Ivy League Week 2 2012

[bonarae]

My record for Week 1 - a disappointing 4-4 (x's: Dartmouth, Columbia, Brown, Yale) I should do some more homework...

Here's the slate this time:
Friday:
Georgetown at Princeton - I don't really know this time...
Saturday:
Fordham at Columbia - Columbia held Marist close, but Fordham is dangerous.
Dartmouth at Holy Cross - toss-up.
Yale at Cornell - inexperience trumps the Bulldogs.
Villanova at Penn - Villanova beat a bad Rhody team... but they have a lot of experience.
Harvard at Brown - Who is the better fourth quarter (and eventually consistent) team?

[bulldog10jw]

Georgetown at Princeton
Saturday:
Fordham at Columbia
Dartmouth at Holy Cross
Yale at Cornell
Villanova at Penn
Harvard at Brown

[Ivytalk]

Georgetown at Princeton
Saturday:
Fordham at Columbia
Dartmouth at Holy Cross
Yale at Cornell
Villanova at Penn
Harvard at Brown

Agree with bulldog's picks except for Harvard-Brown. In recent years we've played poorly in Providence, so I'll pick the Bears in a close one that will depend on the turnover margin.

[bulldog10jw]

Friday
Georgetown at Princeton - The tools are there on defense and special teams, and now that we have that first start out of our system, our offense should be in gear. We're about to equal last year's win total! On national television!

Saturday
Fordham at Columbia - Full credit to the Lions for the win nobody saw coming this week, but Fordham's much stronger than Marist.
Dartmouth at Holy Cross - Dartmouth changed my mind this weekend. HC did not.
Yale at Cornell - Yale got lucky with Georgetown. They'll need more than luck at Ithaca.
Villanova at Penn - This one wouldn't surprise me either way. Not holding last week against Penn - Lafayette's for real.
Harvard at Brown - Harvard needed all four quarters to beat San Diego. This week's game is the big event, the home opener under the lights, the one game people at Brown attend in numbers. Clear advantage Brown.


Let's see. Yale had 100 more yards in total offense, more 1st downs, 7 more minutes in time of possession, and the turnover battle was pretty much even so you can't say Georgetown gave it away with more turnovers. Oh, and Yale had 11 penalties for about 3 times the penalty yardage of Georgetown.

But Yale was lucky. Yeah, sure.

[bulldog10jw]

All that and you still needed an interception with 33 seconds left to keep them from scoring.

I stand by it. Game could easily have gone the other way.

So Yale interceptions were lucky, but Georgetown's weren't. Including the one they returned for a TD. OK. Makes sense to me.

[RichH2]

Started typing whenI realized all my picks were same. I'll go with bonarae.

[CFBfan]

Let's see. Yale had 100 more yards in total offense, more 1st downs, 7 more minutes in time of possession, and the turnover battle was pretty much even so you can't say Georgetown gave it away with more turnovers. Oh, and Yale had 11 penalties for about 3 times the penalty yardage of Georgetown.

But Yale was lucky. Yeah, sure.

Very lucky:
Hiyas fumbled on the Yale 5 and 1 yard line, misseded 2 short FG's in the 1st half and Yale scored on the last play of the half and a tip that was going to be picked where the WR was totally covered.
Congrats on the win BUT GTown totally outplayed Yale could have easily been 42 - 14 Georgetown

[bulldog10jw]

Not saying Gtown didn't catch some breaks, too. But any game with a lot of turnovers on both sides is a high-randomness game.

Of course. Close games almost always come down to turnovers and mistakes and special teams. And aren't most of the games between IL and PL teams close?

[bulldog10jw]

RB Varga Ivy League Rookie of the Week

http://www.yalebulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/2012-13/releases/20120917yegac7

Yale freshman running back Tyler Varga (Kitchener, Ont.) earned the first Ivy League Rookie of the Week award today after galloping for a game-high 103 yards and two scores in a win at Georgetown on Sept. 15. He is the first freshman to run for triple digits in his Yale debut.

[alvinkayak6]

Georgetown at Princeton
Saturday:
Fordham at Columbia
Dartmouth at Holy Cross
Yale at Cornell
Villanova at Penn
Harvard at Brown

Yale over Cornell. Penn over Villanova.

[alvinkayak6]

Cameron Sandquist = baller.


Let's see. Yale had 100 more yards in total offense, more 1st downs, 7 more minutes in time of possession, and the turnover battle was pretty much even so you can't say Georgetown gave it away with more turnovers. Oh, and Yale had 11 penalties for about 3 times the penalty yardage of Georgetown.

But Yale was lucky. Yeah, sure.

[bulldog10jw]

Yale-Cornell on TV Saturday

http://www.yalebulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/2012-13/releases/201209174jhn4o

NBCSN

Yale football airs live on NBC Sports Network three times this fall. The Cornell, Penn and Harvard games will be shown by the TV group previously branded as VERSUS. The studio team of Liam McHugh, Doug Flutie and Hines Ward provide pre- and post-game coverage on NBC and/or NBC Sports Network every Saturday of the college football season. The NBC Sports Network has televised 17 Ivy League football matchups featuring all eight schools over the past four (2008-11) seasons.

[thebin]

Let's see. Yale had 100 more yards in total offense, more 1st downs, 7 more minutes in time of possession, and the turnover battle was pretty much even so you can't say Georgetown gave it away with more turnovers. Oh, and Yale had 11 penalties for about 3 times the penalty yardage of Georgetown.

But Yale was lucky. Yeah, sure.

Come on. Were you at the game? You are cherry picking on the stats. When one team turns the ball over three times in the opponent's red zone, blows two short FGs, and the other team scores a 98 yard TD off a double deflection at the end of the half and you only win by 3? That's when you have had some luck go your way.

Yale was certainly lucky to win that game- which is NOT the same thing as saying they didn't deserve to win. Luck plays a much bigger role in close football games than for some reason people like to admit. You need a little luck to win usually- you guys needed more than a little last Sat and the Hoyas through several spectacular miscues gave you all you needed.

Doesn't mean Yale didn't win it fair and square. But let's go over some of the stats you didn't mention: Gtown played with a decidedly second rate back-up QB the whole game and still had three turnovers in the Yale RED ZONE. GU missed two short field goals also in the Yale red zone, one of which was a PAT more or less that hit the upright. And the Yale TD off a double deflection at the end of the first half when you were on your own 2-yard line was TOTAL luck. With all of that you won by 3 when our back up QB made a bone-headed toss up INT into triple coverage in good field position with 3 tries left. That game ended on a bone-headed move by a back up qb- if that happened to my team I would have no problem thanking the football gods for my fortune.

Hey a win is a win. Sometimes you need some luck to win and sometimes it goes against you. Fair enough. But that is a game if I'm a Yale fan and I'm being honest I admit my team was tremendously helped by the football gods. No shame in it. But my Hoyas gave that game to you on a silver platter.

[bulldog10jw]

Come on. Were you at the game? You are cherry picking on the stats. When one team turns the ball over three times in the opponent's red zone, blows two short FGs, and the other team scores a 98 yard TD off a double deflection at the end of the half and you only win by 3? That's when you have had some luck go your way.

Yale was certainly lucky to win that game- which is NOT the same thing as saying they didn't deserve to win. Luck plays a much bigger role in close football games than for some reason people like to admit. You need a little luck to win usually- you guys needed more than a little last Sat and the Hoyas through several spectacular miscues gave you all you needed.

Doesn't mean they didn't win it fair and square. Gtown played with a decidedly second rate back-up QB the whole game and still had three turnovers in the Yale RED ZONE. GU missed two short field goals also in the Yale red zone, one a PAT more or less that hit the upright. And the Yale TD off a double deflection at the end of the first half when you were on your own 2 yard line was TOTAL luck. With all of that you won by 3 when our back up QB made a bone-headed toss up INT into triple coverage in good field position with 3 tries left. That game ended on a bone-headed move by a back up qb- if that happened to my team I would have no problem thanking the football gods for my fortune.

Hey a win is a win. Sometimes you need some luck to win and sometimes it goes against you. Fair enough. But that is a game if I'm a Yale fan and I'm being honest I admit my team was tremendously helped by the football gods. No shame in it. But my Hoyas gave that game to you on a silver platter.

That's fine. I'll take it.

Enlighten me for future reference, please. Does that mean that the Gtown interception return for a TD was luck. Georgetown had an int returned for a TD and a punt return for a TD. Is that luck on a day the offense could only manage 1 TD.

It sounds like you are saying all turnovers are luck. How about bad center snaps in the shotgun that result in turnovers? Are those luck, or does that depend on field position.

If field position matters, at what yard line do all turnovers, fumbles and interceptions, become luck? Inside the 50, in the red zone? Or are they all luck? Just wondering.

How about the punt return for a TD. The Yale kicker out kicked his coverage. Any luck there.

Also, at what distance do made or missed FG's become luck. And for who? Is a 20 yard FG missed lucky for the defensive team? Is a 50 yard FG made lucky for the offensive team.

How about penalties. Lucky or no luck involved. After all, the ref's do miss some. Do penalties figure in on the "luck" equation.

Should I be writing all this down?

[thebin]

If I have to explain to you how special teams and interceptions are very much part of the game that involve some luck but hitting the uprights on a PAT and getting a double deflection 98-friggen yard TD at the end of a half where you were already lucky that GU fumbled while about to score weigh more heavily towards the "luck" side of the game...well I just don't have any interest in carrying on with such an unmitgated doushebag. Here is some news for you kid- turnovers are part of the game which usually even out. But they are not all created equal. Losing a game by 3 points when you had THREE RED ZONE turnovers and the luckiest score by far of the game was a 98-yard Yale total fluke td with a minute left on a half where you were lucky not to be losing 28-10....that's LUCKY.

Most Yale fans who I heard from after the game do NOT agree with your petty stance by the way. Sometimes you walk away from a game knowing the football gods favored you over the other guys- as most Elis did last Saturday. I guess you are just too petty to admit it.

Why don't you write that down son. And then.....do you know where you can stick it?

[bulldog10jw]

If I have to explain to you how special teams and interceptions are very much part of the game that involve some luck but hitting the uprights on a PAT and getting a double deflection 98-friggen yard TD at the end of a half where you were already lucky that GU fumbled while about to score weigh more heavily towards the "luck" side of the game...well I just don't have any interest in carrying on with such an unmitgated doushebag. Here is some news for you kid- turnoevers are part of the game. They usually even out. But they are not all created equal. Losing a game by 3 points when you had THREE RED ZONE turnovers and the luckiest score by far of the game was a 98 yard Yale fluke td with a minute left on a half where you were lucky not to be losing 28-10....that's LUCKY.

Most Yale fans who I heard from after the game do NOT agree with your petty stance by the way. Sometimes you walk away from a game knowing the football gods favored you over the other guys- as most Elis did last Saturday. I guess you are just too petty to admit it.

Why don't you write that down son. And then.....do you know where you can stick it?

have a nice day. xthumbsupx

[bulldog10jw]

Interesting article about the only time Yale played Notre Dame in football

http://nhregister.com/articles/2012/09/19/sports/doc5059167b1cae4575954533.txt?viewmode=fullstory

[Ivytalk]

Well, bulldog, let us know how or if Yale contains Mathews. He's the real deal. We just outscored Cornell last year. We didn't stop him.

[bulldog10jw]

Well, bulldog, let us know how or if Yale contains Mathews. He's the real deal. We just outscored Cornell last year. We didn't stop him.

Yale's only shot, I think, is to keep him off the field. We'll see if they can control the ball. I think we caught a break last year catching Mathews so early in the season before his game really took off. I don't think that will help this year..

[Bogus Megapardus]

Some of the PL/Ivy sportsbook odds are up. I'll update as more are listed:

Lafayette (-4) at Bucknell

Fordham (pk) at Columbia

Dartmouth (pk) at Holy Cross

Yale (-1) at Cornell

Villanova (-1½) at Penn

Harvard (-4) at Brown

Stony Brook (-14) vs Colgate

Lehigh (-6) at Liberty


EDIT: Harvard, Colgate and Lehigh finally are up. Still nothing on Georgetown/Princeton.

[bulldog10jw]

Some of the PL/Ivy sportsbook odds are up. I'll update as more are listed:

Lafayette (-4) at Bucknell

Fordham (pk) at Columbia

Dartmouth (pk) at Holy Cross

Yale (-1) at Cornell

Villanova (-1½) at Penn

Harvard (-4) at Brown

Stony Brook (-14) vs Colgate

Lehigh (-6) at Liberty


EDIT: Harvard, Colgate and Lehigh finally are up. Still nothing on Georgetown/Princeton.

No way should Yale be favored.

[DJOM]

Friday:
Georgetown at Princeton - TIGERS take this one at home. Cats are dangerous at night under the lights
Saturday:
Fordham at Columbia - Fordham
Dartmouth at Holy Cross - Dartmouth...Offense is nice, Defense wins championships.
Yale at Cornell - Cornell
Villanova at Penn - Villanova. and/or anyone that is playing against Penn
Harvard at Brown - Harvard.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Yale at Cornell - Jeff Matthews threw 56 times for nearly 500 yards last week (and he didn't get picked off). Big Red will run the ball a little better this week, I think (especially inside of the 20), as Yale plays plays its defensive secondary soft to try to contain all of those Cornell passing yards. Cornell has a stout OL that will give Matthews enough time to find his array of receivers. Cornell 24-16.

Georgetown at Princeton - My post-graduate loyalty combined with my now-ingrained "FiOS Bias" ought to compel me to pick the Tigers here. But the Hoyas haven't played Princeton since 1789 (or something like that) and they're keyed on this game. Princeton couldn't care less about that; besides everyone knows that non-Ivy games don't count. Georgetown 21-20.

Dartmouth at Holy Cross - I'd go with the Crusaders if I knew that QB Kevin Watson would be healthy and be able to play. Dartmouth seems determined this season; inside sources suggest that the Keggers actually have applied to the league office for an exception to the OOC-Games-Don't-Matter rule. Dartmouth 27-24.

Villanova at Penn - Word is that Al Bagnoli had Billy Ragone stand in front of a mirror in full uniform for twenty minutes in order for him contemplate the colors, nature and design of the Quaker dress. Bagnoli then impressed upon Ragone the significance of throwing the ball only to other guys who are wearing the same thing. True, I was unnerved (as a Lafayette fan) by Penn's ability to stay in the game last weekend even in spite of eight turnovers. But Villanova will have too much on both sides of the ball even if the Penn QB tandem finds only loyal hands. Villanova 27-20.

Fordham at Columbia - Lions showed some defense last weekend, but now they have to try to stop the Ram's dynamic RB Carlton Koonce. They won't. Fordham 17-6.

Harvard at Brown - These two are Ivy's best at the moment, IMHO. Harvard's Colton Chapple and Brown's Patrick Donnelly are pretty much a wash; it's going to come down to the running game and the Cantab's Treavor Scales has the edge. Look for Scales to have a big game, which I think will be the difference. Harvard 21-17.

[Laker]

Friday:
Georgetown at Princeton - TIGERS take this one at home. Cats are dangerous at night under the lights

Is this the first time that an Ivy team has been on at night on ESPN? I see it on the schedule but usually on Friday nights I was coaching, scouting or watching a high school team. This should be interesting.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Is this the first time that an Ivy team has been on at night on ESPN? I see it on the schedule but usually on Friday nights I was coaching, scouting or watching a high school team. This should be interesting.

I remember an ESPN game against Colgate a few seasons ago. There might some others as well; it wouldn't surprise me.

[bonarae]

Is this the first time that an Ivy team has been on at night on ESPN? I see it on the schedule but usually on Friday nights I was coaching, scouting or watching a high school team. This should be interesting.

Some Ivy teams have already played Friday night games before, but it's the first time an Ivy team has been on the ESPN Family of Networks on a Friday.

[Ivytalk]

No way should Yale be favored.

Harvard shouldn't, either.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Harvard shouldn't, either.

Umm . . . yes it should, provided Scales is healthy.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Some movement in the PL/Ivy sportsbook lines.

Fordham at Columbia now is Fordham (-1½)

Villanova at Penn now is Villanova (-3)

Colgate at Stony Brook now is Stony Brook (-18)

Still no line on the Georgetown/Princeton game.

[Ivytalk]

Umm . . . yes it should, provided Scales is healthy.

Um, no it shouldn't, given how Harvard has played in Providence the last two times. It's becoming another Franklin Field.

[bulldog10jw]

Um, no it shouldn't, given how Harvard has played in Providence the last two times. It's becoming another Franklin Field.

Just pretend it's the Yale Bowl.

[Ivytalk]

Just pretend it's the Yale Bowl.

xlolxxthumbsupx

[Bogus Megapardus]

Watching a bit of Yale @ Cornell on NBC right now. I saw Cornell at Fordham last weekend and the offense looked good. But against Yale, Jeff Matthews looks really good and his receivers are up to the task. Cornell is going to be tough to beat in the Ivy.

[bonarae]

Finals so far:
Georgetown 21, Princeton 20
Fordham 20, Columbia 13
Cornell 45, Yale 6 (oh yes, Cornell's O looks really good)
Dartmouth 13, Holy Cross 10 (really close...)
Villanova 24, Penn 8

In progress...
Harvard 24, Brown 17 somewhere in 3Q

[Ivytalk]

Harvard 45-31 over Brown, final

[Go Green]

Georgetown 21, Princeton 20

Dartmouth 13, Holy Cross 10 (really close...)



Am I the only guy who wondered why the Dartmouth victory got the "really close" designation here?

[bulldog10jw]

Am I the only guy who wondered why the Dartmouth victory got the "really close" designation here?

Friday games don't qualify for the famous "really close" designation.