Yale’s Dante Reno threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs to a 28-7 win over Dartmouth on Saturday at the Yale Bowl. The junior quarterback completed 28 of 37 passes and connected twice with junior wide receiver Jaxton Santiago, who caught 13 passes for 147 yards and two scores.
The Bulldogs jumped ahead early, opening the game with a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Sophomore running back Hugo Djeumeni Kemeni scored on a 9-yard run before Reno threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Santiago. Djeumeni Kemeni finished with 174 yards on 28 carries, anchoring the running game.
Dartmouth responded in the second quarter with a 30-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Grayson Saunier to junior wideout Ky’Dric Fisher, cutting the lead to 14-7. After that, Yale’s defense contained the Big Green, preventing any further scoring.
Yale kicker Noah Piper added two field goals in the second half, from 43 and 25 yards out. The Bulldogs closed the scoring in the fourth quarter when Reno found Santiago again for a 9-yard touchdown.
This was Yale’s first Ivy League win of the season, improving their record to 3-1. Reno has been a consistent performer since returning from a broken bone in his left elbow that sidelined him for the loss to Cornell two weeks earlier. In three games this season, he has thrown for 1,077 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception.
Reno’s previous game on October 3 was an emotional one. He threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-24 victory over Merrimack, just a day after the passing of his father, Tony Reno, who coached Yale football for 14 years. At the time, Dante Reno said he felt his father’s presence throughout the Yale Bowl and did not consider sitting out because he didn’t want to let down his teammates.
Yale’s next match is scheduled for Saturday against Rhode Island, set to kick off at noon. The Bulldogs will aim to build on their momentum from this weekend’s win.
According to Yahoo Sports.