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Cornell University Athletics

The Cornell Big Red football team takes the field against Colgate on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 on Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca, NY.
Dave Burbank/Cornell Athletics

Beyond The Box Score: Penn Game

11/11/2019 10:30:00 AM

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Here are some notes from Saturday's 21-20 loss at Penn.
 

Attacking The Rushing 

  • Since 1956, Cornell has limited an opponent to 50 or fewer rushing yards in a game just 37 times, including twice this year (50 yards on 24 carries at Penn, 2 yards on 20 carries at Marist)
  • It was the first time surrendering 50 or fewer yards against an Ivy opponent since 2017 (Brown with 18 yards on 19 carries) and an Ivy opponent on the road since Penn in 2005 (33 yards on 22 carries).
  • Penn's Karekin Brooks, who entered the game as the leading rusher in the FCS at 126.8 yards per game, was limited to 45 yards on 15 carries.
  • It was his fewest yards gained in a game this season.
  • Only Georgetown's Herman Moultrie III (101 yards on 24 carries) has surpassed 100 yards rushing against Cornell's defense in its last nine games.
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Defensive Notables 

  • Aside from its 80-yard touchdown on a trick play, the Big Red defense allowed just 183 yards on 45 plays (4.1 yards per play).
  • For the first time since giving up six first downs to Brown in 2017 and just the second time since 2006, Cornell surrendered fewer than 11 first downs to a conference opponent.
  • Cornell's 1-of-9 defensive efficiency on third down was its best in a game since 2017 when it limited Brown to 1-of-13 on third downs.
     

Offensive Notables

  • Cornell first time had two rushers with at least 80 yards on the ground in the same game since JD PicKell (22 carries for 95 yards) and Dalton Banks (15 carries for 87 yards) surpassed that mark against Sacred Heart in 2016.
  • The Big Red converted 11-of-19 opportunities on third down against the Quakers, the most successful conversions in a contest since moving the chains on 12-of-21 chances at Brown in 2008.
  • It's the first time Cornell has run 34 or more plays than its opponent in a game since Princeton in 2008 when it ran 90 plays to the Tigers' 54 for a margin of 36.
  • Since the 1986 season when time of possession was first tracked, Cornell has held possession of 38 minutes or more in just six league contests with the last time coming against Brown in 2017 when it had one of four games with better than 40 minutes of possession (40:20).
  • The record for time of possession in a game by the Big Red was vs. Columbia in 2005 when it held the ball for 44:07.
  • It was the eighth-highest time of possession total in school history.
  • Of Cornell's 11 offensive drives, five went for 10 or more plays and five didn't pick up a first down.
 

Other Notes

  • In the team's five Ivy League contests, senior Jelani Taylor has 44 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass breakups for a total of 12 passes defended.
  • Cornell held the ball for 22:16 of the 30-minute second half, running 46 plays to just 15 for Penn.
  • Phazione McClurge became the first Cornell receiver with multiple 100-yard games in the same season since Ben Rogers in 2015 (127 vs. Colgate, 109 vs. Brown) with his 124 yards and two touchdowns. 
  • Harold Coles climbed into the top 10 in rushing at Cornell, adding 93 yards to his totals to give him 1,832 for his career - good for Mo. 9 all-time and counting.
  • With his four catches for 67 yards, senior Owen Peters is now with 29 receiving yards from joining the top 20 in school history (currently at 1,122 yards).
  • Thanks to his two pass breakups, Taylor is now No. 5 all-time at Cornell in passes defended (29), and his 12 through eight games ranks 11th in a single season with the record at 19 (Mike Raich in 1985).
  • With his 276 passing yards, Richie Kenney jumped into the top 20 passing seasons in school history with 1,558 yards.
  • Kenney also now has five 200-yard passing games (No. 9 all-time) and four 250-yard passing games (No. 7 all-time) at Cornell and moves him within 39 yards of joining the top 20 in career passing yards.
  • Cornell has lost two of its last four contests by a score of 21-20 (Colgate).
  • Senior Michael Gillooley, making his second career start on the defensive line, matched his career total entering the game with his 1.5 sacks.

     
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