Yale Field Goal Falls Short at the End, Penn Holds on for a 24 – 21 Win
PHILADELPHIA, PA 10/23/2026 –
Another Friday Night Lights home game for the University of Pennsylvania Quakers. Ans some end of the week similarities. Last week Penn’s attempt at a 51-yard game-winning field goal fell short. Seven days later it was the Yale Bulldogs trying a 49-yard game tying field goal attempt did not have enough distance. Penn takes a 24 – 21 victory. It is their first Ivy League win of the year. It was a battle. A touchdown run by Sean Williams of the Red and Blue with just over 8 minutes to play provided the winning points.
“Green grass, touchdown,” is what Williams saw when he got the ball. “Our offensive line did a great job of getting everyone out of the way, and that put me in that position. Everyone around me did a great job and that allowed me to score that touchdown.”.
And it was another wild ending. Yale got the ball back with 44 seconds on the clock at the Penn 39-yard line. In three plays the Bulldogs drove to the 26-yad line with 8 seconds remaining. Yale coach Kevin Cahill sent the field goal team on the field to try a 44-yard potential game-tying three points. The Eli took their time in setting up. Too much time, and were flagged for a five-yard delay of game penalty. That five yards may have proved the difference between a Penn victory or overtime.
Penn Defense a Factor in the Win
The Quakers defense provided a second half shutout. For the game the Bulldogs were limited to 359 yards of total offense. In the second half The Eli gained but 117 total yards. The defensive backfield also picked off 4 Dante Reno passes, a season-high for the Red and Blue. The first two were quite impactful. In the second quarter Reno sent a pass into the Penn endzone. Quakers defensive back Ty Cortes deflected the ball. Ezra Fearon grabbed it for an interception. In the third quarter Yale had excellent field position at the Penn 26-yard line due to a 7-yard Penn punt. After a 23-yard completion, Reno to Lucius Anderson, the quarterback went to the air again. But defensive back Derek McCrum got in front of the ball for an interception turning Yale away. Brock Cornell picked the ball off late in the third quarter. And it provided the Quakers with a field goal to pull to within 21 – 17. Devin Malloy had the fourth Penn interception giving the ball to the Red and Blue at their own twenty.
“We got looks that we hadn’t shown against the run,” said Penn Coach Rick Santos. “We forced them into obvious passing situations. The defensive line did a really good job wreaking havoc and our backend, they were glued to their man all game.”
Offenses Were Big Play or Short Drive
Yale got the first touchdown on their first possession via a 44-yard pass from Reno to Anderson. Penn answered right away keyed by a 28-yard run by Williams and a 26 yard completion from quarterback Miles Teodecki to wide receiver Isaac Lee. Tight end Jack Donnelly hauled in a two-yard toss from Teodecki to cap the drive.
Later in the first quarter Yale fumbled the snap on a punt that they did recover. But the recovery was well short of the first down line to gain. Penn got the ball 20-yards from the Eli goal line, and would score on a 3-yard reception by tight end Dante Barone. Penn had a 14- 7 lead.
The Bulldogs scored second quarter touchdowns. Running back Hugo Djeumeni Kemeni tied the game with a 34-yard touchdown run. He would gain 107 yards rushing. Anderson hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass for a 21 – 14 Yale lead at halftime. It would also be their final points in the game. Anderson caught 10 passes for 133 yards and 2 for touchdowns. Neither team scored in the third quarter.
Critical Drive of the Game
It was not a big play or short field for the Quakers when they got the ball down by 4 points. The team needed a time consuming drive and score to take control. They got it with a 9-play 56-yard drive in 3:39 to take the lead.
“To sustain a drive like that takes all eleven,” said Teodecki. “All eleven for one goal.”
Up Next
Both teams have a 3 – 3 record, 1 – 2 in the Ivy League.
Penn goes on the road and will play on Saturday afternoon in Providence, RI. Brown is the opponent, always a tough game. But every one in the Ancient Eight is a rugged game.
Written By: Glenn Papazian
Contact: glenn@phillycollegesports.com
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