PHILADELPHIA – Looking to rebound after a slim defeat to Brown last weekend, the University of Pennsylvania closes out its short road trip with a date up at Cornell Saturday, playing the Big Red for the Trustees' Cup at Schoellkopf Field.
 
The Quakers (6-1, 3-1 Ivy) saw its six-game win streak come to a halt against the Bears and are currently tied for second place with Harvard with just three games to go.
 
GAME 8 – PENN at CORNELL
Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022 | 1 p.m.
Schoellkopf Field | Ithaca, N.Y.
Watch Live on ESPN+ ($)  |  Listen Live (QAN)  |  Live Stats
Penn Game Notes (PDF)   |  Cornell Game Notes
 
The Cornell Series
Like most of its Ancient Eight opponents, Penn has had tremendous historical success against Cornell in a series that dates all the way back to 1893. The Quakers lead. 75-47-5 and until last season, had been on the program's longest win streak over the Big Red. Penn fell to Cornell, 15-12, at Franklin Field lost season to snap its six-game win streak against the opponent.
 
The Trustees' Cup
Since 1995, the winner of the Penn-Cornell football game has been awarded the Trustees' Cup. The Quakers lead the Trustees' Cup series, 18-8 and had won six in a row up until last year's loss. Penn and Cornell Alumni gathered at the New York Penn Club on Sept. 6, 1995 for the dedication of the trophy, which has since been awarded to winner of the game each year.
 
Back To Work
Cornell couldn't find any kind of consistency on offense last weekend at undefeated Princeton, falling 35-9. The Big Red had won back-to-back games heading into the matchup with a non-league win over Lehigh on Oct. 15 and a close 24-21 victory at Brown to earn their first Ivy win. Manny Adebi was named Ivy Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday after blocking two kicks. He's the first Cornell player to block two kicks in a game since 2004.
 
Bouncing Back
Unfortunately, Penn was knocked from the ranks of the unbeatens on Saturday following a 34-31 defeat to Brown in Providence. The Quakers trailed 24-7 at halftime before reeling off 17 unanswered points to tie the game at 24-24 late in the third quarter. Penn eventually took its first lead midway through the fourth quarter at 31-27. However, one final scoring drive netted Brown seven points, taking a 34-31 lead with under two minutes to go in the contest.
 
Mucho Mulatu
What a game it was for senior running back Jonathan Mulatu at Brown, his third straight start in the backfield for the Quakers. He rushed 21 times for 154 yards and two touchdowns. He's a 15-yard performance away from overtaking Trey Flowers as the team's leading rusher with 329 yards so far in seven games. Flowers has not seen action since Oct. 8 at Georgetown.
 
Leading Tackler
15 total tackles sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Garrett Morris had himself a career afternoon at Brown on Saturday, recording the most tackles by a Quaker since 2018 (Jacob Martin's 18 vs. Dartmouth). Morris also had 10 solos to go with his 3.5 tackles for a loss, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. He now ranks second on the team with 43 total tackles and his third with eight tackles for loss.
 
It's Him
Jake Heimlicher is that guy. He's had quite the senior season and he proved why once again on Saturday at Brown.  He had 2.5 sacks on the Bears' quarterbacks along with six total tackles. Heimlicher increases his total to an Ivy League-leading seven in 2022. He's taken a step back in total tackles going from the team lead to third with 40.0 but leads the way with 11.0 TFLs.
 
Having a Year
Joshua Casilli has emerged as quarterback Aidan Sayin's favorite receiver, showing why once again at Brown Saturday, leading the Quakers with nine catches. He registered 85 yards and a touchdown against the Bears and has three games of at least nine receptions this season. On the year, Casilli has a team-high 45 catches for a team-leading 412 yards and three TDs.
 
Speakin' Of Sayin
Because of his usual success, Sayin had a relatively 'off' day against Brown, despite completing 29 passes for the second time in the last three games for 227 yards and a touchdown. After back-to-back turnover-free games, he threw his first interception since Oct. 8 at Georgetown Saturday. In seven contests, Sayin has completed 63.3 percent of his passes with 1,734 yards, 13 touchdowns to only five picks.
 
Juiced Up
Julien Stokes had a career day on special teams for the Quakers at Brown, getting the team on the scoreboard with his 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter. He's the first Penn player with a kickoff return TD since Chris Wynn's 88-yarder at Georgetown on Oct. 11, 2008. The 97 yards was also the program's longest scoring play on offense, defense or special teams since Wynn's 98-yard return touchdown against Brown on Oct. 28, 2006, almost 16 years to the date.
 
Seven, It's A Magic Number
With its victory over Yale two weeks ago, Penn clinched a winning season for the first time since 2018. The Quakers have won at least seven games three times since 2010 and in all three instances, Penn won the Ivy title. A win over Cornell Saturday would solidify Priore's first seven-win season as head coach since 2015-16.
 
National Prominence
Penn has its name littered across national statistical leaderboards this season in a variety of categories. The Quakers are currently slotted in the Top 5 in six major stat categories, especially on the defensive end. Penn ranks second in fourth down conversion percentage defense (13.3), second in first downs defense (111), tied for first in fewest fumbles lost (0), third in kickoff return yardage per game (29.75) fourth in rushing defense (79.9 ypg), second in sacks per game (3.71).
 
Last Time Out
Penn saw its six-game win streak vs. Cornell snapped the last time these two teams played each other at Franklin Field in 2021. All the game's scoring occurred over the second and third quarters with the Big Red striking first early in the second. Penn used two field goals to trail 7-6 heading into the half, eventually pushing ahead, 12-7 with 4:21 to go in the third. A one-yard Jameson Wang run late in the third stanza gave Cornell the 15-12 cushion and the defense did the rest of the work. Sayin was 26-of-45 with 247 passing yards and an interception, while Owen Goldsberry caught seven passes for 72 yards. Defensively, Garrett Morris and Chris Rankins led the way with six total tackles.