Cornell mounted a late comeback but fell just short in its 2025 football season opener, dropping a 13-10 decision at UAlbany on Saturday night.
Down 13-3 with less than five minutes to play, quarterback Devin Page led the Big Red on a seven-play, 51-yard drive capped by a six-yard touchdown pass to junior All-America tight end Ryder Kurtz. Page and Garett Bass-Sulpizio combined to complete 16-of-26 passes for 153 yards, with Page also rushing for a team-high 57 yards. Alan Zhao’s 25-yard field goal earlier in the second half had cut the deficit to three.
Cornell’s defense delivered a big performance, holding UAlbany to just 3.8 yards per play while recording three sacks, nine tackles for loss, and an interception. Joey Cheshire led the unit with 10 tackles, while Michael O’Keefe added eight stops and a pick. Despite the effort, a 43-yard touchdown run by JoJo Uga in the fourth quarter gave the Great Danes just enough separation.
The Big Red reached the UAlbany 37-yard line on its final possession before an interception ended the rally.
Cornell now turns its focus to its Ivy League opener at Yale next Saturday at noon.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].