Penn 24, Stonehill 17 — Walker Carnathan, former sports editor
It’s a new day for Penn football, and the sun will rise on the Quakers in Easton, Mass.
Before they vie for the Ivy League’s first-ever FCS playoff berth, the Red and Blue kick off their non-conference campaign against Stonehill — their first meeting with the Skyhawks in program history. Luckily for Penn, other aspects of the game will not be so unfamiliar — senior quarterback Liam O’Brien and senior wide receiver Jared Richardson are back, as is Penn’s entire starting offensive line. The Quakers averaged 37.5 points in O’Brien’s four starts last season and scored 28 or more three times.
But in other areas, Penn will be forced to adjust to a new reality. With veteran defensive backs Shiloh Means and Julian Talley out the door, new faces will fill out the Quakers’ secondary, and they’ll face an early test against a Stonehill air attack that has averaged over 200 yards per game. That said, I expect Penn’s new stop troops to hold up, while its own passing attack will find enough success to offset Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year and former running back Malachi Hosley’s departure. Expect O’Brien to toss multiple touchdowns and lead the Quakers to a season-opening win.
Penn 42, Stonehill 13 — Vivian Yao, former sports editor
Penn football is officially back.
The team is coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign, finishing the year with two straight losses to land at a flat 4-6 record. However, there were flashes of hope for the Red and Blue faithful as O’Brien emerged as a bona fide starting signal caller. Now with half a season of starting experience under his belt, expect O’Brien to elevate the offense heading into this year. Expect Richardson and fellow senior wide receiver Bisi Owens to get a lot of looks early, as their chemistry with O’Brien was apparent in the tail end of last season. There will be big shoes to fill after Hosley transferred to Georgia Tech following an all-time great performance with Penn, but the team will have plenty of time to check out who can step up against Stonehill, which has struggled in its first three games this season — especially on offense. Even after Stonehill notched its first win of the season last week, I see this week being more like the Skyhawks’ 42-26 loss against Lafayette.
Penn 34, Stonehill 8 — Conor Smith, deputy sports editor
Penn football will beat the brakes off Stonehill if the defense does its job against a subpar opponent.
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Penn’s defense ranked No. 6 overall in the conference last year. The unit was consistently outplayed on long, time-sucking drives last season. Opposing teams converted on third and fourth down against the Quakers at a combined 47% in 2024. This allowed teams to control the clock in close games against Penn, which ranked seventh among the eight Ivy League schools in average time of possession. The most damning example of this came in Penn’s 20-17 loss to Dartmouth, during which the Big Green put together a 21-play, over 10-minute drive to put the game away in the fourth quarter.
Luckily for the Quakers, Stonehill’s offense has been abysmal in its first three games. The Skyhawks are averaging just 15.3 points per game and have only gotten into the red zone six times. They stole a win last week after a fourth-and-21 touchdown to win the game, but do not be fooled by that prayer ball. Stonehill is bad. Penn will win if its defense can get off the field — unlike last year.
Penn 24, Stonehill 13 — Lucy Rupertus, sports reporter
After pulling off a victory last weekend against Maine, Stonehill is looking to continue its winning ways this weekend against Penn.
Despite the energy this should give Stonehill, I believe that the Quakers will pull through and set their season off on a strong foot. While this game might be Penn’s season opener, it is not Stonehill’s opener. Thus far, the Skyhawks have three games under their belt: consecutive losses to Sacred Heart and Lafayette before getting on top of Maine.
Since the Quakers have yet to begin their season, this game is an opportunity for them to set the tone for the rest of this fall: one that I believe they will seize. After becoming the Quakers’ starting signal-caller in the middle of last season, O’Brien will come in ready to lead this team to an opening victory. Additionally, I expect to see an exciting performance from Richardson and Owens. These veterans will be confident and eager to show up for their team, and I believe that will drive them to victory.
