In the Clutch (part 2)

Hollingsworth Powers In

The stunning 19-0 win over Dartmouth was obviously the most impressive win of the season for the Lions, but the fact that the Big Green was never really in the game makes it a little harder to pinpoint the one clutch play of the contest. Luckily, there was a statement moment when QB Gabriel Hollingsworth plowed through a would-be tackle by Dartmouth LB Jalen Mackie and twisted himself into the end zone for a TD. The score gave Columbia a 10-0 lead and the Big Green never recovered. 

Young Wears Many Hats

A week after the big win in Hanover, the Lions lost control of the game at Yale Bowl despite a game filled with clutch moments from RB Ryan Young. Two weeks later, Young was responsible for the biggest clutch play in Columbia's comeback win over Brown. With the Lions trailing 14-6 in the 3rd quarter, Young did his job playing the role as a potential backup WR on a 3rd and long play that required QB Joe Green to roll out right. Not only did Young smartly get back in bounds after he was pushed out by a Bear defender, but he made the catch of Green's pass and rumbled down the sideline for a 60-yard TD. 

It should be noted that WR Mike Roussos' clutch punt return, and clutch diving TD catch earlier in the game were also very close to being the most important plays of the game for CU. And the Hollingsworth-to-Roussos-to-Brandon Radice-back-to-Hollingsworth double flea flicker pass for a two-point conversion after Young's TD was also a super clutch play. But remember that for Young's TD to happen he had to 1) make his initial block before crossing the line of scrimmage, 2) run his route properly, even though he knew he was probably the third or fourth target option, 3) make sure to get right back in bounds properly after being pushed out, and 4) make the catch and keep from stumbling out of bounds before reaching the end zone. 

Dante's Final Inferno

There were a lot of highlight reel plays in Columbia's season finale 34-26 win over Cornell. But the most clutch play was the 42 yard, hesitation-then-sprint TD run up the middle by RB Dante Miller to give the Lions their first lead of the game early in the 2nd half. One of the things that made it so special was the fact that it was up the middle when just about all of Miller's other big TD runs this season were to the outside and along the sidelines. 

A close second was Will Allen's interception and long return later in the game that set up Columbia's final TD. And of course both Bryson Canty and Wills Meyer snagged nice one-handed TD grabs. 

In the Clutch (part 1)

While I've noted that the 2021 CU Football season was filled with highlight reel plays from both the offense and the defense, I'd like to focus on the clutch plays, (not all of them spectacular in style), that defined each of Columbia's seven wins. 

Here's a look at the most clutch plays from the first four victories:

Green's first big conversion

Columbia's biggest blowout win of the year came in week 1, but only after the Lions spotted Marist a 14-0 lead on a big punt return and a long TD bomb. Many may point to QB Gabriel Hollingsworth's nice 15-yard TD run to finally get the Lions on the board as the key clutch play of that game for CU. But I thought QB Joe Green's 18-yard pass to WR Wills Meyer on the 4th and 5 the play just before Hollingsworth's score was the real turning point in the game. It was a very pinpoint pass to a covered Meyer, and he also made a nice grab of a bullet from Green. 

Ben Swipes a Big One

The key clutch play in Columbia's 35-24 win over Georgetown the following week is probably more of a consensus choice among Lions fans. That would be Ben Mathiasmeier's crucial interception and 68-yard return of GU QB Pierce Holley's pass in the 3rd quarter. Columbia was clinging to a 21-17 lead at the time and the Hoyas were on a promising drive with a 1st down at the Lion 30 on the play. It wasn't just a lucky pick for Mathiasmeier either. He read the QB very well and put himself in great position to make the interception. Four plays later, CU scored a TD to make it 28-17. Mathiasmeier would grab another interception to end the game. 

Cam in the Clutch

Cam Dillon's record-setting five-sack performance vs. Central Connecticut in Columbia's 22-20 week four win was filled with clutch plays. In fact, it's hard to choose just one of his sacks as the most clutch play of the game:

His first sack came on CCSU's opening drive of the game on a 4th and 7 at the Lion 27. 

His second sack ended a CCSU drive in the 2nd quarter when the Columbia lead was just 10-7. 

His third sack came on CCSU's very next play from scrimmage after a Joe Green interception seemed to have shifted the momentum completely to the Blue Devils.

After another Lion turnover on the ensuing punt, Dillon and fellow LB John Harris combined on a clutch sack to end a CCSU drive that had gone as far as the Columbia 32. 

His fourth sack came on CCSU's next possession, now in the 3rd quarter, and it was for a safety that provided the ultimate two-point margin in the game. 

His fifth and final sack came later in the 3rd quarter and snuffed out a CCSU drive. 

I guess if I had to pick just one, I'd say the safety sack was the most clutch play in that game for the Lions. But Cam was the difference, period. 

Dante's Answer

Columbia seemed to be dominating the Homecoming contest vs. Penn in the early going. And when Paul Akere nailed Penn QB John Quinnelly for a brutal sack midway through the 2nd quarter, it looked like CU was about to make the Quakers go away. But Mike Roussous muffed the ensuing punt, and Penn then took advantage with a 30-yard TD drive to stunningly take a 7-3 lead. 

Columbia needed an answer. And the Lions got one from RB Dante Miller on the very next play from scrimmage in the form of an electrifying 75-yard TD run along the east sideline for a 10-7 lead. It wasn't just the most clutch play of that game, but it may have been the most clutch play of the season for CU. 

BREAKING: Green Named Rookie of the Year

Columbia QB Joe Green has been named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year, the first Lion to earn that title since Alex Gross in 2007.

The rest of the 2021 All Ivy honorees are listed here.

Final Report Card

Al Bagnoli

Overview

First, last, and always we have to remember how rare and precious winning seasons are for Columbia. I have been following the team for 34 seasons and this was only the fifth winning year I've experienced. It was only the sixth of the last 50 seasons. It was also only the fourth Ivy conference winning season over those 50 seasons. 

The team showed some incredible resilience in a lot of games. Five of the seven wins were come-from-behind efforts, and three saw the Lions overcome deficits of two scores. Adjustments on both sides of the ball were evident in every game; the best part of the overall coaching job this year. 

The team's emotional strength was very evident in the final two weeks of the season; making sure Columbia finished strong and didn't pack things in like they appeared to do in bad losses to Brown and Cornell to finish out 2019. 

There was an embarrassment of riches of highlight reel entries, even from the games CU lost. Columbia games were entertaining to the last. 

There is no doubt this season will provide an overall boost to the Lion recruiting efforts this off season and beyond. The cliche "this is a program on the rise" is actually not a cliche in Columbia's case. 

Head Coach Al Bagnoli and Athletic Director Peter Piling, (who pulled off an amazing Hail Mary to get Bagnoli here), deserve the credit for this. 

Bagnoli's W-L record at Columbia is now 29-31. The last CU head coach to coach 60 games was Norries Wilson, who went 17-43. 

Bagnoli now has three winning seasons at CU. The last Columbia head coach to have at least three winning seasons was Lou Little, who coached his last game 65 years ago. 

If the Lions win an Ivy title under Bagnoli, or even if they win it with the players he recruits, there needs to be a statue built in his honor at the Baker Athletic Complex.

The 5th year seniors who were a part of this team from 2017 through 2021 went 24-16 in their careers. That's the best record for a graduating class since 1948; 73 years ago. 

The recruited talent is better and is being developed better than in the past. 

There is still some work to do to get the Lions into championship caliber. But it is not an impossible dream anymore. 

Best Surprises and Improvements

When asked by other Ivy football insiders about Columbia's chances this season, my quick answer this summer was: "If you believe football games are won in the trenches, then the Lions are probably going 5-5 at best." That assessment was based on the fact that Columbia had a little more than the usual number of questions about the offensive line and an enormous amount of doubts about the defensive line coming into this season. 

As it turned out, both lines outperformed. The Lions may not get a big number of All Ivy honorees from either line, but the numbers tell the story. Columbia's OL gave up the second fewest sacks in the league and came in second in the league in rushing with the league's overall top rushing yardage gainer (Dante Miller). Goal line offense was very strong all year and despite working with a brand new QB they never saw in person until this summer, that new QB was never consistently harassed by opposing defenses. The defense ended up pressuring opposing QB's extremely well and performing well enough on run defense to force those opponents to pass regularly if they wanted to beat the Lions. Paul Akere was the best new starter on the D-line, but there were other standouts in the large rotation of players up front. It's true that the D-line play was very augmented by Columbia's premiere linebacking crew, but the linemen still held their own and had to be effective to give those linebackers the chance to pass rush effectively. 

Of course, the play of Joe Green at QB was just as important as the upgrade in line play. Green was a huge question mark for all the reasons many have noted, including not playing in any games since 2018 in high school, not working out with the team until training camp, and coming off an injury. But also we must remember that the coaches were pretty committed to Ty Lenhart coming into this season, and Green clearly changed their minds. Since Green's best quality this season was ball protection, (he threw just three INTs all season long and just one per every 88 passes and no lost fumbles), and ball security was Lenhart's biggest problem, the difference was striking. Green's arm seems very good, and his rollout ability is excellent. One can only hope more time with the coaches will result in Columbia milking his talent for more excellent results going forward. As it is, the seven wins he already has under his belt as a starter put him on track to finish as one of the most successful Lion QB's of all time. 

Dante Miller rose from being just an occasional threat to a leading RB with game breaking abilities in every game. His long TD runs made key differences in the wins over CCSU, Penn, and Cornell. And it's been ages since a Lion RB led the league in total rushing yards. Fellow RB Ryan Young also had an upgrade of a season, even if he was sometimes overshadowed by Miller's highlight reel heroics. Young's best game was against Yale in a losing effort, but he was stellar in the wins over Marist, Georgetown, and Brown. 

It took awhile, but Columbia's wide receiving corps finished the season looking just about as dangerous as it did during the all-to-brief period when both Josh Wainwright and Ronald Smith were healthy and on the field together. Sophomore Wils Meyer missed a number of games, but seemed like he was Green's favorite target when he was healthy. Marcus Libman did yeoman's work as the possession receiver in almost every game. And Bryson Canty emerged as a star at the very end of the season. All of this came to be while the expected leader of the WR crew, Mike Roussos, missed the first two games and never got heavily targeted in the passing game as we all expected. He did make two key TD catches, with one each in the wins against Dartmouth and Brown, but if he chooses to return next season he will be part of a much more stacked group of receivers than Columbia could be assured of having last year at this time. With E.J. Perry graduating at Brown and Derek Kyler graduating at Dartmouth, it's really not a stretch to consider Green and his wide receivers the best returning talent in that category in the Ivies.

Columbia's linebackers were supposed to be a super unit, and they were. But they did better than expected despite losing Scott Valentas for more than three games and Justin Woodley for more than two. Cam Dillon emerged as a fierce pass rusher and CJ Brown had a truly excellent debut, showcasing his amazing speed. The often forgotten senior John Harris was a little less forgotten this season, as he had multiple stellar games and made the losses of Valentas and Woodley a lot less painful at times. Valentas and Brown are back for 2022, but the rest are graduating.

The Lion secondary had an inconsistent year, but also some great games. They were at their best against Dartmouth and very good at Princeton as well. 5th year seniors Ben Mathiasmeier and Will Allen finished their college careers with very good seasons. Mathiasmeier is a potential team MVP and will go down as one of the best team captains in CU history. Allen also filled in well for Roussos as the team's kick returner in the first two games, and finally got a kick return for a TD in the Georgetown game after coming so close so many times in the past. Jordan Colbert was a revelation in his final season, especially as a hard hitter in addition to his pass defense and pick off abilities. Seth Parker was banged up too often, but looked good in limited duty. He, Brian Bell-Anderson, and Mason Tomlin are the key returnees on a unit that needs to find replacements and consistency in 2022.

Disappointments

Columbia basically played to the level of the competition week after week, letting the opponents set the tone in every game except the win over Dartmouth. The Lions don't need to make each of their games look the same, but they need to act like they're doing more than following the other coaches' script. 

The secondary's inconsistent play was probably heavily the result of injury, but it was shocking to see a unit that played so well one week and then falter the next. 

It took too long for Columbia to get a real WR threat for Green to hook up with consistently. It's great to spread the ball around, but all QB's need to have that target they trust in a tough situation. I'm not sure Green had that this year. It didn't help that big TE Luke Painton often had trouble with drops. More consistent grabs from him could have made a difference this season. 

The play calling on offense was clearly more imaginative this year, but not enough. The horizontal pass plays and fruitless runs up the middle were still too plentiful in 2021. 

It didn't seem like Gabriel Hollingsworth was used as effectively as possible during much of the season. If the Lions want him to develop into some reasonable version of Princeton's former dual threat John Lovett, they need to get more plays together where his runs are less obvious and his passes look crisper. His one long run against Cornell in the final game was an example of how that could work, as it came after a decent fake to Young. But his insertion into games, often after Green had just gotten into a groove on a drive, often seemed to take away from Columbia's offensive threat as much as it added to it. Hollingsworth can be a real difference maker that hopefully will emerge next season after more practice time. 

The kicking game was inconsistent. Alex Felkins clearly still has the leg strength, but his accuracy waned at key moments. This particularly cost Columbia in the Princeton game. He finished very strong in the Cornell win, but I know the Columbia coaches thought Felkins would make the difference in a positive way in 1-2 games each year. 

This wasn't Columbia's fault, but the officiating this season was the worst I've seen in those 34 years of following the Ivies. Surely, the Harvard fans will back me up on that. It wasn't just the bad calls or lack of them, but there were multiple occasions where the refs really seemed to be stumped about what the rules were in some crucial situations. The safety of the players was becoming a concern at different points of several games where the officials really lost control of the games. 

Final Thoughts

I'll have my choices for individual team awards in the coming days, but the bottom line is this was the kind of season Columbia can really build off of in its quest to finally win an Ivy championship. They come off of this season looking stronger than the Lions did even after the 8-2 2017 season, because that 2018 team was facing the graduation of QB Anders Hill. This crew brings back its starting QB, receivers, a good chunk of its O-line, and some good talent on all three lines of the defense. No one should be saying Columbia should be favored to win the Ivy title in 2022 at this point, but this is a team most should expect to contend for the crown. 

In the coming weeks, I'll be looking at the prospects for next season. That will start with a focus on the top 10 new faces on the team for this season

The Schoelkopf Swipe

Columbia 34 Cornell 26

Why Columbia Won

The Lions shook off yet another slow start to complete their fifth come-from-behind win of the season, and third victory after being down by two scores. Columbia swiped five Big Red passes and gave the offense time to make a series of big plays to take control of the game.

Why Cornell Lost

The Big Red couldn't maintain its fast start, especially after the Lions defense adjusted and began to contain QB Jameson Wang's running game. All three Cornell QB's were picked off at least once as the Big Red offense could not modify its attack. 

Key Turning Points

-With 13:37 left in the 2nd quarter and Cornell ahead 13-0, the Lions started a drive on their own 13 with a designed running play by QB Gabriel Hollingsworth that went for 37 yards and another 15 yards were tacked on for a late hit. The first of a flurry of Big Red pass interference penalties came on the next play, setting Columbia up with a 1st down at the Cornell 20. The drive fizzled after that, but PK Alex Felkins did hit a 41-yard FG into the wind to get some points out of the possession and get the Lions back into the game. (In all, Cornell was flagged four times for pass interference and once for defensive holding on a Lion receiver).

-On the Big Red's ensuing possession, QB Richie Kenney was intercepted on the first play on a nice play by LB Cameron Brown to set the Lions up at the Cornell 25. Once again, the drive fizzled, but Felkins hit a 25-yard FG to get Columbia within 13-6. 

-With the score still 13-6 and just three minutes left in the half, the Lions took over on the Cornell 46 after a nice 21-yard punt return by Mike Roussos. A Cornell holding penalty on 2nd and 10 from the 46 gave Columbia a 1st down, and three plays later QB Joe Green found WR Wills Meyer down the sideline for a 29-yard TD pass and one-handed catch despite good coverage by the Big Red. 

-With the score still tied 13-13 to start the 3rd quarter, Columbia began to march into Cornell territory and were aided by another pass interference penalty along the way. On the first play after that penalty, RB Dante Miller hesitated momentarily to cross up the defense and then burst through the middle for a 42-yard TD run that gave the Lions the lead they would never give up. 

-Columbia's defense came up big on Cornell's next three possessions to preserve the lead. The first was a three-and-out, and the next two were excellent red zone drills where the Big Red had to settle for FG's to get them no closer than 20-19 on the scoreboard. The first red zone stop came after Cornell LB Lance Blass, (no, not Lance Bass), picked off Green to set up the Big Red at the Columbia 23 with 10:03 left in the 3rd. The Lions responded on the first two plays after the interception with a three-yard tackle for loss on Wang by LB Scott Valentas, and then a 12 yard sack of Wang by LB Cameron Dillon and DL Paul Akere. With the score now 20-16, the second Lion red zone stop came with just over three minutes left in the 3rd and Cornell driving with a 1st down at the Columbia 17. From there, Valentas and DL Thomas Thibault stopped the Big Red's RB Devon Brewer for no gain. Then the D forced Kenney into two incomplete passes, the second coming on a QB hurry by S Mason Tomlin. Cornell settled for that second FG after that, and the Lions were able to get their offense moving again thereafter. 

Columbia Positives

-The Lions offense put together another bevvy of highlight reel plays, including another one-handed TD grab by WR Bryson Canty to go along with the one by Meyer and the 42-yard big TD run by Miller. 

-The defense's adjustments from the 2nd quarter onward, especially the red zone performance, were impressive. 

-Felkins made two crucial FG's against the wind, and was perfect on all his kicks to finish an inconsistent season on a very strong note and the all-time single season Columbia FG record with 16. 

-The special teams overall had a mistake-free game. 

-The offensive line put an exclamation point on a terrific year of pass protection, giving up no sacks. Columbia finished the year second best in rushing yards and second best in sacks allowed.

Columbia Negatives

-The number of penalties against the Lions in the game, (Cornell was heavily flagged too), made it seem like it was the first game of the season as opposed to the last. The Lions committed a team record 17 infractions.

-The slow starts and sudden surges make games exciting to watch, but the Lions allowed their opponents to set the tone in all but one of the 10 games this season. It's remarkable that despite that, Columbia still finished 7-3. 

-The Lions have a very good passing QB and a lot of good receivers. Yet, they had another game where that QB failed to throw for even 100 yards. It feels like too many passing yards are being left on the table. 

-Those missing passing yards included a sure TD pass that was just dropped by WR Marcus Libman, who was otherwise very sure-handed all year. 

Columbia MVP 

-This was truly a full team effort, but the one unit that was the most consistent all day was the Columbia offensive line. In addition to giving up no sacks, the Lion running game gained 169 yards on 34 carries, (4.9 yards per rush), if you exclude the two kneel downs at the end of the game. Naming the starters on the OL, we had Zach Minch, Stew Newblatt, Tyler Worrell, Will Hamilton, and Matt Klenk. Some of them will indeed be back next year, including co-captain Newblatt. 

Final Statement

Will Dante Miller finish the season as the Ivy's top rusher?

Columbia Lions (6-3) at Cornell Big Red (2-7)

Kickoff: 1:00 PM

Schoelkopf Field

Game Time Weather Forecast: 42 degrees and cloudy

The Line: Columbia is favored by 8 1/2 points

TV/Radio: The game is available on ESPN+

Columbia Game Notes

Cornell Game Notes

Leading Story Lines

1) Columbia is trying to clinch a 7-3 season record that would well exceed most predictions for this season. This would be just the fifth winning season for the Lions over the last 50 years. Columbia is also looking to clinch a 4-3 record in Ivy play, which would be just the third winning conference record in that 50-year span. 

2) On the other end of the spectrum, Cornell's performance may be the deciding factor for the future of Head Coach David Archer. There are growing rumblings among football alumni that he should be let go, and a win over the Lions may earn him a stay of execution. 

3) Season finales at Cornell can sometimes involve a very quick descent into weather hell. It's often fun to watch from a cozy living room chair, (but I'll be at the game in person).

3 Columbia Players to Watch

-RB Dante Miller comes into the game with a slight league lead in total rushing yards. For some reason, the Ivies count the rushing title winner as the player with the most average yards per game, but Miller is a close second in that measure. So, it seems like Miller would be a good player to watch to see if he tries to win the Ivy rushing title outright. 

-WR Bryson Canty has had a bit of a coming out party the last two weeks. The freshman deep threat could figure prominently in the final game of the season, which is often used to showcase future talent for Ivy teams not playing for the title. 

-LB Cameron Dillon may be the player most responsible for containing running Cornell Jameson Wang. If you stop him, you usually stop the Big Red offense.

3 Cornell Players to Watch

-QB Jameson Wang (see above)

-On the other hand, passing QB Ryan Kenney -- who sometimes pulls a gem of a game out of his hat -- may be unleashed all day in hopes of testing the Lion secondary.

-LB Jake Stebbins is the best defender on what's generally been a good Cornell defense.

Week 10 Picks

 

I went 4-2 straight up last week and 2-4 against the spread, putting my season totals at 46-16 SU (.741) and 37-23-2 AGS (.616)

Yale +8 1/2 vs. Harvard

I like the Crimson to win, but the Elis to cover

Brown +25 1/2 vs. Dartmouth

I think the Big Green will win by 18-to-21 points

Princeton -15 1/2 at Penn

The Tigers will be up for this game

CCSU +4 vs. St. Francis

Blue Devils to win

Morgan State +4 1/2 vs. Georgetown

The Hoyas are reeling

Butler +16 1/2 at Marist

Marist will win, but not by 17

Ivy Power Rankings

1) Dartmouth

The Big Green defended their #1 ranking better than any other team in that spot has all season

2) Princeton

 

A very nice bounce-back win for the Tigers

3) Harvard

The Crimson found a QB and now look great again

4) Yale

The Elis played half a game at Princeton. Now they need to hope QB Nathan Grooms just had a bad day and hasn't been "figured out" 

5) Columbia

The Lions took care of business after a slow start against Brown

6) Penn

The Quakers have avoided being totally embarrassed in several games this season. That counts for something

7) Brown

The Bears almost pulled off a strong win with the help of their defense

8) Cornell

The Big Red seemed like it had at least a tough defense. But not last week

Green and Roussos Honored

QB Joe Green won his third Ivy Rookie of the Week award and WR/KR Mike Roussos was named Special Teams player of the week. 

"Clean Joe" seems like a lock for the Ivy Rookie of the Year award now, but let's see what shakes out at Cornell on Saturday.

It would be great if Roussos exercises his option to return to CU for one more season on 2022.

Weird at Wien

 There were a lot of strange things about Columbia's 23-17 win over Brown Saturday. Here are just seven of them:

-In all my years of going to Columbia football games, I've never seen a weather delay during a game at Wien Stadium. We did have a delayed start at Towson in 2008 because of some lightning in the area, but that's it.

-When the rain stopped and the Lions had tied the game, a rainbow appeared above the southern end of the stadium.

-PK Alex Felkins missed two PATs, but nailed a 42-yard FG. Yes, he technically had the wind behind him for the FG attempt, but it was hardly blowing in a straight line and a 42-yarder is never a gimmee. 

-After the one-hour weather delay, the teams agreed not to go in for a full halftime break and they just had a 5-minute time out on the sidelines. It was a merciful decision for everyone's sake, but in a game where every PSA-laden media timeout was taken without fail, it was a weird surprise. 

-Columbia's sudden surge in the 3rd quarter was much more like something we've seen from Lion opponents over the years. It wasn't quite like Brown's stunning surge in 1994 that erased a 27-10 Columbia 3rd quarter lead and led to a a 59-27 blowout loss to the Bears, but it had some of those elements. 

-After going three games without a lost fumble or an INT, (and losing two of them), Columbia committed one of each against Brown but still won the game. 

-Ryan Young's 60-yard TD catch and run along the west sideline into the south end zone was a rare example of a really astute call by the referees. They correctly noted that Young was forced out of bounds by the defender before the catch, but then re-established himself in bounds in time to make the catch and run legal. Anyone who noticed the official's hat on the ground after that TD was very likely to believe the TD would be incorrectly negated. 

Echoes Awakened

 Columbia 23 Brown 17

Why Columbia Won

The Lion defense held the feared Bear offense in check, while the offense woke up in the 3rd quarter to score a flurry of points to take control of the game. Columbia used a number of big plays, and then some grind-it-out smaller plays, to control the clock and secure the win.

Why Brown Lost

The Bear offense was brilliant on several occasions, but never consistent enough to put the Lions away. The defense had been dominant for the first 35 minutes of the game, but then fell apart when it really counted.

Key Turning Points

-With Brown leading 14-0 and just under 10 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Bears decided to try a squib kickoff after a penalty set the kick up at the Lion 45. The decision was foolhardy, as KR Mike Roussos put together the second unlikely but brilliant squib kickoff return of his career and set the Lions up at the Brown 38. Six plays later, Roussos dove and held on to a four-yard rollout TD pass from QB Joe Green, and the Lions were finally on the board in a 14-6 game. 

-On Brown's next possession, the Bears got one 1st down but lost the ball when LB John Harris intercepted a tipped pass by E.J. Perry. Two plays later, the Lions faced a 3rd and 12 at their own 40, but on another roll out pass, Green found RB Ryan Young streaking down the west sideline for a brilliant 60-yard TD pass. A razzle-dazzle double flea flicker pass to Gabriel Hollingsworth in the end zone for the two-point conversion tied the game at 14 with 3:27 left in the 3rd. 

-Once again, Brown's ensuing drive ended in a turnover as the Bears lost a fumble at the CU 49. A 27-yard rush by Young and then a holding penalty against Brown in the end zone set the Lions up with a 1st and goal at the 7. On 3rd and goal from the 7, Green found WR Bryson Canty for the TD score that would give Columbia the lead it would never give up. 

Columbia Positives

-The Lions didn't stuff Perry and the formidable Brown offense, but they contained them with three sacks and held them to a 7 for 17 3rd down conversion rate (good for most teams, but not Brown), and 0 for 1 on 4th downs. The improvement in the pass defense was evident.

-Columbia's pass protection remained stellar as it has for the entire season, as Green was not sacked and rarely pressured. 

-Almost all the mistakes made in the first 35 minutes of the game were reversed the rest of the way. The offense finally began to move, Roussos made up for some bad punt return and kickoff return decisions, etc.

Columbia Negatives

-The flat performance by the offense until the 3rd quarter against one of the worst defenses in recent Ivy history was disturbing. 

-The Lions are still having trouble with their run blocking, as it seems like a defender breaks over the CU right side of the line on almost every other running play.

-After not missing an PAT all year, PK Alex Felkins missed two in this game.

Columbia MVP

You can make a strong case for giving it to Young, but it feels like QB Joe Green took control of the entire offense and turned the game around with his clutch passing and some crucial runs he made down the stretch. Green is the team leader now.

Getting Ready to Run with the Bears

I hope they paid the electric bills for this likely very busy scoreboard tomorrow

Brown Bears (2-6) vs. Columbia Lions (5-3)

Kickoff: 1:05 PM

Robert K. Kraft Field at Wien Stadium

Gametime Weather Forecast: 58 degrees and showers

The Line: Columbia is favored by 10 1/2 points

TV/Radio: The Game is available on ESPN+

Columbia Game Notes

Brown Game Notes

Leading Storylines

1) Whenever Brown plays, (with the strange exception of the Penn game two weeks ago), a shootout ensues. Unless the weather slows things down, this seems like it could be a very high scoring game... and a lot of fun.

2) Columbia needs one more win to clinch its third winning season in four years. The Lions would love to do it in their last home game. 

3) Brown QB E.J. Perry is campaigning for a shot at the NFL. A good game in NYC wouldn't hurt those chances. 

3 Columbia Players to Watch

QB Joe Green will have his best chance yet to have an explosive game against the porous Brown defense.

RB Ryan Young may be the go-to guy on a rain soaked field as he was vs. Yale two weeks ago. 

LB Cam Dillon may get most of the tough job to try to contain Perry.

3 Brown Players to Watch

QB EJ Perry is a human highlight reel and one of the best QB's in recent Ivy history. If the Bears had a .500-level defense, this team would be 8-0 or 7-1 right now. 

WR Wes Rockett is the aptly-named favorite target for Perry

LB Jason Medeiros is the best defender on a very weak defense

Week 9 Picks

  
 

I was 5-1 straight up last week and a perfect 6-0 against the spread. My season totals are now 42-14 SU (.750) and 35-19-2 AGS (.648) 

Yale +8 1/2 at Princeton

I like the Elis to win

Cornell +20 1/2 at Dartmouth

This feels like a 27-7 type win for the Big Green

Penn +22 1/2 at Harvard

I like the Quakers to keep this under three scores

CCSU +10 1/2 at Duquesne

The Blue Devils will make it close, but lose

Georgetown +3 1/2 at Lehigh

I like the Hoyas here 

Presbyterian +13 vs. Marist

Marist will win by about 10

Ivy Power Rankings

1) Dartmouth

The win over Princeton was extremely convincing. This team's destiny is completely in its own hands now

2) Yale

The Elis have found an offense and Tony Reno seems to be codifying his "start a slow, finish fast" recipe for success

3) Princeton

With Yale coming to play the Tigers at home, Princeton still has a shot

4) Harvard

The Crimson may have also found a QB to finish out the season strong

5) Columbia

The Lions need to bounce back in the final two weeks. But if they do, this season will have to be considered a big step forward

6) Brown

The Bears offense makes them a contender every week

7) Cornell

A very important win for the Big Red at Franklin Field puts them out of the cellar

8) Penn

The Penn defense seems to be finding its way, but not the offense

Flat Footed

 Harvard 49 Columbia 21

Why Harvard Won

The Crimson offense moved almost at will for four quarters, especially through the air, while keeping the Lions off the scoreboard for the most of the game. Harvard QB Luke Emgee became the second straight, and third overall this season, signal caller to have a stellar game in a first collegiate start against Columbia.

Why Columbia Lost

In a game everyone knew would be a major test of both teams' emotional resiliency, the Lions showed little to none until the game was effectively over. Columbia's pass defense was also ravaged again, providing little resistance to the Crimson attack.

Key Turning Point

-After Harvard scored quickly on its first possession, Columbia looked like it might answer nicely after it forced a three-and-out on the Crimson's second possession. A 44-yard pass from QB Joe Green to WR Emerson Kabus set the Lions up with a 1st and goal at the Harvard 6. But three offensive plays yielded just one yard, and PK Alex Felkins 23-yard FG attempt sailed stunningly off the mark, and Columbia came away with nothing. 

Columbia Positives

-Columbia managed to score three TD's in exciting fashion to preserve some positive memories and create highlight reel fodder. Green's nifty six-yard TD run, TE Luke Painton's very tough catch for the second score, and RB Dante Miller's 40 yard signature scamper down the east sideline for the final score were all fun to watch.

-Returner Mike Roussos had a strong game; punctuated by his 31-yard punt return in the 3rd quarter that set up Columbia's first score.

-The Lions have now gone three straight games without a turnover... and lost two of them. Strange, but true. 

Columbia Negatives

-The Columbia pass defense gave up a whopping 10.2 yards per attempt and was burned multiple times. The rush defense was not much better; allowing 5.3 yards per carry. 

-The Lion running game mysteriously tried to attack the vaunted Harvard middle for most of the game, instead of going off tackle. Miller's TD was an example of how that strategy could have worked better if implemented much earlier. 

-Columbia team spirit seemed lacking. 

Columbia MVP

It's almost embarrassing to be named the MVP in a game like this, but QB Joe Green kept his composure and continues to protect the ball and give the Lions a fighting chance in the air. One can only hope that a full offseason working in person with the coaches and his teammates, (something COVID-19 has prevented so far), will yield major benefits in the future.

The Resiliency Bowl

 

The last time CU and Harvard tangled, Ben Mathiasmeier sealed the win with an overtime INT

Harvard Crimson (5-2) at Columbia Lions (5-2)

Kickoff: 1:05 PM

Robert K. Kraft Field at Wien Stadium

Gametime Weather Forecast: 51 degrees and mostly sunny

The Line: Harvard is favored by 9 points

TV/Radio: The Game is available on ESPN+

Columbia Game Notes

Harvard Game Notes 

Leading Storylines

1) Both teams are reeling a bit after Harvard lost two heartbreakers in a row and the Lions dropped a game they feel they should have won last week. Emotional states and player focus can sometimes be overestimated in football compared to talent on the field, but it feels like the stronger emotional team will have an edge. 

2) Columbia finally broke a 15-game losing streak to the Crimson in 2019, and now the Lions will try to beat Harvard twice in a row for the first time since 1995-1996. If CU can achieve that there may be no clearer sign of the decline of Crimson football in recent years. As Big Green Alert's Bruce Wood has reminded me, the 5th year seniors at Columbia already have more career wins than their 5th year counterparts at Harvard. That's really an amazing stat for those of us who have followed Ivy football for a long time. 

3) Columbia starting QB Joe Green may or may not have been offered a spot on the Harvard football team in 2018; it depends on whom you ask. But he was definitely offered by Columbia and Green may want to show the Crimson what they missed as they struggle to find a starting QB who can make them a consistent contender. With Charlie Dean apparently out again, Harvard is listing junior Luke Emge as the starter over erratic 5th year senior Jake Smith.

3 Columbia Players to Watch

Senior RB Dante Miller may be the focus of the CU offense again, as his outside running style seems ideal against a Crimson defense that is enormous and frightening up the middle. 

Sophomore QB Joe Green will face a very dangerous defense and pass rush. If he can keep his almost perfect no turnover record intact in this game, it will be impressive.

Junior LB Scott Valentas will need to play well to contain Harvard's formidable rushing attack.

3 Harvard Players to Watch

Junior QB Luke Emge didn't look all that great against Dartmouth last week. Can he prove he's earned the start in this game?

Junior RB Aaron Shampklin may be the best rusher in the Ivies and his running mate, sophomore Aiden Bourguet, is also extremely dangerous.

Massive freshman DT Thor Griffith is possibly the most fearsome D-lineman in the Ivies. 

Week 8 Picks

I went 4-2 straight up and 3-3 against the spread last week, brining my season totals to 37-13 SU (.740) and 29-19-2 ATS (.604) 

Dartmouth +1 1/2 vs. Princeton

I expect the Green to win, as Princeton's luck is set to run out on the road. 

Yale -11 1/2 at Brown

I like the Elis in a wild shootout.

Cornell +7 at Penn

I think the Quakers win it by a field goal. 

Fordham -14 1/2 at Georgetown

The Rams are looking good again.

Marist -3 vs. Drake 

Marist seems to be getting into a groove.

CCSU +6 vs. Bryan

The Blue Devils have a strong running attack going now. 

Ivy Power Rankings

 

1) Princeton

Still undefeated and finding ways to remain perfect. Biggest test comes on the road at Dartmouth this Friday night.

2) Dartmouth

It felt like I was the only one who was fairly sure the Big Green would win at Harvard. Now I actually expect Dartmouth to beat Princeton as well. Why don't I rank them first right now? Because the power rankings are not meant to be predictive. Besides if the game were in New Jersey or on a neutral field, I'm not sure the Green would still win. 

3) Yale

The Elis have new life with a new QB who is making all the difference in New Haven

4) Columbia

The Lions feel like they're a year away from being at the top of this league. In the meantime, they're a winning program again.

5) Harvard

The Crimson offense is struggling mightily. Take the Georgetown and Brown games off the stats and see how Harvard has done against more capable defenses this season. 

6) Penn

The Quaker win over Brown was impressive because of how the defense played. Penn may be able to salvage respectability after all.

7) Brown

The Bears had a bad day in Philly and need to prove it was hiccup and not a new normal. 

8) Cornell

The Big Red are running out of chances for a league win.