Yale Bulldogs complete insane, historic comeback in FCS Playoffs debut after Ivy League change

Billy Heyen

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Yale Bulldogs complete insane, historic comeback in FCS Playoffs debut after Ivy League change image

Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union/USA TODAY NETWORK

A year ago, the Yale Bulldogs football team couldn't have been in this position.

A week ago, Yale had work to do just to get this chance.

And on this day, Saturday on the road at Youngstown State, Yale took advantage of a historic, unprecedented opportunity.

The Bulldogs trailed 21-0 and 35-7 and 42-14 to the Penguins. But when the clock ticked for the final time, Yale had won, 43-42, for its first ever victory in the FCS Playoffs.

Ivy League teams didn't used to go to the postseason. They played out their league calendar, and there was a champion, and that was that.

But the presidents voted to change that. This season, it looked like Harvard would be the lone representative. Then Yale beat the Crimson a week ago, and they both got into the tournament.

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Yale looked like it'd be one-and-done when it was all YSU on Saturday.

But the Bulldogs slowly mounted a comeback. After YSU took a 42-14 lead with 7:37 left in the third quarter, Yale scored on a Josh Pitsenberger 1-yard run to start the rally.

From there, Dante Reno threw a pair of TDs to pull within 42-36 with 5:19 left.

And then it was Pitsenberger taking off on a 56-yard touchdown on the first play of the ensuing drive. The extra point gave Yale a 43-42 lead.

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Yale advances to play football in December.

The Bulldogs will travel to No. 2 overall seed Montana State.

At this point, Yale must have immense belief in itself. Who's to say they can't do it again?

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Staff Writer