Out to remain unbeaten on the season, Penn heads to Providence to face Ivy League foe Brown

Penn will represent the best of the Ivy League as the team travels to Brown, who’s currently tied with Columbia at the bottom of conference play (12:30 p.m., ESPN+).

Despite this being a home game for the Bears (2-4, 0-3 Ivy), the Quakers will be out to improve their unbeaten streak to seven games (6-0, 3-0).

The game may easily be determined by the quarterback duel between Penn sophomore Aidan Sayin and Brown junior Jake Willcox. The two are relatively even in their statistics, as they average nearly 250-yards passing per game.

The real difference between the two is the touchdown-to-turnover ratio. Sayin has done an exceptional job of protecting the football this year, tossing 12 touchdowns and only four inceptions. However, Willcox has struggled in the air, throwing 11 touchdown passes with nine interceptions.

For the Bears defensively, it’s limiting big plays and forcing Penn to settle for drawn-out methodical drives.

Penn’s defense has been key to the team’s success all season, and its corps is highlighted by several key players.

Defensive back Kendren Smith, defensive lineman Joey Slackman, and linebacker Jake Heimlicher (twice) have all earned Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, indicating Penn’s depth and star power.

Penn’s defense ranks fourth in scoring defense (14.3 ppg) and second in red zone defense (57.1%). Their ability to limit points is pivotal in the teams’ wins, especially last week’s crucial 20-13 homecoming victory against Yale.

Penn has a 63-24-2 all-time lead against the Bears and will seek its seventh consecutive win against Brown this week. Interestingly, the matchup is much closer when the game is in Providence as the all-time win tallies narrow to 19-15-1 — still favoring the Quakers.

But recently, the Quakers have dominated the matchup, as head coach Ray Priore, who is in his seventh year as head coach, is undefeated against the Bears. Despite the team’s lackluster performances last season, Penn (3-7 in 2021) still managed to crush Brown, 45-17.

Following Brown, the Quakers will visit a difficult Cornell unit next Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN+).

Cornell will face a tough test in back-to-back weeks as they face No. 22 Princeton this Saturday. Penn and Princeton are both 6-0 and remain the Ivy’s only undefeated teams.