The Bulldogs travel to Philadelphia to square off against the Penn Quakers in a nationally televised Friday night game. Kickoff is slated for 7 PM ET and the game will air on ESPNU.
Penn enters the contest with a 2-3 record after dropping close games to Dartmouth (17-20) and Columbia (17-23).
Penn’s offense has yet to hit its stride despite overwhelming talent at the skill positions. Senior QB Aidan Sayin (6’2”, 210 lbs.) shredded the Bulldogs for 364 passing yards a season ago but has not been as accurate this season with just a 60.6% completion rate with 6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Sophomore RB Malachi Hosley (5’10”, 205 lbs.) was a 1st Team All-Ivy performer in his freshman season and has the talent to start at most FBS programs. Hosley is averaging 5.9 yards per carry and has reached the endzone 5 times in 5 games. Sophomore RB Jamal Bing, Jr. (5’9”, 190 lbs.) has also excelled this season rushing for 4.9 yards per carry and a touchdown. The Quakers’ receiving corps could be the one of the most talented units across the FCS. Junior WR Jared Richardson (6’2”, 215 lbs.) could not be covered by Yale in 2023 and leads Penn in receiving yards with 331 yards on 22 catches. Senior WR Julien Stokes (5’7”, 180 lbs.) was a 1st Team All-Ivy receiver in 2022 and leads the Quakers in receptions with 25. Junior WR Bisi Owens (6’4”, 215 lbs.) is yet another dangerous receiver who has racked up 201 receiving yards and a touchdown. Senior WR Josh Casilli (6’0”, 190 lbs.) is a team captain who had a 32-yard reception at Yale a year ago. Senior TE Bryce Myers (6’3”, 230 lbs.) was an honorable mention All-Ivy player in 2023 and is the most active tight end in the passing game that we’ve seen this season. Penn’s offensive line averages 303.0 lbs. across the board and always seems to pose a problem for Yale. Columbia was able to stuff Penn’s running game by winning battles up front, so the Bulldogs’ defensive linemen and linebackers will need to have their best game of the season to mimic this blueprint. Penn’s receiving corps is too deep to simply double cover a player such as Richardson. Generating pressure on Sayin and not letting any receivers get behind the secondary will be keys to a successful outcome.
Penn’s stingy defense is led by a trio of standout linebackers. Junior LB Kadari Machen (6’0”, 205 lbs.) leads the Quakers in tackles with 41. Senior LB Jack Fairman (6’1”, 225 lbs.) was a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist in 2023 and is second on the team in tackles with 38. Junior LB John Lista (6’1”, 215 lbs.) has 33 tackles on the season and was difficult for the Bulldogs to contain in 2023. Senior S Shiloh Means (5’11”, 205 lbs.) was a 1st Team All-Ivy defender and leads the team with 5 pass breakups. Senior S Julian Talley (5’9”, 180 lbs.) has played well as he leads the secondary in tackles with 32 and is also tied for the team lead in sacks with 2. Penn’s cornerbacks are not as accomplished as their safeties which should give Yale favorable matchups in the passing game. Senior DL Sam Carlson (6’4”, 270 lbs.) has been the most productive defensive linemen for the Quakers with 18 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Junior DL Carter Janki (6’5”, 285 lbs.) has performed well with 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Penn’s defensive line is on par with Dartmouth’s in terms of talent, although the Quakers seem to have a deeper rotation. The Quakers’ front seven have stuffed the Bulldogs over the past two seasons, so Yale’s greatest challenge offensively will be finding ways to spring Pitsenberger and Peterson loose. Jordan will also need to get back into the rhythm in the passing game to keep Penn from stacking the box.
Junior K Sam Smith (5’10”, 185 lbs.) is 6 of 8 on field goal attempts with a long of 43 yards. Senior P Albert Jang (6’2”, 200 lbs.) has been exceptional with a punting average of 43.0 yards with 3 punts greater than 50 yards. Stokes is a very dangerous kick returner averaging 30.6 yards per return.
Go Bulldogs! Beat the Quakers!
27 replies on “Penn Preview”
Gentleman; the signal caller from the Quakers torched, our formidable linebacker and defensive backfield squad last year. Regrettably, this year’s squad is nowhere near our squad from last year. The defensive coordinator better figure out how to defend the debacle from last year without the quality of linebackers and Defensive backfield. We better hope we can put it up 40 points plus.
Last year’s Offensive Coordinator for Penn in no longer there. So Yale has that going for them. He is now the head coach at Cornell.
Wonder if Ezekiel Larry would consider transferring back to Yale. He only has two total tackles on the year with no sacks for SDSU, so it looks like he’s hardly playing there.
Nice article of the game from
The Daily Pennsylvanian . Whatever happened to the Yale Daily News. It’s more like a weekly at best.
Also still nothing from the Yale athletic website. (Pathetic).!
I’m heading down to Philadelphia today to watch this game with my nephews. Yale is 2-1 when I make this trip. Go Bulldogs!
Safe travels SOE. Here’s to being 3-1. Go Bulldogs
Watch for the Yale Invisible Marching Band
Ah, I know that story. Just before my time there. I believe the formations of the 10,000 member invisible band were the parting of the Red Sea, our national park system drawn to scale, and, for the first time on any football field, the face of God!
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YALE GAME NOTES ARE PUBLISHED ON PENN FOOTBALL SITE!
A little luck is nice to see.
A chance for the defense to feel good about themselves with a three and out ruined by a big mistake.
A little luck is nice to see. Again.
20 minutes into the game, I count at least 10 different DL utilized. And it seems to be working.
Yale has already had couple of chances to get a big lead. Hope it doesn’t come back to bite them.
Penalties killing the offense
Yale certainly knows how to give up points in a hurry when they have a comfortable lead.
And Penn gets the ball to start the 2nd half and can (will?) be right back in it.
How did I know they wouldn’t even try to score before the end of the half
Way to come out in 3rd quarter. Team is looking sharp.
When was the last time Yale had a goal line stand.!
1977 ?
2009 against Harvard. But nobody wants to remember that game.
Obviously the best all around performance this year. Running, passing, and defense.
Good game. My only complaint was the repeatedly broadcast stat that no team had won the league with three losses. The reason is that the chance of that happening is miniscule: seven teams would have to finish 4-3 and the remaining team 0-7. Obviously that’s extremely unlikely, though I remember that it was a possibility several seasons ago with two games left.
Gentlemen; Our blue squad played solid and with enthusiasm. The Ben Franklin starting signal caller injury obviously was a major factor. Could be another topsy-turvy year in the ancient eight .
Congratulations to the players Coaches and staff. Well deserved victory. Onto Columbia