Sept. 17, 2011
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PHILADELPHIA - With fireworks slated for post-game festivities, Lafayette created some entertainment of its own on Saturday night, turning out the lights at Franklin Field a bit sooner than expected with a 37-12 win over two-time defending Ivy League champ Penn.
Every unit contributed. The offense, which had managed 19 points through the first two weeks of the season, was buoyed by four Andrew Shoop touchdown passes, including lengthy scoring throws to Ross Scheuerman (44 yards) and Mark Ross (73 yards). Scheuerman (13 carries for 89 yards) and Alan Elder (11-38) contributed on the ground, as the Leopards (1-2) featured a balanced attack (105 yards on the ground and 230 in the air).
Defensively, Kyle Simmons had a career day and then some. The senior safety made a career-high 15 tackles and picked off two passes, returning one for a touchdown. The defense held Penn's perennially strong rushing attack in check with 185 yards.
On special teams, Mike Boles blocked a punt and Austin O'Brien followed with a career-long 48-yard field goal at a crucial point in the game.
When the first quarter ran out, Penn (0-1) had picked up a first down to move to the Lafayette 26. On 3rd-and-goal at the four, the Leopards packed the box. Penn opted for a play-action pass. Billy Ragone threw into the flat, but cornerback Darius Safford closed the gap and slapped the ball away. The Quakers settled for a 22-yard field goal by Connor Loftus at 13:02.
The Leopards answered two possessions later with a 72-yard drive. Shoop, who was starting his first career game for the injured Ryan O'Neil, tossed it to a wide-open Scheuerman along the Lafayette sideline. Scheuerman finished off a 44-yard catch and run for a touchdown with 6:40 left. The freshman tailback helped set up the score, moving the chains with a 28-yard carry to start the drive.
Penn re-took the lead, using eight running plays and one pass to move down the field. The final handoff was taken by fullback Greg Schuster who broke several Lafayette tackles to get into the end zone from eight yards out.
Trailing 10-7, the Leopards took over on the 35 with 2:17 left in the half. They faced 3rd-and-1 at the 44 and fullback Greg Kessel picked up the necessary yard for the first down. A false start pushed Lafayette back five yards, but Penn handed Lafayette 15 yards with a roughing penalty. Lafayette was 3rd-and-13 at the Penn 37. Shoop found Ross for a 37-yard TD connection.
The Quakers, picked to win the Ivy League, appeared to shatter the Lafayette momentum, blocking the PAT and returning it 92 yards for two points to slice the Lafayette lead to 13-12.
The Leopards forced a three-and-out and head coach Frank Tavani called a timeout to stop the clock. Boles broke through and blocked the punt. Lafayette took over at the Penn 44 with 15 seconds left in the half. Shoop dialed up Ross again for an 11-yard completion. Lafayette regained the momentum lost on the returned PAT, closing out the half with O'Brien's 48-yarder to lead 16-12.
With 5:30 left in the third quarter, Shoop and the Leopards' offense created some breathing room. Facing pressure, Shoop hit Ross for a 73-yard touchdown catch and a 23-12 lead. Ross finished the day with four catches for 126 yards.
The defense made things happen on the Leopards' next score. Penn's Jeff Jack tipped a Ragone pass and Simmons was there to take advantage, returning it 31 yards to the house for a 30-12 lead with 1:13 left in the third. It was nearly one year to the day of Lafayette's last pick-six, a 25-yard interception and rumble by DL Mike Phillips on Sept. 18, 2010 at Penn.
A second Simmons' interception of Ragone (8-for-23 for 91 yards) with 8:06 left in the game helped the Leopards put away the game. Lafayette took over at the 28. The first play from scrimmage was a Shoop (14-of-23 for 230 yards) connection with tight end Kevin Doty who ran and stretched the ball across the goal line for the score and the 37-12 final.
Lafayette has now beaten Penn in four of the last five meetings. Saturday's 37-point effort was the most points Lafayette has scored against the Quakers since Nov. 5, 1921 when Lafayette beat Penn 38-6 and the most that Penn has allowed overall since 2000.
Lafayette travels to Stony Brook on Saturday for a 6 p.m. kick.
