Weekly Notes | Holy Cross Football vs. Yale

Holy Cross (1-2) vs. Yale (0-0)
Saturday, Sept. 21
2 p.m. Kickoff
Fitton Field | Worcester, Mass.

TV: Spectrum News 1

The Holy Cross football team returns to Fitton Field for a Family Weekend matchup against Yale on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Holy Cross enters the matchup off of its first win of the season with a dominating 43-22 victory at Bryant on Saturday, Sept. 14. Despite an early 16-7 deficit in the first quarter, the Crusaders rattled off 28 unanswered points to build a commanding lead. The win marked the first of head coach Dan Curran’s tenure at Holy Cross.

Sophomore running back Jayden Clerveaux paced the offense with 80 rushing yards and his first career touchdown. Senior running back Jordan Fuller scored a pair of touchdowns. Senior quarterback Joe Pesansky completed 13 of his 16 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown pass to junior receiver Max Mosey; Pesansky also rushed for an eight-yard score. Mosey led all receivers with 67 yards on the day, in addition to his first career touchdown, while senior tight end Jacob Petersen had three receptions for 53 yards.

Senior safety Curtis Harris-Lopez returned a kickoff for a 95-yard touchdown early in the first quarter and was named the Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week. Defensively, senior linebacker Frankie Monte led the team with eight tackles. Sophomore safety Chisom Onwuzurigbo had an interception, the first of his career, and sophomore defensive end William Robinson blocked a point-after attempt. Senior defensive lineman Kevin Gillis had a 10-yard sack.

SERIES HISTORY

This will be the 38th meeting all-time between the Crusaders and the Bulldogs on the gridiron.

SERIES QUICK FACTS:
Overall | Yale leads, 29-8
In Worcester | Yale leads, 7-2
At Fitton Field | Yale leads, 7-2
Current Win Streak | Holy Cross, three games
First Matchup | 1903 (Yale won, 36-10)
Dan Curran vs. Yale | 0-0
Tony Reno vs. Holy Cross | 2-4
In Overtime | tied, 1-1

LAST TIME THEY MET: The then-No. 5/6 Holy Cross football team cruised to a 49-24 victory over defending Ivy League champion Yale on Sept. 16, 2024 at the Yale Bowl. After Yale (0-1) cut within 21-17 at halftime, stifling defensive effort by the Crusaders (2-1) held the Bulldogs (0-1) to just one touchdown — with 27 seconds remaining — in the second half. Quarterback Matthew Sluka totaled six touchdowns on the day, four in the air and two on the ground. He finished with 373 total yards of offense, completing 23 of his 30 passes for 275 yards. Wide receiver Jalen Coker caught three of Sluka’s touchdown passes, with 124 yards on nine receptions. Running back Jordan Fuller rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown, while running back Tyler Purdy had 51 rushing yards. Tight end Jacob Petersen scored his first career touchdown. Linebacker Jacob Dobbs had a dominating performance, with 17 total tackles, including 12 solo tackles and a tackle for a loss of four yards, along with a forced fumble.

WITH A WIN, HOLY CROSS WOULD…

Improve to 29-6 in regular season games against FCS opponents since Spring 2021
Earn its fourth straight win against Yale
Win at home against Yale for the third consecutive time
Improve to 13-4 in games at Fitton Field since Spring 2021

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