Straight off its first Ivy League win of the season against Columbia (2-3, 0-2 Ivy), Penn football (4-1, 1-1) hits the road again, this time taking on the Yale Bulldogs (3-2, 1-1). Four sports reporters at The Daily Pennsylvanian make their picks ahead of the Quakers' battle against the reigning conference champions.
Penn 28, Yale 20 — Caleb Crain, Sports Editor
This game has a lot at stake for two teams with title hopes, and for whom little else would be acceptable. The winner moves to 2-1 in conference and gains crucial momentum heading into the thick of the Ivy season. The loser falls to 1-2, no longer controlling its destiny in the conference title race.
Last year, this game went down to the wire, with Penn being the last team standing. This time, I predict the same ultimate result, but a different game. I trust that Penn's offense — led by junior quarterback Aidan Sayin, and freshman running back Malachi Hosley getting a larger share of the carries — will be able to start cooking early. But Yale is good enough to not let this get out of hand, and its offense will keep the game close. In the end, though, I think Penn has the juice to tame the Bulldogs and keep them at arm's length.
Yale 24, Penn 20 — Walker Carnathan, Deputy Sports Editor
At their best, the Quakers are more than capable of winning this game to knock off last year’s Ivy League champ and prove that their defeat against Dartmouth was merely a bump in the road. But after several sloppy performances in a row, I worry the Red and Blue may not be able to put together the complete performance necessary to dispatch the Bulldogs.
Last season, Penn was the only Ivy League team to defeat Yale, as the Bulldogs marched to an Ancient Eight title. In that game, the Quaker defense stymied Yale's dual-threat quarterback Nolan Grooms, holding him to just 6.6 yards per play through the air and 3.4 on the ground. Grooms is back at the helm for the Bulldogs, and if Penn can keep him in check again, the win will be theirs for the taking. But it was just two weeks ago that, despite limiting Dartmouth’s Nick Howard to a subpar performance, the Quakers’ errors cost them their Ivy opener. Though I would love to be proven wrong, I’m still unsure if those leaks have been patched.
Penn 27, Yale 23 — Kristel Rambaud, Sports Reporter
Penn and Yale will meet with identical records — both 1-1 in close calls in conference play. Yale’s performance has been in part due to their defense, with senior linebacker Joseph Vaughn holding second in conference standings for solo and total tackles. But Penn’s defense is much tighter defending the running game, as the team has only given up 87.8 yards per game. They’ll have to focus on defending the passing game, which has been the go-to for Yale this season.
Between their confidence rolling after two wins, and their underdog mentality coming into the home of the Bulldogs, Penn will have the mentality it needs to shock Yale once again.
Yale 24, Penn 21 — Andrew Stratton, Sports Reporter
Yale presents a tough challenge for Penn. While the team's record may not show it, the Bulldogs are most likely the toughest matchup of the season so far. Penn managed to squeak out a win at home last season, but they may not be so lucky this time around, given some of their recent struggles. I’m expecting a wholly entertaining game though, and hope the Quakers prove me wrong.
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