PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Penn broke up Cornell's potential game-winning two-point conversion attempt in the final minute to earn a 21-20 victory on Saturday afternoon at Franklin Field. The Quakers improved to 4-4 (2-3 Ivy) and retained the Trustees' Cup for the sixth straight year, while the Big Red fell to 2-6 (1-4) in the loss.

The Big Red dominated the game on paper, outgaining the Quakers 434-262, including 158-40 on the ground), and ran an amazing 34 more plays than the home team. The difference - a trick play that gained Penn 80 of its yards, nearly a third of its total for the game, for the eventual game winner. 

Junior Phazione McClurge had a career day with eight receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns for the Big Red, including a 10-yarder with 50 seconds left that set up a game-winning two-point attempt. Richie Kenney, who tossed for 276 yards and McClurge's two scores, had a screen pass sniffed out and broken up to seal the win for Penn. An on-sides kick was recovered by Demetrius Harris, but Cornell was called offsides. A second attempt was innocently batted out of bounds and the Quakers kneeled down twice for the victory.

Kenney completed 21-of-33 passes under center, while Harold Coles (17 carries, 93 yards) and SK Howard (16 carries, 86 yards) combined for 179 yards, both easily outpacing Penn's Karekin Brooks. The nation's leading rusher entering the game was held to 45 yards on 15 carries as part of a defensive effort that allowed the home team just 11 first downs, a 1-of-9 day on third-down and three tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks. Senior Justin Bedard had eight tackles and a half-tackle for loss and classmate Jelani Taylor notched seven stops and two pass breakups, while fellow senior Michael Gillooley notched a sack and a half.

Three different Penn players threw for touchdowns, with Owen Goldsberry's 80-yard double pass to Eric Markes with 13:21 remaining the difference. Nick Robinson and Ryan Glover also threw scoring passes, with Rory Starkey and Kolton Huber hauling in the passes. Prince Emili was the game-changer for the Quakers on defense with 10 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, while Zach Evans notched six tackles, an interception and two pass breakups.
 

First Quarter

• Cornell's defense made three stops to start the first quarter but was unable to take an early lead due to a missed 44-yard field goal and an interception.
• Following the interception, Cornell's defense got a stop, but the Penn punt was downed at the Cornell 11.
• A bad snap and a sack put the Big Red back at the 1, where Null had to punt out of the end zone and give good field position to the Quakers.
• Penn made a huge fourth-down conversion to end the quarter, a 19-yard reception by Rory Starkey on fourth-and-1 to the Cornell 13.
 

Second Quarter

• Penn quickly found the end zone with a 12-yard pass from Nick Robinson to Rory Starkey just 48 seconds into the quarter.
• Cornell came up empty on a 13-play, 83-yard drive that spanned 6:42.
• The Big Red had four chances inside the 5 and Dez'mond Brinson was stopped three times inside the 3.
• Despite that, Cornell's defense didn't let up and also forced a Penn punt from the end zone.
• Facing third-and-10, on the next offensive possession, Kenney found McClure for a 45-yard touchdown reception with 5:08 to play before halftime.
• McClurge made a number of Penn defenders miss and broke to the sidelines for his second career offensive score to knot the game with 5:08 remaining.
 

Third Quarter

• After trading punts to open the second half, Cornell went on an 11-play, 80-yard drive to take a 14-7 lead over Penn.
• Delonte Harrell scored on a 1-yard run on a lateral from Dez'mond Brinson to give Cornell its first lead with 4:56 left on the clock.
• The touchdown was set-up by a long 21-yard rush by SK Howard and a pair of 16-yard receptions from Owen Peters.
• Penn answered back with a quick 1:44 drive that went 75 yards.
• A 20-yard reception from Glover to Brooks put Penn near midfield and set up a a 40-yard touchdown pass from Glover to Huber to tie the contest.
 

Fourth Quarter

• Penn broke out some trickery on its first drive, throwing back to back screen passes.
• The second attempt, however, turned into a wide receiver pass and went 80 yards for a touchdown with Eric Markes on the receiving end of Owen Goldsberry's toss.
• Cornell went on a nearly perfect drive to end the game, finding McClurge for his second touchdown of the day with 50 seconds remaining.
• The two point try was no good however, giving Penn the 21-20 advantage.
• Cornell recovered an onside kick, but an offsides call on the kicking team forced a re-kick.
• The re-kick was knocked out of bounds by a Penn player to essentially seal the win.

Next Up

• Cornell will head out for its longest, and last, road trip of the season when the Big Red visits nationally-ranked Dartmouth on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1:30 p.m. in Hanover, N.H.
• The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
• Dartmouth leads the all-time series 60-40-1.