ITHACA, N.Y. -- Penn took advantage of short fields and Cornell mistakes to race out to a 28-7 lead, then held off a Big Red comeback to capture a 28-21 victory over the Big Red on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. The Quakers improved to 7-1 (4-1 Ivy), remained in control of its destiny for the Ivy League title and regained possession of the Trustees' Cup. The Big Red slipped to 4-4 (1-4 Ivy) with the loss.

Cornell limited Penn to 272 yards of offense and 10 first downs and dominated time of possession (35:29-24:31), but two turnovers, two blocked punts and penalties at key junctures allowed the Quakers to put together three touchdown drives that totaled 80 yards. None took more than 62 seconds. Otherwise, the Cornell defense forced eight three-and-outs or fourth-down stops.

Penn's Trey Flowers gained 124 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and Aidan Savin threw a pair of touchdown passes, a 47-yard pass to Sterling Stokes another for 38 yards to Joshua Casili. The Quakers were credited with 11.0 tackles for loss and three sacks, with Garrett Morris adding 10 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup. Jonathan Melvin made 3.5 tackles for loss and broke up a pass.

Jake Stebbins and Connor Morgan each were credited with seven tackles, while Trey Harris had six stops, forced a fumble and had an interception wiped out due to penalty. Anthony Chideme-Alfaro intercepted a pass and Manny Adebi, the reigning Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week blocked his school-record fourth kick of the season and third in two weeks. BOth Paul Lewis III and Noah Taylor broke up two passes apiece.

Sophomore Jameson Wang accounted for three touchdowns, including throwing two scoring passes to fifth-year senior Thomas Glover. Wang gained 84 rushing yards on 25 carries and scored once against the nation's fourth-ranked rushing defense. Penn entered the day surrendering just 54.0 rushing yards per game, though the Big Red piled up 134 yards without two of its top three running backs.

First Quarter

• The teams had a 10-minute feeling out period with three consecutive three-and-outs and an eight-play drive that covered 24 yards and ended with the game's fourth punt.
• Ayden McCarter's 42-yard punt pinned the Quakers at their own 6 with just over six minutes to go in the first.
• Six plays later, Penn was on the board.
• Two times the Quakers used free plays - one an offsides, the second a snap with the offensive line looking to the sidelines.
• A 28-yard connection from Sayin to J Stokes set up a 47-yard pass from the quarterback to Stoke's brother, J, for the score.
• Cornell answered right back on the strength of a 60-yard kickoff return by Javonni Cunningham down to the Penn 30.
• On the second play from scrimmage, Wang found Glover from 31 yards out to even the score after Jackson Kennedy's PAT kick.
 

Second Quarter

• Two punts to begin the second quarter, the second a Big Red attempt blocked by the Quakers, ended with the visitors taking prime field position at Cornell's 20.
• Three plays into the series, Flowers found the end zone from 4 yards out to regain the lead.
• Two more punts put Cornell into possession, but a Wang pass was interceptred by Greg Morris, who returned the ball to the Big Red 13.
• Flowers found himself back in the end zone after two plays to lift Penn into a 21-7 lead with 3:00 remaining in the half.
• The Big Red marched 60 yards over 16 plays, but with a stiff wind blowing and facing a fourth-and-12 from the Penn 20, the Big Red failed to convert on a fake field goal at the horn to go into the break trailing by two touchdowns.
 

Third Quarter

• Cornell went three-and-out to start the second half and the ensuing punt was again blocked, giving the Quakers the ball at the Big Red 47.
• It only took two plays to make it a 28-7 lead, as Sayin hit Casilli in stride from 38 yards away just 2:42 into the half.
• Cornell fought back from there, scoring on a nine-play drive to cut the lead to 14.
• Wang went the final 4 yards on a drive that was highlighted by a 18-yard pass from Wang to Matt Robbert, as well as a targeting penalty on Penn that advanced the Big Red 15 yards.
• The second half of the third quarter saw the teams try 17 plays that gained 36 total yards, but was highlighted bu another special teams play.
• For the third time in two weeks and the fourth time this year, Manny Adebi collapsed the line and blocked a kick, this a 47-yard attempt.
 

Fourth Quarter

• The Big Red was chasing points throughout the fourth quarter, running 35 offensive plays over the final 15 minutes, but only scoring in the final seconds.
• Three times Cornell failed on fourth down, including once after the defense forced a turnover thanks to an Anthony Chideme-Alfaro interception.
• A 53-yard run by Wang flipped the field early in the fourth, and a 26-yard pass from Wang to Robbert set up the game's final score.
• Glover's 9-yard score with four seconds left capped the scoring.
• A last-ditch on-sides kick proved unsuccessful and Penn took a knee to claim the win and regain the Trustees' Cup.
 

Up Next

• Cornell will celebrate its seniors and close out the 2022 home slate when it welcomes Dartmouth to Schoellkopf Field on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m.
• The Big Green leads the all-time series 62-41-1 and has won 11 of the past 12 meetings between the programs.
• The Big Red's last home win over the Big Green came in 2008, a 37-14 triumph.