Yale

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale football team defeated Dartmouth, 28-7, in its home Ivy League opener. The Bulldogs improved to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in Ivy League play, while the Big Green fell to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
 
Key Performers

• Dante Reno threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns, completing 75.7 percent of his passes.
• Jaxton Santiago continued his strong season, totaling 147 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The wide receiver also hauled in a 45-yard reception.
• Hugo Djeumeni Kemeni powered the Yale rushing attack with 174 yards and a touchdown.
• In a close game, every point matters. Noah Piper delivered two key field goals, connecting from 43 yards in the third quarter and 25 yards in the fourth to extend Yale's lead to 13 points.

Points of Emphasis

• Yale's defense elevated its play against the Big Green, recording a season-high seven tackles for loss totaling 38 yards.
• James Cave totaled two tackles for loss for 27 yards and forced a fumble. Brandon Webster broke up three passes, while Abu Kamara's fourth-quarter interception halted Dartmouth momentum. Yale converted the ensuing possession into a field goal to make it a 13-point game.

Game Notes

• The win was Yale's 11th straight at the Yale Bowl, dating back to the 2024 season.
• It was the Bulldogs' largest margin of victory over the Big Green since Oct. 8, 2011, when Yale defeated Dartmouth, 30-0, at the Yale Bowl.
• The Bulldogs amassed a season-high 537 yards of total offense.
• Reno now has 11 touchdown passes through three games this season. The next-closest Ivy League quarterback is Harvard's Charlie Smith, who has nine through four games.
• Djeumeni Kemeni recorded his second straight 100-yard rushing performance.
• Djeumeni Kemeni set a career high with 174 rushing yards.
• Santiago's two receiving touchdowns brought his season total to seven. He has scored a touchdown in each of Yale's four games this season.

Bulldog Bytes

Kevin Cahill, Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach
"I was excited about how we played complementary football, which we had struggled with this season, and it was a good step forward for us for that. We got some work to do in there, and we'll focus on that. But we'll enjoy the win tonight and move on to next week."
 
Dante Reno, Quarterback
"We threw the ball well and didn't turn the ball over, which is great. Playing a team like [Dartmouth], we have to capitalize on their mistakes. Thankfully, they didn't capitalize on ours. So we did well when we had the ball, which was great, but we got to finish the end zone."
 
Abu Kamara, Captain, Defensive Back
"We're still building our identity, and [Dartmouth's 2.4 yards per carry] was a piece that we can take with us. I think we pride ourselves in [collective defense] every day. We practice that way. We communicate that way. So when it happens out on the field, it's like second nature."
 
Around the Ivy League
Columbia 41, Marist 28 (10/9)
Brown 28, Bryant 13
Princeton 28, Wagner 13
Harvard 41, Cornell 29
Penn 24, Howard 20
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs will shift back to non-conference play when they host the University of Rhode Island on Saturday, Oct. 17.