The Ivy League title is on the line as Penn hosts Cornell in its final game of the 2015 season. Here’s a closer look at the huge matchup:
Cornell (1-8, 1-5 Ivy) at Penn (6-3, 5-1 Ivy)
Franklin Field
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Scouting Penn
The Quakers are coming off a momentous 35-25 win at Harvard as they snapped the Crimson’s 22-game winning streak to move into a first-place tie in the Ivies with Harvard and Dartmouth with one game left. Sophomore wide receiver Justin Watson continued his remarkable season, totaling 249 yards (including 100 yards rushing) and two touchdowns in what was one of the best offensive performances in school history. And led by Ivy sack leader Tyler Drake, who had a team-high 12 tackles and one of the Quakers’ five sacks, Penn’s defense held Harvard scoreless in the second half. The Quakers, under first-year head coach Ray Priore, have now won five straight games and can clinch at least a share of the program’s 17th Ivy League championship with a win in their season finale.
Scouting Cornell
The Big Red are coming off their first win of the season after edging fellow Ivy lightweight Columbia, 3-0. The shutout was Cornell’s first in 22 years as the Big Red defense forced three turnovers in the low-scoring affair. On the season, though, Cornell’s defense has allowed nearly 30 points per game — second worst in the Ivies. They rank near the bottom in most offensive categories too, although senior running back Luke Hagy is having a big year with 79 rushing yards per game, the second best average in the league.
History
In what is the fifth-most played rivalry in FCS history, Penn and Cornell will meet for the 122nd time with the Quakers having prevailed in 70 of the first 121 meetings. The Big Red, however, have won two of the last four matchups, including their last two games in Franklin Field.
Storyline to watch
If you haven’t seen Justin Watson yet, you might want to do so before the season ends. The electric sophomore now ranks sixth in the FCS in receiving yards per game (105.4) and seventh in receptions per game (7.2). And he’s saved some of his most memorable performances for the stiffest defensive competition (Harvard and Villanova). Cornell’s pass defense actually ranks a respectable fourth in the Ivies (232.0 yards per game) but that’s likely because opposing teams build leads before running on them. If Watson is able to take advantage of the overmatched Big Red and have another monster day in the season finale, he’ll likely end it by lifting a championship trophy on the field.
What’s at stake?
A win for the Quakers guarantees them at least a share of their first Ivy championship since 2012 and would give the departing seniors a title in their first and last seasons. Penn could also claim the outright crown if Harvard loses at Yale and Dartmouth loses to Princeton — both of which are unlikely but realistic possibilities.
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Quotable
“I’m very, very proud of how the kids performed [at Harvard]. And then the first question I get right after the game is how I get the kids ready for this week. We didn’t win anything last week other than a big game. … It’s been a fun ride and the kids are enjoying it. But there’s more work to do.” - Ray Priore