For the second week in a row, Hobart senior cornerback Zeshan Dixon was named the Liberty League Football Defensive Performer of the Week. Teammates, senior E.J. Taylor and junior Reed Bouchard earned a spot on the league's weekly honor roll.
 
Hobart suffered its first loss of the season, a 36-29 setback at Utica, on Saturday.
 
Dixon recorded a game-high 10 tackles, including seven solo, against the Pioneers. Among his stops was a 15-yard strip sack that put the brakes on the Pioneers' opening drive. Dixon, who had 13 tackles (10 solo) last week, has more solo tackles through three games this season (18) than he had in 11 games last season (17).
 
Taylor rushed for a game-high 101 yards on 16 carries, including a 47-yard touchdown run, and caught four passes for 83 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown reception. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry and averaged 20.3 yards after the catch against Utica. His touchdown run early in the third quarter got the Hobart offense on track after getting shut out in the first half. Taylor converted a two-point rush, that made it a 14-point game early in the fourth quarter. His TD reception with 2:04 remaining pulled the Statesmen within a touchdown of the home team.
 
Taylor raised his career rushing yardage total to 3,209 yards moving him into sixth place on Hobart's all-time list. His rushing touchdown was the 36th of his career, giving him sole possession of sixth place on that all-time list.
 
Bouchard, who is the starting left guard, was nominated for the special teams performer of the week award. He blocked a pair of PAT attempts on Saturday. He blocked the first PAT try by the Pioneers, to keep it a 6-0 game late in the first quarter. He blocked a second PAT attempt in the middle of the third quarter that kept the Statesmen within three scores. Hobart rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring Utica 22-7 in the frame, but couldn't complete the comeback. Bouchard is the first Statesman to block two kicks in a game since Oct. 14, 2023.
 
Hobart (2-1) will begin Liberty League play when it visits RPI (1-2) for a noon kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Statesmen hold a slim 34-33-1 series lead with the Engineers. RPI won last season's showdown 36-10 in Geneva.