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Cornell University Athletics

Football at Penn, 2011
Jeremy Hartigan/Cornell Athletics

Football Takes Trustee's Cup, Sets Records In Win At Penn

11/19/2011 5:32:00 PM

Box Score  I Box Score (PDF)
Postgame Press Conference
Notes from the Penn Game
Video Highlights

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- A week after scoring 62 points to capture the Empire State Bowl, the Cornell football team scored 48 points to knock off defending Ivy League champion Penn at Franklin Field to take home the Trustee's Cup with a 48-38 victory over the Quakers on Saturday afternoon at Franklin Field. The Big Red closes out the season with a 5-5 record (3-4 Ivy), while the Quakers finished at 5-5 (4-3 Ivy).

Sophomore Jeff Mathews set numerous Cornell and Ivy League marks with his second consecutive record-breaking effort, completing 35-of-45 passes for 548 yards and five touchdowns to lead the offense. The Big Red signal caller established Ivy and Cornell records for passing yards in a game and posted new school and conference marks for passing yards in a season with his performance. THree of his receivers passed the 100-yard mark and a fourth finished with 91 receiving yards. Mathews found senior Shane Savage four three touchdowns, giving him a school record 12 on the year. Savage ended the day with seven catches for 149 yards,

Junior Kurt Ondash had 10 catches for 197 yards, sophomore Grant Gellatly caught eight balls for 106 yards and a touchdown (his first career 100-yard game) and junior Luke Tasker hauled in nine passes for 91 yards and a score.

In his final return to his hometown, senior Rashad Campbell had a team-high eight tackles and two interceptions, while classmate Brandon Lainhart made eight stops, including a sack. The Big Red had a blocked kick and a key fourth down stop to key the victory. Senior place-kicker Brad Greenway set the school's career records for PATs and became the first Big Red player to lead the squad in scoring four straight seasons by going 7-of-7 on extra-point kicks.

Cornell shook off three turnovers and moved the ball at will against the defending Ivy League champions to finish the season 5-5 (3-4 Ivy), its first season at .500 or better since 2007. Over the final two weekend, the Big Red scored 110 points and posted 1,069 passing yards. Cornell ended the season with 313 points, the most by any Big Red team since the 1923 national champions scored 320 points. It was also the eighth consecutive contest Cornell has scored at least 24 points, the first time hitting that mark in as many contests in a row in the 124 years of Big Red football.

The first half, much like last weekend against Columbia, was a shootout. Cornell trailed 24-21 heading into the break despite three touchdown passes by Mathews, including two to Savage. In the process, Mathews set the school's single season passing yardage record for 225 yards in the first 30 minutes on 16-of-19 passing. Savage also became the second Big Red receiver to surpass 1,000 yards in a season.

While Cornell piled up 548 yards of offense, the Big Red defense held a Penn offense known for pounding it on the ground to 115 yards on 31 carries. Needing to stay to the air of keep up with the Big Red's scoring attack, Penn quarterback Billy Ragone was 23-of-40 passing for 253 yards and a touchdown. Ragone also ran for two scores, while Brandon Colavita ran for another. The Penn defense also scored when Erik Rask returned Mathews' only interception 30 yards for a touchdown.

The day didn't begin so hot for Cornell, as the Big Red fumbled the opening kickoff, giving the Quakers the ball at the Cornell 33. Five plays later, Ragone sailed in from eight yards out to put the home team on the board at 7-0 just 58 seconds into the game.

Already behind the eight ball, Cornell came out flying. Mathews completed his first three passes including a 15-yarder to Savage and a 14-yarder to Ondash to cross midfield. Mathews completed his final pass of the drive, a 17-yard strike to Tasker for the tying score. The play punctuated an eight-play, 68-yard scoring drive, and Greenway's PAT tied the game at 7-7.

After the two teams traded punts, Cornell's defense held again and forced another Penn punt. Mathews first down pass attempt was picked off by Rask, who raced untouched 30 yards to paydirt to help Penn regain the lead with 3:51 left in the first.

Undaunted, Mathews would strike quickly. Facing a third-and-3, Mathews went deep for Savage and the senior hauled in the pass 40 yards downfield, eluded a defender and went the distance to knot the score at 14-14 late in the quarter.

Penn began what would constitute a 14-play, 72-yard scoring drive by pounding it on the ground. Cornell's defense seemed to stiffen on a first-and-goal from the 9 and appeared to hold. Facing a fourth-and-goal from the 1, Colavita looked to be stood up at the line of scrimmage, but the Quaker tailback was able to bull his way forward over the line to give Penn the lead back.

For the third time in the contest, the Big Red immediately answered. Mathews completed 6-of-7 passes during the drive, including a 7-yard pass over the middle to Savage for the score, the senior's second of the game and his 11th of the season. Greenway's kick tied the game at 21-21 with 7:07 left in the half.

Penn was able to take the lead into the half on a Connor Loftus field goal from 35 yards to put the Quakers up 24-21 with 2:10 to play. A Penn sack put Cornell in an awkward 2nd-and-16 situation with the clock rolling, and rather than risk a turnover or giving the Quaker the ball back, the Big Red ran out the clock on the half.

Trailing by six against Columbia, Cornell scored 34 second half points to win. This week against Penn, only 27 were needed after the break. Cornell's defense came out strong, much like the previous week, and shut down the opposing offense for the first three possessions. After forcing a punt on the Quakers' first possession, Cornell's offense went back to work. Mathews hit Gellatly and Savage for 10-yard catches in advancing the ball all the way to the Penn 29. The offense bogged down and readied for a 46-yard field goal try by Greenway. The snap was bobbled and the senior wasn't able to attempt the kick to give Penn the ball back.

The Quakers looked to be marching for another score, and facing a fourth-and-1 from the Cornell 44, decided to go for it. Colavita was stopped for no gain by Lainhart to give the Big Red the ball back. With the momentum squarely back in its corner, Mathews went over the top to Ondash on the very first play, hitting the junior for a 54-yard gainer all the way down to the Penn 2. Ryan Houska took the direct snap out of the House-cat and went over from the 1 to push Cornell back into the lead. The snap was again botched, leaving the Big Red up 27-24 with 4:33 left in the third.

A Lainhart sack on the ensuing Penn possession forced a punt, but Penn's defense went and got the ball right back. Matt Hamscher's blitz from the blind side knocked the ball loose from Mathews. It was recovered by Jared Sholly and was returned 11 yards to the 7, and one play later Ragone hit Ryan Mitchell for the score. Loftus' PAT made it 31-27.

Of course, with 1:27 left on the third quarter clock, the Big Red offense had plenty of time of march down the field before the fourth, and did just that. A strong kickoff return by Rashad Campbell set up three consecutive passes by Mathews, a 23-yarder to Savage and consecutive 14 and 32-yard passes by Gellatly for a score. The last pass, where Gellatly tip-toed the sideline, squirted through several defenders and reached the end zone, helped Mathews break the Ivy single-season passing mark.

Entering the fourth, nothing had been decided. Nothing except that the scoring wasn't done yet. A long pass from Ragone to Joe Holder that covered 40 yards highlighted a Penn scoring drive that again flipped the score, this time putting Penn up 38-34 with 13:18 left in regulation.

A 64-yard strike from Mathews to Ondash moved the Big Red all the way to the Penn 16 and a pass interference call brought it to the 2. A Big Red penalty and two incompletions brought up fourth down, and again Greenway marched onto the field. For the third time in the game, the snap didn't allow Greenway an opportunity to kick, and Tasker completed a pass to Beau Sweeney, who was tackled immediately at the 7 to give Penn the ball back. After a short run by Ragone, Cornell's Rashad Campbell made the play that turned the game around.

Ragone dropped back and looked for a receiver, but Campbell jumped the route and intercepted the pass at the Penn 27, Cornell's first turnover gained on the day. Five plays later, the Big Red grinded out a score. Instead of attempting a 36-yard field goal, Cornell gambled on Mathews on a fourth-and-2 from the 19. The sophomore delivered, hitting Ondash with a pinpoint 16-yard strike for a first down. Freshman Ahmad Avery got the call on first down, bursting through the line for the 3-yard touchdown, his first collegiate score. Greenway's kick made it 41-38 with 9:15 left.

If Campbell's pick wasn't the difference-making play, Savage may have delivered it on Penn's next possession. The Quakers marched along looking for the go-ahead or tying score and set up for a 43-yard Loftus field goal attempt at the end of a 10-play drive. Rushing from the end, Savage sprinted his way toward the point of contact and got his hand on the field goal attempt for the block. The Quakers had run 7:44 off the clock without coming away with anything. Cornell answered with some insurance.

Wanting to take as much of the rest of the 5:23 off the clock, Cornell went to work. A 9-yard pass from Mathews to Gellatly converted a third-and-4, and facing a first-and-20 from its own 45, Mathews hit Savage for a 14-yard gain and picked up a 15-yard Penn personal foul for the first down, three plays later, Mathews hit Savage again, this time for 16 yards and the game-sealing and record-breaking touchdown. Greenway's kick with 1:28 made it 48-38.

Penn took over on its own 31 after the kickoff, but Ragone's deep pass on first down was again intercepted by Campbell and the Big Red took a knee twice to top the Quakers for the first time at Franklin Field since 2005.

With the Big Red's season complete, Cornell will now look toward the 2012 season, when nine offensive starters from a record-breaking group returns, as does eight starters from a youthful defense.

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