By Dante Iafrate

NEFJ Correspondent

WORCESTER — In a gritty, rain-soaked contest, Yale edged out Holy Cross 38-31 in a game down to the final seconds. It was a contest defined by resilience, as both teams dealt with injuries, momentum swings, and challenging weather conditions. For Yale, it came down to a gutsy drive in the closing moments, capped by Nathan Denney’s second rushing touchdown with just 12 seconds left.

Yale starting quarterback Grant Jordan went down early in the first quarter after an impressive escape from a sack, only to be met with a punishing head-to-head collision. In came Brogan McCaughey, who wasted no time making an impact. McCaughey’s first drive featured a 25-yard strike to David Pantelis, setting up his 3-yard rushing touchdown to give Yale the early lead. Despite stepping in unexpectedly, McCaughey looked composed and confident throughout, finishing with 217 yards passing and a touchdown.

“Brilliant, Brogan came in and played well,” said Yale coach Tony Reno. “We’re fortunate enough to have four excellent quarterbacks, who can all run our offense entirely. Brogan stepped in and did exactly what I thought he could do, and I’ve got a lot of confidence in him out there.”

Holy Cross, however, wasted no time responding. On the first play of their opening drive, Joe Pesansky launched a 74-yard touchdown bomb to Maxwell Warren, tying the game at 7-7.

The back-and-forth nature of the game continued in the first half, with both teams exchanging touchdowns. Yale’s Wilhelm Daal broke off a 38-yard run to set up his 2-yard touchdown, while Holy Cross relied on the legs of Jayden Clerveaux, who punched in the first of his three rushing touchdowns. By halftime, the teams were deadlocked at 17-17 after Holy Cross kicker Daniel Porto drilled a 45-yard field goal to close the half.

The turning point came in the third quarter when Yale’s defense forced a fumble from Pesansky, which Zairion Jackson-Bass recovered. McCaughey capitalized on the turnover, connecting with Pantelis for a 24-yard touchdown grab to put the Bulldogs back in front, 24-17.

Holy Cross didn’t back down, though. Pesansky hit Max Mosey for a crucial 23-yard catch on third-and-20, setting up Clerveaux for his second touchdown of the game, tying things up once again at 24.

Yale’s offense briefly stalled but found its rhythm late. After a shanked punt by Holy Cross, the Bulldogs were set up with excellent field position, McCaughey hit Mason Shipp for a 20-yard completion down to the 1. Denney bulldozed his way in for the score, giving Yale a 31-24 lead.

With their backs against the wall, Holy Cross delivered one final punch. Pesansky, who finished with 279 passing yards, launched a deep ball to Mosey, who made a spectacular catch at the five-yard line. Clerveaux completed his hat trick with a 2-yard touchdown to tie the game at 31-31.

But with just 12 seconds left, Yale wouldn’t be denied. A crucial personal foul moved the ball past midfield, and after a fourth-down pass interference call, McCaughey found Pantelis to set up Denney’s game-winning 2-yard rush. Holy Cross’ Hail Mary attempt as time expired was knocked down, sealing the 38-31 win for the Bulldogs.

Yale’s defense stood tall when it mattered, and McCaughey’s poise under pressure proved to be the difference.

“We showed the ability to fight and push through things,” Reno said. “Our guys are made from the right DNA, and they know how to battle.”

Holy Cross drops to 1-3 on the season, they look to bounce back next Saturday when they travel to Syracuse. For the Yale Bulldogs, they take their first win of the season on the road, they’ll continue to stack up their miles as they’re on the road once again next week vs Cornell.