In the 2023 season, Cornell finished 3–7 overall and 2–5 in conference play. After the conclusion of the season, Cornell University's athletics director, Nicki Moore, announced that ten-year head coach David Archer would not return for the 2024 season. Defensive coordinator Jared Backus assumed duties as interim head coach, with immediate effect. At Cornell, Archer compiled a record of 29–71, and the team was not able to record a winning season during that span, a streak existing since the 2006 season.[1] On December 7, 2023, Cornell University Athletics announced the hiring of Dan Swanstrom as head coach to succeed Archer.[2]
In January 2024, Swanstrom announced five additions to the coaching staff: Jeff Dittman (of Rensselaer Polytechnic) as special teams coordinator and defensive assistant coach, Eric Franklin (of Penn) as defensive backs and cornerbacks coach and passing game coordinator, Mike Hatcher (of Ithaca College, where he served as an assistant to Swanstrom), Sean Reeder (of Penn) as offensive line coach, and Terry Ursin (of Jesuit High School of New Orleans) as running backs coach.[3] Swanstrom later named Hatcher and Reeder as co-offensive coordinators in September 2024.[4] Unlike in past years, the 2024 Cornell team did not designate player captains prior to the season, instead designating game captains each week during the season.[5]
The Big Red traveled to Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, for its season opener on Saturday, September 21. The Raiders defeated the Big Red, 41–24. Cornell scored first, concluding the first series of the game and the season with a 32-yard field goal by Alan Zhao. Colgate later tied the game, 3–3, with a 40-yard field goal also in the first quarter. On its next possession, Cornell recorded its first touchdown of the season, a 10-yard pass from Jameson Wang to Samuel Musungu. Colgate again tied the game, concluding first quarter scoring with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Jake Stearney to Brady Hutchison. The Big Red broke the 10–10 tie less than 30 seconds into the second quarter, with a touchdown on a 2-yard pass from Wang to Parker Woodring, to take a 17–10 lead. Cornell would not score again until the fourth quarter, however, and Colgate thereafter scored 24 unanswered points. Touchdown runs of 44 yards and 1 yard by quarterback Michael Brescia, and a 22-yard field goal in the second quarter, gave Colgate a 27–17 halftime lead. The Raiders expanded the lead to 34–17 heading into the fourth quarter, with a 10-yard Winston Moore touchdown run late in the third. The Big Red's final points of the game resulted from a 1-yard touchdown pass from Wang to Johntu Reed with 2:36 remaining. Colgate scored once more to conclude the game, a 6-yard touchdown run to secure the victory for the Raiders.[10][11]
The Raiders outgained the Big Red in total offense, 457 yards to 402 yards. The only turnover of the game was an interception by Cornell defensive back Johnny Williamson. Jameson Wang was successful in 29 of 37 passing attempts, for 313 yards and three touchdowns. Wang also led the Big Red in rushing, accumulating 41 yards in 10 carries. Brendan Lee was the Big Red receiving leader, accumulating 89 yards in four catches.[10]
Cornell returned home to Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca, New York on Saturday, September 28, for its Ivy League opener and homecoming game against Yale University. The Big Red defeated the Bulldogs, 47–23. Cornell opened scoring, with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Jameson Wang to Brendan Lee in the first quarter. Yale tied the score with an 8-yard touchdown pass of its own later in the first before the Big Red added two field goals to take a 13–7 lead into the second. Alan Zhao kicked both, from 24 and 34 yards. Early in the second quarter Yale took a one-point lead, with a 9-yard touchdown run. Yale did not score again in the first half, however, and Cornell recorded two additional touchdowns on long plays—a 39-yard pass, again from Wang to Lee, and a 37-yard Ean Pope rush—to take a 27–14 lead into halftime.[12][13]
In the second half, the Big Red outscored the Bulldogs 20–9. Yale scored first in the second half, a 24-yard field goal to narrow the deficit to ten points. On its next possession, Cornell scored on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Wang to Ryder Kurtz concluding a three-play, 75-yard drive to expand the lead to seventeen (the point after attempt was unsuccessful). Yale once more closed the gap to ten, with a 1-yard touchdown rush (Yale's point after attempt was also unsuccessful). The touchdown was the last Yale points of the game, however, and Cornell scored two additional touchdowns in the fourth quarter to assume a 47–23 lead and secure Dan Swanstrom's first win as Cornell's head coach, and the first win of the new season. The victory was also Swanstrom's first at the Division I level. With the win over the reigning Ivy League co-champion and pre-season favorite (its second successive win over Yale), Cornell improved to 1–1 on the season, and 1–0 in Ivy League competition.[12][13]
Jameson Wang was successful in 18 of 29 passing attempts, for 278 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. Ean Pope was the leading rusher for the Big Red, recording 72 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. Cornell's leading receiver was Brendan Lee, with 99 yards and two touchdowns on five catches. The Big Red offense outgained the Bulldogs offense, 475 yards to 302 yards. There were four turnovers in the game, three by Yale and one by Cornell.[12]
In the second game of a three-game homestand, on Saturday, October 5, Cornell hosted the University at Albany, SUNY of the CAA. The Albany Great Danes defeated the Big Red, 31–10. Albany recorded the only points of the first quarter, a 37-yard field goal capping its first possession of the game. Cornell was forced to punt on its first two possessions, while the Great Danes missed a field goal on their second possession and kicked an 18-yard field goal to take a 6–0 lead. Cornell took a one-point lead late in the second quarter, scoring a touchdown on a four-yard pass from Jameson Wang to Parker Woodring at the conclusion of an 8-play, 75-yard drive. The Big Red retained its one point lead into hafltime. Cornell again punted on its first possession of the second half. Albany scored quickly in its own first possession of the half, a 52-yard touchdown pass, to retake a 13–7 lead. On its ensuing possession, Cornell's Alan Zhao kicked a 35-yard field goal to narrow the deficit to 13–10. Albany extended the lead back to six on its next possession, however, kicking a 43-yard field goal of its own. The Zhao field goal was the last points for Cornell in the game, and Albany extended its lead to 24–10 on a 16-yard touchdown run and again to 31–10 on an 84-yard touchdown run, both late in the fourth quarter. Cornell's record fell to 1–2 (1–0 Ivy League) as a result of the defeat.[14][15]
The Albany Great Danes recorded 498 yards of offense in total, to the Cornell Big Red's 310. The only turnover of the game was a Cornell fumble resulting from a strip sack of Devin Page late in the fourth quarter, on Cornell's final possession. Jameson Wang completed 22 of 31 passing attempts, for 187 yards and one touchdown. Johntu Reed was the Big Red's leading rusher, carrying three times for 36 yards. Samuel Musungu led the Big Red in receiving, with six catches totalling 87 yards.[14][15]
Cornell hosted Ivy League opponent Harvard University in the final match of its initial three game homestand. The Harvard Crimson defeated the Big Red, 38–20. Cornell opened scoring in the match, a 4-yard touchdown pass from Jameson Wang to Ryder Kurtz in its first possession. Later in the first quarter, Harvard narrowed the Big Red's lead to 7–3, with a 28-yard field goal, and took a 10–7 lead with a 21-yard touchdown pass of its own. Cornell retook the lead in the second quarter, with a 10-yard Jameson Wang touchdown run, though the 14–10 lead was the Big Red's last of the game. The Crimson scored three more times in the second quarter: three touchdown passes of 54 yards, 20 yards, and 19 yards to take a 31–14 lead into halftime. Harvard scored the first points of the second half, a two-yard touchdown pass after the Big Red and Crimson exchanged scoreless possessions to begin the third quarter. Cornell recorded the final points of the game, a 5-yard touchdown pass from Wang to Samuel Musungu late in the third quarter, followed by an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt. Neither team scored again and, with a scoreless fourth quarter, Harvard secured the 38–20 victory over Cornell. The defeat rendered Cornell 1–3 overall, and 1–1 in the Ivy League.[16][17]
The Cornell Big Red totalled 314 yards of offense to the Harvard Crimson's 492. Jameson Wang completed 21 of 30 passing attempts, totalling 153 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. Wang was also the leading rusher for the Big Red, with 67 yards in 13 carries. Cornell's leading receiver was Samuel Musungu, who caught six passes for 84 yards.[16]
To begin the second half and final stretch of the Ivy League season, the Cornell Big Red travelled to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday, October 26. The Brown Bears defeated Cornell, 23–21.[20][21]
Cornell returned to Ithaca for the final homestand of the season, facing the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, November 9. The Penn Quakers defeated the Big Red, 67–49.[24][25]
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