixth-ranked St. John Fisher, looking to avenge last season’s second-half collapse that snapped the Bombers’ record 11-game Empire 8 winning streak.

Fisher, the long-time Division III doormat, now sweeps opponents under the rug with a balanced offensive attack that produces 173.3 rushing yards and 186.3 passing yards per game. Fisher outscores its opponents by an average of four touchdowns — a near-perfect reversal of its old defeats.

Ithaca dominated the first five meetings between 1998 and 2002, particularly at Butterfield Stadium, where the Bombers won twice by a combined score of 96–0. It was part of a six-year span in which the Cardinals won just 11 games.

The roles began to reverse with a 20–19 near-miss in 2003. It took a 96-yard second half by senior running back Pete Celebre ’04 for Ithaca to overcome a 13–0 deficit. Finally, in 2004, the Cardinals turned a lopsided series into a compelling rivalry with a 45–38 double-overtime victory, which ultimately earned them a share of the conference crown.

“My first year we didn’t think they were going to be good and couldn’t believe it when we lost,” senior running back Jamie Donovan said. “And now they’ve established themselves as a really good program.”

Last year, Fisher trailed 10-0 at halftime before exploding with five unanswered touchdowns in a 34-10 win.

After last week’s 32–30 loss at Hartwick College, Head Coach Mike Welch said the Bombers will almost certainly lose the opportunity to win the conference if it drops Saturday’s tilt with the Cardinals.

“When you lose a league game, you really don’t have much margin for error after that,” Welch said. “The conference isn’t that big. You can’t lose two or you’re pretty much out of it.”

To keep themselves from losing two, the Bombers must return to their typically fortress-like form against the run. The Blue and Gold’s Empire 8 leading run defense from 2006 surrendered an uncharacteristic 174 rushing yards against the Hawks, and the task is no easier this Saturday. Fisher senior Ryan Hanson, who had only 61 carries a year ago, has proved to be a more than capable replacement for Mark Robinson ’07, pounding out 128.7 yards per game, along with five touchdowns.

Donovan said Fisher’s ability to reload after the departure of players like Robinson and all-conference linebacker Gene Lang ’07 is what makes this new rivalry such a captivating one.

“I almost think it’s bigger [than Cortaca] among the players and people who really know about the programs because it’s a league game,” Donovan said. “There’s more than just bragging rights [at stake].”