Box Score

* Box Score
* Postgame Press Conference Video

HANOVER, N.H. -- Dartmouth overcame a 10-0 fourth quarter deficit behind a freshman Greg Patton's Big Green single-game rushing record of 243 yards to capture a 20-17 double overtime victory over the Big Red on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Field. Foley Schmidt's 40-yard field goal in the second extra session proved to be the difference as the Big Red lost its sixth straight contest to fall to 2-6 (1-4 Ivy). Dartmouth improved to 2-6 (2-3 Ivy) win the win.



Senior quarterback Ben Ganter tossed for two touchdown passes, one to freshman Ben Moody and another to senior Bryan Walters in overtime, but were undone by Patton's signature performance. Making his first varsity appearance and taking snaps out of the Wildcat formation, the rookie ran over, around and through a Cornell defense that held the Big Green off the scoreboard for three quarters and forced four Dartmouth turnovers. Patton scored both of the home team's touchdowns, including one in the first overtime that guaranteed more football.

Walters had three punt returns for 23 yards, enough to become the second Ivy League player to surpass 900 yards in a career and pushing him past Penn's Mark Fabish to end with 921 yards. Ganter was 18-of-33 passing for 133 yards and two scores, while Randy Barbour rushed for 94 yards. Defensively, Dempsey Quinn had 16 tackles and Anthony Ambrosi had three tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble in the loss. Junior punter Drew Alston had a pair of punts that went 50+ yards and placed five of his six kicks inside Dartmouth's 20-yard line while averaging 42.3 yards per effort.

In a game that featured nine turnovers, three missed field goals, 842 total yards, but just two total touchdowns in regulation, Dartmouth escaped with its second straight crazy victory over the Big Red in Hanover.

Both teams were able to move the ball before stalling over the first eight minutes of the contest, before Alston's second punt of the game was fumbled by a Dartmouth player and recovered by Randy Barbour at the Big Green's 14-yard line. Cornell got down to the 7, but Greenway's 25-yard field goal attempt went wide with under five minutes to play in the quarter to keep the game scoreless. The Big Red defense had previously held on a fourth-and-4 from their own 35 before picking up the turnover on special teams.

Dartmouth took the momentum of the missed field goal and marched right back down the field on the strength of medium length passes by Connor Kempe. A false start penalty pushed the home team out of the red zone, and facing a third-and-12, Kempe was hit by Jack Campbell as he threw, forcing another fourth down try. This time, the Big Greeen attempted a 39-yard field goal by Foley Schmidt, but the kick came up short to give Cornell the ball back with 13:40 to play before the half.

Cornell took over at the 23 and quickly moved the ball with short passes to Liuzza, Savage and Walters and Blackman to get to the Dartmouth 26. With a rhythm going, Cornell was called for a holding penalty, but Ganter found a streaking Ben Moody across the middle for perfectly executed 16-yard touchdown to make it 7-0 with 10:33 to play. Greenway's conversion kick made it 7-0. Ganter was 5-of-6 on the drive for 51 yards.

The Big Red defense had stopped the Big Green and forced a punt, but a Cornell punt rusher ran into the kicker drawing a flag and giving the home team a new set of downs. This time, Cornell held the Big Green on a fourth-and-8 from the 30 to take over. Cornell used the running game to carry the ball inside the 30, and Barbour made an impressive 8-yard run, but was hit as he was going down and lost the football. Dartmouth recovered, giving the Big Red its first lost fumble on offense this season.

On Dartmouth's ensuing drive, Anthony Ambrosi caused two Big Green turnovers. Ambrosi picked off a Kempe pass, but fumbled the ball away on the return. Undeterred, he came in unblocked on a blitz and caused a fumble that was recovered by Mike Spooner late in the half. The Big Red would run out the clock and head to the locker room up 7-0.

Dartmouth held a 228-202 edge in yards in the first 30 minutes behind an impressive performance by freshman Greg Patton, who ran for 93 yards out of the wildcat offense. Cornell got 59 yards on eight carries from Randy Barbour and 47 yards on six carries by Ganter. The Big Green held a sizable advantage in time of possession (18:13-11:47). Rashad Campbell led the defensive charge with six tackles, while Ambrosi had five tackles, including a sack, intercepted a pass and forced a fumble. 

A couple of great punts by Alston flipped field position, and the second preceded a big hit by Dempsey Quinn, who recovered the fumble with just over six minutes to play in the third. The Big Red offense misfired on a pair of passes and looked third-and-10 from the Big Green 21 in the face and Liuzza's third-down pass was intercepted to give it back to the Big Green. That drive would go nowhere, and the Dartmouth punt would allow Walters an opportunity to break the IVy League return record. He picked up a bouncing ball and marched to the Dartmouth 34, a 15-yard return that helped him surpass Penn's Mark Furbush with 902 career yards. He ended the game with 919 punt retun yards.

After the Big Red offense went three-and-out, an Alston punt hit a Dartmouth blocker in the back of the leg and the Big Red recovered at the Big Green 29 to take over, the fifth turnover by the Big Red defense. Nursing the lead, Cornell looked to take some time off the clock with a first down run, but Ganter stepped back for a quick throw Diego Fernandez-Soto stepped in front of. Dartmouth made the Big Red pay, as the very net snap ended with a 52-yard scoring run by Patton with 12:04 left gave the visitors life and cut the deficit to 10-7. 

Cornell punted after picking up a first down on the next drive, and the Big Green went on a decisive 16-play, 80-yard drive that took 7:36 off the clock. In the end, a shot 26-yarder tied the game with 2:17 left.

The Big Red offense was not out of it, and took the ensuing kickoff out to its own 29. Two rushes by Marcus Hendren brought the ball out to midfield, and a pass from Ganter to Stephen Liuzza put the Big Red in field goal position. Two more runs set Greenway up for a game-winning 35-yard attempt, but the kick was blocked by Peter Pidermann to keep the home team in the contest. 

The home team won the overtime coin toss and chose to defend, and the Big Red picked up two first downs before Ganter fired a laser into Bryan Walters from 8-yards out to put Cornell up 17-10. Dartmouth answered with a 13-yard score on a Patton run. Darmtouth's second possession ended in a field goal, this time a 40-yarder by Schmidt, but the Big Red offense couldn't respond. Greenway's 36-yard attempt went wide and the Big Green celebrated its second straight home win by piling onto the field. 

The Big Red will close out the home portion of its 2009 schedule when it plays host to Columbia on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 12:30 p.m. at Schoellkopf Field. Cornell's senior class will be honored prior to the contest as part of Senior Day ceremonies.