Nico Brown
David Schamis
13
Penn PEN 4-2 , 2-1
35
Winner Yale YAL 4-2 , 2-1
Penn PEN
4-2 , 2-1
13
Final
35
Yale YAL
4-2 , 2-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
PEN Penn 3 7 3 0 13
YAL Yale 7 21 7 0 35

Game Recap: Football | | Colleen Murphy

Complete Team Win Propels Bulldogs Over Penn

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale football delivered its most complete performance of the season on Saturday afternoon, taking down Penn, 35-13, at the Yale Bowl. The win lifts the Bulldogs to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Ivy League play, while the Quakers drop to 4-2 and 2-1 in the conference.

Key Players
  • Quarterback Dante Reno led the way with a poised and efficient performance, completing 72 percent of his passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns.
  • Josh Pitsenberger powered the ground game with a season-high 145 rushing yards and a touchdown.
  • On defense, Zairion Jackson-Bass's perfectly timed punch-out set up Abu Kamara for a 63-yard fumble recovery touchdown that swung the momentum.
  • Nico Brown continued his strong senior campaign with eight receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
  • Brandon Webster added two key pass breakups and a forced fumble in another steady defensive outing.
Turning Point
  • After Penn grabbed an early 3-0 lead with a 28-yard field goal, Pitsenberger's 10-yard burst into the end zone — followed by Noah Piper's extra point — gave Yale a lead it wouldn't surrender. That drive sparked a 21-point second quarter, as the Bulldogs controlled the pace on both sides of the ball and never looked back.
Keeping Tabs
  • Yale has won two straight heading into Week 7 against Columbia.
  • The Bulldogs have now beaten Penn in back-to-back meetings, scoring 30+ points in both contests.
  • Yale posted a season-high 202 rushing yards and three touchdown passes.
  • Josh Pitsenberger's 145 rushing yards marked his fourth 100-yard game of the season; he's scored in four of six contests.
  • Nico Brown hauled in a career-high 121 yards receiving on eight catches.
  • Abu Kamara recorded his second fumble recovery of the season (the first coming vs. Cornell on Sept. 27).
  • Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye posted 13 tackles — his fifth double-digit game this year. He leads the Ivy League in total tackles (71), solo tackles (33), assisted tackles (38), and tackles per game (11.8).
  • Billy Eastep added a career-best 10 tackles.
Quotables
"I'm so proud of our team's effort today. From start to finish, we played with energy, focus, and competitiveness," said Tony Reno, Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of Football. "I think we're starting to find our rhythm — the guys are playing with confidence and executing at a higher level. The communication, tempo, and trust in each other have all improved. We still have things to refine, and we will, but when you see that kind of balance and energy, good things happen. We're looking forward to getting back at it tomorrow and building on this with another strong week of practice."

"It's always good to get a win, and it's exciting to see this group start to come together and put the pieces in place," said senior wide receiver Nico Brown. "The really exciting part is that there's a lot of meat left on the bone, so I'm excited to see where this group keeps going."

Looking Ahead
The Bulldogs return home next Saturday, Nov. 1, for a noon kickoff against Columbia at the Yale Bowl.
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