Philadelphia usually bleeds green, but on Saturday, West Philadelphia bled Red and Blue for Penn football's 36-24 home victory to kick off Ivy League play and the 130th year at Franklin Field.
In their third game of the season, the Quakers (2-1, 1-0 Ivy) hosted back-to-back Ivy League champion Dartmouth (2-1, 0-1). Special teams and defense were crucial to the victory. Before Saturday's win, coach Ray Priore had never won against Dartmouth at Franklin Field as head coach. The team also honored the life of 14-year-old Vhito DeCapria, the team’s long-term honorary captain, who died last Thursday.
“Vhito sat in his exact room 10 years ago,” Priore said. “A sprained ankle, a broken little finger [versus] 40 days of chemo treatment. It teaches you lessons that are beyond sport. It's life. When you get knocked down, you need to get back up, and that's what Vhito did to his last breath.”
On the first play of the game, senior quarterback Liam O’Brien targeted trusty senior wide receiver Jared Richardson, who has hit 100+ yards in each game so far this season. Richardson had a step on the defender, but the underthrown ball was picked off by Dartmouth safety Harrison Keith. The Big Green's quarterback Grayson Saunier converted the excellent field position by punching in a quick score.
Following the disastrous first down throw attempt, Penn called four straight run plays on its next possession before finally going back to the air. This time, O’Brien was able to connect with senior wide receiver Bisi Owens for a 24-yard gain. The offense stalled out at the four-yard line after three run attempts generated no yardage, forcing the Quakers to settle for a 22-yard field goal that freshman kicker Mason Walters converted with ease.
Throughout the first half, Penn's defense struggled to stymie the Saunier-led Dartmouth offense, which entered the matchup as the third-ranked unit in the Ivy League. The Big Green had its way on the ground, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Despite forcing Dartmouth into third-down situations on six separate occasions, the Quakers' secondary failed to get off the field a majority of the time as Dartmouth went 4-6 on third-down conversions.
At the beginning of the second quarter, Penn had a quick three-and-out where O’Brien missed a wide-open Owens on third down. However, Penn found the momentum shift it was looking for. Down 14-3, senior punter Santiago Sturla forced a muffed punt for the second week in a row that sophomore wide receiver/special teamer specialist Connor Johns was able to secure at Dartmouth’s 19-yard line. Four plays later, O’Brien walked into the end zone for Penn’s first touchdown of the game to make it a one-score affair.
“We knew it was going to be a fight, even on defense, and we made a big play with [us] picking up the fumble on the punt, and just putting everything together on special teams,” two-time reigning Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week and senior running back/return specialist Julien Stokes said. “And it all added up, and we came out victorious. That's what we set out to do.”
Penn’s defense also stepped up big. A deep ball that Saunier intended for Dartmouth wide receiver Luke Rives was undercut by senior defensive back Alec Wills, who jumped for the ball to give Penn a chance to tie the game up with just over one minute to play. O’Brien took full advantage, following up with two scrambles and a 9-yard pass to Owens to send both teams into the locker rooms with 17 points apiece.
The Penn defense came out of the break energized, forcing a three-and-out on Dartmouth’s opening drive, which the punt defense unit was able to turn into a safety to give Penn two points to kick off the second half. After receiving the kick-off, a 34-yard return from Stokes gave O’Brien a short field. O’Brien was able to find junior tight end Cadin Olsen for a score — Olsen’s first career touchdown.
After Dartmouth responded with a touchdown of its own to pull within two, the Quakers had an opportunity to extend their lead. On a crucial fourth down, a false start by Richardson sent the kicking unit onto the field instead. From 43 yards out, Walters missed his first kick of the year to turn the ball over to the Big Green. Three plays later, rookie defensive back Ezra Fearon recorded his first interception of his collegiate career.
“We have a quota to get three turnovers every game to take the pressure off the offense,” Fearon said. “Just being able to go out there and make a play … I was happy I was able to do that.”
A 65-yard return from Stokes and a successful field goal from Walters pushed Penn to a 12-point lead that Dartmouth could not close to seal the victory for the Quakers.
Beating the previously undefeated defending champions sets the Red and Blue up well for the team’s hunt for its first Ivy League crown since 2016, and O'Brien notes that this remains the end goal.
“The goal isn't beating Dartmouth,” O’Brien said, “It's winning a championship, getting a ring at the end of the year.”
