Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his Republican challenger Marc Molinaro squared off in what is likely to be their only head-to-head debate before the Nov. 6 election. Here are some takeaways.

Got Him on the Stage — Molinaro got what he, and other nominees before him, had up until recently pushed for unsuccessfully. Even before he entered the WCBS studios on Tuesday for the debate taping, Molinaro had notched a victory his Republican predecessors never got: A one-on-one debate with Cuomo. This was to the detriment of independent party candidates on the ballot like Stephanie Miner, Larry Sharpe and Howie Hawkins, but having the full slate of candidates in previous debates have been to the disadvantage of the Republican, be it Carl Paladino or Rob Astorio, having the effect of them fading into the woodwork. Molinaro has struggled in the public polls and fundraising against Cuomo. This was his chance to address a statewide audience, compare and contrast his record and persona against the two-term governor. Cuomo had shown little appetite to even debate and was goaded into doing so by WCBS 880 radio and by a series of New York Post front-pages portraying him as a chicken. It worked.

Body Language —  If you get a chance, rewatch the debate and hit the mute button. Pay attention to the body language. Cuomo did not bring his poker face to the debate, at times appearing to barely mask his contempt for his Republican opponent. His eyes narrowed as Molinaro spoke, his eyebrow arched in a show of incredulousness. The split screen showed Cuomo using his broad shoulders to lean into the desk and Molinaro, craning his body and seemingly taken aback by the aggressive stance the governor took in the debate. The Molinaro campaign sought to frame Cuomo as “a bully” or “unhinged” — the latter of which is a word Team Cuomo used to describe Cynthia Nixon during the Democratic primary. But the debate was really Cuomo unvarnished, a governor who won’t let criticism against him and his record go unanswered without a shot to the solar plexus. This was the same governor who calls a reporter when they’ve gotten something he says is wrong or has been unfair and has to set the record straight. This was the same governor who drives a hard bargain during the state budget talks and won’t be satisfied with an answer until he gets his way. Cuomo can’t be accused of running like he’s 35 percentage points ahead of Molinaro. Indeed, someone with no knowledge of New York state politics would watch that debate and understandably come away with the impression the race was a close one. Cuomo brings a bazooka to a knife fight.

Corruption Comeback — Cuomo suffocated the corruption issues. Yes, Cuomo said, "people who worked in his administration are going to prison. Yes, that’s terrible. But what about you, Mr. County Executive?" Cuomo was at his most animated when Molinaro began to slam him on the convictions of his former close aide Joe Percoco and Alain Kaloyeros, the ex-SUNY Polytechnic president who the governor put in charge of reviving the western New York economy, only to be found guilty of bid rigging. Its a potent and toxic mix for any incumbent, despite not being accused of any wrongdoing personally. However, rather than concede the point and move on, Cuomo sought to return fire even harder, pointing to a Dutchess County contractor and donor to Molinaro who has also employed his wife. Apples and oranges? Probably, but for an average voter it became a much murkier issue.

Upstate Ignored — Upstate New York is largely ignored. Sure, a question about the Bills getting a taxpayer subsidized stadium was asked — an issue that’s perhaps more important to team owners Terry and Kim Pegula than, say, the average voter, upstate or downstate. It is odd that upstate New York, home to eight million or so people, has been given such short shrift during the gubernatorial campaign. The area is facing a population decline and a slower economic recovery than the rest of the state and nation. Cuomo has focused intensely on showing that New York is doing more than ever before on helping the region. It’s also Molinaro’s base. The candidates, of course, can’t control the questions in the debate. But if upstate voters tuned out, it’s probably because the questions had little bearing on their lives.