Cornell defeats Lehigh 48-38 for first win over top-5 team since 1939

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — Garrett Bass-Sulpizio threw for a career-high 366 yards to go with his career-high 103 yards rushing and Cornell defeated Lehigh 48-38 on Saturday for the Big Red’s first win over a top-five team since 1939.

Lehigh, which entered as the No. 4 team in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter and was never able to catch up.

Cornell, which was 2-10-2 all-time against top-10 opponents, last defeated a top-10 team when the Big Red beat No. 4 Ohio State in 1939. No. 5 Dartmouth fell in 1938.

Cornell (3-2) rolled up 410 yards and 31 points in the first half. Bass-Sulpizio had five completions of 20 or more yards, including a 37-yard touchdown pass to Ja’von Broussard, and Cornell led 31-17 at halftime.

Lehigh scored three touchdowns in the second half, two on passes by Derek Morgan, and the third on a short run by Luke Yoder. The Mountain Hawks drew within seven points with each score, but each time the Big Red had an answer.

Yoder’s 3-yard run made it 38-31 early in the fourth quarter, then Cornell drove 81 yards to Jordan Triplett’s 3-yard touchdown run and a 45-31 lead.

Lehigh made it 45-38 on Morgan’s 41-yard strike to Bryce Werner, then Cornell added a field goal.

Morgan was intercepted on Lehigh’s final drive.

Lehigh was outgained 311 to minus-3 in the first quarter. The Mountain Hawks went three-and-out on their only two possessions of the quarter but got on the board when Luke Denny recovered a Cornell fumble in the end zone and returned it 100-plus yards for a touchdown.

Morgan had three touchdowns and 204 yards passing and Yoder ran for 142 yards for Lehigh (6-1).