Yale Football Blog

The Bulldogs finished their season with an impressive 34-29 victory over Harvard in Cambridge. Yale posted the same 7-3 record as 2023 but Columbia, Dartmouth and Harvard split the title this season with 5-2 records that bested Yale’s 4-3 record in conference play.

Jordan led a great offensive performance against a tough Crimson defense. Under heavy pressure, Jordan was able to break loose for key yardage on the ground and elude defenders long enough to find open receivers downfield. Jordan finished with 287 passing yards, 73 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. The offensive line gave up only one sack and allowed Pitsenberger to take control in the running game. Pitsenberger rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown but had his best play of the season on a 39-yard reception for a touchdown that showcased his vision, speed and cutback abilities. Peterson added another 27 rushing yards to cap off his career at Yale. Pantelis played just a week after the possible concussion and was as dominant as ever with 7 catches for 148 yards. An illegal man downfield penalty negated a possible touchdown reception for Pantelis early on. Nenad had a tremendous afternoon with 4 catches for 82 yards and a touchdown. Reno and staff came out a bit too aggressively with the early fourth down attempt in field goal territory but settled in throughout the contest with a decent balance of play calling to keep the clock burning and the chains moving. Yale held the ball over 37 minutes and racked up 503 yards to close out on an exciting year offensive football.

The defense was missing Guyton, Tarver and Webster, yet still managed to put together one of the best performances of the season. Gulley and Egodogbare bullied Harvard’s front as they combined for 4 tackles and a sack. McDonough and Yang played well, each recording a sack. Thompson was put in a difficult position as a freshman covering elite receivers on an island and was cited for numerous pass interference penalties. Kamara led in tackles with 8 and returned an interception for a touchdown that proved to be the difference in the contest. Daniyan applied the pressure forcing the interception and blocked a punt to give Yale great field advantage. Ayo-Durojaiye and Biggs’ contributions from the linebacker spot helped to limit Harvard to just 57 rushing yards on the day. Yale’s defense had struggled to contain rushing quarterbacks, so the lack of carries for DePrima played to the Bulldogs’ strengths. Craig appeared to be suffering from lingering effects of his concussion with errant passes he typically would not throw. He still managed to throw for nearly 300 yards and 3 touchdowns but couldn’t consistently drive the Crimson as they converted on just 3 of 15 third down attempts. Freshman JP Schmidt was called into duty at defensive back and made a huge impact with a forced fumble. Joseph Gonzales came up with clutch tackles and half a sack. The defense really came together at the end of the season to limit high-flying offenses.

Conforti nailed both of his field goal attempts with a long of 36 in the contest. Florio was luckily not needed often and punted three times with a 37.0-yard average. Yale won the special teams battle with an onside recovery and a blocked punt.

Congrats to all for a hard-fought victory in The Game!

The Bulldogs travel to Cambridge for the 140th playing of The Game. Kickoff is slated for 12 PM ET and the game will air on ESPNU.

Harvard enters the contest with an 8-1 record and has secured at least a share of the Ivy League Championship. The Crimson’s lone loss came in Week 1 of Ivy League play as Brown staged an improbable comeback aided by Harvard’s miscues. Holy Cross, Dartmouth, and Penn all lost close contests to Harvard that came down to the wire.

Harvard’s offense is led by junior QB Jaden Craig (6’2”, 215 lbs.) who was knocked out last week at Penn after absorbing a crushing blow from a Quaker linebacker. Craig has made impressive strides in his passing abilities from a year ago with a 63.3% completion rate for 20 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions on the season. If Craig is unable to play in The Game, Harvard has a great second option in senior Charles DePrima (6’2”, 195 lbs.). DePrima is a run-first quarterback that is so athletic that he’s seen substantial playing time at wide receiver with dedicated running plays designed for him. DePrima has the rushing abilities of Nolan Grooms and will take off downfield at the slightest hint of pressure. In the passing game, DePrima tends to stare down a single receiver without scanning the field, although this rarely backfires on him as his receiving weapons typically leave defenders in the dust. Senior RB Shane McLaughlin (5’11”, 200 lbs.) was a 1st Team All-Ivy performer last year and is back in action after injuries limited his season. Sophomore RB Xaviah Bascon (5’9”, 190 lbs.) leads the Crimson in rushing with 520 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and 4 rushing touchdowns. DePrima is heavily used inside the red zone and leads the Crimson in rushing touchdowns with 7. Junior WR Cooper Barkate (6’1”, 195 lbs.) rivals Pantelis in talent and has been unstoppable for Harvard with 55 catches for 915 yards and 9 touchdowns. Senior WR Scott Woods II (5’8”, 180 lbs.) could be the most agile receiver faced all season and has posted 47 catches for 485 yards and 2 touchdowns. Harvard always seems to have top talent at the tight end position and this year’s team is no different. Sophomore TE Seamus Gilmartin (6’4”, 215 lbs.) has torched opposing safeties and linebackers all season with 376 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. Junior TE Ryan Osborne (6’0”, 220 lbs.) had 3 touchdown receptions over the first 5 weeks of play. Harvard’s offensive line averages 281.0 lbs. across the board and has only allowed 12 sacks all season. Senior OL Austin Gentle (6’3”, 295 lbs.) was a 2nd Team All-Ivy selection in 2023, while senior Mike Entwistle (6’2”, 295 lbs.) earned an Honorable Mention All-Ivy nod in 2023. Craig typically has ample time to throw without pressure, although run blocking has not been perfect with just 3.8 rushing yards per attempt. Yale’s defense will need to set hard edges to keep DePrima and company from exploiting the outside runs. The pass rush will need to generate substantial pressure to make the Crimson’s quarterbacks uncomfortable, while the safeties and corners will need to keep all passing threats in front of them. Harvard loves to pull out the trick plays in The Game, so staying true to assignments is key.

Harvard’s defense isn’t flashy but has limited opponents to only 329.7 yards per game and has been excellent on 3rd downs with just a 38.2% conversion rate for opposing offenses. Junior S Ty Bartrum (6’1”, 195 lbs.) leads the Crimson with 75 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and an interception. Bartum was a 2nd Team All-Ivy player in 2023 and appears to be a lock for the 1st Team in 2024. Sophomore DB Austin-Jake Guillory (6’1”, 180 lbs.) leads Harvard in interceptions with 2 to go along with 48 tackles. Senior LB Mitchell Gonser (6’0”, 220 lbs.) leads the linebacking corps and racked up 9 tackles against the Bulldogs a year ago. Senior LB Marcus Alexander (6’1”, 225 lbs.) has played well in his first year as a starter with 42 tackles and 2 sacks. Senior DE Jacob Psyk (6’3”, 260 lbs.) has thrashed opposing offensive linemen on his way to 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Senior DT Tyler Huenemann (6’3”, 285 lbs.) is a returning starter from 2023 and is second on the team with 2.5 sacks on the season. Harvard’s defense has been stout all-around with opponents averaging just 3.7 yards per carry and a 61.1% passing completion percentage. If Yale’s pass blocking can hold up, there should be favorable matchups for Yale’s receivers versus Harvard’s cornerbacks (with or without Pantelis in the lineup). Penn was able to find success in the run game with Hosley posting 143 yards a week ago, so Yale will need to find ways to open holes for Pitsenberger and Peterson to keep defenders stacked in the box and susceptible to the big plays.

Freshman K Kieran Corr (6’3”, 180 lbs.) is 5 of 8 on field goal attempts this season with a long of just 34 yards. Harvard brought in freshman K Dylan Fingersh (5’10”, 170 lbs.) to secure the win at Penn last week with a 21-yard field goal. Senior P Sebastien Tasko (6’1”, 180 lbs.) averages just under 40.0 yards per punt with 2 punts over 50 yards this season. Woods is dangerous as a punt returner with a 14.8-yard punt return average. Bascon has the ability to go the distance on kick returns with a long return of 46 yards this season.

Go Bulldogs! Beat the Crimson!

The Yale Bulldogs moved to 6-3 with a 42-28 victory over the Princeton Tigers. Harvard’s 4^th quarter comeback against Penn officially eliminated Yale from championship contention.

Yale’s offensive plans were derailed with an early hit on Pantelis that left him motionless on the field. The hit was initially cited for targeting but after review, the targeting penalty was overturned. “Leading with helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area” is a targeting penalty per the 2024 NCAA Football Rules Book, so it was a baffling decision to overturn the penalty. Jordan was very efficient in the passing game as he completed 81.3% of his passes for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns. The offensive line was able to generate a push against Princeton’s front seven which allowed Yale to rack up 281 rushing yards and 6.0 yards per carry. Pitsenberger had a fantastic outing with 159 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. Jordan displayed his impressive elusiveness with 59 rushing yards and a touchdown along with the longest run of the game on a 24-yard scramble downfield. Peterson played well with 53 rushing yards on just 9 attempts. Nenad and Felton picked up the slack with Pantelis out of the lineup. Nenad’s 31-yard touchdown in the 4^th quarter was a dagger to Princeton, while Felton made difficult grabs to keep the chains moving. Pitsenberger had a great receiving touchdown as he ran over a Princeton cornerback for the score. Yale’s ability to control the clock with rushing success and covert on all four red zone trips were keys to the victory.

Yale’s defense did not have a stellar showing as 406 yards were allowed with 5.6 yards per play. This contest could have had an unfortunate outcome if it weren’t for Ayo-Durojaiye’s forced fumble for a touchdown and interception in the endzone. Ayo-Durojaiye led the Bulldogs in tackles with 9 and posted 2 sacks to go along with his forced fumble and interception. Biggs and Grant struggled at the other inside linebacker position with difficulty shedding blockers and filling lanes. Kamara was solid in run support with 8 tackles but was beaten for a passing touchdown. Guyton went down early with an injury, leaving Thompson, Gonzales, Saffold and Webster to try to contain Princeton’s talented receiving corps. Thompson was out of position far too often in coverage on Barber and Colella. Tarver and Daniyan seemed to be a step too slow in providing support in pass coverage. Egodogbare and Gulley manhandled interior offensive linemen, although as soon as they rotated out, Princeton gashed Yale with a 37-yard touchdown run from Volker. Egodogbare also returned the forced fumble caused by Ayo-Durojaiye for a touchdown. McDonough continued to be a bright spot for the defense with 2.5 sacks on the afternoon. Harvard has the most talented offense in the Ivy League, so the Bulldogs will need to strive to shore up both the rush and pass defense in practice this week.

Conforti was perfect on all 6 PATs and did not attempt a field goal. Florio had an excellent day with a 43.0-yard punting average. Coverage teams played solidly and Princeton’s poor long snap on a punt attempt gave Yale great field advantage to sway the momentum.

The Yale Bulldogs host the Princeton Tigers on Saturday at the Bowl. Kickoff is slated for 12 PM ET and the game will air on ESPN+.

Princeton enters the contest with a 2-6 record as numerous injuries have plagued the Tigers all season. The Tigers are coming off a close loss to the Big Green in which Princeton trailed by just one score heading into the fourth quarter.

Quarterback play has been inconsistent for Princeton as junior Blaine Hipa (6’2”, 195 lbs.) has completed just 54.4% of his passes for 9 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Hipa seemed flustered early in the contest versus the Big Green but settled down to make a few clutch completions when needed. Senior QB Blaine McAllister (6’4”, 210 lbs.) saw limited action against Dartmouth before his arm snapped in a gruesome fashion. Senior RB John Volker (6’0”, 215 lbs.) is a very powerful back with blazing speed in the open field. Volker is averaging 5.0 yards per carry and has scored 4 touchdowns on the season. Sophomore RB Ethan Clarke (6’1”, 215 lbs.) has the talent to develop into a future star for the Tigers and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Princeton’s deep group of wide receivers is the strength of the team. Senior WR Luke Colella (5’10”, 190 lbs.) appears to be on track for a 1^st Team All-Ivy season with 30 catches for 418 yards and 5 touchdowns. Colella torched Yale’s secondary a year ago with 7 catches for 121 yards and 2 touchdowns. Senior WR AJ Barber (5’9”, 180 lbs.) is another son of Tiki Barber after the Bulldogs squared off against Chason Barber last week. Barber has been an honorable mention All-Ivy performer for two straight seasons and has 30 catches for 315 yards and a touchdown in 2024. Senior WR Matt Mahoney (6’2”, 190 lbs.) is a big-play threat with 21.4 yards per reception. Princeton’s offensive line averages 305.0 lbs. across the board and features 4 returning starters from 2023. The Tigers have allowed 35 sacks this season and struggled to contain Dartmouth’s talented front a week ago. The keys for the Bulldogs this week will be to shut down the running lanes and force Princeton to become one dimensional. In the passing game, the Bulldogs will need to put heavy pressure on Hipa while not allowing Colella and Barber to find open space in the secondary.

The heart of Princeton’s defense lies in its strong corps of linebackers. Princeton’s defense is led by sophomore LB Chase Christopher (6’1”, 215 lbs.) who has notched 58 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and a sack. Junior LB Marco Scarano (6’0”, 200 lbs.) grew up in Connecticut and leads the Tigers in tackles for loss with an astounding 10. Freshman LB AJ Pigford (6’3”, 230 lbs.) blitzes often and leads the team with 2.5 sacks. Senior DL Jack DelGarbino (6’0”, 275 lbs.) is a former wrestler that is very hard to move at the point of attack. DelGarbino was an honorable mention All-Ivy performer in 2023 and has played very well against the run with 37 tackles. Senior DL Collin Taylor (6’5”, 260 lbs.) is a balanced lineman against the rush and pass with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Senior DB Nasir Hill (6’0”, 200 lbs.) is the most talented member of Princeton’s secondary and was a 2^nd Team All-Ivy nominee in 2023. Hill has been very productive this season with 49 tackles and an interception. Junior DB Tahj Owens (5’11”, 205 lbs.) has been a crucial piece of the Tigers’ defense with 45 tackles and 2 fumble recoveries. Princeton’s defense has talent that is far ahead of Brown and in line with what we saw from Columbia. Disrupting the linebackers in the ground game will need to be a focal point of the offensive line this week. Princeton will likely send creative blitzes often to disrupt Jordan, so the offensive staff will need quick-hitting short passing plays and screens dialed up to keep Princeton’s defense off balance.

Princeton has been perfect on all 8 field goal attempts this season with two different kickers. Senior K Sam Massick (5’9”, 150 lbs.) is 3 of 3 on field goal attempts with a long of 28 yards, while senior K Jeffrey Sexton (6’2”, 180 lbs.) is 5 of 5 on field goal attempts with a long of 51 yards. Sophomore P Brady Clark (6’2”, 195 lbs.) has been tremendous this season with 42.2 yards per punt with 7 punts over 50 yards. Barber averages 9.8 yards per punt return and has a long return of 46 yards. This contest seems destined to go down to the wire, so the Bulldogs will need strong play in all phases of special teams to walk away victorious.

Go Bulldogs! Beat the Tigers!