1) Yale
An easy choice this time, with the rest of the pack fading now. But the Elis still have two tough tests ahead of them.
2) Dartmouth
The Big Green have a good enough defense to win their remaining games. The offense seems like it's losing steam.
3) Columbia
The Lions are getting more banged up, but they still have a strong chance to finish 8-2.
4) Princeton
The Tigers just aren't playing consistent overall football. But the offense is still very lethal every week.
5) Harvard
If Viviano is the QB again for the rest of the season, the Crimson can make some noise.
6) Penn
Quakers look better with their new approach the last two weeks.
7) Cornell
The Big Red is still a 3-5 team overall and it looked like one last week.
8) Brown
It was painful to watch the Bears against Yale Friday night.
5 comments:
With respect to Jake, I still put us at #2. This despite the fiasco of the Harvard game.
Yale is the class of the league, and thanks to Dartmouth for knocking them off and giving us a shot.
If we lose at Cornell, I drop us to 4th, only because of lack of cojones, not talent. I am fully aware of injuries, but every other team has those as well. (Princeton is hosed). We get our mental toughness back, as at Yale, Princeton and D'mouth games, and we win out. Would have w/Harvard, but we didn't have it.
There is NO reason we don't win Cornell. I see a 3-way share; us, Yale and Harvard. Or we are a #4 or #5 in the league.
Still, all in all, an incredible achievement given pre-season expectations.
Reason I am optimistic about Cornell game is threefold
1. Our defense has been stout all year and with Cornell # 1RB out and our good secondary play....don't see a reason this will change
2. On offense, Castner is gaining momentum as a threat....maybe not as electric as Smith, but he makes more plays each game he is in
3. Shroer had a breakout game last week....so hopefully can continue and keep Cornell D honest if not worried about the run
Told my HK girlfriend only two more weeks of Saturday all nighters! She is pleased....I could do this all year
In sports there are two basic ways a team loses -- You get beaten, or you beat yourselves. The Lions have now done it each way. Yale is a balanced team that played up to their potential against Columbia, and the Lions would have had a tough time beating them even if everything clicked for Columbia. Against Harvard, however, Columbia beat themselves -- wasting opportunities for touchdowns and field goals and giving Harvard advantageous field position and missed tackles that the Crimson fully exploited.
Now, it's time to re-establish the athletic and mental sharpness that carried the Lions through their inspiring string of often dominant wins. I think Columbia will win it's last two games. Let's gather round our televisions and watch them on SNY at Cornell, then fill up Wien/Kraft next Saturday to roar the team, and especially the seniors, off for giving us a season to remember.
Weather forecast for Ithaca: Mostly Cloudy 33°19.
Well said, Howie.
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