Football outlasted by Penn in 28-21 loss

Despite rallying in the second half, the Brown football team (3-4, 0-4 Ivy) fell 28-21 to Penn (5-2, 3-1) on Halloween. Following an encouraging 3-1 start to the season, the Bears have slid to three consecutive losses and have yet to defeat an Ivy League opponent.

The Quakers put up 21 first-half points, jumping out to an early multiple-possession lead they never relinquished.

“I think we have to look at some ways to start a little faster,” Head Coach James Perry ’00 said in a post-game interview. “There was a stretch of really good football that we played… but we started the game poorly.”

Although Brown’s first drive started with an explosive play—receiver Trevor Foley ’28 high-pointed a one-on-one ball for 35 yards on the second play from scrimmage—movement quickly stalled. Facing a fourth-and-7 at Penn’s 28-yard line, quarterback James Murphy ’27 forced the ball into tight coverage. Penn defensive back Jayden Drayton tipped the ball into the air. His teammate, Josh Narcisse, snatched it and found a running lane, returning the ball for 30 yards.

The Quakers capitalized on the mistake, strategically plodding downfield with a stack of short gains. A low bullet by Penn quarterback Liam O’Brien sent his offense to the 1-yard line, where tailback Donte West took a run up the gut to create a 7-0 Penn lead.

The Bears did not let that slide. In just five plays, the offense moved to Penn’s 44-yard line, where the receiving corps put their stamp on the drive. Securing Murphy’s toss on a short crossing route, Ty Pezza ’26 cruised toward the goal line, running along the left hash. A firm red-zone block by Foley ensured Pezza remained untouched en route to tying up the match.

Continuing Penn’s attack, O’Brien conducted another strong performance. In 10 plays, the Quakers moved 70 yards downfield and across the goal line. A 21-yard rush by O’Brien propelled Penn to Bruno’s 9-yard line, and on the very next play, the Quakers scored on a completion to Bisi Owens.

After a quick response to Penn’s first touchdown, the Bears stalled on offense after the second. Creating only one first down, Brown faced a third-and-8 on their own 36-yard line. Rolling right, Murphy was chased by Quaker defenders and was forced to throw the ball away. A punt followed, sending the ball back to Penn.

Once more, a deftly designed charge put the Quakers into the end zone. After gradual movement to their own 48-yard line, Penn ramped up the intensity. O’Brien completed a 19-yard pass, then a 24-yarder, then an 8-yard checkdown to the 1-yard line. From there, running back Sean Williams Jr. leapt through a gap between Bruno’s defensive line, giving the Quakers a 21-7 advantage.

Suddenly facing a two-score uphill climb, Bruno’s offense was revived. Moving the sticks in two plays or less, Murphy completed each of his five pass attempts throughout the drive, taking the Bears to Penn’s 24-yard line. On a third-and-5, Brown turned to the passing game once more. Murphy put up a one-on-one ball for Solomon Miller ’26, who head-tapped his defender en route to the end zone.

For a breathtaking moment, Brown had sliced the lead in half. But then an offensive pass interference penalty dashed Bruno’s hopes, leading to yet another punt.

Penn’s drive to close out the half went 65 yards but the Quakers ultimately came up short after missing a 51-yard field goal, heading into halftime with a 14-point lead.

Coming out of the locker room, Bruno showed increased energy. After the Quakers managed to move the ball to Brown’s 32-yard line, the Bears’ defense took a stand. Ivy League sack leader Ike Odimegwu ’27 got to O’Brien on second down, and on third down, the defensive front kept up the pressure. Owen Clarke ’26 blew through a hole in the offensive line, and in a last-ditch attempt to escape a sack, O’Brien released a wayward pass. The ball drifted just above the head of running back Tommy Lafayette and into the waiting hands of Bruno linebacker John Perdue ’26.

Wasting no time, the Bears’ offense capitalized on the sudden turnover. Their second snap resulted in a 16-yard reception at the left sideline for Miller. Just a few plays later, on a third-and-15, tight end Levi Linowes ’27 found a seam, received the ball in stride, and held off a Penn defender to reach the Quakers’ 8-yard line.

On fourth down, after Penn stopped three consecutive goal-to-go attempts, Bruno unveiled some Halloween trickery. Before the snap, receiver Najih Rahman ’27 went in motion from the slot position. After passing in front of Murphy, he circled into the backfield, running a swing route to the right. Catching Murphy’s pitch, Rahman feigned a run before tossing a touchdown pass to Pearson Hill ’28.

Reflecting on Brown’s second-half start, Perry said, “I’m really proud of the guys, how we came out in the second half, how they worked, how they stuck together.”

But Penn had no intention of allowing Bruno to close the gap. On their first series, the Quakers caught the Bears off-guard on a third-down run, and Williams broke free, dashing 40 yards to the 1-yard line. Another rushing touchdown pushed Penn’s lead to 28-14.

On the subsequent kickoff, a flag for an invalid fair catch signal set the Bears back to their own 11-yard line. Undeterred, Murphy began his offense’s journey downfield. Aided by consecutive quick strikes to Pezza, a 15-yard roughing-the-passer penalty, and a 25-yard toss to Foley, the Bears reached Penn’s red zone. But there, the Quakers’ defensive front stood tall, forcing a fourth-and-10.

Drew Crabtree ’29 took the field for a 28-yard field goal attempt, but his kick sailed wide left, taking Bruno’s momentum with it.

The next three drives resulted in punts—two for Penn and one for Brown—taking valuable time off the game clock. When the Bears’ offense emerged for another drive, only eight minutes remained.

Following a second-down sack, on third-and-19, Foley created the contest’s premier play. Pinned against the right sideline and facing a high-arcing ball, Foley extended his right arm into the night sky while falling backwards, corralling the ball with just one palm. The play was later named SportsCenter’s top highlight of the day.

Energized by the miraculous grab, Brown eagerly bounded downfield toward the goal line. From Penn’s 14-yard line, Murphy delivered to Foley, who fought off Quaker defenders and lunged onto the navy turf of the end zone. Suddenly, the Bears were only one score behind and poised to endanger Penn’s once-assured victory.

But for a final time, the Quakers’ offense drove convincingly. Winding down the clock, Penn collected first down after first down, eventually progressing all the way to Brown’s 1-yard line before kneeling out for a victory.

“It’s really easy to be motivated,” Murphy reflected in a post-game interview. “We have three more opportunities to go play football and put it all on the line for the seniors.”

The Bears will be back in action when they host Yale (5-2, 3-1) on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for noon.
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