PHILADELPHIA – In its season opening game, in front of a record crowd of over 400 strong, the University of Pennsylvania sprint football team battled until the last second against Army, but ultimately succumbed to a 24-21 defeat.
 
With 31 seconds remaining, the Quakers—down by a field goal—marched 50 yards, deep into Army territory, but Penn's late comeback attempt fell just short as a lack of time cut the drive short.
 
NOTES
*Eddie Jenkins did it all on offense for the Quakers. The senior quarterback earned 302 total yards from scrimmage—throwing for 126 and rushing for 176. Jenkins scored all three of Penn's touchdowns, utilizing nifty footwork to break into the endzone.
 
*Matteo Murgia was a nuisance to the Army offense, leading all defensive players with nine total tackles.
 
*Aaron Johnson terrorized the Black Knights' backfield, leading Penn with two sacks and three tackles for loss.
 
*Brendan McCaffrey had a solid day flaking the Penn offense, reeling in four receptions for 88 yards.
 
*Penn's defensive line did well to disrupt Army, getting into the backfield for four sacks and nine tackles for loss.
 
*On the other side of the ball, the Penn offensive line contained a stout Army front seven. The Quakers allowed just one sack and three tackles for loss.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The score line entering halftime showed Army leading Penn, 14-0, but was nowhere near an indicator of the Quakers' effort throughout the first half. Penn was unlucky not to get on the board after a pair of drives—including the first half's penultimate drive—were halted deep into Army territory.
 
Penn regrouped during the intermission and came out in the second half ready to execute the game plan. Step one in Wagner's masterplan was to stifle the Army offense which averaged over seven yards per play in the first half. Penn quickly forced a three-and-out on the Black Knights' first drive.
 
The Quakers—forced to punt after a three-and-out of their own on the ensuing drive—quickly regained the ball after forcing a fumble on Army's punt return unit. Penn seized the opportunity and got to work. Following a 38-yard completion to McCaffrey, Jenkins broke the tackles and rushed into the end zone to make it a one-score game.
 
Penn forced another punt on Army's next drive, and again quickly drove down the field utilizing the legs of Jenkins. The senior captain shimmied past defenders and broke tackles on a 41-yard rush to put Penn in the Army red zone. Once again, he capped off the drive with a rushing touchdown, leaping into the endzone to tie the game at 14.
 
Army responded on the following drive, finally breaking past the Penn defense. The Black Knights took a lengthy, five-minute drive 80 yards to regain the lead.
 
This Penn team proved that it has plenty of fight, punching right back on its next drive. Jenkins took to the air, finding Billy Murphy on a 39-yard dime to get the Quakers into Army territory. He then broke off a 30-yard rush to the Army three-yard line. On the Black Knights' doorstep, Jenkins once again burst through the tackles as a one-yard rushing touchdown—Jenkins' third rushing touchdown of the evening—tied the game at 21 with nine minutes remaining.
 
Army would not subside, however. Following a diving catch to complete a 41-yard pass, the Black Knights almost immediately had the ball back in the Penn red zone. Chuck Hitschler's defense buckled down, as a four-yard sack and an incomplete pass forced a third and long. Army was unable to convert, and instead settled for a field goal to take a 24-21 lead.
 
With 4:57, a game-winning drive looked certain. However, on third and eight, Jenkins was intercepted by Army's Ryan Leach. The Quakers' defense came in support and forced fourth down, with Penn regaining possession following a missed field goal.
 
Penn's following drive gave Army the ball once again after the Quakers failed to convert on fourth down, and the game appeared to be lost. However, Penn's defense—spearheaded by tackles for loss by Johnson and Jack Hennigan—stopped an Army fourth down conversion with just over 30 seconds remaining.
 
With no time outs remaining and the ball on its own 30-yard line, Penn needed a miracle. For a moment, it appeared a bit of Franklin Field magic would help write a storybook ending.
 
Jenkins found McCaffrey on a 30-yard pass for the drive's first play to put Penn inside the Army half. The Quakers hurried to the line of scrimmage and spiked the ball to stop the clock. On the next play, Jenkins threw to Barry Klein on the sideline for a 12-yard connection which put Penn on Army's 28.
 
With 13 seconds remaining, the Quakers drew up one final play. The Black Knights swarmed the Penn line of scrimmage and hurried Jenkins out of the pocket. Jenkins utilized the fancy footwork he had displayed to bring Penn back into the game and escaped trouble but could not get out of bounds in time as the clock hit zero.
 
UP NEXT
The Quakers will travel to Ithaca to play the Collegiate Sprint Football League's other remaining Ivy League school, Cornell. The game will take place on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.