ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell Sprint Football will open the home portion of its 2013 schedule as well as a three-game home stand when the Big Red plays host to Penn on Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. on Schoellkopf Field.
 
GAME INFORMATION
GAME #3: Cornell vs. Penn
GAME TIME: Friday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m.
GAME SITE: Schoellkopf Field
SERIES RECORD:  Cornell leads 59-35-0
LAST MEETING:  Cornell won 42-34 (6OT) on Sept. 14, 2012
2013 RECORDS:  Cornell (0-2), Penn (1-1)
LIVE STATS | RADIO | IVY DIGITAL
 
ABOUT THE BIG RED
The Big Red is still looking for its first win in 2013 after falling to Franklin Pierce last weekend in the Adirondack Trust Allegiance Bowl. Cornell finished the 2012 season fourth in the Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) with a 3-3 record against league opponents (4-3 overall). The Big Red has finished in the middle of the pack the past four seasons, and will look to get back to the top of the league in 2013. The coaching staff named five captains for the season: Kyle Higgins, Brendan Miller, Michael Monahan, Chris Sitko and Bennett Winters.

THE HEAD COACH
Coach Terry Cullen is now in his 50th season with the Big Red sprint football program and boasts a career record of 168-136-7 heading into this weekend's game. Cullen has been a member of the coaching staff since 1964 and spent 13 years as an assistant to his father, Bob Cullen, before the two shared head coaching responsibilities through the 1995 season. From 1996 to 2007, Terry served as the sole head coach of the program. He officially became the Terry Cullen Head Coach of Sprint Football in 2001.

THE CO-HEAD COACH
In August 2008, Cornell announced that Bart Guccia would assume a majority of the on-field coaching and gameday decisions for the Big Red. Guccia is now in his eighth year with the team and has posted a 21-16 record, including the first two games of the 2013 season.

ABOUT PENN
The Quakers earned their first win of the season last weekend in a come-from-behind effort against Mansfield, scoring 35 unanswered points in the second half in the 42-14 rout. Quarterback Keith Braccia is second in passing in the CSFL through two games with 20 completions for 301 yards and three touchdowns. However the team currently has the worst team defense in the league, conceding 343 yards so far this season.
 
A WIN AGAINST THE QUAKERS WOULD…
…give Cornell its first win of the 2013 season and the 60th victory in the program's history versus Penn.
 
THE NEVER-ENDING SEASON OPENER 
Cornell and Penn met on a soggy Schoellkopf Field after a two-hour rain delay to open the 2012 season in what turned out to be a historic six-overtime game. After finishing regulation tied at 21 all, the Big Red and Quakers matched each other point-for-point through five overtimes. On the first play of the sixth with the teams tied at 34, quarterback Brendan Miller hurled a pass downfield to Abe Mellinger who managed to come down with the ball despite strong defensive coverage by Penn. Miller then ran a quarterback sneak to put Cornell up 40-34, and completed a pass to wide receiver Spenser Gruenenfelder for the two-point conversion. Cornell forced Penn to go four and out on the ensuing drive, and won the marathon game 42-34.
 
ROUGH START
The last time Cornell sprint football started a season 0-2 was in 2005. The Big Red exploded for 39 points in its third game that season to beat the Virginia Military Institute 39-12, and would finish with a 3-4 record.
 
LEADING WIDEOUT
The Big Red's Spenser Gruenenfelder leads all CSFL receivers with 11 receptions heading into week three. Gruenenfelder has amassed a total of 153 yards through the air thanks in large part to a seven-catch, 132 yard performance in Cornell's season opener at Post.
 
UNDER CENTER
Senior quarterback Brendan Miller has served as the primary option for the Big Red under center for the past two seasons; missing only one game in that time span because of a concussion. Through his first three seasons Miller accumulated 3,133 passing yards and threw for 26 touchdowns, while rushing for another 10 scores. He finished second in the league in passing in 2012 and was the CSFL First Team Quarterback.
 
ALL-CSFL RETURNERS
Following the 2012 season 16 Cornell athletes were recognized by the CSFL as all-league players; first team, second team and honorable mention. Of the five named to the CSFL First Team only two are back for the 2013 campaign: Miller and senior punter/kicker John Rodriguez. Three of the second-teamers – Kyle Higgins, John Kelder and Michael Monahan – will suit up again for the Big Red, as will two of the honorable mention selections: Spenser Gruenenfelder and Bennett Winters.
 
UP NEXT
The Big Red will face Army on Schoellkopf Field Friday, October 4 at 7 p.m.