PRINCETON, N.J. -- Senior Jackson Kennedy goes back-to-back in the first two weeks of the season being named the Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week. This week, he is joined by senior linebacker Connor Henderson, who was named the Ivy Defensive player of the week. This week marks the first time since 2017 that the Big Red had multiple honorees in the same week since October 30, 2017 when Nick Gesualdi and Nickolas Null were named Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week, respectively.

Kennedy, the first back-to-back Cornell awardee since 2019, put the game on ice for the Big Red. His 37-yard field goal as time expired sealed a road win over Yale for only the second time this century. It also marked the first win in the series since 2016. He was the first player to score for the Big Red in the game, getting the only Cornell points in the first half off of a 34-yard field goal. Kennedy went three-for-three on field goals, while also securing both extra points and punted his first-career I20 punt. After two weeks of play, Kennedy leads the Ivy League and ranks second in the FCS in field goals per game (2.5).

Henderson matched his career-high in solo tackles with five, and added two assists for a season-high seven. he tallied his second-career interception and returned it for five yards at the perfect time,  preventing Yale from marching down the field, holding the Bulldog lead to 14-3 at halftime. He is tied for 12th in the FCS for interceptions per game (0.5). Henderson headlined a Cornell defense that held the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, Nolan Grooms, to his second-lowest completion percentage of his collegiate career (38.9%). The senior linebacker and the rest of the defense held Yale to just 301 yards, over 60 yards less than what the Bulldogs put up against #5 Holy Cross. With a combination of defensive stops and offensive efficiency, the Big Red stands alone atop all of college football (FBS and FCS) at time of possession, averaging 38:40 per game.

Henderson, Kennedy, and the rest of the Big Red return to the gridiron this Saturday, September 30 for Homecoming against Colgate. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Schoellkopf Field.