Two-time defending Ivy Defensive Player of the Week Scott Valentas looks to earn two pieces of hardware
Cornell Big Red (5-4) vs. Columbia Lions (5-4)
The Empire State Bowl
November 19, 2022
Kickoff Time: 1pm ET
Robert K. Kraft Field at Wien Stadium
Game Time Weather Forecast: 38 degrees and sunny, winds 5-11 MPH
The Line: Columbia is favored by 6 1/2 points, the under/over is 43 1/2
TV/RADIO: The game is available on ESPN+, featuring Lance Medow and Landon Baty '18
Leading Story Lines
1) Both teams are fighting to secure an overall winning record, with Cornell looking for its first winning record in 17 years. This remains the most evenly matched Ivy rivalry of the last generation-plus. The last 32 games between these two teams have resulted in 16 wins for Columbia and 16 wins for Cornell.
2) Is this legendary Head Coach Al Bagnoli's final game? My sources before the season told me he was likely done after this season, but NOW the consensus is he will re-up for at least one more year. Incidentally, the last time we all thought Al was coaching his last game -- in 2014 at Penn -- his Quakers defeated... Cornell.
3) It's the final game for a number of extraordinary Lion seniors and "COVID super seniors" who have been at CU since 2018. The pregame ceremony honoring the seniors with their families on the field is one of the best Columbia Football traditions and is worth seeing in person.
3 Columbia Players to Watch
LB Scott Valentas has much riding on this game. A strong performance should give him the edge to win the defensive POY/Bushnell Cup and become the first Columbia player to do that since QB John Witkowski in 1983. So, Valentas can get his hands on the Empire State Bowl Cup Saturday and then his hands on a Bushnell Cup in a few weeks if he shines in this game. This is also his last game despite the fact he could come back next year because of the 2020 COVID season cancellation. Sources tell me Valentas has secured an excellent job and is not going to lose that opportunity.
RB Ryan Young is another player appearing in his final game for the Lions after returning for a 5th year. Injuries have cut into his effectiveness this season, but expect him to get more carries at least in the early parts of this Senior Day game.
LB C.J. Brown may be the player most tasked with stopping Cornell QB Jameson Wang from running too freely throughout the day. Valentas will of course be on that job too, but Brown's skill set and focus on defending the edge seem more of a fit for him vs. Wang.
3 Cornell Players to Watch
QB Jameson Wang runs as much as he throws and he is the embodiment of a theory I've long had about how just letting your QB take the few yards almost every Ivy defense gives them to run can lead to a respectable offense. Wang is not a Justin Fields-like weapon (though Wang does have one 53-yard run for a TD), he's more of a 5-6 yard per carry guy who can kill you with a thousand small cuts.
LB Jake Stebbins is Cornell's best defensive player. He could be playing in his final collgiate game.
WR Thomas Glover is Wang's most frequent target.
16 comments:
Here's to hoping Bell's steadily growing capability flourishes in this game. That all the offensive weapons, the ground game and the air game, are focused downfield, from the get-go. And all those wonderful fellows on Offense put together the game of their careers and really shine.
Here to the Defense. May they stuff the run, stop the passer and shut down the wide outs.
And here's to dear old Columbia: beat Cornell, and let it echo all the way up the Hudson Valley!
Go Lions!
Well said! But let's ditch the "Bubble Screen" specials!
Lions favored by 6.5 points seems way too much given the teams' performance at this stage of the season against common opponents. Our vaunted run game will be the sword we live or die on (please get outside the tackles!) Wang's "paper cuts" scrambling worries me the more you watch him. Lions by a field goal.
Lions win! That was a complete game, and have to say I'd expected to see a lot more games like that earlier in the season. Ah well, they go out on a high note. If Bell can come back next year, I'd like to see him continue this kind of game leadership.
Roar, Lions, roar!
Five star rating for our Lions today. Always great to win the final foot football game of the season.
Never so happy to have been so wrong ! A complete game for sure,
Spuyten. Offensive and Defensive lines dominant throughout. Holes
open between the tackles, time to throw downfield all day. Wang chased
relentlessly,contained for the most part andforced to make several bad decisions. Bell managing
the game plan by not forcing throws and scrambling for key yardage.
Where was this all season ?
Complete game in all respects. Bell performed at an all Ivy level. Cornell last 2 Cornell TDs were basically in garbage time.
Looks like al bagnoli might retire. Who would be next head coach. Paul Ferraro?
Steve, Paul Ferraro retired before this season if you didn’t know.
Cornell looked overmatched. We played a great game. I really hope Bell runs it back. Looking forward to next season!
Where is all the vitriol for Al and Fabish today?
We played our best game of the year today. In my opinion, by far. Offense was sharp all day. I loved seeing Bell focus on the middle of the field - he's got a super arm and made plays with his legs. Young and Giorgi ran behind great blocks all day. I'm a little disappointed bc had we played like this weeks 3-7, it might've been a different season. But all credit to Al, they regrouped and played their best football in games 8-10. I hope Al comes back for one more run (or two!) and agree with other posters, would be amazing if Bell came back. Congratulations to the seniors - both the 4th and 5th years finish with winning records.
Always good to finish strong. To coach Bagnoli, to all the assistant’s and to all the players . Thank you for all the hard work and that is the reward. Well done
Roar Lions The Turkey will taste that much better this year. Cheers
Great ending and always good to finish strong. There was a let fdpwn mid season but a great turn around and a winning seasn!
Hats off to the coaching staff and all the players! Roar lion Roar!
And especially to /coach Fabish for a great game plan.
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