Cornell University’s football team secured a 20-17 victory over Princeton on Saturday, November 2, at Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca. The win improved Cornell’s all-time record to 662-565-34 and marked their 454th home victory. With this result, the Big Red now have a 233-231-15 record in the month of November.
The team overcame a two-touchdown deficit for the first time since September 23, 2023, when they rallied from being down 14 points against Yale to win that game as well. This also marks the first time since 1999 that Cornell has won consecutive games after overcoming double-digit deficits.
Cornell’s defense held Princeton to just one third-down conversion out of twelve attempts, matching a school record for fewest conversions allowed in a single game—a feat last achieved against Columbia on November 18, 2023. The defensive unit also shut out Princeton in the second half for the second straight home matchup between these teams.
The offensive line did not allow any sacks during the game. This is only the second time this season and sixth time in two years that Cornell has accomplished this. The offense rushed for a total of 213 yards—its third game this season with more than 200 rushing yards, equaling a mark last set in 2009.
Cornell’s three-game home winning streak is its longest since it won four straight at Schoellkopf Field spanning late and early parts of the 2011 season. Additionally, it is the first time since 1972 that Cornell has claimed back-to-back home victories across three consecutive weeks.
Individually, senior Ben Sahakian forced two fumbles—the first Cornell player to do so since Michael Turner achieved it against Brown on October 26, 2013. Senior Doryn Smith reached a career milestone by surpassing 1,000 receiving yards; he finished with five catches for thirty-nine yards and now has ninety-one receptions totaling one thousand and two yards.
Junior Garrett Bass-Sulpizio scored a rushing touchdown for his fifth consecutive game—the first Big Red player to do so since Chad Levitt did it over six games during the mid-1990s. Junior tight end Ryder Kurtz recorded four catches for twenty-three yards and one touchdown; his eight hundred five career receiving yards are now a program record among tight ends.
Senior Davon Kiser crossed one thousand all-purpose career yards with fifty-four gained against Princeton while senior Damon Barnes moved up to sixty-fifth place all-time at Cornell with his career tackle count reaching one hundred forty-eight after recording five tackles in this contest.
Senior Joey Cheshire added six tackles bringing his total to one hundred fourteen—eight away from entering Cornell’s top one hundred list—and senior Michael O’Keefe increased his tally to ninety-six tackles. Freshman Dalten Phelan registered his first career sack during the match.
Among current players with notable starting streaks are offensive lineman Dylan Page (twenty-one games), long snapper Nolan Albright and offensive lineman Kevin Ma (seventeen each), and linebacker Joey Cheshire (fifteen).
