Football Hits the Road to Princeton for 106th Meeting

Dan Swanstrom
The Roger J. Weiss '61 Head Coach of Cornell Football

STREAKS, STORYLINES & SIDEBARS
• Cornell football rounds out a three-game road swing when the team travels to Princeton, N.J. when the team takes on Princeton. The foes are set to square off at Powers Field at Princeton Stadium. Kick-off is set for Saturday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m.
• The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
• Princeton enters the week 2-4 with wins over Howard and Brown. Despite the Tigers being under .500 in both the Ivy League and overall, the team has yet to lose a contest at home.
• Princeton was selected to finish fourth in the 2024 preseason Ivy League poll and received a first-place vote.
• Picked to finish seventh in the Ivy League preseason media poll, Cornell seeks to surpass expectations again after turning a last-place preseason selection in 2022 into a sixth-place finish and a .500 record, the best record for the Big Red since a 5-5 finish in the 2011 season. The Big Red is currently tied for fifth after a 1-2 start in Ivy play.
• Cornell will take a different approach to the captainship this season compared to years past. Each week, Cornell will name game captains, rather than having a pair host the duties the whole season. Quarterback Jameson Wang has been a captain each week. Jack Powers has served the second-most times with three. Luke Banbury, Joey Cheshire, Hunter Sloan, and Brendan Chestnut come next with two. Damon Barnes, Hunter Sloan, Muhammad-Ali Kobo, Joey Cheshire, Eddy Tillman, Mason Yacovelli, Parker Woodring, Maxwell Van Fleet, and Trey Harris have all carried the honors once.

A LOOK BACKWARDS
• The Big Red finished the 2023 season with a 3-7 overall record (2-5 Ivy) after a hot start. 
• In the second game of the season, Cornell grabbed a road win against a Yale team receiving votes in the national polls, 23-21, when then-senior Jackson Kennedy booted in a last-second 37-yard field goal to take just the second Big Red road victory over the Bulldogs this century.
• The Big Red also bested Ivy foe Brown at a time when the Bears' offense led the league in offense. The Big Red defense stifled the Bears, allowing no points until 5:48 remained in the third quarter. Cornell's defense allowed just two scores all game and forced three turnovers, including a 55-yard pick-six.
• Cornell put six student-athletes on All-Ivy teams, accounting for seven spots with Jackson Kennedy earning the nods for second-team punter and place kicker.
• The Big Red returns just six of the 22 starters from last season. Two-time All-Ivy quarterback Jameson Wang is the lone true starter back on the offense.
• Wang is the only returning 2023 All-Ivy honoree after the other five student-athletes graduated.

A WIN OVER PRINCETON WOULD...
• move Cornell back to .500 in conference.
• be the second consecutive season that the Big Red starts the conference slate 2-2.
• be the third win at the Division I level for Coach Swanstrom.
• cut Princeton's lead in the all-time series to 66-37-2.
• mark Cornell's first win in the series tins the 2017 season, and be only the second win in the series in the last decade.
• give Cornell a 336-231-15 (.504) all-time record in the month of November.
• be the 659th in program history (15th-most in the Football Championship Subdivision).

ABOUT PRINCETON
• Princeton is one of the top teams in all of the FCS when it comes to avoiding penalties. The Tigers have the fourth-fewest penalties in the nation so far this season (25) and average the eighth fewest per game (4.17).
• Senior captain and 2023 All-Ivy honoree John Volker is the lead rusher for the orange and black. On 47 carries, he has amassed 280 yards and four scores, including a 66-yard burst against Brown. Sophomore running back Ethan Clark has tallied as many rushes at Volker, and follows closely behind in rushing yards at 227. Clark has accounted for one touchdown. Junior quarterback Blaine Hipa has tallied two rushing touchdowns, but the offensive line woes have troubled the Tigers. Allowing the most sacks and tackles for loss in the Ivy, Hipa's rushing yards sit at -24.
• Hipa has completed 69 of his 137 passing attempts this season for 837 yards and four touchdowns. Hipa has thrown 12 interceptions this season including five against Ivy opponents. He has not had a completion percentage above 59 percent in any of his five games this season.
• Senior Luke Colella returns to the field after an All-Ivy season in 2023. He is the leading receiver for the Tigers, tallying 21 catches for 321 yards, including three house calls. Two-time All-Ivy honoree AJ Barber follows with 18 catches for 225 yards and a score. They are the only two Tigers with double-digit catches and triple-digit receiving yards.
• Sophomore Chase Christopher leads the Tigers' defense in tackles, clocking 39 stops including 2.5 for a loss. Junior Marco Scarano follows with 37 tackles, six for a loss. He also has a forced fumble, a quarterback hurry, and a pass breakup. In addition to the leaders, junior defensive back Nasir Hill and senior defensive lineman Jack DelGarbino are back after earning All-Ivy honors in 2023.
• Sophomore Torian Roberts leads Princeton in interceptions, racking up three picks.
• Junior Tahj Owens has recovered a team-high two fumbles.
• Sophomore punter Brady Clark had an All-Ivy year in 2023, and this season has booted 24 punts away for 988 yards, including one for 70 yards. Princeton is perfect on field goal attempts this season, with Sam Massick kicking anything within 29 yards and Jeffrey Sexton kicking anything further.

THE SERIES
• This will mark the 106th meeting between the Big Red and the Tigers. Princeton has a 66-37-2 advantage in the all-time series.
• The Tigers have won eight of the last nine contests, including four straight at Schoellkopf Field. Cornell hasn't beaten Princeton since its 29-28 win in October 2017. 
• Cornell is 21-24-1 at home against Princeton. 

THE LAST MEETING WITH PRINCETON
• Jackson Kennedy became the 25th player in Cornell history to surpass the century mark in points in Cornell’s 14-3 loss to the Tigers.
• The defensive dead-lock was broken only twice all afternoon, when Princeton scored on two passing plays, each over 30 yards.
• The Tigers opened the scoring in the first quarter after breaking open the Cornell secondary and sending a long pass down for a 77-yard score.
• Cornell answered in the second quarter with a Jackson Kennedy field goal, but the Tigers found paydirt to close out the half on a 33-yard pass.
• Both defenses held strong, with neither team allowing a point the rest of the way.
• Senior Jackson Kennedy’s 14 field goals have tied AJ Weitsman’s season school record of 14 from 2005.
• With 100 career points, Kennedy is the 25th player overall and sixth kicker to reach the 100-point milestone.
• With 88 career points, Kennedy is up to 10th place all-time in kicking points.
• His 21 career field goals make him rank fourth all-time at Cornell.
• With 54 points through seven games, Kennedy sits fifth in a season in kicking points at Cornell. He is approaching Brad Greenway’s single-season kick-scoring record of 75 points from 2011.
• With 4,825 yards of total offense, junior Jameson Wang ranks sixth all-time at Cornell after surpassing Chad Levitt (4,657 yards) and Ed Marinaro (4,715 yards).
• With 1,222 rushing yards for his career, Wang moved into 23rd place on the school’s career list. Next up is Don Fanelli ‘76  (1,291) and Randy Barbour (1,343).
• Wang also upped his career passing yardage total to 3,603 yards, just 76 yards from matching Richie Kenney ‘22 for sixth all-time.
• Senior linebacker Connor Henderson’s four tackles upped his career total to 101, making him the 141st player at Cornell to reach that milestone.
• After compiling seven catches for 55 yards against Brown, senior wide receiver Nicholas Laboy upped his career receiving total to 881 yards (31st all-time).

LAST TIME OUT
RECAP I BOX SCORE I HIGHLIGHTS I GALLERY I POSTGAME NOTES
• Brown used 104 offensive plays to wear down a Cornell defense that had its number in the first three quarters. The Big Red allowed just three points until 2:20 remained in the third quarter, and the Brown offense used the last 17:20 of the game clock to outscore Cornell, 20-0, including a last-second field goal to walk off the game.
• With the loss, Cornell drops to 2-4 (1-2 Ivy), while Brown improves to 3-3 (2-1 Ivy).
• Senior quarterback Jameson Wang threw the ball 49 times, completing 26 passes for 265 yards, including one touchdown throw.
• Wang led the rushing game with 41 yards on 10 carries. He rushed for two touchdowns.
• Samuel Musungu was the favorite target of Wang, hauling in 17 catches for 68 yards. Doryn Smith was the leading receiver, clocking 99 yards on 10 receptions. Ryder Kurtz was the most efficient receiver, putting up 74 yards on just six catches.
• Senior linebacker Luke Banbury led the defense with 13 tackles including a seven-yard sack. Michael O'Keefe and Trey Harris closely followed with 12 and 10 stops, respectively.
• Damon Barnes grabbed two interceptions.
• Caden Lesiewicz punted seven times in the game for 292 yards.
• Jake Willcox also passed 49 times on the afternoon, completing 35 tosses for 316 yards and a touchdown. Willcox threw three picks compared to Wang's zero.
• Solomon Miller was his favorite target, connecting on ten passes for 46 yards. Ben Moseley was the leading receiver, tallying eight catches for 100 yards.
• Stockton Owen was the leading rusher for the Bears, taking on 79 yards on 18 carries. Matt Childs was right behind with 74 yards on 17 carries. 
• Isaiah Reed and Sam Smith lead the Brown defense with seven stops each.

HALL OF FAME FIGURES
• This year, Cornell honored a class of 11 inductees during halftime of the Homecoming game against Yale.
• Included in this group is two-time All-American quarterback Jeff Mathews '14, who ended his storied Cornell career as the most prolific quarterback in Ivy League history and one of the top in all of college football. He ranks among the top 20 all-time in career passing yards in the FCS and set the Ivy League's all-time passing record by more than 2,000 yards. Mathews owns 47 Big Red school records and 18 Ivy League marks for passing and total offense. The three-year team captain was named one of 16 finalists for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy which recognizes the top football scholar-athlete in the nation. The three-time All-Ivy selection was a Capital One Academic All-District first-team selection and a two-time finalist for the Bushnell Cup for the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, winning in 2011. Mathews also was a two-time member of the Walter Payton Award Watch List as FCS national player of the year. After the season, Mathews became the fifth Cornellian to accept an invitation to the East-West Shrine game, serving as a team captain for the East team, and also accepted an invitation to the NFL Draft Combine before signing a contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Mathews also spent time on the practice squad with the Indianapolis Colts and the Arizona Cardinals before playing four seasons in the CFL, including winning a Grey Cup in 2017 with the Toronto Argonauts.
• Joining Mathews is special category honoree Bernie DePalma.
• A legendary figure in Big Red athletics, DePalma served generations of student-athletes and shaped one of the nation's most respected sports medicine departments over 42 years. After arriving at Cornell in 1980 as Head of Physical Therapy and Supervisor of Athletic Training and Rehabilitation and taking over as head athletic trainer three years later, DePalma's expertise provided a significant impact on national athletics legislation. He served on numerous NCAA committees, including the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport Safety, which he chaired; the NCAA Special Committee on Student-athlete Welfare, access and equity; and the National Athletic Trainer's task force which developed medical coverage guidelines for all intercollegiate athletic programs. He played an important role in the initial development of the Ivy League's collaboration with the Big Ten on concussion research while developing a return to academics and play protocols in the league and nationwide. DePalma was honored in 2001 by the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) with the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. That same year he was honored with the Thomas Sheehan Award for character, commitment, and achievement in athletic training by the New York State Athletic Trainers' Association. He presented at numerous national conventions, published dozens of papers and written chapters in textbooks that are used in Athletic Training curriculums, and served on professional committees at the university, state, regional, and national levels as a recognized expert in various topics around health and safety. He has been instrumental in developing and implementing various programs, including strength and conditioning initiatives when he arrived at Cornell, graduate assistant internship programs, and undergraduate athletic training student clinical experiences. One of DePalma's outstanding achievements was his innovative approach to injury prevention and rehabilitation as seen in his many publications and invited national presentations. His enduring commitment to athletic training, dedication to the athlete's health, safety, and welfare, leadership in the profession, and pioneering contributions to sports medicine contributed to his impact on the profession of athletic training.

NATIONAL NOTICE
• For his efforts against Bucknell, Luke Banbury became the second defensive player in Cornell history to earn the National Player of the Week honors (he joins Chris Zingo '93), and the first Big Red to be honored nationally since the 2022 season when Jackson Kennedy was named the FedEx Ground National Special Teams Player of the Week.
• Bunbury became the second player in single-game recorded history at Cornell (since 1995) to tally a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a pick-six. In addition to his turnover prowess, the Pittsburgh, Pa., native posted seven tackles including five solo stops. He also tallied three PBUs, the most by a Cornellian since the 2021 season. The fumble recovery, which came on Bucknell's first drive of the game, stopped a Bucknell touchdown after Jeremiah Lewis forced it at the Cornell two-yard line, and Banbury dove on it at the one. The interception came on the subsequent Bucknell drive, which he returned for 26 yards to the house.
• In addition to the national recognition, Banbury was also named the Ivy League's Defensive Player of the Week.

 BIG RED BY THE NUMBERS
• Cornell's team completion percentage of 66.1 percent ranks best in the Ivy and 18th nationally.
• The Big Red has collected more fumbles than anyone else in the Ivy, recovering five. The number is good for 38th nationally.
• The Big Red offensive line has held strong this season, allowing just 0.5 sacks per game and 3.0 tackles for loss per game. The sack number is the second-fewest in the Ivy and nationally. The TFL mark is fewest in the Ivy and third in the FCS.
• The Big Red has committed the fourth-fewest turnovers in all of FCS, losing only four. That number is good for the best in the Ivy, tied with Dartmouth.

ALL EYES ON JAMESON WANG
• Wang was named the Phil Steele Ivy League Preseason first team coming off the heels of a season where he ranked atop the Ivy (and 21st nationally) in completion percentage, connecting on 64.8 percent of his throws.
• In his junior season, Wang threw for over 2400 yards, good for third-most in the conference.
• This year, Wang has become the Ivy's top touchdown passer, accumulating 14 touchdowns in six games. His passing efficiency of 140.7 ranks fourth in the conference, and his completion percentage of 65.8 ranks third. His 1504 passing yards rank third in the Ivy.
• The El Segundo, Calif., native has etched his name in the Cornell record books in nearly every major passing category, including passing attempts (902, 5th), pass completions (567, 5th), passing yards (5896, 5th), passing touchdowns (41, 3rd), pass completion percentage (63.0%, 1st), pass efficiency (128.1, 4th), and passing yards per game (179.7, 6th).
• He also ranks top-20 in rushing attempts (379, T-9th), rushing yards (1598, 13th), and rushing touchdowns (24, 5th).

• Schoellkopf Field has been an indelible mark of Cornell football since it opened in 1915 and this year will be the 108th season at the home field. 
• A gift from Willard Straight ‘01 and the family of Henry (Heinie) Schoellkopf ‘02 made the construction possible for the current stadium. 
• The Big Red’s first year on the field was one of its best, going 9-0 and winning the national championship. 
• In 1915, General Electric Company completed work on a flood searchlight system for the field, and in 1924 a construction project was completed to bring capacity from 9,000 to 21,500 by adding the famed Crescent. 
• In 1947 that capacity was increased to 25,597 and a press box was added. 
• In 1971 a gift was made to put artificial turf on the field, and it was resurfaced three times, the last time in 1999. 
• A new press box was built in 1986.
• The 2008 season saw the installation of FieldTurf synthetic grass to replace the artificial turf. 
• In 2016, the West Stands were demolished and the field was moved 15 feet toward the Crescent while replacing the FieldTurf to be ready for more construction at the site, lowering the capacity to 21,500 in the process.

Few collegiate football programs have the storied history of Cornell University. With more than 130 seasons of football in the books, the Big Red has collected five national titles, won over 650 games and has had legendary players and coaches perform on historic Schoellkopf Field. Names such as Glenn "Pop" Warner and Heisman Trophy finalist and NCAA record-breaker Ed Marinaro have suited up for Cornell, while seven College Football Hall of Famers (including Warner, Gil Dobie and Carl Snavely) and multiple-time Super Bowl winner George Seifert have set the strategy as head coaches. A new era begins in 2024 when Dan Swanstrom takes the helm.

NEXT UP
• The Big Red returns home next week to host Penn for the Trustees' Cup on Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca, N.Y. to take on the Quakers on Saturday, November 9.
• The game kicks off at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.