ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell football gave the Great Danes all they could, but UAlbany pulled away in the second half en route to a 31-10 win on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. The Great Danes improved to 2-3 (0-1 CAA) while Cornell fell to 1-2 (1-0 Ivy).
Jameson Wang finished the day completing 22-of-31 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. For the third consecutive game, Wang threw no picks. Former quarterback, now-wide receiver,
Chad Martini, threw one pass for 26 yards on a trick play.
Samuel Musungu led the receiving core in receiving yards, catching six passes for 87 yards.
Ryder Kurtz was the favorite target of Wang, grabbing seven passes for 54 yards.
Ean Pope caught two throws for 32 yards.
Parker Woodring posted three receptions for 20 yards and a touchdown. Cornell's top receiver entering the contest,
Brendan Lee, was held to just 12 yards on three catches. Cornell had three rushers total at least 20 yards in
Johntu Reed (36), Musungu (20), and Tillman (20).
Michael O'Keefe led the Big Red defense with 11 tackles, with
Luke Banbury close behind with nine stops.
Johnny Williamson tallied an 11-yard strip sack after forcing a fumble when making contact with the Great Danes' quarterback.
Alan Zhao drilled a new career-long field goal, putting a 35-yarder through the uprights.
Myles Burkett completed 21-of-30 for 225 yards and a touchdown. Seven McGee was the favorite target, grabbing eight tosses for 70 yards. Jacari Carter hauled in two grabs for 52 yards and a score. Levi Wentz caught five passes for 37 yards. Faysal Aden took 12 rushed for a team-high 133 yards and a house call. Jojo Uga neared the 100-yard mark with 91 yards and a touchdown. Griffin Woodell put up 23 yards to round out the top Great Dane rushers. Troy Berschwinger let the UAlbany defense with eight tackles, including a sack. Cam Stodghill followed with six stops. John Opalko was 3-for-4 on filed goal on the day.
FIRST QUARTER
• For the first time this season, Cornell was not the first team on the boards. UAlbany relied on the run game to push down field on its first drive, stalling at the Cornell 20-yard line when the Big Red defense came up with a stop on third and short forcing a field goal.
• On the Big Red's first drive, the Cornell offense got to third and manageable, but a false start pushed the Cornell attack into a third-and-nine where the team was unable to convert, forcing a three-and-out punt back to the Great Danes.
• UAlbany used its next drive to chew nearly seven minutes off the clock, ending in a missed field goal from 44 yards out.
• The Big Red took the ball into the second quarter on its second possession.
SECOND QUARTER
• Cornell held the ball for only 1:17 of the second quarter in its carried over drive from the first before UAlbany forced a punt.
• UAlbany possessed the ball until 7:40 remained in the half and Opalko chipped in an 18-yard field goal.
• Cornell got on the boards with 4:25 left in the quarter when Wang connected with Woodring on a four-yard pass.
• UAlbany pushed the ball all the way up field to the Cornell two-yard line, but three stops by the Big Red defense, including two goal-line stands as the time expired.
THIRD QUARTER
• The Big Red opened the second half with the ball, but back-to-back false starts turned a third-and-four into a third-and-fourteen. Unable to convert, Cornell was forced to punt it away to the Great Danes, who took just one pay to connect on its first touchdown of the game on a 52-yard toss from Burkett to Carter.
• Cornell's second drive concluded in a 35-yard field goal by Alan Zhao to cut the Great Danes lead to three at 13-10.
• Opalko answered with 5:37 remaining to push the UAlbany lead back to six.
FOURTH QUARTER
• The teams traded punts before UAlbany's Uga found the endzone on a 16-yard rush.
• The Great Danes tacked on one more score when a rush from Aden broke loose for an 84-yard score.
MORE NOTES AND NOTABLES
• Jameson Wang is now in sole possession of the fifth-most pass completions in Cornell history with 488.
NEXT UP
• The Big Red closes out the three-game home stand next weekend to host Harvard for Friday Night Lights on Schoellkopf Field.
• The game kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 5. It will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
