Friday, October 25, 2024

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. 


43 comments:

Anonymous said...

A great sign that we are favored.

Anonymous said...

Agreed, ...did not expect that as Columbia is rarely given benefit of the doubt by these "experts"

Anonymous said...

30-17 Lions

Broadway is buzzing.

Anonymous said...

Wind will be a factor today.

Anonymous said...

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Anonymous said...

Back to perfect game kicking!

SpuytenDuyvil76 said...

Ya. Gotta. Believe!!!

Anonymous said...

I think we win handily. I’ll say 41-17.

Anonymous said...

Dartmouth is my brother's alma mater and I just hate it when he breaks into granite of New Hampshire song

Lions 30 Large Green 17

SpuytenDuyvil76 said...

Why is the Columbia player depicted on the antique program cover in red(dish)? We've been white and blue since the turn of the last century, no?

Anonymous said...

What a strange game.

Anonymous said...

Both of our lines need to be better. And too many drops. Still, nice that we didn’t quit and even gave ourselves a chance up until almost the very end. And what was up with the brothers Green for Dartmouth? Are they diehard Lions fans?

Anonymous said...

Dartmouth fans always travel well. A lot of alumni in NYC

Anonymous said...

We were outplayed and for once outcoached. We also had some huge injuries. Our LT was out and Goodwin was taken out with an injury. But their OL pushed our DL around and our tackling was poor. Going forward we need to ride on Canty from beginning to end. Granted he slowed up and misplayed a first quarter pass which should have been an easy TD but otherwise he is our best player.

Anonymous said...

OL and DL were out matched. We need another playmaker other than Canty. He’s being double team. Whether it’s the QB’s finding the open WR or RB getting bigger runs.

SpuytenDuyvil76 said...

Dartmouth the better team. We had no answer for their ground game. On the other hand , our secondary played reasonably well. On offense, our ground game got stuffed. Pass protection was there, not always used to the best. It was not a total letdown, just physically outmatched. Figure it out, move on. Go Lions!

Anonymous said...

The irrational exuberance-based statements on this thread and other recent ones regarding this game is stunning. Columbia did not have the level of depth needed on the OL and DL to truly compete in this game, Dartmouth special teams won the field position battle on a crazy windy day away from home and the truth is that the only reason the score was 24-21 as opposed to 24-7 was a complete breakdown in discipline by the Dartmouth defense in the 4th quarter. That’s what actually happened.

Anonymous said...

So I’ll actually weigh in here and say it was indeed a very crazy, windy day. In spite of that, I feel we dropped quite a few passes. Obviously, Dartmouth had to play in the same conditions and they dealt with it better. They did stuff our running game and their speedy little guy seemed to have open season. Nonetheless, past teams would’ve lost this 38 to 7 and, it was odd to see us actually get it this close. Yes, thanks in part to the Dartmouth clown who kept committing roughing penalties. Let me also add that three interceptions, including one that was deflected didn’t help things any. So Dartmouth was the better team, but this was still a team that we could beat if we played well. Very concerned about the injury status, but I remain optimistic. Although next Friday against Yale will be a major test after they thrashed the Quakers whom everyone here seem to think we’re going to win.

Anonymous said...

It was a really nice crowd. I had predicted that we would top 10,000 and the athletics website reports the following: Columbia announced a crowd of 12,642, the highest attendance at Wien Stadium since 2017 (13,081).

Anonymous said...

I watched this Columbia-Dartmouth game from afar on ESPN+ and have a few quick comments on the video presentation. First, whoever was the Director needs to be replaced immediately because he or she is obviously inexperienced in regards to college football broadcasts. Among the many beginner mistakes, was having no camera coverage whatsoever of the Columbia sideline, players, coaches, staff, cheerleaders, and, of course the Columbia stands which were filled with a large number of fans. In fact, the number of fans was later announced as12,642 which was the highest number since the year 2017. Instead of showing the Columbia side of Wien Stadium which was filled with Columbia fans, the camera only covered the visitor's side (Dartmouth). It wasn't until the second half before the director had the camera pan the Columbia side of the Stadium. That was ridiculous. Next, the Columbia announcer was not my cup of tea. Oftentimes the announcer at a college game is criticized for being partial to the home team, but that was certainly not the case toady with the Columbia announcer who seemed to be more supportive of Dartmouth than Columbia.

Anonymous said...

What's with the large, almost packed, Columbia student crowd that is as quiet as they'd be if they were in church? Have they really never been to a football game? Is that a DEI box check in the Admissions Office...has never paid the slightest attention to the most popular sport in the US by far?

Anonymous said...

There wasn't much to cheer about. They were getting shut out. But regardless, I think most of the Columbia kids are DEI picks. Nobody gets in on merit anymore. You need to have some DEI angle.

Anonymous said...

Sure, it comes from a movie that's over 40 years old, but the phrase, "Lighten up, Francis," remains the go-to line in situations like this. Satirical articles about athletics written by folks who don't generally follow sports are a tale as old as time.

In the meantime, the daily student paper has outstanding coverage of the actual football stuff as well. Enjoy!
https://www.columbiaspectator.com/sports/football/

alawicius said...

The crowd was quiet because there wasn't much to roar about, starting with the all light blue jerseys. Maybe that was traditional for homecoming but I think we look and play better in the alternate choices.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone seen the most recent edition of Columbia College Today?!

Anonymous said...

The cover of CCT is a disgrace, pure and simple. Is this supposed t make alumni feel good about the College? I tossed my copy out of ermbarrassment.

Anonymous said...

As great as Canty played, he made one game changing mistake which set the tone early in the first quarter; he split the safeties down the middle of the field, Goodwin threw a perfect ball, and then Canty slowed up and the ball went just past his reach. Had he not slowed down we would have gone up 7-0. And as great as Merry has played his miss on his FG attempt hurt.

Anonymous said...

As far as the DL being pushed around, we have lost to injuries two of our best DLs. As far as the OL, we were playing without our LT. As far as the run defense, we failed to seal the edge on several occasions, leading to big gains. On other occasions we failed to wrap up the Dartmouth RB—poor tackling technique on our part. Still, we never gave up and battled to the end.

Anonymous said...

As far as coaching we set up our defense to stop the pass first and assumed that we would be stout against the run. By hindsight all of us are geniuses.

Anonymous said...

The next few weeks will be “Gut Check” time, especially if Goodwin is out. It’s sad what injuries did to such a promising season, losing the best pass rusher in the League JT and now possibly the most electric QB they have had in many years. Let’s hope they can regroup and overcome these hurdles. Keep your heads up and keep fighting boys !

Anonymous said...

If Goodwin is out, who is the back-up to Cole Freeman?

Anonymous said...

Love Poppe and Smith BUT with Goodwin out, why run Freeman so much? What if he gets hurt? Yikes! Gutsy performance by Freeman and great No Quit! Don't like a 3 man d rush. Allows too many rushing yards but did stop the passing game. Dartmouth coach with some head scratchers in Qtr 4. Failure to punt and make us go the length of the field and Failure to take the Greens out of the game. That kid might not play for me for a few games, no? How about his brother?

Anonymous said...

I agree, those Green brothers should be suspended. We’re they ejected after their 2nd personal fouls ?

Anonymous said...

Let's put the game, though disappointing in some respects, in perspective. First, Dartmouth is a beast and undefeated for good reason--they could be the first Ivy team in quite awhile to run their table. Second, although they had us in our heels the whole afternoon, they didn't put us away until they scored their last TD, and even then our boys had plenty of fight left in them. Third, if anyone told me at the beginning of the season that after six games we'd have lost only two games by six points (and one was an OCC game), I'd have thought they were dreaming. Fourth, it was extremely important that Freeman (again) played well and rallied the O, as they have a shortened week to get ready for Yale (which seems to have found its mojo and QB) and it looks like Freeman will again be "the man". Indeed, maybe we'll even see Macaulay step up and show how as a soph is a big QB room he's gotten to 3 on the depth chart. Looking forward to the rest of the season. The future looks bright. Go Lions. See you all under Friday night lights.

Anonymous said...

The "next Patrick Mahomes", right?

Anonymous said...

Or, if Goodwin throws a much easier to catch ball to his inside then Canty likely runs under it. I saw that as a miss by qb to the outside.

Anonymous said...

Macauley is a Jr.

Looks to me like the 3 is #12 and then #18 at 4. Macauley didn't dress at Wagner, probably 5. Saw several practices and I'd have to think #8 is last.

Anonymous said...

Sanchez was touted as "the next Mahomes". Probably won't get a snap this year. Hopefully he's as good as advertised.

Anonymous said...

Process favors less advertising across the board and more R & D.

Anonymous said...

Let’s not forget Sanchez came from a powerhouse HS in Cali. Led them to 11-2 record and the second loss was in the state championship game. That itself should let you know how good he is.

Anonymous said...

Stop

Anonymous said...

Just stating facts

Anonymous said...

This freshman might be more ready than any other QB because he’s been battle tested in one toughest league in the country playing against national ranked teams