As Predicted...

The Ivy League Football Media Poll (which does not include me or some other longtime experts on the Ivies) came out yesterday and the results were exactly as I predicted:

Columbia’s 4th place spot was at the higher end of the 4th-6th window I asked everyone to expect. This represents some begrudging respect for Head Coach Jon Poppe, his staff, and some of the returning player and stands as a sharp contrast to last year’s poll results that put the Lions dead last.

I’ll talk about this and NEXT WEEK’S coach interviews/media day in this short podcast.

New Podcast! Poll Preparation!

 

The Ivy League Football preseason poll is coming out on August 4th (this coming Monday).

Are you ready to see the results?

Are you really ready? 

I delve into that in the latest Roar Lions Podcast here. 

Enjoy!

Patriot Games, 2025

 

***NOTE: The audio for this Podcast has been fixed and re-recorded***

In the final year before some BIG changes occur for the Patriot League, the conference's 2025 football media poll has been released. 

Thanks to the great Dartmouth football chronicler Bruce Wood at Big Green Alert for flagging that news for all of us. 

Remember, all of Columbia's out of conference opponents this year are Patriot League members. 

I have a quick analysis of that poll, and a little more in this short podcast free to all subscribers and non-subscribers alike. 

UPDATE: In my discussion of the Phil Steele preseason All Ivy Team, I forgot to mention that junior WR Titus Evans is also named to the 2nd at along with fellow WR Jordan Kelly.

How is Jon Poppe Doing it???

 

Jon Poppe

The title question of this post is something so many of us are asking each other regularly these days. The discussion usually begins after we learn of yet another very impressive recruit committing to Columbia Football.

It seems ridiculously early to start discussing next year's crop of incoming freshmen, the high quality of so many of the 2026 commits compels me to do so in this podcast I'm making available for paid subscribers to my Substack only. 

Enjoy. 

Roar Lions Podcast, New Episode! "Short, but Special"

 

Hugo Merry

No, Lion PK Hugo Merry is not short (he’s 6-2) but there isn’t too much to talk about when it comes to Special Teams personnel as we stand about a month away from training camp.

I’ll break down in this mini-podcast some of the key news for this unit, which actually doesn’t have an incoming freshman joining the kicking corps.

Players mentioned in this podcast:

Hugo Merry

Tommy Sleeman

Sam Pearman

Hutch Crow