It was a beautiful day for football at University Field on Saturday afternoon.

The big crowd couldn’t have been any more pleased with the performance of their University at Albany Great Danes.

UAlbany scored early and often and cruised to a 48-0 victory over St. Francis (Pa.) on Homecoming weekend in front of a crowd of 6,624.

That crowd is the largest in UAlbany’s 11-year Division I history and the largest home attendance since a 1978 game against Ithaca College.

UAlbany outgained St. Francis 424-81 on the afternoon.

The Great Danes (1-1, 3-2) scored on their very first possession, when junior quarterback Dan Di Lella found fellow junior John Lullen for a 15-yard touchdown.

After a punt from the Red Flash (1-2, 1-4), UAlbany went right back down the field.

A 2-yard touchdown run from freshman Dillon Romain was set up by a key third down conversion.

Di Lella was able to find a wide open Ryan Kirchner for a 36-yard completion to keep the drive alive.

Five plays later, Romain made it 14-0.

The Great Danes outgained the Red Flash 209-45 in the first half.

St. Francis (Pa.), which played without sophomore running back Kyle Harbridge, only ran two plays in UAlbany territory in the first half.

Harbridge (groin) came into the game ranked third in the country in all-purpose yards (188.3/gm).

UAlbany is 12-0 against St. Francis all-time.