Josh Pitsenberger
Jack Warhola
10
Holy Cross CHC 0-4 , 0-0
28
Winner Yale YAL 1-0 , 0-0
Holy Cross CHC
0-4 , 0-0
10
Final
28
Yale YAL
1-0 , 0-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CHC Holy Cross 0 0 3 7 10
YAL Yale 7 0 14 7 28

Game Recap: Football | | Colleen Murphy

Bulldogs Start Strong, Defeat Holy Cross in Season Opener

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - On a picture-perfect fall afternoon at the Yale Bowl, the Bulldogs opened their season in dominant fashion, rolling past Holy Cross 28-10. The victory pushed the Crusaders to 0-4 on the year.
 
Key Players
  • Senior captain Josh Pitsenberger set the tone offensively, rushing for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
  • On the defensive side, All-American Abu Kamara picked up right where he left off last season, finishing with 10 tackles (four solo), two tackles for loss totaling 10 yards and a sack.
  • Nico Brown emerged as a playmaker in the passing game, hauling in multiple big catches, including his first career touchdown. He jump started Yale's offense with a 37-yard reception that set up the Bulldogs' opening score. In the third quarter, he added a 43-yard grab to put Yale in the red zone before finding the end zone on a 29-yard reception just a drive later.
 
Turning Point
After Holy Cross converted a field goal early in the third quarter, Yale's offense came alive. The Bulldogs responded with three straight touchdowns, rattling off 21 unanswered points to put the game out of reach.
 
Game Notes
  • Dante Reno, in his Yale debut, completed 13 of 18 passes (72 percent) for 166 yards and a touchdown.
  • Pitsenberger's three-touchdown day marked his first since his sophomore season, when he rushed for 131 yards and three scores in a double-overtime game against Princeton on Nov. 11, 2023.
  • Nick Conforti went a perfect 4-for-4 on PATs.
  • The Bulldog defense piled up seven tackles for loss totaling 46 yards, which was the most since Oct. 2, 2021, against Lehigh (48 yards).
  • This marked the seventh straight year Yale and Holy Cross have met in the season opener. The Bulldogs have now won back-to-back matchups.
Postgame Perspectives
"I am really pleased with the effort and resilience the team showed today. Holy Cross is a quality opponent, and they challenged us in a lot of ways," said Tony Reno, Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach. "We certainly have some areas for improvement, and we will spend the week addressing those, but I was encouraged by how our players stayed poised throughout the game. For a first week, it was a good step forward, and now it's about building on this performance and continuing to grow as a team."

On the team's start: "For the last four weeks, we've been stacking days, getting better, and focusing on ourselves—and the outcome showed," said senior captain Josh Pitsenberger. "When we have momentum on our side, we're a tough force to stop."

On big defensive plays: "They're spark plugs. We set the tone, take the hill, and carry it for all four quarters," said All-American Abu Kamara. "Football is football—we strap on our helmets and go play. That's what we do."

Looking Ahead
The Bulldogs return to the Yale Bowl next Saturday, Sept. 27, to host Cornell in the Ivy League opener. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
 
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