Recapping Princeton
By John Altavilla
One of Tony Reno’s favorite axioms relates directly to the process of winning an Ivy League championship.
When asked about the possibility, Yale’s coach consistently reinforces a concept that he tells his team every year. Essentially, it’s this: If you do what you’re supposed to do, someone hands you a trophy at the end of the season.
On Saturday at Princeton, the Bulldogs found another way to get the job done. And now they’re one step from the league title and automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, a first for any Ivy team.
Led by a staunch defense that collected six sacks, Yale used a 37-yard field goal from first year Noah Piper with 3:50 to play to beat Princeton 13-10.
“We saw leadership at every position and a collective belief that never wavered,” said Tony Reno. “This was a team win in every sense of the word, and I'm proud of the resilience and toughness they displayed today."
The Bulldogs have now won five-straight since consecutive road losses at Lehigh and Dartmouth. It’s Yale’s longest winning streak since it won six in 2019, when it won the league championship.
Next Saturday at Yale Bowl, the Bulldogs (7-2, 5-1) play unbeaten and nationally ranked Harvard (9-0, 6-0). If the Bulldogs win, the Ivy championship will be theirs by virtue of the head-to-head tiebreaker.
To be honest, this was not easy for the Bulldogs. Princeton’s defense gave Yale’s offense, which had scored 140 points in the previous four weeks, all it could handle. The Tigers had more first downs (17 to 12). They had more rushing yards (136-119). And they even gained more yards (313-273).
It still wasn’t enough. The wear and tear inflicted by players like junior linebacker Phoenix Grant (13 tackles) was about to pay its biggest dividend.
With 1:04 to play, the pass rush again closed in on Princeton quarterback Kai Colon, forcing him to float a throw that fell safely into the arms of senior safety Josh Tarver. It was Tarver’s third interception of the season.
"As things unfolded, we knew it was going to come down to the last possession," said Sean McGowan, Yale’s Head Coach of Defense. "We needed to make a few more plays at the end, and obviously it was good to see that we're able to do that and secure that last possession."
Yale’s dominance along the line of scrimmage should have surprised no one; the Tigers came into the game having allowed 23 sacks and really could do nothing to hold back the Bulldogs, who lead the Ivy in sacks (32) and had seven in last week’s win at Brown.
But the Bulldogs came into the game seemingly with a huge advantage in the running game. In fact, Pitsenberger, who also leads the Ivy in carries and touchdowns, had more yards rushing this season than the entire Princeton team.
Pitsenberger’s touchdown enabled him to tie Yale legend John Pagliaro (34) in career rushing touchdowns.
Yale took a 10-3 lead into the half. Pitsenberger’s (24 carries, 106 yards) second-quarter score from the 1 gave the Bulldogs the advantage they helped secure with its four first-half sacks.
Pitsenberger, who leads the Ivy League in rushing yardage (1,095), is the first 1,000-yard rusher at Yale since Zane Dudek gained 1,133 as a first year in 2017. Pitsenberger has gained at least 100 yards seven times this season.
The Tigers finally tied the game early in the fourth quarter. Colon connected with first year sensation Josh Robinson for 48 yards to the Yale 12. Four plays later, Ethan Clark scored from the 1 with 8:46 to play
Princeton took the first lead on a 29-yard field goal from Esteban Nunez Perez with 33 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The 11-play drive was set up when a tipped pass from Dante Reno (11 of 16, 254 yards) was intercepted in the end zone by Torian Roberts. The quarterback hadn’t been intercepted in the last four games.
The Bulldogs got even when Piper, who leads the Ivy in made field goals, added another from the 37 with 6:53 to play in the half.
Then it briefly looked like Yale had separated. A 56-yard completion from Reno to Nico Brown (five catches, 102 yards) put the ball on the Tigers 9. Billy Daal cut to the right for eight yards to the 1. Two plays later, Pitsenberger took a direct snap and scored with 3:48 to play in the half.
The Bulldogs then denied the Tigers a chance to tie the score at the end of the half. Princeton had the ball 3
rd-and-5 from the Yale 10 with no timeouts remaining. But Yale’s defense picked up its fourth sack of the half as the clock expired.
Reno’s Corner
"Today was a gritty, hard-fought win, and I'm incredibly proud of how our guys responded and executed when it mattered most. Credit to Princeton - they're a very tough team and pushed us in every phase. All week long, and really all season, our players have stayed committed to being the best versions of themselves for each other. That commitment showed in the way they battled, stayed composed, and trusted one another in critical moments."
Players of the Game
RB Josh Pitsenberger, Sr., 6-0, 220, Bethesda, Md. (The Avalon School)
Where would Yale be this season without its captain? Once again, Pitsenberger led the way by gaining 106 yards on 24 carries and scoring the Bulldogs only touchdown on a 1-yard rush in the second quarter. He now has gained 1,085 yards; Yale’s first 1,000-yard rushing season since Zane Dudek (1,133) did it as a freshman in 2017. His 34 rushing TDs ties him with Yale great John Pagliaro for second place behind Mike McLeod, who scored 54 from 2005-08.
PK Noah Piper, FY, 6-2, 180, Flower Mound, Tex. (Greenhill School)
It’s entirely conceivable to say that Piper is among those who have made the most impact of any first year in the Ivy League this season. Since taking over the job during Dartmouth week he has pretty much been spot on. On Saturday, he helped the Bulldogs craft their win with a pair of 37-yard fields, the last of which won the game with 3:50 play in the fourth quarter. Piper has made 12 of 14 field goal attempts, which leads the Ivy, and 18 of his 19 extra points this season.
LB Phoenix Grant, Jr., 6-2, 225, Sherman, Tex. (Gunther)
Much has been made this season of the impact senior linebacker Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye has had. But over the last two weeks, it’s been Grant who has led the way for the Bulldogs’ defense. The reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week roamed sideline to sideline, recording another 13 tackles.
Ivy League Standings
Harvard: 6-0, 9-0
Yale: 5-1, 7-2
Dartmouth: 4-2, 7-2
Penn: 3-3, 5-4
Cornell: 3-3, 4-5
Princeton: 2-4, 3-6
Brown: 1-5, 4-5
Columbia: 0-6, 1-8
In the National Standings
Unbeaten Harvard (9-0, 6-0) is now ranked 10th in the nation according to the latest AFCA FCS Top 25 Coaches poll. The Crimson were ranked 11th last week.
Harvard hung on to beat Penn on Kieran Corr’s 53-yard field goal as time expired to give it a 45-43 victory and at least a share of the its 20th Ivy League title. The Crimson have won or shared three straight Ivy titles for the first time since 2013-15.
The Quakers had scored 10 points in 3 minutes, 23 seconds, on a Liam O’Brien 1-yard touchdown run and a 30-yard field goal with 22 seconds left for a 43-42 lead.
Harvard QB Jaden Craig found Dean Boyd for a 21-yard reception and then hit Ryan Tattersall for 18 yards to put the ball at the Penn 35, setting up Corr for the career-best make.
For the first time this season, Yale (7-2, 5-1) is ranked at No. 25, up from just 11 points last week after Noah Piper’s 37-yard field goal with 3:50 to play in the game giving it a 13-10 win at Princeton.
And Dartmouth (7-2, 4-2), which had 11 points last week, was awarded 22 after D.J. Crowther scored a pair of rushing touchdowns and ran for a career-high 197 yards to lead it to a 24-14 win over Cornell.
Crowther, the second-leading rusher in the Ivy League behind Yale’s Josh Pitsenberger, racked up his third 100-yard game of the season on 31 carries.
| Rank |
School (1st votes) |
Rec. |
Pts. |
| 1 |
North Dakota St. (23) |
11-0 |
599 |
| 2 |
Montana (1) |
11-0 |
573 |
| 3 |
Montana St. |
9-2 |
549 |
| 4 |
Lehigh |
11-0 |
523 |
| 5 |
Tarleton St. |
10-1 |
505 |
| 6 |
Mercer |
9-1 |
437 |
| 7 |
Villanova |
8-2 |
433 |
| 8 |
Tennessee Tech |
10-1 |
423 |
| 9 |
Rhode Island |
9-2 |
402 |
| 10 |
Harvard |
9-0 |
342 |
| 11t. |
Illinois St. |
8-3 |
338 |
| 11t. |
Monmouth (N.J.) |
9-2 |
338 |
| 13 |
Stephen F. Austin |
9-2 |
290 |
| 14 |
UC Davis |
7-3 |
259 |
| 15 |
Jackson St. |
8-2 |
251 |
| 16 |
North Dakota |
7-4 |
228 |
| 17 |
Youngstown St. |
7-4 |
203 |
| 18 |
ACU |
7-4 |
184 |
| 19 |
Lamar |
8-3 |
168 |
| 20 |
Southeastern Louisiana |
8-3 |
156 |
| 21 |
South Dakota |
8-4 |
127 |
| 22 |
South Dakota St. |
7-4 |
110 |
| 23 |
West Georgia |
8-3 |
91 |
| 24 |
Lafayette |
8-3 |
86 |
| 25 |
Yale |
7-2 |
37 |
Dropped Out: Southern Illinois (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Southern Illinois, 28; Alabama St., 27; Dartmouth, 22; UT Rio Grande Valley, 15; Gardner-Webb, 13; Sacramento St., 12; Austin Peay, 8; New Hampshire, 7; South Carolina St., 4; Presbyterian, 3; East Tennessee St., 2; Southern Utah, 2; William & Mary, 2; Elon, 1; Northern Arizona, 1; Prairie View A&M, 1.
The Bulletin Board
By John Altavilla
A Yale Friendship That Carried Beyond the Bowl
They’ve been great friends since becoming roommates at Yale. Throughout their football careers, quarterback Grant Jordan and linebacker Dean Shaffer have always been there for each other, looking out for each other while they battled injuries that briefly derailed their careers.
When their eligibility at Yale ended following the 2024 season, it seemed likely they’d be headed in separate directions when they both entered the transfer portal.
But things didn’t quite turn out that way.
“When we both went into the portal, we always kind of joked about how cool it would be to continue this great friendship together at another program,” said Jordan, who started at quarterback for Team 151 last season. “But with the chaotic nature of college football and the transfer portal today, we didn’t think it would be a high possibility.”
After taking time looking for a landing place, fate once again brought them together – at the University of Massachusetts.
“It was a coincidence, really,” said Jordan. “Both of our recruitment processes were unique to each of us and at the end of the day UMass was the place in which I thought would be the best opportunity for myself going forward, and then as it shook out, it was the same for Dean which kind of put the cherry on top.”
Jordan and Shaffer, the captain of Team 151, are living in an old renovated farmhouse in a small town right outside of Amherst.
“I have been super grateful to God in this journey of being in a new program to have my best friend with me every day,” said Jordan.
Things have been challenging for UMass this season. Entering the week, the Minutemen were 0–10 and dealing with significant injuries on both sides of the ball. They are coming off a 45–3 home loss to Northern Illinois. UMass has been outscored 376105, with difficult road results at Temple (42-10), Iowa (47-7), and Missouri (42-6).
Jordan has appeared in five games, completing 31 of 54 passes for 316 yards and adding 124 yards on the ground. Shaffer, who had battled injuries throughout his Yale career, unfortunately saw his season cut short midway through due to a hip injury.
“There has been an adjustment moving up to FBS, but I think every team, no matter the level, has really good players and really good coaches all with the same goal of winning games and building a strong program. The experience of playing some away games against some of the bigger programs in the country has been a very cool opportunity,” said Jordan.
Despite the new direction their lives have taken, what will never change is the affection both players have for Yale.
“I think about my time at Yale every single day, and I’m incredibly grateful to Coach Reno for giving me the opportunity to be part of such a special place,” said Shaffer. “The experience I had as both a student and a member of the football program is something I would never trade.
“My years there shaped me into the man I am today, thanks in large part to Coach Reno, the staff, and my teammates. The bonds I built with my teammates are lifelong - I still keep in close touch with my entire senior class. I love those guys like brothers, and I’ll do anything for them for the rest of my life. Yale has given me so much, and because of that, I feel a responsibility to give back in every way I can.”
Growing Together
One of the benefits quarterback Dante Reno will have as he moves ahead in his career is a young receiving corps that will grow alongside him.
Unlike last year, when Yale’s receiving room was filled with seniors like Dave Pantelis, Chase Nenad and Joey Felton, Reno’s been working with many young receivers, especially since Mason Shipp was lost for the season early in the year.
First year Lucius Anderson, sophomores Kyle Maltarich, Brady Wagner and Jaxton Santiago and juniors Robby Tattersall, Spencer Mermans and Graham Smith are lined up behind seniors Nico Brown and Aidan Stephens to give Reno many options.
“The energy is different this year,” said Shipp. “You come in with a young group of guys ready to make a mark on the program by adding offensive. The energy is so electric. The sophomores are ready to compete. They’re seeing the field. We’ve got guys like Nico Brown, who in my estimation is the best receiver in the FCS. He’s been waiting for his opportunity and now it’s come. It’s a different room now, but the guys who are here now were once behind guys like Mason Tipton and Dave Pantelis and now they are taking advantage of their opportunities. The young kids are keeping the juice high every day.”
Transformative Season
There is little doubt senior linebacker, Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye, is a top candidate for the Ivy League’s Defensive Player of the Year. He’s had an outstanding season.
Ayo-Durojaiye leads the Ivy League with 91 tackles, including five double-digit games highlighted by his 17 against Cornell. He entered Princeton week 12
th in the FCS in tackles per game, slightly behind Brown LB John Perdue, DB Miles Brophy and Penn LB John Lista.
“Numi is really a student of the game,” said Phoenix Grant, Yale’s other standout linebacker. “He knows football really well, like the back of his hand. During film sessions we’re always talking about how we can make the defense run more efficiently to make things easier for ourselves. Then on Saturdays, Numi is out there just flying to the ball, making plays and tackles. He’s a phenomenal football player.”
A Big Kick
One of the great surprises of the season continues to be first year kicker Noah Piper, who took field goal and extra point duties at Dartmouth in Week 4.
Piper’s breakout performance came on Oct. 18 at the Yale Bowl, when he delivered four field goals and five extra points in a 47–7 win over Stonehill. His 17 points marked the most by a Yale kicker in a single game in the modern era (post-1900).
Then on Saturday he booted a pair of 37-yard field goals – including the game-winner with 3:05 to play – to lead the Bulldogs to their 13-10 win over Princeton.
Piper has converted 12 of 14 field goal attempts, his longest from 50 at Cornell. He leads the league in field goals. He’s also converted 19 of 20 extra points.
“My initial impressions of Noah were that he was outstanding on his high school and workout videos,’” said Steve Vashel, Yale’s special teams coach. “Second, I really liked that he was the starting goalie for his high school soccer team, which I thought would bring a great dynamic to the team as a multi-sport athlete. Third, he was the best camper to attend our camp in regard to charting, and he displayed a quiet mind when competing. Fourth and most importantly, he made a connection with our current specialists at the time, who worked our camp. Shamus Florio, Ben Mann, Nick Conforti, and Joey Fortner unanimously gave him a thumbs-up. They determined he would be a good fit as a teammate. They were correct.”
