Cornell Preview

The Big Red travel to New Haven to take on the Bulldogs at the Bowl on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for noon and the game will air on ESPN+. Weather forecasts are predicting rain with 16 mph winds which will certainly play a role in this contest. 

Cornell defeated Lehigh in the season opener last week by a score of 23-20. The Big Red posted 401 yards of total offense or 5.6 yards per play and dominated the time of possession holding the ball for over 38 minutes. 

Junior QB Jameson Wang (6’1”, 205 lbs.) was an honorable mention All-Ivy player a year ago and was very productive in his first outing of the season completing 20 of 32 passes for 297 yards and 2 TDs. Wang is a true dual-threat quarterback who led the Big Red in rushing yards with 85 yards or 5.0 yards per carry against Lehigh.   Cornell utilizes a committee of running backs such as senior RB Drew Powell (6’0”, 219 lbs.) but the stable of five backs only produced an additional 19 yards on top of Wang’s production. The wide receiver position is deep with the explosive sophomore Davon Kiser (5’7”, 153 lbs.) who was a 2nd Team All-Ivy returner a year ago and senior Nicholas Laboy (6’1”, 195 lbs.) who caught a 36-yard TD reception on the Bulldogs a year ago. The offensive line is a cohesive unit comprised entirely of returning starters. The line is very large averaging well over 300 lbs. across the board led by senior T Micah Sahakian (6’6”, 328 lbs.), a captain and honorable mention All-Ivy athlete. Senior TE Matt Robert (6’4”, 241 lbs.) is a dangerous receiving threat who racked up 468 receiving yards a year ago. The Bulldogs played very well defensively against Cornell in 2022 after a rough outing against Holy Cross, so hopefully a repeat is in store. The defensive line will need to step up to generate consistent pressure on Wang who has improved noticeably. Safety coverage and tackling will be as important as ever in this contest. 

Cornell’s defense is led by 3-time All-Ivy LB Jake Stebbins (6’0”, 231 lbs.) who has been the cornerstone of the defense for years. The linebacker position is very deep from inside to outside. Senior LB Holt Fletcher (6’4”, 257 lbs.) intercepted Lehigh twice last week and has started since 2021. Senior LB Connor Henderson (6’2”, 232 lbs.) was another honorable mention All-Ivy player in 2022. The Bulldogs match up well against Cornell’s defensive line with the Big Red returning one starter in senior Connor Morgan (6’3”, 279 lbs.). Beyond Stebbins, senior CB Paul Lewis III (6’2”, 212 lbs.) could be the next most talented defender with the size and speed to lock onto receivers. The three other starting defensive backs are all seasoned veterans who didn’t make many mistakes against Lehigh. It’s a very stingy and aggressive defense that will try to pressure grooms with a variety of blitzes. Yale will need to focus on consistency for four quarters and open the playbook to secure a win.

The Big Red had a tremendous day on special teams last week. Senior K/P Jackson Kennedy was 3 for 4 on field goal attempts and averaged 47.7 yards per punt. Davin Kiser demonstrated his elusiveness with 55 yards on 3 punt returns. Cornell blocked a PAT to cap off a solid performance.

Go Bulldogs! Beat the Big Red!