Perfect Season Spoiled by Cornell in 20-17 Defeat

Saturday, November 16

Hanover, N.H.

1:30 PM

Dartmouth College

8-1 , 5-1

Cornell

3-6 , 2-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Cornell

Dartmouth

With 105 yards on the ground, Dakari Falconer hit triple digits for the first time.

Photo by: Bryan LaFountaine

Perfect Season Spoiled by Cornell in 20-17 Defeat

11/16/2019 4:45:00 PM | Football

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The Big Red scored the game-winning touchdown with 5:32 to play

By: Rick Bender

HANOVER, N.H. — Needing a win to clinch at least a share of the Ivy League title, the 11th-ranked Dartmouth Big Green came up short in their quest as visiting Cornell left Memorial Field with a 20-17, upset victory on Saturday afternoon, spoiling Dartmouth's Senior Day as well. Richie Kenney threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Owen Peters with 5:32 to play, and David Jones picked off a pass in the final two minutes as the Big Red (3-6, 2-4 Ivy) posted their first road victory over a ranked Ivy League opponent since 1950.

Dartmouth (8-1, 5-1 Ivy) had its 10-game winning streak end as well as its personal 10-game streak against Cornell, falling back into a tie for first with Yale, which defeated 18th-ranked Princeton today, 51-14.

Kenney finished the game completing 22-of-38 throws for 267 yards and the game-winning touchdown while tossing two interceptions as well. One of the picks came courtesy of Big Green All-America cornerback Isiah Swann, who returned it 69 yards for a touchdown near the end of the first quarter, the fourth of his career to set a new Dartmouth record.

Eric Gallman led the Cornell receiving corps with nine catches and 98 yards, and Harold Coles ran for 111 yards on 15 carries, one of which was a 74-yard burst up the middle on the second play of the second half. For the game, the Big Red amassed 384 yards, matching the most by a Dartmouth opponent this season, while holding the Big Green to 298, their third straight game under 300.

Big Green junior Dakari Falconer had his first career 100-yard rushing game (and first by any Dartmouth player this season), taking the ball 19 times for 105 yards. But the Green were just 7-of-18 throwing the ball with one touchdown and the interception at the end of the game.

Cornell jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on a 20-yard field goal from Nickolas Null. But with 37 seconds left in the opening quarter, a Kenney pass went directly to Swann, who weaved his way through several Big Red players down the field and fell into the end zone for the touchdown and a 7-3 Dartmouth lead.

With just under two minutes remaining in the half, the Big Green faced a 4th-and-14 from the Cornell 30 and decided to go for it. The gamble paid off as Kyler hit Hunter Hagdorn in stride at the 10, who raced into the end zone for a 14-3 advantage.

But the Big Red closed the gap before the intermission, covering 65 yards in 11 plays before stalling out at the 5, thanks to linebacker Nigel Alexander breaking up a third-down pass in the end zone. Null came on once again and converted the 22-yard field goal, making it a 14-6 game at the break.

Cornell received the kick to start the second half and wasted little time putting more points on the board. After producing just 11 yards on five carries in the first half, Coles took the handoff on a draw play and found a seam in the line to sprint 74 yards for a touchdown. The Big Red attempted a two-point conversion to tie the game, but defensive end Niko Lalos sniffed out the shovel pass and preserved Dartmouth's 14-12 lead.

Neither side could move the ball for much of the rest of the third quarter, though the Big Green did pick up a pair of first downs late in the period and was threatening to score when Kyler lost the ball stretching for a first down with Cornell pouncing on it at the Big Red 11.

The Big Green put points on the board on their first possession in the fourth quarter, and even ran their first plays in the red zone. Ultimately, Connor Davis came on and booted a 34-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-12 with 8:06 to play.

Cornell went to the air with Kenney completing 3-of-6 passes for 40 yards and three first downs. Facing 3rd-and-4 at the Big Green 29, Kenney's cadence caught a Dartmouth player offside for the first down, and found Peters across the middle on the very next play for the go-ahead score. Again Cornell lined up for a two-point conversion this time made it count when Kenney scrambled and dove into the end zone just inside the pylon for the 20-17 lead.

The Big Green offense picked up one first down on their next possession, then had a fourth-down pass fall incomplete, turning the ball over on downs at their own 40. The defense held while using all three timeouts to preserve the clock, however, and the ensuing punt went out-of-bounds at the Dartmouth 7. Quarterback Derek Kyler ran for a 6-yard gain on the first play, but his 2nd-down pass toward the sideline was sniffed out by Jones, who made the diving interception. Three kneel downs later and Cornell had its upset victory.

Safety Jelani Taylor led all players with 11 tackles for the Big Red defense, while Jack Traynor and D.J. Avery each had seven to lead the Big Green. Swann added six stops while breaking up five passes to go with his pick-six.

Dartmouth will attempt to earn at least a share of the Ivy League title next Saturday when it travels to Brown (2-7, 1-5), which defeated Columbia on the road today, 48-24, to end a 20-game conference losing streak. Kickoff is set for noon (changed from its originally scheduled 12:30 p.m. start) and will be streamed live on ESPN+ with a free audio broadcast featuring Brett Franklin and Wayne Young '72 on the call through DartmouthSports.com.

Notes: Dartmouth starting quarterback Jared Gerbino was only able to play the first half, and running back Caylin Parker as well as defensive tackle Jackson Perry also missed the second half with injuries … the Big Green are now 61-41-1 all-time against Cornell and 32-14-1 at Memorial Field.