Yale Athletics

In the midst of a three-game win streak, The Bulldogs (3–1, 2–0 Ivy) hope to carry their momentum as   they host the Bucknell Bison (0–5, 0–2 Patriot) and as they prepare for the heart of their Ivy League schedule

In their final non-conference game of the season, the Elis will be facing Bucknell University this Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Yale Bowl. With only Ivy League play left at the door, satisfying the Blue and Whites’ thirst for victory means maintaining the steady energy the Bulldogs have brought each week, no matter the opponent. 

“There’s a lot of teams that are on a rollercoaster, really high and really low,” head coach Tony Reno said. “This team is [more even-keeled]. They’re a very boring rollercoaster. So when things are going well, we have a great sideline presence, and when adversity hits, we have the same sideline presence. That’s a really good piece that they’ve developed over the season.”

Since the loss to No. 8 Holy Cross in their season-opener on Sept. 17, the Bulldogs have ripped off three straight wins, scoring at least 24 points in each game. The defense has also emerged as a force to be reckoned with, allowing less than 21 points a game. 

Since that matchup against Holy Cross, the Bulldogs’ defense has looked strong. The front seven has controlled the line of scrimmage, as evidenced by Dartmouth’s 20 total rushing yards last Saturday. The defensive backs meanwhile have proven to be a deep group with many playmakers capable of forcing opposing offenses into turnovers. 

“There’s not really a dropoff with our DBs,” defensive back Miles Oldacre ’23 said. “I think we all approach the game as if we’re the one to be in the game, the one to be counted on. That way if somebody goes down, the next person in is just as prepared as whoever was just in. That way we’re all on the same page, we’re all seeing things the same way.”

The ability to plug-and-play is prominent throughout the roster, as Coach Reno has the ability to roll out multiple high-quality players at nearly every position.

On offense, the wide receivers and running backs have shone for the Bulldogs, showcasing multiple players with top-end talent.

At wide receiver, the Bulldogs can tout two bona fide number ones in Mason Tipton ’24 and David Pantelis ’25. Tipton led the team in receiving yards last year, and has lived up to the billing with two touchdown catches on the season and 55 yards per game. Pantelis entered as less of a known entity, as he operated primarily out of the slot in his first season on the team. This season, however, Pantelis has shown the ability to run nearly any route on the field, leading the team with 255 receiving yards and averaging nearly 64 yards per game. 

Both receivers also boast big-play ability, as they each average over 13 yards per catch, showing the ability to stretch the field in order to prevent opposing defenses from loading up to stop the run. 

Despite the run of success the team is on, the Bulldogs are aware that at some point adversity will hit. However, they are confident that all of the work they have put in since last season will pay off when that does happen. 

“Because our off-season is so hard, it helps us during the game, during the hard times to stay at this level,” running back Tre Peterson ’24 said. “Cause it’s so easy to be at that level when everything’s going well, but the off-season definitely teaches us to stay that way when things are going bad too.”

For Peterson and the rest of Yale’s running backs, it seems unlikely that hard times are coming, as the Bulldogs’ running game has been dominant all season. 

Running behind an offensive line that has dominated opponents in run blocking, the running backs have found tremendous success, averaging 245.8 yards rushing a game. 

While the Bulldogs come in riding high, the Bison have struggled so far this year, losing by an average of 23.8 points per game. The Bulldogs must be wary, as they have fallen trap to Patriot League opponents in previous seasons, as the conference always proves to be highly competitive from top to bottom. 

The Bulldogs currently sit atop the Ivy League standings, tied with rivals Harvard as the only two teams 2–0 in Ivy League play.