While the football team’s offense continued to thrive this weekend, a poor defensive showing doomed the Bears against the College of the Holy Cross Saturday, as they lost 47-31.

The football team took on in-state rival University of Rhode Island in its home opener Saturday, hoping to add on to its 73-28-2 record in the historic Governor’s Cup. But despite over 500 total yards from quarterback EJ Perry ’21, the Bears fell to the Rams in a 31-28 nailbiter.

On Friday night, Brown came charging out of the locker room and scored a touchdown 34 seconds into the game against Harvard. But Bruno ultimately suffered a familiar fate, falling to Harvard for the ninth consecutive time by a 42-7 margin.

The football team earned its first win of the season Saturday in a 35-30 triumph against Bryant University in Smithfield.

Sitting in an office decorated with Brown memorabilia, wearing an Ivy B polo and balancing a matching mug on his knee, James Perry ’00 embodies all that it means to be the Bears’ newest head football coach.

James Perry ’00 was named the University’s 20th Head Football Coach Monday afternoon. This appointment follows the Nov. 19 departure of former Head Coach Phil Estes, who led the team for 21 seasons, The Herald previously reported.

More than two years ago, the football team walked off Memorial Field in Hanover, New Hampshire as winners following a 24-21 victory over Dartmouth. That was the last time that the Bears won an Ivy League football game.

Following a five-game winless skid, Saturday’s contest felt different for the football team. In a game where 17 seniors made their final appearance at Brown Stadium, Bruno looked ready to deliver the best gift possible to its graduating class: a win.

Over a century of classic college football has been played in the historic Yale Bowl, but amid swirling wind gusts Saturday, the Bears looked listless in a loss to the Bulldogs.

While the football team improved on last season’s 53-0 defeat against No. 21 Princeton, the Bears’ efforts were not nearly enough, as they fell 48-10 to the Tigers on the road Saturday. For the second week in a row, and for the third time this season, the Bears’ defense gave up more than 40 points.