Harvard has already clinched the Ivy Title, but now they look to finish undefeated in the Ivy League with a win over their biggest rivals, the Yale Bulldogs, at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, CT.
Our pregame coverage begins at 11am and features:
A History of "The Game"
An interview with Harvard alum and Buffalo Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
An interview with Harvard football coach Tim Murphy
and interviews with the Harvard and Yale captains, plus much more.
Kickoff is at approximate 12 noon.
Tune in for the final game of the 2011 season on 95.3FM and whrb.org.
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Harvard Claims Improbable Championship with Best Performance of Year
by Scott Reed
WHRB Sports
My Opinion
It was a masterful effort by Harvard against an opponent that had made a habit of dashing Crimson hopes, and the team from Cambridge sits back atop the Ivy football throne, claiming its 14th league title with a 37-21 throttling of the Penn Quakers. The win, coupled with a 21-16 Brown loss to Dartmouth, gave Harvard its seventh outright Ivy title and first since 2007, a title that after a season-opening loss seemed unattainable two months ago.
The manner in which the Crimson won Saturday was, in a word, dominant. An offense that has put up historic numbers this season did its part (30 offensive points, 204 rushing yards), and the defense, which has had its poor showings this year, was sublime. It was, considering the opponent and the circumstances, Harvard's best defensive performance of the year - head coach Tim Murphy dubbed it "one of the best defensive performances [Harvard] has had in a long time." The Quakers were held to 219 total yards, their second-lowest output of the year, including a meager 24 net rushing yards on 30 attempts. Josue Ortiz, perhaps the most talented Ivy league footballer in 2011, led the way with ten tackles and two sacks.
Given Harvard's 24-7 victory over second-place Brown in September, Saturday's performance left no doubt (the upcoming finale against Yale notwithstanding) that Harvard is the best the Ivy League has to offer. Harvard scored 37 unanswered points and held Penn to seven through three and a half quarters. "We lost to a better team," said Al Bagnoli, Penn's longtime head coach, in a somewhat bitter postgame press conference.
It was, in short, the kind of game that made even the biggest Crimson critic question why they had ever doubted Harvard. Yet, there was a time when the scene that unfolded Saturday had seemed an improbable dream. Those who saw the Crimson walk off the field after a season-opening loss at Holy Cross (this columnist included) could not have imagined that the team that played so poorly in Worcester would go on to win 8 straight games in dominant fashion (average margin of victory: 22 points) and be able to wrap up the Ivy title even before heading to New Haven. The hopes of such a turnaround seemed even dimmer when the news broke that starting quarterback Collier Winters would be out several weeks due to injury. Yet that Harvard team, at times sans Winters, rebounded and has a chance to record one of the best seasons in school history.
Harvard's title is a result of contributions from a host of characters: Ortiz and the rest of the defensive line, who controlled the line of scrimmage in every Ivy contest; Winters, who performed better after returning from injury than he had in his collegiate career; junior backup quarterback Colton Chapple, who filled in admirably for Winters in four starts; the team leader, linebacker Alex Gedeon, of whom Murphy said "I don't know if we've ever had a better captain"; and of course, Murphy himself, who claimed his sixth Ivy title in the same year that he has become Harvard's winningest head coach.
Regardless of the outcome of the finale at the Yale Bowl, the win over Penn and subsequent Ivy title stand as remarkable. Long after the 2011 team plays its final game, it will be remembered for attaining a championship that, after loss and injury, had once seemed impossible.
Scott Reed is the play-by-play broadcaster for Harvard football on WHRB.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Football: Ivy League Week 8 Preview
Brown (6-1) at Yale (4-3)
Yale is staring down the barrel of mediocrity. In fact the world came tantalizingly close to a hilarious result in NYC last week, as Columbia had the ball down only three points late in the fourth quarter (Yale effectively ended the game with a pick). That said, I’m willing to give the Bulldogs some benefit of the doubt, as the game was played in a snowstorm and the Lions were thoroughly out-gained. Brown, meanwhile, used the same ugly weather to hold Penn’s Billy Ragone to 6-of-15 for 32 yards and 3 INTs in a 6-0 shutout. Despite not being obviously good at any one thing, Brown hasn’t lost in over a month.
Harvard (6-1) at Columbia (0-7)
Harvard’s offence has been all sorts of unstoppable in the past month, and I mean that more or less literally: Opponent’s offence keeping them in the game? Collier Winters can throw for 400! Collier Winters injured? Colton Chapple can throw for five touchdowns! Minor blizzard making it hard to throw a ball? Run for 400! A skeptic might point out that this has come against teams who are 7-11 against other opponents, to which I say: Yes, but Columbia’s on the docket this week.
Princeton (1-6) at Penn (4-3)
Five of Princeton’s six losses have been by double digits, and their win is over Columbia. And yet the Tigers have "only" been out-gained by 23 yards/game. The real problem has been turnovers: Princeton is -12 in turnover margin. Penn has now been out-scored by four points, cumulatively, on the season. Both these teams are quite good on the ground, each out-rushing opponents by over 60 yards/game. If Princeton can get Billy Ragone to screw up more than their own Tommy Wornham (both QBs have thrown 8 picks this season), they could actually keep it close.
Cornell (3-4) at Dartmouth (2-5)
Two of the Ivy League’s most valuable players will take the field in Hanover on Saturday. Cornell’s ground game is awful, so they put the ball in sophomore Jeff Mathews’s hands 34 times (for almost 300 yards) per game. Meanwhile, Nick Schwieger continues to be Dartmouth’s offence, as the Big Green have only averaged 120 yards/game passing. The defense hasn’t been great either; the cumulative effect is that Dartmouth has been out-gained by almost 110 yards/game. The winner of this game takes a death grip on 5th place in the Ancient Eight.
Picks to bet your Coop Rebate on
Yale over Brown, Harvard over Columbia, Penn over Princeton, Cornell over Dartmouth.
Yale is staring down the barrel of mediocrity. In fact the world came tantalizingly close to a hilarious result in NYC last week, as Columbia had the ball down only three points late in the fourth quarter (Yale effectively ended the game with a pick). That said, I’m willing to give the Bulldogs some benefit of the doubt, as the game was played in a snowstorm and the Lions were thoroughly out-gained. Brown, meanwhile, used the same ugly weather to hold Penn’s Billy Ragone to 6-of-15 for 32 yards and 3 INTs in a 6-0 shutout. Despite not being obviously good at any one thing, Brown hasn’t lost in over a month.
Harvard (6-1) at Columbia (0-7)
Harvard’s offence has been all sorts of unstoppable in the past month, and I mean that more or less literally: Opponent’s offence keeping them in the game? Collier Winters can throw for 400! Collier Winters injured? Colton Chapple can throw for five touchdowns! Minor blizzard making it hard to throw a ball? Run for 400! A skeptic might point out that this has come against teams who are 7-11 against other opponents, to which I say: Yes, but Columbia’s on the docket this week.
Princeton (1-6) at Penn (4-3)
Five of Princeton’s six losses have been by double digits, and their win is over Columbia. And yet the Tigers have "only" been out-gained by 23 yards/game. The real problem has been turnovers: Princeton is -12 in turnover margin. Penn has now been out-scored by four points, cumulatively, on the season. Both these teams are quite good on the ground, each out-rushing opponents by over 60 yards/game. If Princeton can get Billy Ragone to screw up more than their own Tommy Wornham (both QBs have thrown 8 picks this season), they could actually keep it close.
Cornell (3-4) at Dartmouth (2-5)
Two of the Ivy League’s most valuable players will take the field in Hanover on Saturday. Cornell’s ground game is awful, so they put the ball in sophomore Jeff Mathews’s hands 34 times (for almost 300 yards) per game. Meanwhile, Nick Schwieger continues to be Dartmouth’s offence, as the Big Green have only averaged 120 yards/game passing. The defense hasn’t been great either; the cumulative effect is that Dartmouth has been out-gained by almost 110 yards/game. The winner of this game takes a death grip on 5th place in the Ancient Eight.
Picks to bet your Coop Rebate on
Yale over Brown, Harvard over Columbia, Penn over Princeton, Cornell over Dartmouth.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Football: Ivy League Week 6 Preview
Yale (3-2) at Pennsylvania (3-2)
Eli dropped a game in Lafayette last weekend. Apparently the Bulldogs tried an onside kick down two points with about 13 minutes left in the fourth. It didn’t work, and the Leopards scored an insurance touchdown. Good hustle, though, boys. Penn had an exciting comeback win over, uh, Columbia. I have no idea what to make of Penn; they’ve outgained opponents by 73 ypg, but have needed two last-minute touchdowns to take down Dartmouth and Columbia. One of these teams is going to emerge 3-0 in the Ivy.
Brown (4-1) at Cornell (2-3)
The Bears remain undefeated against non-Harvard teams, having pounded Princeton 34-0 last weekend. They held Tigers QB Tommy Wornham to a hilarious 11-of-27 for 75 yards. While we’re on the topic of stingy pass defense, Cornell allowed 3-of-10 for 52 yards with two interceptions last weekend against Colgate. The Big Red lost anyway. It’s a beautiful world we live in.
Princeton (1-4) at Harvard (4-1)
Last week Colton Chapple completed a modest 13 passes against Bucknell—it’s just that five were for touchdowns. A 223-to-(-5)-yard rushing edge and four opponent interceptions will do that for a guy. Princeton’s trip to Providence was an all-purpose pantsing. The Tigers gave up twice as many yards as they earned and threw an interception to boot. Even with that loss, though, Princeton has only been outgained by 32 ypg; they should be a tougher out for Harvard than the records would indicate.
Columbia (0-5) at Dartmouth (1-4)
WHRB Sports’ 8-time Defending Ivy League Sleeper Pick has now dropped four in a row. Last week’s not-that-close loss at Holy Cross saw Dartmouth outgained by nearly 300 yards. Which: Oh boy. Nick Schwieger’s 110 ypg rushing accounts for about 42% of the Big Green’s total offence on the year. Meanwhile, Columbia is bad.
Picks to bet your Felipe’s Super Carnitas Burrito on
Penn over Yale; Cornell over Brown; Harvard over Princeton; Nick Schwieger over Columbia.
Eli dropped a game in Lafayette last weekend. Apparently the Bulldogs tried an onside kick down two points with about 13 minutes left in the fourth. It didn’t work, and the Leopards scored an insurance touchdown. Good hustle, though, boys. Penn had an exciting comeback win over, uh, Columbia. I have no idea what to make of Penn; they’ve outgained opponents by 73 ypg, but have needed two last-minute touchdowns to take down Dartmouth and Columbia. One of these teams is going to emerge 3-0 in the Ivy.
Brown (4-1) at Cornell (2-3)
The Bears remain undefeated against non-Harvard teams, having pounded Princeton 34-0 last weekend. They held Tigers QB Tommy Wornham to a hilarious 11-of-27 for 75 yards. While we’re on the topic of stingy pass defense, Cornell allowed 3-of-10 for 52 yards with two interceptions last weekend against Colgate. The Big Red lost anyway. It’s a beautiful world we live in.
Princeton (1-4) at Harvard (4-1)
Last week Colton Chapple completed a modest 13 passes against Bucknell—it’s just that five were for touchdowns. A 223-to-(-5)-yard rushing edge and four opponent interceptions will do that for a guy. Princeton’s trip to Providence was an all-purpose pantsing. The Tigers gave up twice as many yards as they earned and threw an interception to boot. Even with that loss, though, Princeton has only been outgained by 32 ypg; they should be a tougher out for Harvard than the records would indicate.
Columbia (0-5) at Dartmouth (1-4)
WHRB Sports’ 8-time Defending Ivy League Sleeper Pick has now dropped four in a row. Last week’s not-that-close loss at Holy Cross saw Dartmouth outgained by nearly 300 yards. Which: Oh boy. Nick Schwieger’s 110 ypg rushing accounts for about 42% of the Big Green’s total offence on the year. Meanwhile, Columbia is bad.
Picks to bet your Felipe’s Super Carnitas Burrito on
Penn over Yale; Cornell over Brown; Harvard over Princeton; Nick Schwieger over Columbia.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Football: Ivy League Week 5 Preview
Princeton (1-3) at Brown (3-1)
All three Princeton losses have come against non-conference opponents, including a 28-23 loss last weekend against Hampton. The Tigers are out-gaining their opponents by 72 yards/g on the ground, but giving most of that back through the air. The Brown Bears have taken Princeton’s record and flipped it, going 3-0 out-of-conference. Look, we get it, Brown. You’re different. And I mean that’s great. But it sorta feels like you’re trying too hard, y’know?
Cornell (2-2) at Colgate (3-3)
Big Red vs Big…what is that, Magenta? Wikipedia claims it’s a Maroon. Whatever. Colgate RB Nate Eachus has 628 rushing yards in only four games. The Red (it’s more brown than red, but I guess you know best) Raiders have won two straight with Eachus back from injury. Cornell’s last outing saw them give up 530 yards of offense to your Harvard Crimson. Sophomore QB Jeff Mathews (155.2 efficiency rating) has built on last year’s strong freshman campaign.
Bucknell (4-2) at Harvard (3-1)
The Bison run defense has been very good this year, allowing only 62 yards/g. Their pass defense has been less good, giving up closer to 244. Bucknell’s +13 turnover margin on the year helps explain their winning record; Senior DB Bryce Robertson has five picks already. Harvard, meanwhile, goes for their fourth straight win after last week’s offensive explosion at Cornell. Come on guys, you’re not going to lose on Drew Faust’s 375th birthday, are you?
Dartmouth (1-3) at Holy Cross (2-3)
After two close losses, Dartmouth had a more Dartmouth-y 30-0 loss to Yale last weekend. Senior RB Nick Schwieger’s 39 yards was enough to move him into first on Dartmouth’s all-time rushing list. Holy Cross could also use a win, having dropped consecutive seven-point games to Brown and New Hampshire. The Crusaders are only 11-for-15 on extra point attempts, somehow.
Pennsylvania (2-2) at Columbia (0-4)
Oatmeal has won two straight, including last week’s 35-20 victory over Fordham. Billy Ragone has looked more like himself lately, completing 68% of his passes with no picks in those two wins. Meanwhile, Columbia is bad.
Yale (3-1) at Lafayette (1-4)
The Bulldogs have won games by 10, 20, and 30 points this year, and lost one by 30. I’m just going to assume this means Yale doesn’t have the constitution to keep games close and exciting. Boooo Yale. You’re boring all these nice people! Lafayette hasn’t played since losing to Harvard two weeks ago. The Leopards’ have been doubled-up on the ground so far this year.
Picks to bet your BoardPlus on
Princeton over Brown; Colgate over Cornell; Cornell joins the 300-team New Mountain West Conference; Harvard over Bucknell; Holy Cross over Dartmouth; Columbia over Columbia (to Penn’s benefit); Lafayette over Yale by 40.
All three Princeton losses have come against non-conference opponents, including a 28-23 loss last weekend against Hampton. The Tigers are out-gaining their opponents by 72 yards/g on the ground, but giving most of that back through the air. The Brown Bears have taken Princeton’s record and flipped it, going 3-0 out-of-conference. Look, we get it, Brown. You’re different. And I mean that’s great. But it sorta feels like you’re trying too hard, y’know?
Cornell (2-2) at Colgate (3-3)
Big Red vs Big…what is that, Magenta? Wikipedia claims it’s a Maroon. Whatever. Colgate RB Nate Eachus has 628 rushing yards in only four games. The Red (it’s more brown than red, but I guess you know best) Raiders have won two straight with Eachus back from injury. Cornell’s last outing saw them give up 530 yards of offense to your Harvard Crimson. Sophomore QB Jeff Mathews (155.2 efficiency rating) has built on last year’s strong freshman campaign.
Bucknell (4-2) at Harvard (3-1)
The Bison run defense has been very good this year, allowing only 62 yards/g. Their pass defense has been less good, giving up closer to 244. Bucknell’s +13 turnover margin on the year helps explain their winning record; Senior DB Bryce Robertson has five picks already. Harvard, meanwhile, goes for their fourth straight win after last week’s offensive explosion at Cornell. Come on guys, you’re not going to lose on Drew Faust’s 375th birthday, are you?
Dartmouth (1-3) at Holy Cross (2-3)
After two close losses, Dartmouth had a more Dartmouth-y 30-0 loss to Yale last weekend. Senior RB Nick Schwieger’s 39 yards was enough to move him into first on Dartmouth’s all-time rushing list. Holy Cross could also use a win, having dropped consecutive seven-point games to Brown and New Hampshire. The Crusaders are only 11-for-15 on extra point attempts, somehow.
Pennsylvania (2-2) at Columbia (0-4)
Oatmeal has won two straight, including last week’s 35-20 victory over Fordham. Billy Ragone has looked more like himself lately, completing 68% of his passes with no picks in those two wins. Meanwhile, Columbia is bad.
Yale (3-1) at Lafayette (1-4)
The Bulldogs have won games by 10, 20, and 30 points this year, and lost one by 30. I’m just going to assume this means Yale doesn’t have the constitution to keep games close and exciting. Boooo Yale. You’re boring all these nice people! Lafayette hasn’t played since losing to Harvard two weeks ago. The Leopards’ have been doubled-up on the ground so far this year.
Picks to bet your BoardPlus on
Princeton over Brown; Colgate over Cornell; Cornell joins the 300-team New Mountain West Conference; Harvard over Bucknell; Holy Cross over Dartmouth; Columbia over Columbia (to Penn’s benefit); Lafayette over Yale by 40.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Day of Surprises Ends in Predictable Crimson Win
by Scott Reed
WHRB Sports
My Opinion
The October day in Ithaca was sunny and warm, a backup quarterback set records, and a movie star was in attendance - it was an odd, surreal game at Schoellkopf Field. Everything about the afternoon seemed atypical - everything except, of course, the outcome, as Harvard beat Cornell for the 10th time in their last eleven meetings.
The Ithaca day dawned radiant and, dare we say, almost hot, in a region known for its harsh winters and crisp autumns (This writer chooses to avoid upstate New York for this very reason). This pleasant surprise of a day was the backdrop for an unusually competitive Harvard-Cornell game and the best statistical performance by a Harvard quarterback in nine years.
The game was more competitive than Harvard-Cornell matchups of recent memory - the Crimson had won the last four games between the two with ease and had beaten the Big Red in nine of their past ten games. Saturday, however, Harvard found itself on the ropes for three quarters, as the Big Red offense, behind sophomore quarterback Jeff Matthews, kept pace with the Crimson every step of the way. Cornell set the tone early as they took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards on three passing plays for the first score of the day. Matthews easily and quickly picked apart the Harvard secondary in a manner reminiscent of Holy Cross's Ryan Taggert in the Crimson's season opening loss. "It was an eye-opener that this was going to be a tough game," Harvard head coach Tim Murphy would say afterward of the drive. Although the Harvard offense would respond, Cornell would regain the lead 17-10 in the second quarter and 24-20 late in the third. It was not the kind of matchup between the two programs that Ivy League fans were used to seeing: the Crimson had romped by more than two touchdowns in each of their last four games with Cornell.
Of course, this team is not the Cornell of the last four years either, as the Big Red came in with a record of 2-1 and leading the league in total offense and total defense. That Cornell would challenge Harvard was not a surprise to the Crimson themselves, or at least to the coaching staff - a special meeting was called the Thursday before the game to address the importance of not looking past them. Saying that a team will take a game seriously is one thing, however, while doing it is another, and early on Harvard was surprised and given all it could handle.
Surprises occurred off the field as well on Saturday, as actor Bill Murray was spotted in attendance; Murray was shown several instances on the video board at Schoellkopf field and could be seen at times conversing with the Harvard band.
The most surprising storyline of the afternoon, however, and without a doubt the biggest story of the game, was the day recorded by Colton Chapple, Harvard's backup quarterback filling in for the injured Collier Winters for the third straight game. Chapple, a career second-stringer, ended the day with an eye-popping 414 yards through the air. That was the most passing yards recorded by a Harvard quarterback since Neil Rose threw for 443 at Dartmouth back in 2002. The nine year stretch between then and Saturday included the entire quarterbacking tenures of Ryan Fitzpatrick (now the starter for the Buffalo Bills) and Chris Pizzotti, two of the best signalcallers in Crimson history.
Could Chapple be better than those two? The opinion here is that he isn't anything close to Fiztpatrick or Rose in terms of raw talent, but that shouldn't take away from the outstanding day he had, a day that will go down in the Harvard history books. After the game, Chapple was quick to credit his wide receivers "We've got a lot of playmakers, and I was just trying to get the ball to them." Harvard does indeed have talent on the outside, and was bolstered by 100-yard receiving days from seniors Alex Sarkisian and Chris Lorditch. There were clear height mismatches that the Crimson were able to exploit, as Harvard's receivers often had six or eight inches of height on the Cornell cornerbacks. Yet, mismatches and talented wide receivers alone cannot account for Harvard's brilliant passing performance: there was something simply special about Chapple on Saturday.
In the end, though, a day full of surprises ended in a predictable final result, as Harvard continued its winning tendencies over Cornell. That Harvard was able to weather the storm from the Big Red and respond with 21 unanswered points is a testament not only to Chapple and the offense but to the coaching staff as well. And with the Crimson win, Harvard, which started 0-1 and now sits at 3-1 with two good options at the quarterback position, moves ahead to a future that looks much brighter than it did four weeks ago.
Scott Reed is the play-by-play announcer for Harvard football and men's basketball on WHRB.
WHRB Sports
My Opinion
The October day in Ithaca was sunny and warm, a backup quarterback set records, and a movie star was in attendance - it was an odd, surreal game at Schoellkopf Field. Everything about the afternoon seemed atypical - everything except, of course, the outcome, as Harvard beat Cornell for the 10th time in their last eleven meetings.
The Ithaca day dawned radiant and, dare we say, almost hot, in a region known for its harsh winters and crisp autumns (This writer chooses to avoid upstate New York for this very reason). This pleasant surprise of a day was the backdrop for an unusually competitive Harvard-Cornell game and the best statistical performance by a Harvard quarterback in nine years.
The game was more competitive than Harvard-Cornell matchups of recent memory - the Crimson had won the last four games between the two with ease and had beaten the Big Red in nine of their past ten games. Saturday, however, Harvard found itself on the ropes for three quarters, as the Big Red offense, behind sophomore quarterback Jeff Matthews, kept pace with the Crimson every step of the way. Cornell set the tone early as they took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards on three passing plays for the first score of the day. Matthews easily and quickly picked apart the Harvard secondary in a manner reminiscent of Holy Cross's Ryan Taggert in the Crimson's season opening loss. "It was an eye-opener that this was going to be a tough game," Harvard head coach Tim Murphy would say afterward of the drive. Although the Harvard offense would respond, Cornell would regain the lead 17-10 in the second quarter and 24-20 late in the third. It was not the kind of matchup between the two programs that Ivy League fans were used to seeing: the Crimson had romped by more than two touchdowns in each of their last four games with Cornell.
Of course, this team is not the Cornell of the last four years either, as the Big Red came in with a record of 2-1 and leading the league in total offense and total defense. That Cornell would challenge Harvard was not a surprise to the Crimson themselves, or at least to the coaching staff - a special meeting was called the Thursday before the game to address the importance of not looking past them. Saying that a team will take a game seriously is one thing, however, while doing it is another, and early on Harvard was surprised and given all it could handle.
Surprises occurred off the field as well on Saturday, as actor Bill Murray was spotted in attendance; Murray was shown several instances on the video board at Schoellkopf field and could be seen at times conversing with the Harvard band.
The most surprising storyline of the afternoon, however, and without a doubt the biggest story of the game, was the day recorded by Colton Chapple, Harvard's backup quarterback filling in for the injured Collier Winters for the third straight game. Chapple, a career second-stringer, ended the day with an eye-popping 414 yards through the air. That was the most passing yards recorded by a Harvard quarterback since Neil Rose threw for 443 at Dartmouth back in 2002. The nine year stretch between then and Saturday included the entire quarterbacking tenures of Ryan Fitzpatrick (now the starter for the Buffalo Bills) and Chris Pizzotti, two of the best signalcallers in Crimson history.
Could Chapple be better than those two? The opinion here is that he isn't anything close to Fiztpatrick or Rose in terms of raw talent, but that shouldn't take away from the outstanding day he had, a day that will go down in the Harvard history books. After the game, Chapple was quick to credit his wide receivers "We've got a lot of playmakers, and I was just trying to get the ball to them." Harvard does indeed have talent on the outside, and was bolstered by 100-yard receiving days from seniors Alex Sarkisian and Chris Lorditch. There were clear height mismatches that the Crimson were able to exploit, as Harvard's receivers often had six or eight inches of height on the Cornell cornerbacks. Yet, mismatches and talented wide receivers alone cannot account for Harvard's brilliant passing performance: there was something simply special about Chapple on Saturday.
In the end, though, a day full of surprises ended in a predictable final result, as Harvard continued its winning tendencies over Cornell. That Harvard was able to weather the storm from the Big Red and respond with 21 unanswered points is a testament not only to Chapple and the offense but to the coaching staff as well. And with the Crimson win, Harvard, which started 0-1 and now sits at 3-1 with two good options at the quarterback position, moves ahead to a future that looks much brighter than it did four weeks ago.
Scott Reed is the play-by-play announcer for Harvard football and men's basketball on WHRB.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Football: Ivy League Week 2 Preview
Editor's Note- Every week, we here at WHRB will take a look back at last week's results and this week's schedule. This week our weekly preview comes to you from our own Zak Kline, who through no fault of his own (and through a lot of fault of mine) cannot post on the blog yet. -BR
Ivy League Week 2
by Zak Kline
Friday, September 23, 2011
Brown (1-0) at Harvard (0-1)
Harvard opens its home schedule with a Friday night game. The Crimson are 4-0 under the lights since installing them in 2007. The Crimson’s season started with a sloppy 30-22 loss at Holy Cross last Saturday. The Brown Bears opened their 2011 season with a 21-20 win over Stony Brook. Stony Brook had a 55-yard FG attempt come up short in the last minute. Senior QB Kyle Newhall-Caballero hit on 22 of 37 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns. For his efforts, he won the weekly New England Football Writers’ Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Gold Helmet Award, which decision was in turn nominated for the WHRB Longest Combined Name of Award Giver and Recipient Award.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Cornell (1-0) at Yale (1-0)
Yale started 2011 with a 37-27 win over Georgetown, as Patrick Witt threw for 280 yards and Mordecai Cargill ran for 92 yards on just 15 carries. Cornell also opened with a victory, beating Bucknell on the strength of 323 yards from QB Jeff Mathews and a stingy 1.8 yards/carry allowed on defense. But really, can anything be called a victory if you have to go home to Ithaca or New Haven afterwards?
Albany (0-2) at Columbia (0-1)
The Great Danes haven’t stopped anyone through two games, allowing almost 480 yards rushing and another 410 through the air. Sean Brackett, named to the All-Ivy first team last year, did not have his best day for the Lions against Fordham, completing fewer than 50% of his passes with two touchdowns and two picks. That line will probably improve this week.
Dartmouth (1-0) at Sacred Heart (0-2)
Sacred Heart’s offense has accumulated 13 points through two games. Their only touchdown came after a Marist muffed punt gave the Pioneers a red zone opportunity in Week 1. They’re not very good. Dartmouth, meanwhile, opened with a lopsided win over Colgate. All-Everything running back Nick Schwieger got his Ivy League MVP reelection campaign off to a good start, notching 175 yards on 8.8 per rush.
Bucknell (2-1) at Princeton (0-1)
The Bison get another crack at an Ivy opponent after being downed by Cornell. Bucknell’s most notable feature is that my computer’s spell-checker doesn’t recognize the word “Bucknell”. Princeton lost by twelve to Lehigh, letting Mountain Hawk QB Chris Lum throw for 384 yards and 4 TDs. The Tigers were able to grind out 180 yards rushing, which success they’ll need to duplicate if their secondary takes another day off.
Penn (0-1) at Villanova (0-3)
Villanova has long been mentioned as a possible football addition to the Big East, where most of the Wildcats’ other programs already play. The football Wildcats have been demonstrating they could be competitive in a “BCS Conference” by losing to Temple (by 35), Towson (by 21) and Monmouth (NJ) (by 11). The Quakers, meanwhile, started the year by getting slapped around by Lafayette, 37-12. Reigning co-Ivy first-team QB Billy Ragone had an awful day, finishing 8-for-23 with 91 yards and two interceptions. He will have to be better if Penn wants to beat Villanova for the first time in 100 years.
Ivy League Week 2
by Zak Kline
Friday, September 23, 2011
Brown (1-0) at Harvard (0-1)
Harvard opens its home schedule with a Friday night game. The Crimson are 4-0 under the lights since installing them in 2007. The Crimson’s season started with a sloppy 30-22 loss at Holy Cross last Saturday. The Brown Bears opened their 2011 season with a 21-20 win over Stony Brook. Stony Brook had a 55-yard FG attempt come up short in the last minute. Senior QB Kyle Newhall-Caballero hit on 22 of 37 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns. For his efforts, he won the weekly New England Football Writers’ Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Gold Helmet Award, which decision was in turn nominated for the WHRB Longest Combined Name of Award Giver and Recipient Award.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Cornell (1-0) at Yale (1-0)
Yale started 2011 with a 37-27 win over Georgetown, as Patrick Witt threw for 280 yards and Mordecai Cargill ran for 92 yards on just 15 carries. Cornell also opened with a victory, beating Bucknell on the strength of 323 yards from QB Jeff Mathews and a stingy 1.8 yards/carry allowed on defense. But really, can anything be called a victory if you have to go home to Ithaca or New Haven afterwards?
Albany (0-2) at Columbia (0-1)
The Great Danes haven’t stopped anyone through two games, allowing almost 480 yards rushing and another 410 through the air. Sean Brackett, named to the All-Ivy first team last year, did not have his best day for the Lions against Fordham, completing fewer than 50% of his passes with two touchdowns and two picks. That line will probably improve this week.
Dartmouth (1-0) at Sacred Heart (0-2)
Sacred Heart’s offense has accumulated 13 points through two games. Their only touchdown came after a Marist muffed punt gave the Pioneers a red zone opportunity in Week 1. They’re not very good. Dartmouth, meanwhile, opened with a lopsided win over Colgate. All-Everything running back Nick Schwieger got his Ivy League MVP reelection campaign off to a good start, notching 175 yards on 8.8 per rush.
Bucknell (2-1) at Princeton (0-1)
The Bison get another crack at an Ivy opponent after being downed by Cornell. Bucknell’s most notable feature is that my computer’s spell-checker doesn’t recognize the word “Bucknell”. Princeton lost by twelve to Lehigh, letting Mountain Hawk QB Chris Lum throw for 384 yards and 4 TDs. The Tigers were able to grind out 180 yards rushing, which success they’ll need to duplicate if their secondary takes another day off.
Penn (0-1) at Villanova (0-3)
Villanova has long been mentioned as a possible football addition to the Big East, where most of the Wildcats’ other programs already play. The football Wildcats have been demonstrating they could be competitive in a “BCS Conference” by losing to Temple (by 35), Towson (by 21) and Monmouth (NJ) (by 11). The Quakers, meanwhile, started the year by getting slapped around by Lafayette, 37-12. Reigning co-Ivy first-team QB Billy Ragone had an awful day, finishing 8-for-23 with 91 yards and two interceptions. He will have to be better if Penn wants to beat Villanova for the first time in 100 years.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Crimson Sluggish, Mistake-Prone in Loss to Holy Cross
by Scott Reed
WHRB Sports
My Opinion
Well, this wasn't the start to the season many Crimson had hoped for and expected, as Harvard opened 2011 with a 30-22 loss at Holy Cross. The Crimson looked like it still had some kinks to work out, recording -3 on the turnover differential and looking lost at times on pass defense. All had started well for Harvard, and it look like it would be smooth sailing after the Crimson grabbed a 14-3 lead, scoring on its two opening drives of the season - but that would prove to be the high point, as Holy Cross scored 27 straight points.
Following their first drive of the second quarter, which gave them that eleven point advantage, Harvard looked like a different team, surrendering over 300 yards through the air and struggling to move the ball on offense with the same consistency.
Still, there were some positives to take away for Crimson fans. The run defense was solid, allowing only 3.1 yards per carry, and junior quarterback Collier Winters, despite making a couple of costly mistakes (the 97 yard interception returned for a touchdown was a back-breaker), passed for 265 yards and completed more than 50% of his passes. And most importantly, there's this to be proud of for Harvard: the Crimson weren't truly out of the game until Winters threw the final interception with 15 seconds left on the clock. This team could have easily folded after Holy Cross went ahead 30-14, capping that run of 27 unanswered points, yet they battled back after scoring a touchdown of their own and getting the ball at the end with a chance to tie.
And things might certainly improve: we should not put too much stock in a season opener (remember last year's 34-6 shellacking of the Crusaders and the subsequent loss at Brown?), especially one where the opponent is playing its third game of the season. Junior sensation Treavor Scales will almost certainly improve at running back - eventual Ivy co-player of the year Gino Gordon only had 62 yards rushing against Holy Cross last year, albeit on 11 carries. And the pass defense will have to get better.
Yet all of that does not mean Harvard should feel rosy inside. "It's not a league game," head coach Tim Murphy deadpanned when asked for a positive from yesterday's game. Indeed, the loss will not count in Ivy standings. But, the truth is that Harvard cannot compete for an Ivy League title if it plays like this - more talented teams will be coming down the road in the form of the Brown Bears, the Penn Quakers, and the Yale Bulldogs. And perhaps as little as can be taken from this opening game, a lot will be revealed this coming weekend when Harvard hosts Brown. The Bears should be better than Holy Cross and almost certainly have a better player under center in the form of Kyle Newhall-Caballero. Brown, and the rest of the Ivy League, will provide ample test to these Crimson. Let us hope that by the end of the year the game yesterday will be seen as nothing more than a bumpy start on the way to a successful season.
Scott Reed is the play-by-play commentator for Harvard football and mens' basketball.
WHRB Sports
My Opinion
Well, this wasn't the start to the season many Crimson had hoped for and expected, as Harvard opened 2011 with a 30-22 loss at Holy Cross. The Crimson looked like it still had some kinks to work out, recording -3 on the turnover differential and looking lost at times on pass defense. All had started well for Harvard, and it look like it would be smooth sailing after the Crimson grabbed a 14-3 lead, scoring on its two opening drives of the season - but that would prove to be the high point, as Holy Cross scored 27 straight points.
Following their first drive of the second quarter, which gave them that eleven point advantage, Harvard looked like a different team, surrendering over 300 yards through the air and struggling to move the ball on offense with the same consistency.
Still, there were some positives to take away for Crimson fans. The run defense was solid, allowing only 3.1 yards per carry, and junior quarterback Collier Winters, despite making a couple of costly mistakes (the 97 yard interception returned for a touchdown was a back-breaker), passed for 265 yards and completed more than 50% of his passes. And most importantly, there's this to be proud of for Harvard: the Crimson weren't truly out of the game until Winters threw the final interception with 15 seconds left on the clock. This team could have easily folded after Holy Cross went ahead 30-14, capping that run of 27 unanswered points, yet they battled back after scoring a touchdown of their own and getting the ball at the end with a chance to tie.
And things might certainly improve: we should not put too much stock in a season opener (remember last year's 34-6 shellacking of the Crusaders and the subsequent loss at Brown?), especially one where the opponent is playing its third game of the season. Junior sensation Treavor Scales will almost certainly improve at running back - eventual Ivy co-player of the year Gino Gordon only had 62 yards rushing against Holy Cross last year, albeit on 11 carries. And the pass defense will have to get better.
Yet all of that does not mean Harvard should feel rosy inside. "It's not a league game," head coach Tim Murphy deadpanned when asked for a positive from yesterday's game. Indeed, the loss will not count in Ivy standings. But, the truth is that Harvard cannot compete for an Ivy League title if it plays like this - more talented teams will be coming down the road in the form of the Brown Bears, the Penn Quakers, and the Yale Bulldogs. And perhaps as little as can be taken from this opening game, a lot will be revealed this coming weekend when Harvard hosts Brown. The Bears should be better than Holy Cross and almost certainly have a better player under center in the form of Kyle Newhall-Caballero. Brown, and the rest of the Ivy League, will provide ample test to these Crimson. Let us hope that by the end of the year the game yesterday will be seen as nothing more than a bumpy start on the way to a successful season.
Scott Reed is the play-by-play commentator for Harvard football and mens' basketball.
Monday, August 22, 2011
WHRB's 2011 Ivy League Football "Helmet Schedule"
To our dear readers,WHRB has created an Ivy League helmet schedule listing each week of the season and the corresponding Ivy League football matchups. Helmet images courtesy of nationalchamps.net. Enjoy!
2011 Ivy League Football Helmet Schedule Sheet1
2011 Ivy League Football Helmet Schedule Sheet1
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Harvard Football to Make Two Appearences on Versus
The final two games of Harvard's 2011 football season will be nationally televised on the Versus network, the Ivy League announced last week. A national audience will see the Crimson's November 12th matchup with the Penn Quakers as well as its traditional season-ending contest with the Yale Bulldogs on November 19th. Both games will kickoff at 12noon. Of course, all Harvard football games are broadcast on WHRB 95.3FM in the greater Boston area and around the world at whrb.org.
This will be the fourth year in a row that Ivy League football is shown on Versus, which is owned by NBC Universal and can be seen in over 75 million households, according to Business Insider. The complete schedule of Ivy football games on Versus is shown below:
September 24th: Cornell at Yale, 12noon
October 15th: Penn at Columbia, 3:30pm
October 22nd: Yale at Penn, 12noon
November 12th: Penn at Harvard, 12noon
November 19th: Harvard at Yale, 12noon
The Ivy League press release can be seen here
Will any more of Harvard's football games be televised? If any more are picked up, it will likely be the result of an arrangement involving the participating schools, as the Harvard-Dartmouth game was last year. The matchup between those two schools has been shown on NESN the last two years.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Football Notes: Harvard Adds New D-Line Coach
Image courtesy of GoBlackBears.com
The Harvard Department of Athletics has announced the addition of Maine Defensive Line Coach Dwayne Wilmot to the Crimson coaching staff, where he will serve in the same capacity. Wilmot Wilmot adds a recruiting boost as well, as he was also the Black Bears' recruiting coordinator, and will be responsible for Harvard recruiting in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.
Wilmot's Maine bio is here: http://www.goblackbears.com/sports/m-footbl/coaches/WILMOT_DWAYNE
The Harvard press release is here: http://gocrimson.com/sports/fball/2011-12/releases/110208_Wilmot_Announcement
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Tune in to WHRB's coverage of Harvard - Yale!
Next for Harvard
Opponent: Yale Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, November 20th
Time: 12noon
Where: Harvard Stadium
Coverage: 95.3FM in Greater Boston area (listeners outside area may listen in to our online stream at whrb.org)
It's the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and that means one thing: Harvard is playing Yale. The 127th playing of The Game will take place in Cambridge, MA, at Harvard Stadium. Kickoff is at noon, and Scott Reed and Charlie Hobbs will be there to provide live commentary. Don't forget to tune in at 11:00 for an extended edition of the Harvard Pregame Show with James Yoon, Raafi Alidina, and Matt Patton
Friday, November 12, 2010
Tune in to WHRB's coverage of Harvard vs.Penn
Opponent: Penn Quakers
Date: Saturday, November 13th
Time: 1:30pm
Where: Franklin Field, Philadelphia, PA
Coverage: 95.3FM in Greater Boston Area (listeners outside area can tune in to online stream at whrb.org)
It doesn't get much bigger than the two games the Harvard Crimson have to close out their 2010 slate: before the always-dramatic matchup with Yale next week, Harvard has a shot at first-place in the Ivy League this weekend in a showdown with the Penn Quakers in Philadelphia. Here is how the three teams left with a shot at the Ivy League title stand:
1. Penn 5-0 (7-1 overall)
T-2. Harvard 4-1 (6-2 overall)
T-2. Yale 4-1 (6-2 overall)
If Harvard loses this week, the Crimson are eliminated from a shot at the Ivy crown. A win would put Harvard in prime position.
Here are the scenarios:
Penn wins, Yale loses - Penn wins Ivy title
Penn wins, Yale wins - Penn clinches at least shared title, Yale can win other half if they beat Harvard + Penn loses to Cornell.
Harvard wins, Yale loses - Harvard one win from clinching share of title with Penn, Yale eliminated.
Harvard wins, Yale wins - winner of Harvard/Yale gets at least share of title, Penn must beat Cornell to grab other share.
Be sure to tune in to WHRB's coverage of Harvard/Penn. Kickoff is at 1:30, and Scott Reed and Charlie Hobbs will be there to provide live commentary. Don't forget to tune in at 1:00 for the Harvard Pregame Show with James Yoon and Raafi Alidina.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Photo-Blog: WHRB goes to Hanover, NH (and returns home for the Columbia game)
It's a double-dose of WHRB's photo-blog this week as we bring you pictures from Harvard's wins over Dartmouth and Columbia.
Well that was nice of them...
The Harvard band made the trip to Hanover.
A sign commemorating Memorial Field, Dartmouth's home venue.
Punter Jacob Dombrowski warms up before the game. Don't worry, Harvard didn't have to use him much.
Dartmouth brought in temporary bleachers to fill the endzones, as it was homecoming.
The press box at Memorial Field.
The teams huddle before the opening kick.
That's Charlie Hobbs on the left and myself Scott Reed on the right.
We stopped by Thompson Arena, the home of the ice hockey team.
The Dartmouth Charter. It mentions something about not getting beaten down by Harvard. Woops.
Hey! A shout out on the video board at Harvard Stadium.
The Columbia band.
The Harvard band gets a little "Loko" at halftime.
The organized chaos of the radio booth.
Collier Winters, Gino Gordon, and Co.
Senior Linebacker and Kicking-A-Touchdown host Nick Hasselberg warms up.
Thoughts from the Booth: Crimson Take Care of Columbia, Set Up Showdown in Philly
The Harvard Crimson faced a tough test on Saturday, and not just due to the talent of the Columbia Lions: with two monster games looming against Penn and Yale, the danger was very real that Harvard would look past Columbia. This didn’t happen, however, due in large part to a Crimson defense that forced four Columbia turnovers. Harvard would defeat the Lions handily by the score of 23-7 after an initially slow start. Lion Sophomore quarterback Sean Brackett had a productive day through the air, throwing for 284 yards on 26-45 passing. The Crimson secondary wsa able to pick him off twice, though, with Alex Gedeon’s interception coming when the Lions were inside the Harvard ten yard line.
The Harvard offense looked relatively sluggish in victory, as it didn’t have quite the success, at least early on, that it has had in recent games. The Crimson were locked in a scoreless tie with Columbia until midway through the second quarter and seemed unable to find a rhythm until late in the first half. Once he got going, quarterback Collier Winters was effective through the air, throwing for 246 yards and completing 25 of his 38 passes. Gino Gordon had another 100 yard day but didn’t have the explosive ability that he’s had for much of the year, as his longest gain of the day was only 13 yards.
The Crimson offense still gained 412 total yards, however, and they did enough to ensure a Harvard victory. The win sets up a dramatic final two games, starting with a crucial matchup with the Penn Quakers this coming Saturday. Penn and Yale join Harvard at the top of the Ivy League, and the Crimson will get a shot at both in these final two weeks of the season. Looking towards this weekend, Harvard will have its hands full with a juggernaut Quaker team, fresh off of a 52-10 beat down of the Princeton Tigers. Penn coach Al Bagnoli has his team rolling, with their only loss this season coming against 9th-ranked Villanova. The Crimson will have to tighten things up to come out of Franklin Field with a victory. Freshman kicker David Mothander must have a better performance than his 1 for 3 showing against Columbia (and linebacker Alex Gedeon must have another good day punting the ball). Gino Gordon has to put this team on his back, and Collier Winters needs to show everyone why he was picked as the preseason Ivy Offensive Player of the Year. All of these things have to happen if Harvard is to knock off Penn and take a big step in the Ivy League standings.Ivy League Football Power Rankings (Week 9)
Football is entering its final two weeks, and life without Ivy League football is looming ahead for fans and players alike. However, the race to the league championship has never been more tighter, with Penn, Harvard, and Yale all vying to be the champion of the Ancient Eight. Penn leads the pack with an impressive deconstruction of Princeton, but Harvard and Yale have also notched impressive wins over the weekend, setting up the highly anticipated Harvard v. Penn II. The saga continues…
Penn (6-1, 4-0) – The Quakers offense, which has often been overlooked for its defense, proved that Penn is not an one-dimensional team with a 52-10 romping over Princeton last weekend. Penn scored 4 TDs on the first quarter alone, reinforcing the Tigers’ place in the Ivy League hierarchy. QB Billy Ragone is playing phenomenally, but has not faced a great defense quite yet. Their undefeated league record is on the line against the upset-minded Crimson next week. I found out that the Penn Quakers football team is the reason why Waldo is hiding…
NEXT GAME: vs. Harvard
Harvard (6-2, 4-1) – Despite the early loss to Brown to start the season, Harvard is on track to possibly capture/share the Ivy League crown next weekend against Penn. Like last year, this game has championship implications, but the Crimson enter this time as the underdog. Or are they? This is not the team that came in the season favored to win the conference, but with Collier Winters returning to form, the running game steamrolling, and the defense picking out passes like apples, next week is going to be a battle between two closely matched teams. The Ivy League titles is on the line for Harvard
NEXT GAME: vs. Penn
Yale (6-2, 4-1) – A surprise, dark horse candidate for the Ivy league crown is coming off a thrilling upset over Brown and has improved dramatically from last season. Head coach Tom Williams’ sophomore campaign is aided by the play of Patrick Witt and his poise in pressure situations. Can there be any doubt that Yale is back?
NEXT GAME: vs. Princeton
Brown (4-4, 3-2) – Providence, we (might) have a problem. The free-falling Bears need to find some semblance of consistency in the running game, and the defense is reeling after two straight losses. The upset by Yale hurts their title chances, but since the injury to QB Newhall-Caballero, Brown has not looked like the dominant team that bulldozed over the Crimson in week 2. With the streaking Big Green looming ahead, the Bears need to win out to have a shot at the diminishing chance for the conference title.
NEXT GAME: vs. Dartmouth
Dartmouth (5-3, 2-3) – The Big Green were a little bit larger than the Big Red. Nick Schweigger is having a career season, most recently capped by a 146 yard 2 TD performance against the Big Red, and the defense seems to be carrying some momentum with 10 sacks and limited Cornell to just 188 yards. The nationally-televised Brown game will be a testament to how much they have progressed throughout the season. All eyes will be on PoY candidate Schweigger to set the tone early on against a porous Brown defensive line.
NEXT GAME: vs. Brown
Columbia (3-5, 1-4) – Sean Brackett is only a sophomore, but he has been single handedly driving this Lions offense, both passing and rushing. It is scary to realize that he has two more year of eligibility, but without a supporting cast, the team is bound for mediocrity. Playmakers like Kurt Williams have the talent but have had inconsistent production throughout the season. They finally return to Pride Rock, where they have a 3-1 record, next week to host the Big Red.
NEXT GAME: vs. Cornell
Cornell (2-6, 1-4) – Cornell, again, gets a thumbs up in my book for having the best hospitality in the Ivy League. Once they develop some appearance of a running game, providing some relief to freshman QB Jeff Matthews, I think the offense can truly start to roll. In addition, the offensive line needs to do its job if they want to see Matthews survive the season; 10 sacks a truly depressing figure. Utility man Luke Tasker has been one of the bright sports thus far, offering sparks on the offense.
NEXT GAME: vs. Columbia.
Princeton (1-6, 0-4) – The idea of an undefeated conference season is a legitimate threat for the Tigers, and unlike the NFL where teams can look forward to a high draft pick, Princeton does not have such luxuries. The thrashing against Penn must have been crippling to the morale. Being motivated for the rest of the season will be as important as their play on the field.
NEXT GAME: vs. Yale
My Weekend “4 the Win”
Harvard 24 – Penn 21
Dartmouth 17 – Brown 7 (UPSET SPECIAL OF THE WEEK)
Yale 33 – Princeton 14
Columbia 28 – Cornell 10
Record: 7-1 since Week 7
Penn (6-1, 4-0) – The Quakers offense, which has often been overlooked for its defense, proved that Penn is not an one-dimensional team with a 52-10 romping over Princeton last weekend. Penn scored 4 TDs on the first quarter alone, reinforcing the Tigers’ place in the Ivy League hierarchy. QB Billy Ragone is playing phenomenally, but has not faced a great defense quite yet. Their undefeated league record is on the line against the upset-minded Crimson next week. I found out that the Penn Quakers football team is the reason why Waldo is hiding…
NEXT GAME: vs. Harvard
Harvard (6-2, 4-1) – Despite the early loss to Brown to start the season, Harvard is on track to possibly capture/share the Ivy League crown next weekend against Penn. Like last year, this game has championship implications, but the Crimson enter this time as the underdog. Or are they? This is not the team that came in the season favored to win the conference, but with Collier Winters returning to form, the running game steamrolling, and the defense picking out passes like apples, next week is going to be a battle between two closely matched teams. The Ivy League titles is on the line for Harvard
NEXT GAME: vs. Penn
Yale (6-2, 4-1) – A surprise, dark horse candidate for the Ivy league crown is coming off a thrilling upset over Brown and has improved dramatically from last season. Head coach Tom Williams’ sophomore campaign is aided by the play of Patrick Witt and his poise in pressure situations. Can there be any doubt that Yale is back?
NEXT GAME: vs. Princeton
Brown (4-4, 3-2) – Providence, we (might) have a problem. The free-falling Bears need to find some semblance of consistency in the running game, and the defense is reeling after two straight losses. The upset by Yale hurts their title chances, but since the injury to QB Newhall-Caballero, Brown has not looked like the dominant team that bulldozed over the Crimson in week 2. With the streaking Big Green looming ahead, the Bears need to win out to have a shot at the diminishing chance for the conference title.
NEXT GAME: vs. Dartmouth
Dartmouth (5-3, 2-3) – The Big Green were a little bit larger than the Big Red. Nick Schweigger is having a career season, most recently capped by a 146 yard 2 TD performance against the Big Red, and the defense seems to be carrying some momentum with 10 sacks and limited Cornell to just 188 yards. The nationally-televised Brown game will be a testament to how much they have progressed throughout the season. All eyes will be on PoY candidate Schweigger to set the tone early on against a porous Brown defensive line.
NEXT GAME: vs. Brown
Columbia (3-5, 1-4) – Sean Brackett is only a sophomore, but he has been single handedly driving this Lions offense, both passing and rushing. It is scary to realize that he has two more year of eligibility, but without a supporting cast, the team is bound for mediocrity. Playmakers like Kurt Williams have the talent but have had inconsistent production throughout the season. They finally return to Pride Rock, where they have a 3-1 record, next week to host the Big Red.
NEXT GAME: vs. Cornell
Cornell (2-6, 1-4) – Cornell, again, gets a thumbs up in my book for having the best hospitality in the Ivy League. Once they develop some appearance of a running game, providing some relief to freshman QB Jeff Matthews, I think the offense can truly start to roll. In addition, the offensive line needs to do its job if they want to see Matthews survive the season; 10 sacks a truly depressing figure. Utility man Luke Tasker has been one of the bright sports thus far, offering sparks on the offense.
NEXT GAME: vs. Columbia.
Princeton (1-6, 0-4) – The idea of an undefeated conference season is a legitimate threat for the Tigers, and unlike the NFL where teams can look forward to a high draft pick, Princeton does not have such luxuries. The thrashing against Penn must have been crippling to the morale. Being motivated for the rest of the season will be as important as their play on the field.
NEXT GAME: vs. Yale
My Weekend “4 the Win”
Harvard 24 – Penn 21
Dartmouth 17 – Brown 7 (UPSET SPECIAL OF THE WEEK)
Yale 33 – Princeton 14
Columbia 28 – Cornell 10
Record: 7-1 since Week 7
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Tune in to WHRB's coverage of Harvard vs. Columbia
Next for Harvard
Opponent: Columbia Lions
Date: Today, November 6th
Time: 12 noon
Where: Harvard Stadium
Coverage: WHRB 95.3FM in Greater Boston Area (listeners outside area can tune in to online stream at whrb.org)
It's a big game for the Crimson today as they take on the Columbia Lions in a pivotal Ivy contest. Kickoff is at noon as Scott Reed and Charlie Hobbs will have the call.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Photo-Blog: WHRB goes to Princeton, NJ
Here are some photos from WHRB's coverage of Harvard vs. Princeton
A metal tiger outside Princeton Stadium, showing more ferocity than the football team did Saturday.
Third Quarter action
That's Color Commentator Charlie Hobbs on the left and myself, Scott Reed, on the right
Halftime festivities
Postgame handshakes
The Princeton team and band after the game
The "security booth" we broadcasted from
Not even Dr. House could cure the Princeton football team of its ills Saturday (this is the Frist Student Center, used as the Princeton-Plainsboro hospital in the Fox series "House")
Monday, October 18, 2010
Ivy League Football Power Rankings (Week 6)
With the Crimson wrapping up their non-conference schedule with Lehigh, all teams in the Ivy-League are now entering conference play. How teams play for the next five weeks will separate the men from the boy scouts, and thus far, defending champion Penn has emerged as the clear leader of the pack. The best of the rest? Inconsistency has marred every other team. In addition, with key injuries piling up for all teams, there is no telling how the power ranking will change in the following weeks. The amazing race to the Ivy League championship begins now…
Penn (4-1, 2-0) – Can anyone stop this team? Columbia came in with huge momentum following two blowout wins, yet Penn remained unfazed to notch another methodical, mistake-free game. The Quaker defense stifled Sean Brackett all game, and TB Colavita came up big by recording the 1st 100 yd rushing game since October 2009. So far, no team has been able to solve mighty quakers from churning out wins. Now, riding high on a 10 game Ivy League winning streak, they visit the Bulldogs on what could be an interesting matchup. You can’t be that good, right?
NEXT GAME: vs. Yale
Brown (3-2, 2-0) – Providence, we have a problem. The loss of All-Ivy QB Kyle Newhall-Caballero to a season-ending wrist injury is already having an impact on the Ivy League championship race. Brown barely squeezed out a win against the lowly Princeton Tigers but coming back from a 13-0 deficit to win 17-13. Joe Springer is more than a capable QB, but you have to wonder if the offense will ever be the same. I feel like the Bears are always on the cusp of losing… or maybe that is just wishful thinking. In all seriousness, the Brown is the most curious team heading into Ivy League play.
NEXT GAME: vs. Cornell
Yale (4-1, 2-0) – When a team keeps winning, you can’t always blame it on the cha-cha-cha-chance. Yale pulled through over Fordham with a thrilling field goal block of Chris Dooley on what I like to call a “defensive shootout.” Yes, the offenses of both teams was inept much of the game, but you have to recognize that defense wins championships and the Bulldog defense looked like championship material. And they have depth! With Patrick Witt sidelined, Brook Hart stepped in to score the lone touchdown of the game. They are the next contenders on the Defeat Penn Challenge.
NEXT GAME: vs. Penn
Columbia (3-2, 1-1) – Columbia played admirably in a loss to Penn on Saturday. They didn’t get blown out and responded well to the Quaker’s vaunted defense. However, they could be a contender… next year. They have the pieces in play for a great team, but the inexperience definitely came out when the Lions fell behind, and the offense sputtered. Regardless, you can’t drop them for losing to well-oiled machinery that is Penn. They next face the “drop it like its hot” Dartmouth at home which should help the lions come out with the victory.
NEXT GAME: vs. Dartmouth
Harvard (3-2, 1-1) – The Crimson start their most important stretch of the season with a disappointing loss due to a blown call. With less than 2 minutes remaining, Colton and Co. drove down the field, converting several 4th downs to be within striking distance of the end zone, but a TD pass to Mike Cook was called back on out-of-bounds reception. Be that as it may, what was most troubling about Harvard was its inability to close out the game leading 17-0 at the half. Upset-minded Tigers are roaming on the shores of New Jersey to capitalize on The Situation. They almost upset Brown but couldn’t hold on for the win.
NEXT GAME: vs. Princeton
Dartmouth (3-2, 0-2) – The Big Green pulled out a thrilling victory over Holy Cross in game marred by turnovers from both teams. The Crusaders had 4 miscues in the 4th quarter alone, handing the game to Dartmouth on a gilded platter. But kudos to TB Nick Schwiegger who trampled over everyone with 169 yards of the ground. But the sign of a good team and a great team, I think, is the TO margin and Dartmouth is falling a little short in the category. The Big Green is on the very cusp of greatness and the first step begins with a tough road trip to Columbia.
NEXT GAME: vs. Columbia
Princeton (1-4, 0-2) – My sleeper pick of the year came up short against the vaunted Brown offense but there was a lot to like in the Tigers. They started strong and scored 13 unanswered points early in the game. The defense found an answer in stuffing up the pass and rush. For most of the game, the defense came up big time for the Tigers, but with Brown driving up the field in a pressure situation, it was the Bears who had the “eye of the tiger.” Maybe they can finally break through for a marquee win? Did I jump the gun on my sleeper pick sleeping?
NEXT GAME: vs. Harvard
Cornell (1-4, 0-2) – Cornell, again, gets a thumbs up in my book for having the best hospitality in the Ivy League. Besides that, there’s not much else to cheer for. Colgate spanked the Big Red 44-3 like it was the 1950s, with the Raiders rushing for almost 300 yards. Is the season already over in Ithaca? People might begin to question head coach Kent Austin’s decision to start a freshman QB in Jeff Matthews who has largely been ineffective. But the first cut is always the deepest, and graded on a learning curve, Cornell is not that bad. At least they have good hospitality?
NEXT GAME: vs. Brown
Till next time…
Penn (4-1, 2-0) – Can anyone stop this team? Columbia came in with huge momentum following two blowout wins, yet Penn remained unfazed to notch another methodical, mistake-free game. The Quaker defense stifled Sean Brackett all game, and TB Colavita came up big by recording the 1st 100 yd rushing game since October 2009. So far, no team has been able to solve mighty quakers from churning out wins. Now, riding high on a 10 game Ivy League winning streak, they visit the Bulldogs on what could be an interesting matchup. You can’t be that good, right?
NEXT GAME: vs. Yale
Brown (3-2, 2-0) – Providence, we have a problem. The loss of All-Ivy QB Kyle Newhall-Caballero to a season-ending wrist injury is already having an impact on the Ivy League championship race. Brown barely squeezed out a win against the lowly Princeton Tigers but coming back from a 13-0 deficit to win 17-13. Joe Springer is more than a capable QB, but you have to wonder if the offense will ever be the same. I feel like the Bears are always on the cusp of losing… or maybe that is just wishful thinking. In all seriousness, the Brown is the most curious team heading into Ivy League play.
NEXT GAME: vs. Cornell
Yale (4-1, 2-0) – When a team keeps winning, you can’t always blame it on the cha-cha-cha-chance. Yale pulled through over Fordham with a thrilling field goal block of Chris Dooley on what I like to call a “defensive shootout.” Yes, the offenses of both teams was inept much of the game, but you have to recognize that defense wins championships and the Bulldog defense looked like championship material. And they have depth! With Patrick Witt sidelined, Brook Hart stepped in to score the lone touchdown of the game. They are the next contenders on the Defeat Penn Challenge.
NEXT GAME: vs. Penn
Columbia (3-2, 1-1) – Columbia played admirably in a loss to Penn on Saturday. They didn’t get blown out and responded well to the Quaker’s vaunted defense. However, they could be a contender… next year. They have the pieces in play for a great team, but the inexperience definitely came out when the Lions fell behind, and the offense sputtered. Regardless, you can’t drop them for losing to well-oiled machinery that is Penn. They next face the “drop it like its hot” Dartmouth at home which should help the lions come out with the victory.
NEXT GAME: vs. Dartmouth
Harvard (3-2, 1-1) – The Crimson start their most important stretch of the season with a disappointing loss due to a blown call. With less than 2 minutes remaining, Colton and Co. drove down the field, converting several 4th downs to be within striking distance of the end zone, but a TD pass to Mike Cook was called back on out-of-bounds reception. Be that as it may, what was most troubling about Harvard was its inability to close out the game leading 17-0 at the half. Upset-minded Tigers are roaming on the shores of New Jersey to capitalize on The Situation. They almost upset Brown but couldn’t hold on for the win.
NEXT GAME: vs. Princeton
Dartmouth (3-2, 0-2) – The Big Green pulled out a thrilling victory over Holy Cross in game marred by turnovers from both teams. The Crusaders had 4 miscues in the 4th quarter alone, handing the game to Dartmouth on a gilded platter. But kudos to TB Nick Schwiegger who trampled over everyone with 169 yards of the ground. But the sign of a good team and a great team, I think, is the TO margin and Dartmouth is falling a little short in the category. The Big Green is on the very cusp of greatness and the first step begins with a tough road trip to Columbia.
NEXT GAME: vs. Columbia
Princeton (1-4, 0-2) – My sleeper pick of the year came up short against the vaunted Brown offense but there was a lot to like in the Tigers. They started strong and scored 13 unanswered points early in the game. The defense found an answer in stuffing up the pass and rush. For most of the game, the defense came up big time for the Tigers, but with Brown driving up the field in a pressure situation, it was the Bears who had the “eye of the tiger.” Maybe they can finally break through for a marquee win? Did I jump the gun on my sleeper pick sleeping?
NEXT GAME: vs. Harvard
Cornell (1-4, 0-2) – Cornell, again, gets a thumbs up in my book for having the best hospitality in the Ivy League. Besides that, there’s not much else to cheer for. Colgate spanked the Big Red 44-3 like it was the 1950s, with the Raiders rushing for almost 300 yards. Is the season already over in Ithaca? People might begin to question head coach Kent Austin’s decision to start a freshman QB in Jeff Matthews who has largely been ineffective. But the first cut is always the deepest, and graded on a learning curve, Cornell is not that bad. At least they have good hospitality?
NEXT GAME: vs. Brown
Till next time…
Friday, October 8, 2010
Harvard Hosts Cornell this Saturday on WHRB
Next for Harvard
Opponent: Cornell Big Red
Date: Saturday, October 9th
Time: 12noon
Where: Harvard Stadium
Coverage: WHRB 95.3FM in greater Boston area (listeners not in Boston may tune in to the online stream at whrb.org)
After splitting a two game stretch on the road, Harvard returns home to face Cornell trying to record its first Ivy League win of the year. The Crimson might again be without starting quarterback Andrew Hatch, who suffered a concussion in the game against Brown. That likely means that Colton Chapple will be called upon to lead the Crimson offense.
WHRB will have coverage of the game from the opening kickoff until the final snap. Scott Reed and Charlie Hobbs will have the call live from Harvard Stadium starting at noon, but be sure to tune in at 11:30 for the Harvard Pregame Show with James Yoon and Raafi Alidina. Go Crimson!
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