Penn 31, Dartmouth 28 — Valeri Guevarra, Sports editor
It’s truly go time this weekend, and with this matchup being the Ivy League opener for both teams, I believe this is the year that the Red and Blue will pull off the victory.
While coach Ray Priore has not defeated Dartmouth at home in his head coaching career, this season will be different. After the offense put up a strong overall performance against nationally ranked Lehigh, Penn is set up for a win, led by senior quarterback Liam O’Brien and the man’s best friend: senior wide receiver Jared Richardson.
It was clear from the start of the season, when Richardson caught a 69-yard touchdown pass seconds into the season opener at Stonehill, that he is the most dangerous weapon in O’Brien’s arsenal. He further impressed at Lehigh, collecting 141 yards and two touchdowns. Before then, Lehigh had not given up more than 24 points in its first four games. He, along with fellow senior wide receiver Bisi Owens, will no doubt be instrumental in this matchup.
However, it will not be an easy road to a win. Dartmouth quarterback Grayson Saunier leads the Ancient Eight in completions per game. Under his helm, Dartmouth is the No. 8 offense in the country, averaging 478.0 yards per contest.
But, ultimately, I think the star trio of O’Brien, Richardson, and Owens will help the sun shine on Penn on Saturday.
Dartmouth 35, Penn 24 — Sonal Sukhatme, Sports associate
Kicking off the Ivy season, Penn faces off against the two-time defending conference champions at Franklin Field. Dartmouth is already off to a strong start this season, being 2-0 after its games against Central Connecticut State and New Hampshire.
Historically, Penn does have a 49-40-2 winning record against the Big Green, and a 28-20 record at home. However, out of the teams’ last 10 matchups, Dartmouth has won eight. More specifically, last year, the Red and Blue narrowly lost with a final score of 20-17. These numbers make it unlikely that Saturday’s game will be a blowout, especially once you add in how strong the Quakers have been recently.
O’Brien had 316 yards against Lehigh and completed 28 out of 37 passes, and senior running back Julien “Juice” Stokes was named Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time in a row, thanks to his 133 return yards.
However, I don’t think it’s likely for Penn to prevail, considering how strong Dartmouth’s offense has been. The Big Green’s offense is currently ranked No. 8 in the nation. Saunier hit a career-high 407 yards in Dartmouth’s last game and is the best in the Ivy League when it comes to completions per game.
Overall, I doubt Penn can pull through a win, but I’m confident that the Quakers will still put forth respectable numbers.
Penn 27, Dartmouth 24 — Soo Young Yoon, Sports reporter
My head says to pick the Big Green, who have won eight of their last 10 games against each other. Coming off of a thriller victory this past weekend, Dartmouth looks to be one of the hottest teams. Still, my heart tells me Penn will pull this one off.
The Quakers, though they just faced a loss, featured an impressive outing on offense with O’Brien throwing for three touchdowns. However, they need to take care of the ball on the defensive side.
Last Saturday, Lehigh running back Luke Yoder had a monstrous performance with 173 yards and two touchdowns against the Quakers’ secondary. If Penn wants to win on Saturday, it must figure out a way to shut down Dartmouth’s run game.
I’m all in on freshman kicker Mason Walters hype. Penn lost the last two matchups against Dartmouth by just a field goal. This week, Walters may just hit another winner.
Penn 31, Dartmouth 28 — Madison Knier, Sports reporter
History does not always repeat itself.
After a close 20-17 win by Dartmouth in the Ivy League opener of the 2024 football season, this year, the Quakers are back at historic Franklin Field to set the record straight. Fueled by a bitter loss from last year, Penn football’s grit alone will certainly blemish Dartmouth’s current 2-0 record.
The Big Green presents a strong offensive unit led by Saunier. Despite its supposed powerhouse offense, the team is simply insufficient against what Penn has to offer.
Offensive execution has been a bright spot for Penn football so far this season, and this Saturday will be no exception. In their loss at Lehigh, the dynamic duo of Richardson and Owens combined for 22 receptions, resulting in 242 yards and three touchdowns, aided by O’Brien, who completed a career high 75.7% of his passes. When fueled by the energy of their home field crowd, these seniors are bound to continue their stellar performances, driving Penn to a victory.
On paper, it may seem as though Dartmouth has the edge, but Penn football simply wants it more.
Dartmouth 31, Penn 10 — Cavance Snaith, Sports reporter
The Red and Blue are entering this home and Ivy opener after a 14-point loss at Lehigh and a narrow win at Stonehill. Dartmouth enters this matchup, which also happens to be its first Ivy League game, undefeated. I believe they have a good shot at continuing that streak.
Historically — and especially last season — the Big Green and the Red and Blue couldn’t be more different. Dartmouth is entering as the two-time defending Ivy League co-champions. They shared the title with Harvard and Columbia in 2024. The Big Green also has the most Ivy League championships of all time with 22 titles. On the other hand, Penn went 2-5 in the Ivy League last year.
While there are new members and returning stars on the Red and Blue’s roster, Penn is experiencing the same struggles with turnovers as last year. In addition, the defense is finding it difficult to stop the running game, allowing 300 rushing yards last week.
I’ll be in the stands on Saturday, cheering for the Red and Blue, but my prediction stands for an unfortunate blowout.
