Ivy League Week 1 - FINALLY!

[bonarae]

Judging from the way our opponents played yesterday, here are my quite-not-accurate predictions:

Close:
Holy Cross at Harvard - HC tries to rebound after they were routed by UMass. But can Harvard surprise them?
Georgetown at Yale - can Georgetown bring the same performance they had vs. Lafayette?
Stony Brook at Brown - xchinscratchx
Lafayette at Penn

Blowout:
Dartmouth at Bucknell
Fordham at Columbia
Cornell at Wagner
Princeton at Lehigh

The reason why my predictions are no longer as accurate as they used to be is because the Ivies are already being left out in the dust by the opponents' moving forward to reach the elusive playoffs (e.g. Stony Brook transferring to the Big South, PL and scholarships, etc.) xsmhx xbangx

[CFBfan]

Judging from the way our opponents played yesterday, here are my quite-not-accurate predictions:

Close:
Holy Cross at Harvard - HC tries to rebound after they were routed by UMass. But can Harvard surprise them?
Georgetown at Yale - can Georgetown bring the same performance they had vs. Lafayette?
Stony Brook at Brown - xchinscratchx
Lafayette at Penn

Blowout:
Dartmouth at Bucknell
Fordham at Columbia
Cornell at Wagner
Princeton at Lehigh

The reason why my predictions are no longer as accurate as they used to be is because the Ivies are already being left out in the dust by the opponents' moving forward to reach the elusive playoffs (e.g. Stony Brook transferring to the Big South, PL and scholarships, etc.) xsmhx xbangx

I think HC regroups after a Villanova spanking and wins a close one
Georgetown / Yale should be a great game
Lafayette had 4 starters go down vs Georgetown, don't know how many are out for this game BUT: their starting QB is out...looked like a season ending knee injury
Columbia just might "upset" Fordham

[Bogus Megapardus]

I think HC regroups after a Villanova spanking and wins a close one
Georgetown / Yale should be a great game
Lafayette had 4 starters go down vs Georgetown, don't know how many are out for this game BUT: their starting QB is out...looked like a season ending knee injury
Columbia just might "upset" Fordham

Lafayette's QB O'Neil looks to have a hyperextended knee from preliminary reports; I suspect senior Marc Quilling will start vs. Penn and Princeton; not sure about Harvard and beyond. DB Donald Ellis went down as well; I don't know his status but his absence will be much more troublesome.

Ivy and Patriot play 17 games this season. I suspect that Ivy will win 14 of them the way things looked this weekend.

Note to Dartmouth/Columbia/Cornell - we suck. All of us. Big time. Now's your chance.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Thankfully Lehigh gets a Princeton team that was picked for the bottom of the league. Given the fact it will be the Tigers first game with a new coach should allow Lehigh to get a W. Princeton should be no better than Drake imo.

HC and Lafayette got much tougher games. At least on paper.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Thankfully Lehigh gets a Princeton team that was picked for the bottom of the league. Given the fact it will be the Tigers first game with a new coach should allow Lehigh to get a W. Princeton should be no better than Drake imo.

HC and Lafayette got much tougher games. At least on paper.

Stop being so chipper. We stink, so do you, and so does the rest of the PL. I'm willing to line up so the rest of FCS can scrawl "LOSER" across our foreheads with a big black Sharpie.

[Ivytalk]

Harvard-Holy Cross under the lights at Harvard!xcoolxxhurrayx

[DerHoya]

Stop being so chipper. We stink, so do you, and so does the rest of the PL. I'm willing to line up so the rest of FCS can scrawl "LOSER" across our foreheads with a big black Sharpie.

so if Laf picks up an upset against PENN does the self imposed nickname stick still?

that play where your DB injuried his knee was freak and your back up qb will be ok but your OL has to show up. ONeill was very effective rolling out, uncertain if your backup has the same capabilities. BTW why did yall get away from the run in the 2nd half?? I was very surprised yall didn;t just stick to your ground and pound game plan from

Does the potential that the PL top 3 lost to probably playoff teams temper any of these the 'sky is falling' claims for the PL?

[Bogus Megapardus]

BTW why did yall get away from the run in the 2nd half??

You noticed, huh?

[Franks Tanks]

Thankfully Lehigh gets a Princeton team that was picked for the bottom of the league. Given the fact it will be the Tigers first game with a new coach should allow Lehigh to get a W. Princeton should be no better than Drake imo.

HC and Lafayette got much tougher games. At least on paper.

Princeton wasnt very good last year, but the wildcard will be the 1st game under a completely new coaching staff. Lehigh will have no idea what kind of O and D the Tigers will run and they may not be properly prepared. Either way the league really does stink this year, and I will have a hard time picking the PL over anyone. Lehigh still had to play UNH and Gate gets a much improved Syracuse team in a few weeks. Lafayette and others have Penn and Harvard. Things will get worse.

[DJOM]

Princeton has a new head coach, new head defensive coach, they may have different schemes on each side of the ball and they are opening on the road before what will be a packed stadium of Mountain Hawk fanatics.
I'll be there---hoping there will be no remnants of a hurricane as there was the last time I visited the stadium---the opening game against Drake.
Despite the many obstacles to overcome---Princeton takes this one by 14.

[bulldog10jw]

Holy Cross at Harvard - Harvard
Georgetown at Yale - Yale
Stony Brook at Brown - Brown
Lafayette at Penn - Lafayette
Dartmouth at Bucknell - Bucknell
Fordham at Columbia - Fordham
Cornell at Wagner - Cornell
Princeton at Lehigh - Princeton

[Go...gate]

Hope Jordan Culbreth sees action for the Tigers. His is a great story of courage and perseverance.

[ngineer]

Princeton has a new head coach, new head defensive coach, they may have different schemes on each side of the ball and they are opening on the road before what will be a packed stadium of Mountain Hawk fanatics.
I'll be there---hoping there will be no remnants of a hurricane as there was the last time I visited the stadium---the opening game against Drake.
Despite the many obstacles to overcome---Princeton takes this one by 14.

No way. If Princeton brings the same amount Villanova did, and the weather is good, stadium will be little more than half full. There's a different culture on these campuses nowadays. Being at a football game is no longer the only "it" place to be, sorry to say.

[Bogus Megapardus]

As of Tuesday morning -

Yale (-11.5) vs. Georgetown
Columbia (-6) vs. Fordham
Lehigh (-5) vs. Princeton
Dartmouth (-4) at Bucknell
Harvard (-3) vs. Holy Cross
Penn (-10) vs. Lafayette
Brown (-7.5) vs. Stony Brook
Cornell (-4.5) at Wagner
Colgate - Bye

[Redwyn]

Brown (-7.5) vs. Stony Brook

....seriously?

[Franks Tanks]

Brown (-7.5) vs. Stony Brook

....seriously?

Dont forget lines are also constructed to induce betting, and I believe you guys lost to Brown last year.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Brown (-7.5) vs. Stony Brook

....seriously?

I checked again. That's the line:

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/2331/brownlinewk3.jpg

Tanks is correct. Lines are not meant to be predictive of the outcome. They are meant to induce wagers with or against odds, depending on the matchup. The line will move based on betting volume. I post the lines here each week for Ivy and Patriot games just for fun. I don't mention here from where they come because I'm not in that business. But they are legitimate odds. It's just something to talk about for two FCS conferences which - quite frankly - need something to talk about.

[Seawolf97]

Dont forget lines are also constructed to induce betting, and I believe you guys lost to Brown last year.

Actually the series is tied. Brown won in 2008 at Brown, we won last year at SBU. Both games were close- last year SBU 21 Brown 20 I believe. This should be a good one for us and we can finally settle down. First two games this year
we went from USF -BCS to American Int. -D2. Now it is all FCS programs going forward.. I hope we renew the series since it will end after 2011. Brown is a good program for us to play.

[Franks Tanks]

Actually the series is tied. Brown won in 2008 at Brown, we won last year at SBU. Both games were close- last year SBU 21 Brown 20 I believe. This should be a good one for us and we can finally settle down. First two games this year
we went from USF -BCS to American Int. -D2. Now it is all FCS programs going forward.. I hope we renew the series since it will end after 2011. Brown is a good program for us to play.

And we (Lafayette) we see you guys in a few weeks. Based on our performance last week you should be happy to be running into us this year.

[DJOM]

Hope Jordan Culbreth sees action for the Tigers. His is a great story of courage and perseverance.

From your lips to God's ears. I am not sure how much he will be utilized. What a roller coaster ride for the young man. He spent months in the hospital and to now going thru complete work outs with and being named co-captain of the team.

Speaks volumes regarding his character.

2010 Year of the Tiger.

[kDex86]

Harvard
Georgetown
Brown
Penn
Bucknell
Fordham
Cornell
Lehigh

[Seawolf97]

And we (Lafayette) we see you guys in a few weeks. Based on our performance last week you should be happy to be running into us this year.

Actually this could be another good game. Cant judge any team on 1 game. Georgetown beat us several years ago on our homecoming so who knows. What is good is next year we have you guys and Brown at home with 3 Big South games that makes for a good home schedule. Road games could get tacky in 2011 we already have Buffalo and rumor is we play Syracuse also since our AD wants 2 FBS teams every year now going forward. Good luck the rest of the way and see you on 10/16!

[Uncle Buck]

If SBU can't run on Brown, we're in trouble. I don't like what i have seen out of the QB Coultere (sp?), holds the ball tooooooo long and stares down his receivers. Whatever happened to Dayne Hoffman?

But to pick this game, i think SBU will edge them in a close game, or at the very least cover the spread!

[carney2]

Harvard beats Holy Cross - It may take the Johns a quarter or so to get untracked.

Yale beats Georgetown – They may be 2-0, but they’re still Georgetown.

Stony Brook beats Brown – The line makes no sense here.

Penn beats Lafayette – The Leopards do not appear to have plugged some gaping holes.

Dartmouth beats Bucknell – Bucknell has no offense.

Fordham beats Columbia – Not making this pick with conviction.

Wagner beats Cornell – Everyone beats Cornell. How did this get scheduled?

Lehigh beats Princeton – New coach. Same old talent.

[DJOM]

Harvard beats Holy Cross - It may take the Johns a quarter or so to get untracked.

Yale beats Georgetown – They may be 2-0, but they’re still Georgetown.

Stony Brook beats Brown – The line makes no sense here.

Penn beats Lafayette – The Leopards do not appear to have plugged some gaping holes.

Dartmouth beats Bucknell – Bucknell has no offense.

Fordham beats Columbia – Not making this pick with conviction.

Wagner beats Cornell – Everyone beats Cornell. How did this get scheduled?

Lehigh beats Princeton – New coach. Same old talent.

But the new coach may utilize the talent that has been there all along.

2010 is the year of the Tiger

[Bogus Megapardus]

There's been some movement on the Penn-Lafayette line. Penn went from -10 Tuesday morning to -11.5 Wednesday afternoon. Brown remains at -7.5 over Stony Brook. Also Lehigh is now -3 over Princeton, down from -5.

[bulldog10jw]

2010 is the year of the Tiger

I agree. LSU will be tough to beat this year. (I'm assuming you weren't talking about Auburn)

[VUCats02]

I'm looking at the FCS games this Saturday on ESPN, and it says that Lafayette vs. UPenn will be aired on ESPN3. Is this true or is that a mistake by ESPN?

[Sader87]

I'm looking at the FCS games this Saturday on ESPN, and it says that Lafayette vs. UPenn will be aired on ESPN3. Is this true or is that a mistake by ESPN?

It's a mistake...probably...more than likely. I thought we weren't in the "entertainment business" anymore?

[Bogus Megapardus]

It's a mistake...probably...more than likely. I thought we weren't in the "entertainment business" anymore?

Not only is it true, but is shows John Brooks, S.J. as "executive producer." My, how times have changed. Besides, all Lafayette games are broadcast live in the Philadelphia market. You should watch.

[Fordham]

Funny to see the Ivies have an 80's-like respect fog the Lions. They beat us last year and we're struggling this year and have ZERO abilility to stop the run. Smart money says the Ivy guys are surprised by this one ... while the PL guys won't be.

[Ivytalk]

Holy Cross at Harvard - Harvard
Georgetown at Yale - Yale
Stony Brook at Brown - Brown
Lafayette at Penn - Lafayette
Dartmouth at Bucknell - Bucknell
Fordham at Columbia - Fordham
Cornell at Wagner - Cornell
Princeton at Lehigh - Princeton

bulldog, I agree with your first four picks, but my gut says Dartmouth, Columbia, Cornell and Lehigh for the other four.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Holy Cross at Harvard - Harvard 17-14

Georgetown at Yale - Georgetown 21-20

Stony Brook at Brown - Brown 21-17

Lafayette at Penn - Penn 27-17

Dartmouth at Bucknell - Dartmouth 6-0

Fordham at Columbia - Columbia 27-24

Cornell at Wagner - Cornell 17-14

Princeton at Lehigh - Lehigh 31-10

[EmeryZach]

Well at least you guys start playing football before the NESCAC. Their first games aren't until the 25th!!

[Bogus Megapardus]

Caption this Picture:


http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/4087/pennquaker.jpg

[bonarae]

Well at least you guys start playing football before the NESCAC. Their first games aren't until the 25th!!

But the NESCAC as we know only plays conference games...

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

Holy Cross 21 @ Harvard 17. xbangx Murph off to rough start with back up 6th year QB.
Georgetown 14 @ Yale 10. xhurrayx Maybe a pipe dream, but look out, Hoyas are suddenly 3-0!
Stony Brook 21 @ Brown 20. xcoolx Eddie Gowins runs for 175 yrs and 3 TD's to thwart home opener for the Bruins.
Lafayette 0 @ Penn 31. xrotatehx Eventual 2010 Ivy Champs start off with stalwart Defensive showing.
Dartmouth 21 @ Bucknell 10. xsmileyclapx Buddy's boys surprise on the road. Well done!
Fordham 14 @ Columbia 17 (OT). xnodx Lions roar in overtime for mild upset over cross-town Rams.
Cornell 24 @ Wagner 7. xsmiley_wix Big Red capture the birds on Staten Island.
Princeton 21 @ Lehigh 7. xlolx Tigers roll.

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

Well at least you guys start playing football before the NESCAC. Their first games aren't until the 25th!!

Yeah, but how can you get down on schools with the greatest nicknames in the buisiness: the Bantams, Jumbos, White Mules, Bobcats, Polar Bears, Panthers, Continentals, Ephs, Lord Jeffs, and the Cardinals? Best balance of academics and athletics replete with some outstanding coaches. .... otherwise known as the Ivies without the Attitude, .... xsmileyclapx For extra credit, can you match up the nicknames with the actual schools? xconfusedx

[EmeryZach]

Yeah, but how can you get down on schools with the greatest nicknames in the buisiness: the Bantams, Jumbos, White Mules, Bobcats, Polar Bears, Panthers, Continentals, Ephs, Lord Jeffs, and the Cardinals? Best balance of academics and athletics replete with some outstanding coaches. .... otherwise known as the Ivies without the Attitude, .... xsmileyclapx For extra credit, can you match up the nicknames with the actual schools? xconfusedx

Oh I love NESCAC football. I went to a lot of Amherst games because three of my high school teamates played for the Lord Jeffs.

And yes I can put those names with the teams.

Amherst College - Lord Jeffs
Williams College - Ephs
Tufts - Jumbos
Colby - White Mules
Bowdoin - Polar Bears
Bates - Bobcats
Middlebury - Panthers
Wesleyan - Cardinals
Trinity - Bantams
Hamilton - Continentals

Oh and I know Connecticut College doesn't play football, but they are the Camels.

[Bogus Megapardus]

And yes I can put those names with the teams.

Amherst College - Lord Jeffs
Williams College - Ephs
Tufts - Jumbos
Colby - White Mules
Bowdoin - Polar Bears
Bates - Bobcats
Middlebury - Panthers
Wesleyan - Cardinals
Trinity - Bantams
Hamilton - Continentals




Pretty good. I only knew three of those.

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

You are a man after my own heart! And, .... you got the Camels, too! Well done! "NESCAFE" forever! xhurrayx

[Green26]

Dartmouth leading 43-20 with about 5 min to go. Dartmouth was down 9-20 at halftime, but has rallied for 5 straight TD's in the second half. Go Big Green. Maybe the Big Green is back. Hope so. I'm going to the Yale and Harvard games next month. Good call by Ivy Talk, Wildcat and perhaps others.

[bulldog10jw]

Dartmouth leading 43-20 with about 5 min to go. Dartmouth was down 9-20 at halftime, but has rallied for 5 straight TD's in the second half. Go Big Green. Maybe the Big Green is back. Hope so. I'm going to the Yale and Harvard games next month. Good call by Ivy Talk, Wildcat and perhaps others.

Nice comeback win Green. I hope Dartmouth has a good year.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Yale squeaked one out over the resurgent Hoyas, 40-35, in the last minute of play. Congrats to the Hoyas once again. Georgetown is for real and we all better pay attention.

[bulldog10jw]

Yale squeaked one out over the resurgent Hoyas, 40-35, in the last minute of play. Congrats to the Hoyas once again. Georgetown is for real and we all better pay attention.

They need to improve their defense though. Two straight weeks giving up 500+ yards on D. The Hoyas are no automatic win anymore, that's for sure.

[Go...gate]

Great win by the Big Green.

[CFBfan]

They need to improve their defense though. Two straight weeks giving up 500+ yards on D. The Hoyas are no automatic win anymore, that's for sure.

In a disgraceful display of sportsmanship the Yale coaching staff was cursing at and talking trash to the Hoya Players while the Refs were busy screwing GU time and again with no calls and phantom calls A very very disapointing display!!

[DFW HOYA]

In a disgraceful display of sportsmanship the Yale coaching staff was cursing at and talking trash to the Hoya Players while the Refs were busy screwing GU time and again with no calls and phantom calls A very very disapointing display!!

I don't think the refs cost the game but the officials clearly missed when Yale was caught between a line change and had 12 (or was it 13?) players on the field when they scored its first touchdown.

And FWIW, Georgetown had a very good turnout for the game but the overall attendance was only 9,358. Where were all the Yale fans on a Saturday afternoon in New Haven?

[bulldog10jw]

In a disgraceful display of sportsmanship the Yale coaching staff was cursing at and talking trash to the Hoya Players while the Refs were busy screwing GU time and again with no calls and phantom calls A very very disapointing display!!

It's called home field advantage. xlolx

[bonarae]

RESULTS SO FAR:
WINS:
Brown 35 - Stony Brook 33 (2OT)
Yale 40 - Georgetown 35
Dartmouth 43 - Bucknell 20
LOSSES:
Fordham 16 - Columbia 9
Lehigh 35 - Princeton 22
Wagner 41 - Cornell 7

HALFTIME:
Lafayette 14 - Penn 3 :(
Harvard 20 - Holy Cross 0 :)

[bulldog10jw]

And FWIW, Georgetown had a very good turnout for the game but the overall attendance was only 9,358. Where were all the Yale fans on a Saturday afternoon in New Haven?

Trying to get their Harvard tickets.

[CFBfan]

It's called home field advantage. xlolx
No what went on today is called disgraceful!!
your O Line held all day and was NOT flagged once!
Yale fumbled at midfield and they said the player was down when BOTH feet were still on the ground and that led to a score that made it a 1 point game and on and on...it was disgraceful and the Yale coaching staff should be fired for they way they behaved, cursing at our players and talking trash to them. Classless and sad, I certainly expected better from any school much less an"IVY"
and after all that GU still could have won!!

[bulldog10jw]

No what went on today is called disgraceful!!
your O Line held all day and was NOT flagged once!
Yale fumbled at midfield and they said the player was down when BOTH feet were still on the ground and that led to a score that made it a 1 point game and on and on...it was disgraceful and the Yale coaching staff should be fired for they way they behaved, cursing at our players and talking trash to them. Classless and sad, I certainly expected better from any school much less an"IVY"
and after all that GU still could have won!!

It's called home field advantage. xlolx xlolx xnodx

[bonarae]

Final:
Harvard 34, Holy Cross 6

Still waiting for Penn-Lafayette to finish.
Penn 19, Lafayette 14 (6:21 4Q)

[bulldog10jw]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWyTNNtdHqk&feature=player_embedded

[Bogus Megapardus]

Hoyas - you're part of a highlight reel from a game you nearly - and probably should have - won in the Yale bowl. Be happy. It's a good thing to know the agony of feeling as if a close game was stolen from you. You guys have become the class of the Patriot overnight and now must act as if you've been there before.

[ngineer]

Hell of fight Hoyas. Certainly shows you guys are for real.

[RichH2]

Congrats to Hoyas.xhurrayx No huddle O working. Lots of shoot outs for them this year. Certainly will be entertaining for all of us. LC D is as good as advertised. O is dreadful. LU gutted out an ugly game. Tiger penalties and mistakes took them out of the game. Finally LU took advantage of them rather than in past years just trying to give the game back. HC ripped by Harvard. FU clutch play late to win.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Congrats to Hoyas.xhurrayx No huddle O working. Lots of shoot outs for them this year. Certainly will be entertaining for all of us. LC D is as good as advertised. O is dreadful. LU gutted out an ugly game. Tiger penalties and mistakes took them out of the game. Finally LU took advantage of them rather than in past years just trying to give the game back. HC ripped by Harvard. FU clutch play late to win.


And Bucknell vs. Dartmouth? Not so much . . . .

Wherefore art thou, Bison?

[CFBfan]

Congrats to Hoyas.xhurrayx No huddle O working. Lots of shoot outs for them this year. Certainly will be entertaining for all of us. LC D is as good as advertised. O is dreadful. LU gutted out an ugly game. Tiger penalties and mistakes took them out of the game. Finally LU took advantage of them rather than in past years just trying to give the game back. HC ripped by Harvard. FU clutch play late to win.

yes, the changes in the coaching staff energized the whole team. GU finaly has a few football coaches on their sideline!
they also have a lot of sophs and jr's playing so could the future be bright???!!!!

[DFW HOYA]

Hoyas - you're part of a highlight reel from a game you nearly - and probably should have - won in the Yale bowl. Be happy. It's a good thing to know the agony of feeling as if a close game was stolen from you. You guys have become the class of the Patriot overnight and now must act as if you've been there before.

The Yalies didn't show Georgetown's better efforts, including two blocked field goals, a kickoff return for a touchdown, and the most total yards earned by a GU team in three seasons. Both teams had their chances, but Yale had the ball last and that's what counted.

Of course, the broadcast didn't note that Yale had 12 men on the field on the first touchdown, but as our Yale correspondent on this board will remind you, that's "home field advantage"...like the fact that the last play started with :07 on the clock and all the time expired after the play. Would it have changed the outcome? No. Did the referrees watch what was going on? No.

[bulldog10jw]

The Yalies didn't show Georgetown's better efforts

Did they show ANY of G-town's efforts?

[Bogus Megapardus]

The Yalies didn't show Georgetown's better efforts, including two blocked field goals, a kickoff return for a touchdown, and the most total yards earned by a GU team in three seasons. Both teams had their chances, but Yale had the ball last and that's what counted.

Of course, the broadcast didn't note that Yale had 12 men on the field on the first touchdown, but as our Yale correspondent on this board will remind you, that's "home field advantage"...like the fact that the last play started with :07 on the clock and all the time expired after the play. Would it have changed the outcome? No. Did the referrees watch what was going on? No.

Welcome to the world of Patriot close games. I remember talking about the "no-call" last year when Fordham face-masked and ripped the helmet off Greg Stripe's head and an awesome series of close-up photographs documented every nanosecond of it. The Fordham guy should have been arrested for assault.

But now that you've stepped up and are playing for keeps, and the Patriot title for the first time is yours for the taking, get used to it. Just switch your point of view - having the target on your back actually is a good thing!

My hat's off the the Hoyas yesterday. Not too shabby. Not at all.

[DFW HOYA]

Did they show ANY of G-town's efforts?

No, but at least it covered the end of the game. WTNH-TV's coverage last night ended with the second quarter, which means the reporter got his minimum footage and returned to the office.