PHILADELPHIA – With the added incentive of playing in the FCS playoffs to compete for a national championship for the first time in 80 years, the University of Pennsylvania football team begins its 148th season Saturday afternoon at Stonehill.
 
In addition, the Quakers are searching for their 19th Ivy League title and first since 2016, while the Skyhawks go for their second straight victory after picking up a 13-10 victory on the road at Maine last weekend.
 
GAME 1 – PENN (0-0, 0-0 Ivy) at STONEHILL (1-2, 0-0 NEC)
Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 | 1 p.m.
W.B. Mason Stadium | Easton, Mass.
Watch Live on NEC Front Row |  Listen Live (QAN)  |  Live Stats
Penn Game Notes (PDF)  | Stonehill Game Notes (PDF)
 

Welcome Back, Football!
It's been 301 days since the Penn football team last laced up their cleats, put on their helmets, and put together four quarters on the field, but the wait comes to an end Saturday in southern Massachusetts.
 
The Quakers are hoping this year goes smoother than last after finishing the 2024 campaign with a 4-6 overall record, only picking up a pair of Ivy League victories in a tie for sixth place. It's been nine years since Penn last hoisted the Ivy title—after doing so in back-to-back seasons in 2015 and 2016—which is the longest drought between championships since the 30-year slide between 1956 and 1982.
 
This year offers more incentive: the ability to qualify for the FCS playoffs and compete for a national championship. The decision comes after over 80 years of being excluded after the eight schools banded together in 1945 to sign the Ivy Group Agreement which took their teams out of postseason contention.
 
A New Season Opener
Penn and Stonehill are meeting Saturday for the first time in program history.
 
In fact, this is the team's first season opener in a state not bordering Pennsylvania since 2014 when the Quakers visited Jacksonville in a 34-31 defeat.
 
The George A. Munger Head Coach Ray Priore is 5-4 in season openers all-time, falling at Delaware on the road, 29-22, to begin 2024.
 
Scouting The Skyhawks
Stonehill has opened the 2025 season with a 1–2 record, picking up momentum after dropping its first two contests.
 
The Skyhawks opened with a 12–7 loss to Sacred Heart in a defensive slugfest where scoring opportunities were scarce, then fell 42–26 to Lafayette on the road.
 
They bounced back in Week 3 with a gritty 13–10 win at Maine, sealed by a late touchdown connection from Jack O'Connell to Brigham Dunphy and two key field goals from Domenic Scalese.
 
Through three games, the passing attack has been more effective than the ground game, while the defense has kept Stonehill competitive, especially in its lone victory. O'Connell has excelled under center, ranking third in the nation in completions per game (23.0) and 14th in completion percentage (.690).
 
As a whole, the Skyhawks' defense ranks 28th in the nation in scoring defense (21.3 ppg) while ranking 34th in total defense by allowing 341.0 yards per game.
 
Preseason Honors
There has been no shortage of preseason honors bestowed upon the Red and Blue with multiple student-athletes receiving national laurels ahead of the 2025 campaign.
 
Senior offensive lineman Netinho Olivieri has been front and center for Penn this preseason, taking home All-America honors from Stats Perform (third team), FCS Football Central (third team), and Phil Steele (third team).
 
Senior wide receiver Jared Richardson joined Olivieri on Phil Steele's All-America list, while also being honored by FCS Football Central along with senior offensive lineman William Bergin.
 
Olivieri and Richardson were also tabbed to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 Watch List.
 
O'Brien's Offense
Penn enters the 2025 season with a starting quarterback not named Aidan Sayin for the first time since the 2021 season.
 
A familiar face after starting the final four games of last year, Liam O'Brien is back for his senior season and is one of the Quakers' four co-captains.
 
O'Brien completed 66 percent (76-115) of his pass attempts for 1,018 yards, 13 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. His signature performance of the year came at Cornell on Nov. 9, recording a single-game program record six passing touchdowns and seven total TDs in a shootout 67-49 victory over the Big Red. That performance earned the signal caller Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week honors.
 
Preseason All-Ivy
Phil Steele announced its annual Preseason All-Ivy selections to begin the month of August and the Quakers were well represented with 12 honorees.
 
Richardson, WR Bisi Owens, Olivieri, DL Carter Janki, and LB John Lista were tabbed to the first team with O'Brien, Bergin, DL David McMorris, LB Kadari Machen and RS Julien Stokes—for kick returner, punt returner, and all-purpose—on the second team.
 
Those Are Some Good Works!
Not only was he recognized for his effort on the field, Bergin also got some love off for his work in the community by being nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
 
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 by the College Football Association, recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate worked to present the award starting with the 2008 season.
 
Bergin, a team captain for the 2025 season, is a key contributor to the Penn Football chapter of Uplifting Athletes, where he helps coordinate team fundraising events either through games or lifts to raise money and awareness for children with rare diseases. He and his teammates involved helped raise over $7,000 two years in a row.
 
In addition, Bergin has been involved with Young Quakers, an organization partnered with the University of Pennsylvania's Netter Center that works with Philadelphia kids ages 6-18. He's also a member of the Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy (PAWLA) and Penn's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (PAWLA).
 
Like other football student-athletes, Bergin has also donated his time to helping at Get in the Game Bone Marrow drives for NMDP.
 
Running Back Room
There's a name not listed on the two deep that made quite the impact last season. Running back Malachi Hosley, who won the Bushnell Cup for Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year in 2024, transferred from Penn to Georgia Tech in his hometown Atlanta during the offseason.
 
With Hosley departed, it allows others to step up in his place, beginning with sophomore Donte West, who put together a strong spring and impressive fall to earn the starting spot.
 
Already a mainstay as a kick returner and wide receiver, Stokes comes back to Penn for his final season in University City, but this time as a tailback as he looks to get much of his playing time alongside West in the backfield. Juice has 16 rushing attempts in his career from 2021-24, along with two touchdowns.
 
Sean Williams, Jr. and freshman Tommy Lafayette are also expected to get reps heading into the early part of the season. Lafayette rushed for 1,000+ yards and 12 touchdowns during his senior season at North Gwinnett in Georgia.
 
Five Up Front
It's not every day you get five returning offensive linemen on your roster, but Penn has that exactly heading into the start of the year.
 
It's a mammoth O-Line with all five starters weighing over 300 pounds. Spearheaded by first-team All-Ivy selection Olivieri at left tackle and second-team All-Ivy honoree
Bergin at center, the duo with a combined weight of 620 pounds is joined by senior Maxwell Freeman at right guard, junior Luke Sacchetti at left guard, and junior Aaron Kruse at right tackle.
 
This formidable group did wonders in run blocking for Hosley in 2024, who racked up nearly 1,200 yards on the ground en route to being named Ivy Offensive Player of the Year. In addition, the offensive line allowed just 15 sacks all season, the ninth-fewest number in FCS football.
 
Reliable Receivers
Penn may have the Ivy League's top wideout duo in seniors Richardson and Owens—neither of whom played receiver in high school.
 
Richardson, a two-time All-Ivy pick (first team in 2023, second team in 2024), led the Quakers last season with 684 yards and seven touchdowns. Notably, he became the first Penn Quaker to register a pair of three-touchdown games in a career after he hauled in nine grabs for 141 yards and three TDs at Cornell.
 
After a promising sophomore season in 2023, Owens broke out late in 2024 as one of QB Liam O'Brien's favorite targets, posting 538 yards and five scores, highlighted by a 107-yard, two-touchdown performance vs. Harvard.
 
Alex Haight returns in the slot after an injury-shortened 2024, while versatile Davis Ellis and two-way player Jayden Drayton—who will debut at defensive back—add depth.
 
Yes, Captains
Penn has four captains leading the charge in 2025 with QB O'Brien, OL Bergin, DL Paul Jennings, and LB Lista.
 
Jennings is the latest Quaker to be a two-time captain after earning the honor in 2024 as well. The senior missed a significant chunk of time in 2024 due to injury and comes back healthy and ready to go. Jennings was impressive in 2023, recording six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks over 10 games for the Red and Blue.
 
Follow The Action
Saturday's matchup will be streamed live on NEC Front Row with Charlie Bergeron (play-by-play) and Peter Czymbor (analyst) on the call. Entering his 22nd season as the radio voice of the Quakers, Matt Leon (play-by-play) and Hench Murray (analyst) in year 44 will provide the honors for the Quaker Audio Network.
 
For the latest on Penn football, follow @PennFB on X (formerly Twitter), @PennFootball on Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.