SACRED HEART at YALE
Sat., Oct. 14 – Noon
Yale Bowl, Class of 1954 Field
ESPN+ Video | Live Stats | Tickets | Game Notes
 
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale's first road game of 2023 was a success – a 31-24 victory at Dartmouth – and now it's right back to Yale Bowl, Class of 1954 Field for the next three games. The first brings a visit from state-rival Sacred Heart in the final non-Ivy game of the season. The first meeting between the schools that are separated by just 22 miles is Saturday at noon. Justin Gallanty and Jack Siedlecki have the call on ESPN+
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
 
• Yale is playing another Connecticut university for the first time since 2021, a 21-15 loss to UConn in East Hartford. The Huskies were also the last state team to play in the Bowl in 1998. Yale and UConn played just about every season in New Haven from 1948 to 1998. The last state team other than UConn to play in the Bowl was Coast Guard in 1946, a 47-17 win for the Bulldogs in a game where they intercepted eight passes.
 
• Big plays spearheaded last Saturday's thrilling win at Dartmouth. Yale's first touchdown came on a 70-yard interception return by Sean Guyton. It was the first of two picks on the day for Guyton, who was selected as the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week. The game-winning score came midway through the fourth quarter when quarterback Nolan Grooms and receiver Ryan Lindley connected on a 69-yard touchdown pass that snapped a 24-24 tie.
 
• The Bulldogs have won their last two games, scoring a total of 71 points and amassing 796 yards of total offense.
 
• Yale has intercepted five passes over the last two games, including two that were returned for touchdowns. The Bulldogs' five interceptions on the season lead the league.
 
• Over the past two games, Lindley (16 catches, 205 yards) and fellow receiver Mason Tipton (14-203) have combined for 30 catches for 408 yards and five touchdowns.
 
• Tipton's five receiving touchdowns leads the Ivy League and is seventh in the nation. He has caught a TD pass in all four games this season.
 
• Grooms has thrown an Ivy League leading nine touchdown passes and just one interception this season. He is completing 66.3 percent of his passes and is seventh in the nation in passing efficiency (170.0).
 
• Despite finishing just 2-of-10 on third down last week vs. Dartmouth, the Bulldogs are 14th in the nation in third down conversion percentage (.481).
 
• Yale is 12th in the nation in turnover margin (1.0).
 
SCOUTING SACRED HEART
 
The Pioneers (1-5, 1-3 NEC) make their first trip to the Bowl coming off a hard-fought 23-13 loss to Long Island last weekend. Quarterback Cade Pribula threw for 151 yards and rushed for 53 in the loss. Pribula and Rob McCoy have both seen action under center this fall. Malik Grant is SHU's leading rusher with 467 yards on the season. He was named a preseason All-American by Stats Perform and was recently added to the Walter Payton Award Watch List. Defensively, Deandre Byrd leads the team with 48 tackles, including four for a loss. Four of Sacred Heart's five losses have come by 10 points or less. Three of the Pioneers' final five games will come against state rivals. In addition to Yale, they host Central Connecticut on Nov. 4 and end the season at UConn on Nov. 18.