Penn Tops Princeton in OT on Homecoming Weekend

(Photo by Catalina Fragoso – Double G Media)

Penn hosted the Princeton Tigers for their 2015 homecoming game this weekend. The Quakers were looking to widen their lead over Princeton in the Ivy League, while Princeton was looking for a win to even the two team’s records at 6-3.

Penn got on the board first with a 27-yard field goal. Princeton answered with a field goal of their own to even the score at three. That was the score at the end of the first quarter.

After the Quakers forced a fumble on a sack from Tyler Drake, which Penn recovered, they were in business inside Princeton territory. Tre Solomon scored the game’s first touchdown when he took it into the endzone from four yards out.

Joe Rhattigan ran the ball in for a touchdown from four yards out and the game was tied at 10 with 4:49 left in the first half.  With :19 left, Rhattigan scored his second touchdown of the half and Princeton took a 17-10 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, Penn fumbled and Princeton recovered at the Penn 34 with :13 left. They connected on a 39-yard field goal to take a 20-10 lead at halftime. Princeton would also receive the second half kickoff.

On their first drive of the second half, Tre Solomon scored his second touchdown of the game to cut the Princeton lead to 20-17. That was the lone scored in the third quarter.

To begin the fourth quarter, Princeton had the ball with a 3rd and 1 at the Penn 13 yard line. The Quakers defense stopped Tigers on fourth and goal and Penn took over at their own one yard line, looking to take the lead in the fourth quarter.

Penn quarterback Alek Torgersen needed to get his team out from inside their own five, so he took the ball and ran it it himself for a 47-yard gain.

Penn got down to the Princeton 14 and were facing 4th and 1. They decided to go for it. Tre Solomon converted and Penn had the ball at the Princeton 13 yard line Unfortunately, Solomon fumbled at the Princeton 4 yard line and the Tigers recovered.

Penn stalled the Princeton offense, and the Quakers scored a field goal to tie the game at 20. The Tigers chewed the clock as they drove the ball down the field. They had a chance to win the game with a 35-yard field goal with :04 left, but the kick was blocked, and the game went into overtime.

Penn won the toss and decided to go on defense. The defense held the Tigers to a 42-yard field goal. It was now their turn to try and win the game in overtime. They succeeded on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Eric Fiore to give Penn the 26-23 win over Princeton.

Penn now has a record of 5-3 on the season. Princeton falls to 5-3. The Quakers will take on undefeated Harvard next weekend. The Tigers will host the Yale Bulldogs.