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.