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Penn 28, Yale 17

PHILADELPHIA -- Making just his third start at quarterback, Ryan Becker directed Penn to a 28-17 win over Yale on Saturday at Franklin Field.

Becker, a senior, was filling in for Billy Ragone, who had made 32 previous starts for Penn (4-2, 3-0 Ivy League). The understudy threw two touchdowns without an interception.

Ragone was out with an ankle injury he suffered last week against Columbia.

Becker completed 10 of 13 passes for 167 yards. Running back Kyle Wilcox gained 129 yards on 23 carries for Penn.

Yale (3-3, 1-2) was shorthanded for the game. Starting quarterback Hank Furman, running back Tyler Varga, who is second in rushing in the Ivy League, and wide receiver Chris Smith, did not play due to injury.

Varga was replaced by true freshman Candler Rich. Morgan Roberts, a sophomore transfer from Clemson, made his first start calling signals for the Bulldogs.

Roberts (20-34-193) led a fourth quarter comeback that fell short for Yale, tossing two short TD passes. He hit Deon Randall on a 6-yard strike with 4:42 left in the game and Grant Wallace on a 6-yard TD at the 12:25 mark.

Rich gained 97 yards on 20 carries.

Penn (4-2, 3-0) used two third-quarter scores to seal the victory.

Adam Strouss, Penn's third-string quarterback, bolted in from the 1 with 1:33 for the 28-3 cushion after Connor Loftus' extra point.

The Quakers took a commanding a 21-3 lead when Spencer Kulcsar ran 2 yards unscathed and Loftus added the extra point with 11:08 remaining in the third.

The score ended a six play, 79-yard drive that took 2:23.

Penn did an effective job blending the run and the pass in the first half. It rushed for 88 yards and threw for 98.

Becker connected with Connor Scott on a 29 -yard TD pass with 56 seconds left in the half and Loftus' extra point gave the Quakers a 14-3 cushion.

The Bulldogs were careless with the ball in the first half, committing three fumbles, two of which they lost. They converted just four first downs in the first half.

Penn's Ian Dobbins took advantage of a Yale miscue on a punt late in the first quarter, pouncing on the loose ball after it deflected off a Yale player at the 33.

Two plays later Becker found a wide open Wilcox out of the backfield for a 29-yard TD strike with 3:22 left in the first quarter. It was Wilcox's first TD reception of the season.

The extra point provided the Quakers with a 7-3 lead.

Yale safety Cole Campbell recovered a Penn fumble at the 27, arranging the Bulldogs first score in the opening quarter. Kyle Cazzetta nailed a 32-yard field goal for the 3-0 lead with 6:04 left.

NOTES: Penn's only Ivy League loss last season was to Yale. Since then the Quakers have reeled off seven straight league wins. ... Saturday marked the 81st meeting between the two rivals, with Yale leading the series 45-35-1. ... With the victory, Penn has won 17 of the last 21 meetings.