The University of Pennsylvania football team secured a 36-24 win over Dartmouth at Franklin Field on Saturday, opening Ivy League play with a victory. Both teams now hold 2-1 records overall, while Penn starts conference competition at 1-0.
This game marked the end of Penn’s two-game losing streak against Dartmouth and a five-game home losing streak dating back to the 2015 season. Head Coach Ray Priore achieved his first home win over Dartmouth and his third overall against the Big Green.
Penn’s offense produced its highest point total against Dartmouth since a 37-24 win in Hanover in 2016. The Quakers also won their home opener for the second consecutive year and for the fifth time under Priore.
Senior quarterback Liam O’Brien led both passing and rushing efforts, completing 16 of 21 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns, and running for another 99 yards with two scores. O’Brien connected with nine different receivers during the game, including Bisi Owens who caught four passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. Cadin Olsen also recorded his first touchdown as a tight end.
Sean Williams, Jr. contributed with ten carries for 50 yards in the run game. Special teams played an important role; Julien Stokes had a notable performance with a 65-yard punt return that set up points and three kick returns totaling 76 yards. Stokes has accumulated 269 kick return yards on nine attempts through three games.
The turning point came early in the third quarter when Penn scored on a safety, their first since October 27, 2023. The Quakers’ defense added two interceptions—one by senior Alec Wills (the second of his career) and another by freshman Ezra Fearon (his first).
Senior captain John Lista returned from injury to record fifteen tackles, including ten solo stops. Kadari Machen led with two tackles for loss, while Jake Davis registered the team’s only sack—a significant play resulting in a loss of twenty-one yards for Dartmouth.
Penn limited Dartmouth to just 326 total offensive yards after the Big Green entered ranked eighth nationally at nearly 478 yards per game. The Quakers converted all six red-zone opportunities and succeeded on their only fourth-down attempt.
Saturday’s contest was Penn’s first home game following the death of former captain Vhito DeCapria on September 25 after battling cancer twice. Players wore “VD” stickers on their helmets in his memory—a tribute that will continue throughout the season.
Penn will next host Marist on Friday night in its final non-conference matchup this season, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
