Goodwin Out for the Season

 

Lions fans are waking up to a cruel reality, (we're used to it), as standout first-year starting QB Chase Goodwin is out for the season with the knee he injured at the end of the 1st half of the Homecoming loss to Dartmouth. 

While backup QB Cole Freeman has shown much more talent than the typical number 2, this will make the rest of the season much more of a challenge for a Lions team that has already suffered tough season-ending injuries to a number of other players including DE Justin Townsend and RT Ryan Carr.

But we did see a good bit of fight in this team last Saturday, so it will be interesting to see how this crew performs down the stretch. 

Ivy Power Rankings

 

1) Dartmouth 

They're the top team until someone knocks them off.

2) Harvard 

The Crimson are getting on the right track,

3) Yale

Elis are another team peaking at right now.

4) Columbia

The Lions status may depend on injuries down the stretch.

5) Brown

Bears offense gets them out of a lot of jams.

6) Princeton

The Tigers will make this season look respectable

7) Cornell 

Big Red are no pushover, but don't have all the tools. 

8) Penn

Quakers getting weaker as the seasons moves along. 

Off Script

Dartmouth 24 Columbia 21

Why Dartmouth Won

The Big Green defense stuffed the Lion offense for most of the game, while its running attack became dominant as Dartmouth pulled away in the 3rd quarter. The Big Green also forced three turnovers while not committing one of their own.

Why Columbia Lost

The Lions offense sputtered for most of the game, and only revived itself with the crucial help of an unusual string of Dartmouth personal foul penalties. The Columbia running game was ineffective and pass protection was not strong enough to stave off four Big Green sacks and an injury to starting QB Chase Goodwin.

Key Turning Points

-After forcing a three-and-out on Dartmouth's opening possession, the Lions marched quickly to the Big Green 17 before a holding penalty defused the drive. Then a 41-yard field goal attempt by Hugo Merry went wide, and Columbia's best chance to lead at any point in the game was lost. 

-With the game still scoreless, the Lions faced a 4th and 1 at the 50 on the first play of the second quarter. Columbia opted to go for it, but committed a false start penalty and then was forced to punt. 

-With 13 minutes left in the half, an accurate pass from Goodwin to CU WR Bryson Canty went through Canty's hands an into the arms of Dartmouth's Zach Farris who returned it 28 yards to the Lion 20. Three plays later, Big Green PK Owen Zalc banged a FG from 35 yards out for a 3-0 Dartmouth lead they would never give up.

-After the Lions went three-and-out on their ensuing possession, the Big Green took over at their 19 and embarked on what would be their most impressive drive of the game. It ended with a very nice handoff fake/pull back by Dartmouth QB Grayson Saunier who threw a 10-yard TD pass to Chris Corbo for a 10-0 lead. 

Columbia Positives

-The Lions showed they had some fight in them with their furious 4th quarter comeback bid, but it was very much aided by six, yes SIX Dartmouth personal foul penalties on their defense. 

Columbia Negatives

-The Lions went off script by committing turnovers for the first time since week 2, committing deadly penalties at key moments, and showing poor tackling skills on multiple running plays. 

Columbia MVP

-While he was not perfect, backup QB Cole Freeman bravely took the leadership role after Goodwin left the game and bore the brunt of hit after hit and a number of dropped passes. His ability to keep fighting at least lifted the Lion spirits down the stretch of the game. 

Midseason Championship

 

Dartmouth Big Green (5-0) vs. Columbia Lions (4-1)

October 26, 2024 

Homecoming Weekend

Kickoff Time: 1:30pm

Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium  

New York, NY 

Game Time Weather Forecast: 64 degrees and sunny

The Line: Columbia is a 2 1/2 point favorite 

TV/Radio: The game is available in ESPN+

Columbia Game Notes 

Dartmouth Game Notes 

Leading Story Lines 

-Of course, there is no such thing as a "midseason championship," but this is a showdown between the only two Ivy teams who remain unbeaten in the conference. The winner of this game will be the only team in the Ivies that controls its own destiny for a title. 

-With that in mind, this could be the biggest Lion football game in decades. As it is, it's at least the biggest win since 2017. 

-Dartmouth comes in with three straight very close wins, while Columbia is coming off a win over Penn at Franklin Field for the first time in 28 years. 

3 Lions to Watch

-LT Sean Kimani #51 may be pushed into emergency starting duty if reports of an injury to starter Ryan Carr are accurate. But either way, expect Dartmouth to blitz heavily, so whoever is at LT will be in the spotlight. 

-LB Anthony Roussos #16 will be tasked with the job of dealing with a Big Green attack they will likely try to challenge Columbia's new 3-4 defense with runs up the middle. 

-WR Bryson Canty #2 is worth watching every game, but if Dartmouth's pass defense is some kind of weak link on this team, he could have a big day. 

3 Big Green to Watch

-QB Jackson Proctor #12 or QB Grayson Saunier #16. Both are a little banged up. or recovering from being banged up... and either way, you can bet both of them will get into the game at some point. They are both lethal offensive weapons. 

-CB Jordan Washington #4 will likely be the man responsible for covering Canty in what could be a fun duel all game long. 

-WR Paxton Scott #7 is a great receiver in his own right and will be a key weapon if Columbia takes away the same amount of Dartmouth's running attack that it has against its other opponents this year. 

Week 6 Picks

 

I went 7-1 straight up, and 6-2 against the spread last week. My season totals are 26-9 SU, and 18-17 AGS 

Yale + 2 1/2 at Penn (Game is Friday night!)

Yale's inevitable 2nd half of the season surge is coming. Penn will be the victim. Yale will win. 

Brown -5 vs. Cornell

Brown by a TD or so.

Harvard -9 1/2 vs. Princeton

Harvard is looking to make a statement here. 

Holy Cross - 2 1/2 at Lafayette

Both of these teams are really inconsistent. But it feels like Lafayette is struggling more. 

Wagner +20 at UMass

Wagner has been playing better and can make this a game. But UMass will win. 

Georgetown -5 vs. Bucknell

The Hoyas should win this by 10 or so. 

Ivy Power Rankings

 

Micah Green

1. Dartmouth

The Big Green are now 2-0 without their starting QB playing a down in either game, and they own a 5-0 record. They are #1 until someone knocks them off. 

2. Columbia

The Lions answered some questions about their defense in the win at Penn while the offense showed it's strong in all facets. 

3. Harvard

The Crimson defense is a little suspect, but Harvard has seemed like the better team on the field in every game. 

4. Yale

The Bulldogs are gearing up for a strong stretch run.

5. Penn

The Quakers are mostly the victims of a tough schedule against three very good teams so far. 

6. Princeton

The Tigers have some weapons that are maturing, but this isn't their year.

7. Brown

The brutal loss at Princeton once again exposed the Bear defense and also showed the offense can sometimes be sloppy. 

8. Cornell

The Big Red offense is impressive, but that's about it. 

It's a BIG ONE

 

Columbia vs. Penn at the Polo Grounds, 1920

There's no denying everything has lined up to make this Saturday's Homecoming vs. Dartmouth the biggest Columbia game, home or away, in many years. I'll release my Ivy Power Rankings later in the week as always, but SPOILER ALERT, these two teams will come in at #1 and #2.

It's too early to start talking about where the 2024 Lions rank among our all-time teams. You have to see a full season first to do that. But I will make four comparisons that I think are important to note even at this early stage:

1) The three other Columbia teams from the Ivy League era (1956-present) that were in this similar position were the 1961, 1996 and 2017 Lions. The '61 Lions shared the title with Harvard and the '96 and '17 teams both finished 8-2 for the season and second in the Ivies. 

The '61 team lost its second Ivy contest of that year in a heartbreaker vs. Princeton at Homecoming. The Lions would play two huge games back-to-back on the road after that and they netted wins over Yale and co-champion Harvard in those matchups. I guess you could say the biggest game of that season was the win over Harvard, but that was only known in hindsight.

2) The 1996 team had a huge game against Dartmouth in Hanover all lined up, and then lost the game the week before at home vs. Princeton. The game vs. the Big Green was still basically for the Ivy title, but the loss to the Tigers took the air out of it a little. Oh... and then Dartmouth proceeded to thrash the Lions 40-0. 

3) The 2017 Homecoming game against Penn, which resulted in the most thrilling win of the century so far for the Lions, was indeed a big deal. But Penn was not the top team in the Ivies at the time like Dartmouth is now. It was not the #1 vs. #2 matchup between the only two teams still undefeated in the conference like this one will be. 

4) The 1996 and 2017 teams won a lot of games by the skins of their teeth. The '96 wins over Harvard and Penn were miraculous and Homecoming that year was in a monsoon vs. a non-league opponent! The 2017 team pulled out very narrow and somewhat lucky wins over Princeton, Penn, and Dartmouth that season as well. This 2024 team has been the better team on the field every week. None of the wins have been lucky, and the one loss was quite unlucky and also was played without CU's stellar new starting QB. Meanwhile, this Dartmouth team is a better opponent than the teams Columbia beat in 2017, including the Big Green team that year too. 

So this is the BIG ONE. If you haven't come to a Columbia game in a long time, this is a chance that doesn't come along too often. I know there's going to be a concerted effort to pack the place with the 2017 hashtag #cramKraft making a comeback on social media. I wholeheartedly support these efforts. 

WARNING: The rest of this post may not be suitable for many readers. I don't recommend it to everyone: 

I'm not doing partisan politics on this blog, (there's plenty of that from me on my many other platforms as a lot of you know), so the following is just an appeal against insanity at CU and an appeal for what is good about our community: As much as what's happening on the Columbia campus has broken my heart, the conduct of the STUDENT ATHLETES has been stellar. Don't just compare their decent behavior, but also their ability to showcase their maturity and articulation. Take any football player interview this season and compare it to the incoherent nonsense coming from student protesters and some faculty. I'm happy to stand with these players who represent the best Columbia still has to offer. 

I know many of you feel the same ambivalent way about Columbia as I do, and I encourage you to make a big showing of what you DO support at Homecoming. Otherwise, the frauds masquerading as academics at CU will destroy this university and many others along the way. I have cut off my giving to the university accordingly, and while I realize money is fungible and my ticket money is indirectly supporting this nonsense I'd say it's VERY indirectly. 

But I have been wearing my Sid Luckman jersey to every game this year with my Israel t-shirt underneath. It's a pride thing, especially at home games played at a stadium named after a distant relative of mine, and on a field named for Bob Kraft. IYKYK.

Of course EVERY Ivy school has discredited itself morally and intellectually since October 7, 2023, so there's no point in thinking anyone is innocent at the top. But the student athletes league-wide are not the problem in any way.

Oh, and by the way: Why not "suddenly schedule" more football practices right on campus to discourage the illegal, urban terrorist encampments that so denigrate our Alma Mater? Just for show every other day or so?

Air Support

Columbia 23 Penn 17

Why Columbia Won

Columbia's passing attack was potent all day, staking the Lions to a 14-0 lead and then helping them regain momentum late in the game. The CU defense contained both the Penn passing and running attacks and forced two key turnovers. 

Why Penn Lost

The Quakers' Ivy League leading rusher averaged just 2.6 yards per carry, and its veteran QB only averaged 5 yards per attempt. The Penn secondary had very few answers for the Lion receivers, who were open all over the field and made tough catches when they weren't.

Key Turning Points

-With Columbia leading 14-0 and 6:52 left in the 1st half, Columbia made the extremely aggressive decision to try an onside kick that failed. Penn then executed a 12-play, 49-yard TD drive that included two 4th down conversions.

-After the Penn TD, Columbia took over after the kickoff at the Lion 35 with exactly one minute to go. The Lions then grabbed back some of the momentum with a 51-yard drive that resulted in a 29-yard Hugo Merry FG as time expired for a 17-7 lead at the break. 

-Columbia began the 3rd quarter with a three-and-out, and Penn started its first 2nd half possession at the Quaker 20 and executed a 13-play TD drive to make it 17-14 and seemingly grabbing momentum back its way.

-On the ensuing kickoff, CU's Edan Stagg dropped the ball, picked it up, and was only able to get the ball out to the Lion 2 before being stopped. With everything going Penn's way at that moment, Columbia QB Chase Goodwin put the team on his back. He led a 10-play, 87-yard drive that ended in a crucial Merry FG. The key play on the drive was a 36-yard, down-the-seam pass to TE Braden Dougherty for 36 yards on a 3rd and 10 from the CU 17. 

-Columbia forced a Penn three-and-out on the Quakers' ensuing possession and took over after the punt at the Lion 14. On 2nd and 8 from their 16, WR Bryson Canty made a spectacular one-handed grab for a 29-yard reception. On the very next play, RB Joey Giorgi scampered down the sideline for a 30-yard gain. The Lions again had to settle for a FG, but they now had a two-score lead that Penn never overcame. 

Columbia Positives

-Goodwin was 19-23 for 173 yards and 2 TD passes in the 1st half and was a decent 9-17 for 161 yards in the 2nd half. He masterfully directed the offense in several high pressure situations. His 3rd down passing stats were 5-7 for 85 yards, 4 1st downs, and 1 sack. 

-Canty returned at full strength for the first time since the Georgetown game and had his most clutch performance of his career with 8 catches for 137 yards and a TD. 

-The Lions defense covered the Penn receivers extremely well all day, and never let star Quaker RB Malachi Hosley become a major factor. 

-Once again, Columbia fought back every time it looked like the Lions were losing control of the game and grabbed it back. 

Columbia Negatives

-The onside kick decision was a major head-scratcher and allowed Penn back into the game. 

-The Lions rarely got pressure on Quaker QB Aydin Sayin, putting maximum pressure on the secondary... which it endured. 

Columbia MVP

Bryson Canty was an artist on the field and proved what an extra level the Lions can get to when he's in the game and healthy. 

Southern Crossroads

Columbia Lions (3-1) vs. Penn Quakers (2-2)

October 19, 2024

Kickoff Time: 1:00pm

Franklin Field

Philadelphia, PA

Game Time Weather Forecast: 68 degrees and sunny

The Line: Columbia is a 4 1/2 point underdog

TV/Radio: The game is available in ESPN+

Columbia Game Notes

Penn Game Notes 

Leading Story Lines

-This is pretty much a must-win for Penn if it seriously wants to contend for the Ivy title. After the Quakers lost to Dartmouth in week 3, they cannot afford to lose another league game. 

-Is Columbia for real? The Lions looked impressive in their only Ivy game so far; beating Princeton by three scores. But Penn is tougher and this game is on the road. 

-Columbia has not beaten Penn at Franklin Field since an OT thriller in 1996. That's 12 straight losses, and most of them were not close. 

3 Lions to Watch

-Columbia will need to find a way to put some pressure on Penn QB Aydin Sayin, and that means one of the replacement players for CU's injured DL starters will have to step up. Look for DE Ayden Baker #14 to make a difference in a positive or negative way in this role. 

-WR Bryson Canty #2 has basically been held mostly on the sidelines for the last two games. If he's healthy the Lions will need to utilize him liberally. 

-CB Carter McFadden will again have the bullseye on his back as the Quakers will likely target several passes at him. McFadden has stepped up well the last two weeks, and will have to do so again. 

3 Quakers to Watch

-WR Jared Richardson #17 is a legit NFL prospect and has been the key difference maker for this program. 

-LB John Lista #44 will play a primary role in trying to stop Columbia's prolific running attack. 

-RB Malachi Hosley #1 is the Ivy League's leading rusher with 535 yards on the ground so far. 

Week 5 Picks

 

I went 5-1 straight up last week and 2-4 against the spread. My season totals are 19-8 SU and 12-15 AGS

Princeton -3 vs. Brown

It's now or never for the Tigers. I think they'll pull this out in what should be a fun game. 

CCSU +13 1/2 at Dartmouth

The Big Green will win, but I expect a slight dropoff this week. Likely a 10 or 11-point win.

Cornell +3 at Bucknell

This is a good opportunity for Cornell to get back on track.

Harvard -5 vs. Holy Cross 

The Crimson are looking good. 

Yale - 4 1/2 vs. Lehigh

Does Yale play any road games? 

Georgetown +2 1/2 at Colgate

The Hoyas are finally playing consistent football. 

Sacred Heart +16 1/2 at Lafayette

The Leopards will win, but what a disappointment they've turned out to be this season. 

Wagner -0.5 vs. St. Francis

Should be a fun game. 

Ivy Power Rankings

 

1. Dartmouth

I don't think anyone will challenge me on this top ranking after the Big Green pulled off an incredible comeback without perhaps the best QB in the league able to play all day. 

2. Harvard

The Crimson's utter takedown of Cornell says a lot. 

3. Columbia

There's not much you can learn from the Lions easy win over Wagner, but maybe that's all we need to know.

4. Penn

Penn struggled a bit in the 1st half last week, but the overall effort was strong enough.

5. Brown

Imagine what this team could do with a defense.

6. Yale

Imagine what *this team could do with a defense.

7. Cornell

Imagine what... okay, you get the point.

8. Princeton

The Tigers will improve in the coming weeks, but this is where they are now. 

Quick Work

Columbia 24 Wagner 6

Why Columbia Won

Columbia's running attacked exploded out of the gate, netting the Lions a four-score lead midway through the 2nd quarter. The defense held just firmly enough throughout the day, notably with key 4th down stops and turnovers, to keep Wagner from ever seriously getting into the game

Why Wagner Lost 

The Seahawks took too long to slow down the Lion offense, and the offense only finished one drive with a score. Throw in two turnovers and some costly penalties, and Wagner never had a chance.

Key Turning Points

-Testing the Seahawk run defense was clearly at the top of the CU agenda, and on the very first possession of the game the Lions got right to it. 66 of the 75 yards on that initial Columbia TD drive were on the ground; capped off by a 22-yard TD run by RB Joey Giorgi.

-Early in the 2nd quarter with Columbia now up 21-0, Wagner went for it on a 4th and 1 from its 25 yard line, and DL's Josh Powell and Ben Corniello combined to stop RB Andre Hines in his tracks for the turnover on downs. The Lions cashed in on the great field position with a FG and a 24-0 lead. 

-With the score 24-6 to start the 3rd quarter, Wagner looked to get into the game for real and drive to the CU 46 before electing to go for it again on 4th and 3. This time, Seahawk QB Jake Cady misfired on a pass attempt and Wagner's best chance to make it a game was lost.

Columbia Positives

-The Columbia rushing attack was stellar again; putting up 228 yards, 5.6 yards per carry, and two TD's. 

-For the second week in a row, the Lions did not commit a turnover. 

-The CU defense racked up seven tackles for a loss, three of them from junior LB Jack Smiechowski.

Columbia Negatives

-The Lions clearly took their feet off the gas pedal after going up 24-0; but that will matter little if the team comes out fired up next week at Penn,

-QB Chase Goodwin was not as accurate in this game, but he still had a TD pass, not interceptions, and avoided the big mistakes.

Columbia MVP

-RB Joey Giorgi punished the Seahawks from the get-go, and finished with 111 yards rushing. Giorgi now has 406 rushing yards on the season, putting him on a 1,000-yard pace. 

Island Hopping

Columbia Lions (2-1) at Wagner Seahawks (3-3)

October 12, 2024 

Kickoff Time: 12 Noon

Hameline Field

Staten Island, New York

Game Time Weather Forecast: 70 degrees and sunny

The Line: Columbia is a 14 1/2 point favorite

TV/Radio: The game will be on NEC Front Row 

Columbia Game Notes

Wagner Game Notes

Leading Story Lines

-Columbia gets its second chance this season to build on the positive vibes of a big win at home with a win on the road against a non-conference opponent. If the Lions meet the challenge this time, the buzz around the team will be pretty strong going into the Ivy-only stretch of the schedule.

-Both teams are led by outstanding new QBs. Columbia sophomore Chase Goodwin goes up against Wagner grad transfer Jake Cady who comes to Staten Island from D-II Assumption. 

-This game was originally scheduled to be played last year, but relatively late in the process the Lions rescheduled it for 2024. That move reportedly angered the Wagner athletic department, but will that somehow transfer to more aggressive play on the field? It's probably a matter of opinion. 

3 Lions to Watch

-RB Joey Giorgi #25 is just five yards off a 1,000-rushing yards season pacewith 295 yards over the first three games. Until last week's game against Stonehill, Wagner had been struggling defending against the run, so expect Giorgi to test to see if that was an exception to the rule.

-DE Ayden Baker #14 get his first start in place of the injured Justin Townsend, who has been lost for the season with an ACL injury. It's a crushing loss, but Baker is an up-and-coming player who may be tested early and often by a Wagner QB who can run and throw. 

-LB Anthony Roussos #16 will be tasked with taking the lead in stopping Wagner's decent running attack. 

3 Seahawks to Watch 

-RB Ricky Spruill #36 has 422 yards on the season with three TDs on a 6.0 yards per carry average. Spruill will also likely want to improve on his eight-carry, 15-yard performance vs. the Lions at Wien Stadium in 2022. 

-LB Justin Reilly #45 is an experienced grad student who is regularly featured in the NEC weekly honors awards. Reilly will need to lead a strong counterattack to Columbia's varied running game. 

-WR Jaylen Bonelli #3 has a couple of 100-yard plus games early in the season, but has been quieter lately. Look for him to try to break out again this week. 

Week 4 Picks

 

I went 4-3 straight up and 3-4 against the spread. My season totals are now 14-7 SU and 10-11 AGS

Dartmouth -4 1/2 at Yale 

I like this smaller point spread and the way Dartmouth is playing. This will be the best defense the Elis have seen all year and that doesn't bode well for them. 

Harvard -11 at Cornell (Game is Friday night!) 

No, I'm not putting too much stock in Cornell's win over Yale... at least for Cornell. 

Brown +8 1/2 at Rhode Island

I like the volatile Bears to take this one. 

Penn -14 1/2 vs. Bucknell

Penn is going to play angry.

Princeton + 23 1/2 at Mercer

I can't remember the last time Princeton was a 23.5-point underdog. Neither can you. The Tigers will probably make a game of this, but still lose. 

Georgetown +12 at Lafayette

The Hoyas are better than advertised.

Ivy Power Rankings

 

1) Dartmouth

The Big Green's win over Penn was a bit more impressive than the 20-17 final score indicates. 

2) Columbia

With a healthy Chase Goodwin at QB, the Lions are a top team

3) Penn 

The Quakers held their own for the most part in a tough road game against the best team in the league. They're not done yet. 

4) Harvard

The Crimson only have a flukely loss at Brown to be ashamed of. Not bad.

5) Brown

This is a team with defensive problems.

6) Cornell 

The loss to Albany adds to the narrative that the Big Red just have Yale's number, but no one else's.

7) Yale

If you can have a bad win, Yale had it against CCSU Saturday. They don't seem to have the tools to beat Dartmouth this weekend.

8) Princeton

The Tigers have a tentative offense and some injuries really harming the defense.

Chasing the Numbers

 

Just a quick post in the hour or so before the Ivy League weekly player honors are handed out. 

Readers of this blog and my 2005-2011 iteration of it here know that my favorite stat to measure QB play is 3rd down passing. It's usually the best way to gauge how good a QB is, especially when it really counts. Unlike "clutch hitting" stats in baseball, the stat is more telling and relies less on situations the QB cannot in any way control.

So how good was Chase Goodwin Saturday on 3rd down?

He was 8-11 for 125 yards, seven 1st downs, a TD, no interceptions, and one taken sack. 

That's absolutely stellar.

Have a nice day.

Good Win for Goodwin

Columbia 34 Princeton 17

Why Columbia Won

The Lion offense moved the ball well all day, and finally started to convert that movement into TDs in the 2nd half. The defense overcame a slow start and snagged three turnovers to keep the Tigers out of a rhythm. 

Why Princeton Lost

The Tiger defense had no consistent answer for Chase Goodwin, Joey Giorgi and the entire Columbia O-line. On offense, Princeton was inconsistent in the passing game and missed some prime scoring opportunities.

Key Turning Points

-With Columbia already trailing 7-0, the Lions turned the ball over on downs at the Tiger 40 with 6:44 left in the 1st quarter. But on 4th and 2 from the PU 48, QB Blaine Hipa's pass was tipped into the air and then intercepted by S Hayden McDonald to give the Lions the ball back at their own 49. Five plays later, PK Hugo Merry nailed a 39-yard FG to dodge a bullet and get some points besides. 

-Now trailing 10-6, Columbia got the ball to open the 2nd half and again ended up turning the ball over on downs at the Princeton 49. But once again, the TIgers turned the ball right back over with a fumble three plays later that set the Lions up at their own 47. Columbia responded with a 12-play TD drive that included four 3rd down conversions, including a TD on 3rd and 7 from the PU 8 that featured Goodwin scrambling to extend the play and find WR Marcus Libman all alone on the end zone. 

-After Princeton scored a TD in the first minute of the 4th quarter to narrow the Columbia lead to 20-17, the Lions began a crucial possession at their 15. On the first play of the drive, Giorgi went around the left side for a 34-yard run to get Columbia out of the hole and rolling again. Eight plays later, the Lions faced a 4th and 5 at the Tiger 14 and once again opted to go for it. This time, Goodwin rolled left and kept it for a brilliant TD run that essentially iced the game for CU.

Columbia Positives

-The Lion offense produced 479 yards with an amazing symmetry of 269 yards rushing and 280 yards passing (and 20 return yards). That included six yards per carry on the ground, no turnovers, and just two penalties. 

-Goodwin returned after missing last week due to injury and resumed his accurate passing, effective running, and coolness under pressure. 

-Columbia's receivers made numerous plays and showed their overall depth at the position. After senior Bryson Canty left the game early, his replacement sophomore Titus Evans kept getting open and made key catch after key catch. Junior Edan Stagg made some big catches as well, including an essential run after a catch for a 1st down in CU's second FG drive of the game. 

-PK Merry continues to be perfect on FG tries, and nailed two longer range kicks with a tricky breeze blowing at Wien Stadium. He's also perfect on PATs. 

Columbia Negatives

-It's not clear how serious the injuries are that took Canty and DL Justin Townsend out of the game. With a final non-conference game at Wagner next week, don't be surprised if both of them sit that contest out.

-One could quibble with how the defense played against the Tiger running game overall, but strip out the opening Princeton drive and things look a lot differently. 

Columbia MVP

-Again, it is tempting to give this award to the offensive line as a unit. It would also be non-controversial to award it to Giorgi who had an impressive 157 yard rushing performance on 18 carries. But the true difference maker was QB Chase Goodwin, who directed the offense through a number of high pressure drives and showed plenty of athleticism to go along with that emotional leadership. Goodwin is looking like the best signal-caller Columbia has had for a long time. 

Reveal Party

 

Princeton Tigers (1-1) vs. Columbia Lions (1-1)

October 5, 2024

Kickoff Time: 12 noon

Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium

New York, New York

Game Time Weather Forecast: 72 degrees and sunny

The Line: Columbia is a 3 1/2 point underdog

TV/Radio: The game will be on ESPN+

Columbia Game Notes

Princeton Game Notes 

Leading Story Lines

-The Lions haven't beaten Princeton since 2017 and have lost 11 of the last 12 meetings, nipping almost every season's hopes in the bud In the process.

-Both teams are trying to prove their real identity after inconsistent performances from week-to-week so far.  

-Both teams get their starting QB's back after playing without them last week.

3 Lions to Watch

-QB Chase Goodwin #15. Will he be as accurate as he was in week 1? Will he be as mobile as he still recovers from a deep knee bruise?

-CB Carter McFadden #23. He has a huge target on his back as opposing QB's have targeted him obsessively in both Lion games so far. 

-RT Noah Jordan #77. He will need to protect Goodwin and seal off lanes for the running backs against the usually stingly Tiger defense. 

3 Tigers to Watch

-WR A.J. Barber #86. He's one of two sons of former NY Giant Tiki Barber now playing Ivy football. He's also a good target as a receiver and a lethal kick returner. 

-DL Colin Taylor #95. He'll be the one hardest to block as Princeton looks to harass Goodwin all day.

-LB Marco Scarano #2. Will play a big role in the Tiger hopes to stop the CU run. 

Week 3 Picks

 

I had a decent week straight up last week, going 4-2. But it was brutal against the spread where I went 1-5. My season totals so far are 10-4 SU and 7-7 AGS

Penn +5 at Dartmouth

Going for the split decision here. Dartmouth to win, but only by a field goal or less

Bryant +14 at Brown

The Bears will win, but Bryant will make it a game

Yale -11 1/2 vs. CCSU

Elis set to bounce back

New Hampshire +3 at Harvard

Wildcats to win

Albany +1/2 at Cornell

Big Red comes back to earth

Lafayette -19 at Fordham

Leopards are angry, Rams are wounded

Stonehill -3 vs. Wagner

Wagner is punchless

 

Ivy Power Rankings

 

1) Penn

The Quakers are 1-1, but they've consistently played well on both sides of the ball. 

2) Dartmouth

Merrimack is a tricky team, and the Big Green squeaked by. So, no major downgrade here. 

3) Brown 

The Bears pulled off a stunning comeback win over Harvard and look the best they have under James Perry.

4) Yale 

Elis take a defensive lapse in Ithaca, but seem poised to bounce back.

5) Cornell

The Big Red pulled off the big win over Yale, but we've seen this movie before.

6) Princeton

The Tigers are still an X factor.

7) Columbia 

The Lions stumble at Georgetown, but get starting QB back this week.

8) Harvard 

Okay, I'll say it: The Crimson never would have lost that game last week if Tim Murphy were still coaching.