Box Score NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale's celebration of its rich tradition was a big success. Wearing commemorative uniforms modeled after those worn by Walter Camp, an 1880 Yale graduate who is considered the father of American football, the Bulldogs did Camp and all their alums proud in earning a hard-fought 24-21 victory over Dartmouth on a gorgeous afternoon at Yale Bowl, Class of 1954 Field.
Hamilton Moore's interception with 36 seconds left in the fourth quarter sealed the victory, Yale's third straight win.
"We say all the time that we have to be ready to win on the last play," said
Tony Reno, the Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "We were close today. It was the second-to-last play. Hamilton made an amazing play to close it out. For our team it was really special. I'm so proud of this team for beating a really good team."
It didn't seem Yale would need any last-second heroics. After Dartmouth scored first, the Bulldogs ran off 24 unanswered points and had a 24-7 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Big Green, though, rallied, scoring a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter and then pulling within three on a Paxton Scott 23-yard touchdown reception with 1:44 remaining.
After its defense held, Dartmouth got the ball back on its own 13-yard line with 41 seconds remaining, but Moore quickly spoiled any hopes of a comeback, stepping in front of a Dylan Cadwallader pass along the sideline.
It was a big day for the Yale defense, which held the Big Green to 20 yards rushing.
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, continued to have great success on the ground. Behind Yale's experienced and talented offensive line,
Tre Peterson rushed for 173 yards and one touchdown. Quarterback
Nolan Grooms added 90 rushing yards.
Grooms also had a strong day throwing the ball. He was 19-of-22 for 170 yards and one touchdown.
Mason Tipton caught six passes for 73 yards, while
David Pantelis added eight catches for 67 yards.
Moore finished with nine tackles to lead the defense, while
Wande Owens added seven.
Clay Patterson and
Tamatoa McDonough each had a sack.
After Dartmouth scored first, Yale answered with all 10 points of the second quarter. Grooms' 5-yard touchdown run tied the game at 7-7, and
Jack Bosman added a 41-yard field goal with 16 seconds left before halftime.
The Bulldogs then opened the third quarter with a 96-yard scoring drive, capped by Tipton's 25-yard touchdown reception.
Yale's final score of the day came on Peterson's 2-yard TD run midway through the third quarter.
The Bulldogs are now 2-0 in Ivy League play and have won three straight games.
"We've been fortunate the last few weeks to grow through success," Reno said.
For the commemorative uniforms, the details were meticulous. The jerseys were cream colored, the same as Yale's famed varsity sweater, and Walter Camp's rules of football from his famous 1893 book are written in the jersey numbers. The helmets and pants were traditional Yale Blue. The helmets also featured a cream Y with Heisman Trophies on each side, honoring Yale's two Heisman winners – Larry Kelley '37 and Clint Frank '38. The two classic Yale stripes on the helmet listed the last name of every Yale football captain since 1872.
"It was a pretty special day for all of us to celebrate," Reno said.
The win was No. 923 for Yale all-time. The Bulldogs played their first football game on Nov. 16, 1872, a 3-0 victory over Columbia in a game that featured 20 players on each side.
Next up is the final non-league game of the season, against Bucknell on Saturday at the Bowl. Kickoff is slated for noon.
