Yale was down quite a few playmakers in Saturday’s 28-17 loss to Penn and it showed.

QB Henry Furman, RB Tyler Varga, WR Chris Smith all missed Saturday’s game, along with LB Andrew Larkin.

Tony Reno continues to list all as “day-to-day” and is unsure who, if any, will play against Columbia this weekend. He added, none of the injuries are season ending.

“We’ll find out much more at the end of the week,” Reno said. “We have to wait and see, see what they can do in practice.”

UPDATE: Varga (foot) did not practice. Smith did some light running on the sideline. Furman and Larkin practiced.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL

Yale had three turnovers over its first three games, which were all wins. Over the last three, which were all losses, the Bulldogs have had 11.

Coincidence? Probably not.

Of the 14, nine have been on fumbles.

“Turnovers have been killing us,” Reno said. “They keep you from achieving your potential and we’re a team that has doesn’t have much of a margin for error. That’s the difference in a win or a loss.”

As for the fumbling issues, specifically?

“It’s a matter of ball security and making sure your pads are down when you’re going through areas where you’re going to get hit with a helmet to the ball or a shoulder to the ball. It’s just a rash of turnovers we need to stop.”

UNDER CENTER

Clemson-transfer Morgan Roberts got his first start at QB against Penn. He struggled early on, but Reno said he got better as the game went on. Reno added there were no thoughts of benching Roberts for sophomore Eric Williams at any point.

Roberts finished 20 of 34 for 193 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.

“Morgan had a great week of practice and we felt if we stayed with him, he’d come around and he did,” Reno said. “Eric has done a nice job, too. At that point, depth-chart wise, it was Morgan’s game to play. It’s a learning experience, a growing opportunity for him.“

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bulldogs will look to snap their three-game losing streak at home on Saturday against Columbia (0-6). The Lions have a very aggressive defense and one of the best front sevens Yale will see this season. They are big and stout up front, and can take away the run. Like Yale, Columbia has a young defense.

Offensively, the Lions are averaging a dismal 7.5 ppg. They do have a talented RB in Marcorus Garrett, which is one of the few bright spots for Columbia’s offense. He’s averaging 5 ypc. The Lions have played three QBs this season. Columbia had high hopes for Stanford-transfer QB Brett Nottingham, but he went down with a season-ending injury in Columbia’s opener.

LAST SEASON
Depleted at QB, Yale turned to Varga and the wildcat against Columbia last season. He rushed for 220 yards and three touchdowns, but fumbled with a three-point lead with just over 2 minutes left. Columbia went on to win 26-22. Yale leads the series 68-19-2.

MULTI-TALENTED
Spenver Rymiszewski has showed promise as a starting DB for the Bulldogs.

He’s a pretty good piano player, too.

Rymiszewski is a winner of the prestigious National Fraternity of Student Musicians Piano Auditions. He’s been playing since kindergarten, though he stopped through his senior year of high school to concentrate on football. He hopes to start again.

Furthermore, his father Phil played football at Army for two seasons before an off-the-field injury ended his career. Yale will host Army next season.

“It’s going to pretty exciting,” he said. “He will still root for me, but I know deep down he’ll be cheering for Army.”

From the Ivy League...

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Princeton junior quarterback Quinn Epperly (Knoxville, Tenn.) played a career-defining game in the Tigers' 51-48, triple-overtime victory over Harvard. Epperly set school records in both completions (37) and touchdown passes (6) in lending Harvard's 15-game home winning streak. He spread his six touchdown passes around to five different players, including the game-winning, six-yard connection with senior wide receiver Roman Wilson. His six passing touchdowns matched an Ivy League record first established by Brown's James Perry, currently Princeton's offensive coordinator, vs. Columbia in 1997.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dartmouth sophomore linebacker Will McNamara (Chicago) recorded his first two career interceptions, returning both for touchdowns in the Big Green's 56-0 victory over Columbia. McNamara’s first pick came in the middle of the second quarter as he traversed 24 yards to reach the end zone, boosting Dartmouth’s lead to 28-0. He then put the finishing touch on the win by snaring a pass near midfield and weaving his way through traffic for a 51-yard score with the final touchdown of the game. McNamara spearheaded a Big Green defense that allowed just 95 yards and 49 offensive plays as he tied for the team lead with four tackles, one of which went for a loss.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Harvard junior placekicker Andrew Flesher (Little Rock, Ark.) accounted for 12 points in the Crimson's 51-48 triple overtime loss to Princeton. Flesher, who was pressed into duty for a second week to replace senior placekicker David Mothander, went 6-of-6 on PATs and hit 2-of-3 field goals (38 and 23 yards), only missing a 50-yard attempt. Both of his field goals came in overtime -- the 38-yarder sent the game into the third overtime and the 23-yarder gave Harvard the lead in the third overtime.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Dartmouth freshman wide receiver Jon Marc Carrier (Lutz, Fla.) provided the early offense for the Big Green in the 56-0 shutout victory over Columbia, scoring the first two touchdowns of the day and of his career. On the first Dartmouth drive, he caught a 17-yard pass two plays before taking the ball on a reverse and waltzing into the end zone from two yards out. Early in the second quarter, he struck again by hauling in a 17-yard pass for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead. The son of former NFL wide receiver Mark Carrier finished the day with three catches for 39 yards, his two-yard run and two touchdowns.

HONOR ROLL
Ryan Becker, Penn (Sr., QB - Davie, Fla.)
10-13-0, 167 yds., 2 TDs

Brett Buehler, Cornell (Sr., LB - Dublin, Ohio)
15 tkls. (7 solo)

Sam Chwarzynski, Penn (Sr., DB - Norwood Park Township, Ill.)
4 tkls. (3 solo), 1.0 TFL, 2 INTs, 1 BrUp

Patrick Donnelly, Brown (Sr., QB - Longmeadow, Mass.)
21-27-1, 295 yds., 3 TDs

Darius Manora, Yale (Fr., TB - Alexandria, Va.)
10 tkls. (5 solo)

Jeff Mathews, Cornell (Sr., QB - Camarillo, Calif.)
30-46-1, 419 yds., 4 TDs, 19 rush yds.

Eric Medes, Harvard (So., LB - Mount Laurel, N.J.)  
16 tkls. (3 solo), 1.5 TFL

Adewole Oyalowo, Brown (Sr., LB - Bowie, Md.)
9 tkls. (7 solo), 2.0 TFL

Dominick Pierre, Dartmouth (Sr., RB - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
26 car. for 160 yds., 1 TD

Jason Ray, Princeton (Sr., LB - Clarkston, Mich.)
12 tkls. (4 solo), 3.5 TFL. 1.5 sacks

William Twyman, Brown (So., LB - Sudbury, Mass.)
1 tkl., 1 FR for TD

Grant Wallace, Yale (Jr., WR - St. Louis, Mo.)
8 rec. for 104 yds., 1 TD

Roman Wilson, Princeton (Sr., WR - Broken Arrow, Okla.)
9 rec. for 76 yds., 1 TD, 20 rush yds., 1 TD

Ricky Zorn, Harvard (Sr., WR - Dallas)
8 rec. for 168 yds., 1 TD

From the Ivy League...

Brown 42, Cornell 35
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Senior quarterback Patrick Donnelly threw for a 295 yards and three touchdowns as Brown held on for a 42-35 Ivy League win over Cornell at chilly Schoellkopf Field Saturday afternoon.

Princeton 51, Harvard 48 (3OT)
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Last year's script was borderline unrealistic. This one took it to a new level. One year after Quinn Epperly hit Roman Wilson for a 34-yard touchdown pass to push Princeton past Harvard, the two did it again Saturday to finish off an incredible, and record-setting, 51-48 triple-overtime win at Harvard Stadium.

Penn 28, Yale 17
PHILADELPHIA -- Penn entered the third week of Ivy League play in a three-way tie for first place and unfinished business to settle against Yale. The Bulldogs were the only member of the Ancient Eight to beat the Quakers in conference play last season, and the Quakers found a measure of revenge at Franklin Field via a 28-17 win.

Dartmouth 56, Columbia 0
HANOVER, N.H. --  Dartmouth piled up 575 yards of offense while the defense limited visiting Columbia to 95 as the Big Green rolled to a 56-0 blanking of the Lions. It was the largest margin of victory for Dartmouth (3-3, 2-1 Ivy) in 77 years, while Columbia (0-6, 0-3 Ivy) dropped its seventh-straight game dating back to last year.

Here is a look at four things to keep an eye on when Yale travels to Penn on Saturday.

Who’s playing?: Yale coach Tony Reno has listed QB Henry Furman, RB Tyler Varga, WR Chris Smith and LB Andrew Larkin as “day-to-day” with injuries all week. The status of each for Saturday is unknown. Smith and Varga are two of the offense’s top playmakers. If Furman and Varga are unable to go, this will give Clemson-transfer QB Morgan Roberts and Fr. RB Candler Rich a real chance to prove themselves.

Ragone’s status: Penn QB and former Cheshire star Billy Ragone is listed as questionable according to the DP because of an ankle injury. He is No. 5 in the Ivy League in total offense. QB Ryan Becker would likely get the start if Ragone can’t play.

Bouncing back: Yale’s young secondary flat-out got burned last week against Fordham. Look for the DBs to play with a chip on their shoulder and respond in a big way against WRs like Ty Taylor and Ryan Mitchell.

Sibling rivalry: Yale Sr. DE Dylan Drake and brother Tyler Drake, a So. DE for Penn, will square off on Saturday. Dylan has been a key player up front for the Bulldogs. Tyler has had an expanded role this season and came up with a critical sack late in Penn's four-overtime win over Dartmouth.

Looking to snap its two-game losing streak, Yale travels to face Penn on Saturday.

What's your prediction? Comment below...

NEW HAVEN  >>  Yale freshman Remick Kawawaki is the adventurous type. Bouldering, which is rock climbing without the rope, is a hobby of his. He’s hiked to the summit of Mount Adams, the second-highest mountain in Washington. He enjoys traveling. He’s been all around the United States, along with Canada and Mexico.

Read the rest of the story here.

Penn QB and former Cheshire star Billy Ragone is questionable for Saturday's game against Yale, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian.

The update is, there is no update.

I swung by the end of Wednesday's practice and Chris Smith, Tyler Varga, Henry Furman and Andrew Larkin were not practicing.

Tony Reno continues to list all as "day-to-day." That will not change. He's not going to say any more than that in order to keep teams from preparing. Nor will the rest of his staff or the players. Reno is not nearly as forthcoming with injury news as Tom Williams was and I hope readers understand that.

If Smith is unable to go, Grant Wallace would start for him, Candler Rich would start for Varga and Roberts will start for Furman. Eric Williams also likely see some playing time under center, as Reno likes to play two quarterbacks. And Darius Manora is ahead of Andrew Larkin at B on the two-deep.

Also, here's a video from practice this week. For more Yale football videos, click here.

Clemson-transfer QB Morgan Roberts seems to be turning the corner now and should see more playing time moving forward.

Roberts completed 6 of 13 passes for 67 yards and two TDs against the Rams. He played the entire second half with Furman out.

“I tried to learn the offense as fast as I could,” he said. “Maybe I sped through it a little bit. Maybe I didn’t’ see the whole process. I think about every play as an individual play, not the end result. Now that I’ve taken that mindset on, I think it’s really helped me and made me a better QB.”

Roberts says he looks at himself as a traditional pocket passer. His high school coach didn’t allow him to run because of the fear of an injury. When he got to college, he became more mobile. Roberts really does have exceptional speed.

ROBERTS ON CLEMSON AND FBS FOOTBALL
“In the ACC, people make busts a lot,” Roberts said. “Completely bust on a coverage. That’s a touchdown, seven points right there. You don’t see that as much in the Ivy League. People make minor busts here and there, but you won’t see people giving away seven points. They make you earn it every drive. You don’t see as many 3-play, 85-yard boom, boom, drives. You have to sit there, move the ball with 10-play drives and be consistent, you can’t hurt yourself. It’s a different game in that way.”

Another quote from Roberts…

“We were a team like we are here. But everyone’s end goal was a little more selfish. Every single player’s end goal was to play in the NFL. For us, we practice as hard as we can because we want to win and play hard for the person next to us.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Yale (3-2, 1-1) will look to snap its two-game losing streak this weekend at Penn (3-2, 2-0). The Bulldogs were the only Ivy League team to last year’s league champs last season.

Reno says this year’s Quakers are better than last year’s team. They have most key players back and a handful of playmakers.

Defensively, they play an odd-man front. LB Daniel Davis runs well, fills the gaps and causes a problem in protection. Penn runs multiple coverages.

Former Cheshire standout and Penn QB is a dual threat. He ranks No. 5 in the Ivy in total offense at 201.2 ypg.

“He’s one of the top QBs during my time in the league just because of his winning percentage,” Reno said. “He does what all great QBs do, he wins.”

Penn also has two RBs who are tough to defend in space in Spencer Kulcsar and Kyle Wilcox, along with WRs Ryan Mitchell and Ty Taylor. Their TEs, which includes former Valley Regional standout Mitchell King, can block and catch.

It’s also worth noting they have Evan Jackson, a DB from Hamden. Jackson earned Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week last week.

“He runs well,” Reno said. “He makes plays in the pass game and he’s aggressive in the run game. He tackles well. He’s been factor in all their wins.”

NEXT YEAR’S SCHEDULE

For those who haven’t seen it yet, below is Yale’s 2014 schedule. Next year will mark the 100th anniversary of the Yale Bowl.

The schedule is unique in the sense that the Bulldogs will open with five of its first six games at home, followed by three of the final four on the road. The schedule was made during the Tom Williams tenure.

Sept. 20 vs. Lehigh

Sept. 27 vs. Army

Oct. 4 at Cornell

Oct. 11 vs. Dartmouth

Oct. 18 vs. Colgate

Oct. 25 vs. Penn

Nov. 1 at Columbia

Nov. 8 at Brown

Nov. 15 vs. Princeton

Nov. 22 at Harvard

Down two key players in Saturday’s loss to Fordham, the Bulldogs lost another two against the Rams.

WR Chris Smith (knee) and LB Andrew Larkin missed Saturday’s game. QB Henry Furman (upper body) did not play in the second half and RB Tyler Varga (foot) left the game after getting injured on a run early in the third quarter. Varga didn’t return, and was on the sideline with crutches and a boot on his left foot.

Also, QB Morgan Roberts came into Tuesday’s media luncheon with a walking boot.

Of course, head coach Tony Reno lists all as “day-to-day.”


“The good thing is, everyone is pretty much day-to-day as to when they can come back and when they can’t,” Reno said. “We will find out more about it as we go on throughout the week. They were all at the doctors this morning and the feedback we got from our medical staff is that they are all day-to-day.”

UPDATE: Smith, Furman and Varga were suited up, but did not practice. Varga was in a boot. Roberts and Eric Williams split time at QB. Larkin practiced.  

ADAPTING

Recruited as a RB, Fr. Darius Manora has moved to LB this season and has transitioned well.

He has 19 tackles with a sack. He had eight tackles and a sack against Dartmouth.

“We try to get the best guys on the field,” Reno said. “We had a log jam at RB. He’s made a great transition and has done a nice job.”

Manora picked up most of his awards in high school as a running back. A standout at St. Stephens and St. Agnes school in Virginia, Manora rushed for over 4,500 career yards to set a league record. He also played linebacker.

“It’s a tough change coming in learning both the offensive and defensive scheme,” he said. “Once you get situated, there are a lot of great leaders to help you along the way. It’s been fun. I’ve been able to play right away and help the team.”

LOOKING BACK

Yale lost to a legitimate FCS title contender Saturday in Fordham. The Rams are now No. 7 in the nation and off to their best start – 8-0 0 – in program history.

“Fordham is an exceptional football team,” Reno said. “They really don’t have any weaknesses. They have playmakers all over the field. Their QB is exceptional, their WRs have speed and size, they’re big up front. They had it all. We hung it there with them. It was a good test for us. If we did a couple things different in the first half, it could have been a different outcome. We’re a little more banged up then we would’ve liked, but I think we’re much more prepared.”

Reno said Fordham is as good of a team as any he’s seen during his tenure in the Ivy. That includes Harvard’s 2004 squad.

Fordham WR Sam Ajala finished with a school-record 282 yards and tied a record with four TDs.

“He was faster than anyone else on the field and a kid that can throw to the front shoulder ever time,” Reno said. “We tried different things, but in the end they were just really good. It was the first time our guys have been run by.”

Courtesy of the Ivy League...

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Princeton junior quarterback Quinn Epperly (Knoxville, Tenn.) led the Tigers to 39 unanswered points in 39-17 comeback win at Brown. Epperly scored three rushing touchdowns to take over Ivy League lead in touchdowns scored and also completed 14-of-22 passes for 233 yards. He engineered a key scoring drive before halftime with crucial 24-yard completion on third and 18 from the Princeton four-yard-line. Epperly ranks second nationally in points responsible for per game at 24.4.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Penn senior defensive back Evan Jackson (Hamden, Conn.) was the catalyst in the Quakers' dominating defensive effort in a 21-7 victory at Columbia. Jackson had the biggest play of the day with a fourth-quarter interception deep in Columbia territory that set up the game-clinching touchdown. He finished with a team-best five tackles, including a tackle for loss, and two pass breakups. Jackson paced a Penn defense that only allowed four first downs and 118 yards of total offense and did not allow a single third down conversion (0-for-13).

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Brown sophomore free safety Michael Walsh (Swampscott, Mass.) made the most of a special opportunity on special teams with a punt block return for a touchdown in the Bears' 39-17 loss to Princeton. On the first play of the second quarter, junior defensive back Jacob Supron burst through the line and blocked a punt at the Tigers' five-yard line. Walsh scooped up the ball at the 18-yard line and ran into the end zone for his first career touchdown.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Princeton freshman defensive back Dorian Williams (Streetsboro, Ohio) recorded a career-best and team high eight tackles in the Tigers' 39-17 victory at Brown. Williams ended Brown's longest drive of the second half when he forced a fumble as the Bears were just outside the red zone late in the third quarter with Princeton holding on to a 25-17 lead at the time.

HONOR ROLL
Joshua Boyd, Harvard (Sr., LB - Hyde Park, Mass.)
7 tkls. (2 solo), 1 TFL, 1 sack

Brett Buehler, Cornell (Sr., LB - Dublin, Ohio)
10 tkls. (6 solo), 0.5 TFL, 0.5 sack

Kyle Cazzetta, Yale (Jr., PK/P - Slate Hill, N.Y.)
1 FG, 4 PAT, 45.0 yds./punt

Matt Costello, Princeton (Jr., WR - Everett, Mass.)
5 rec. for 95 yds.

Paul Delaney, Columbia (Sr., P - Palatine, Ill.)
44.1 yds./punt, 2 in20, 3 FC

Chris Fraser, Cornell (Fr., P - Potomac, Md.)
46.2 yds./punt, 1 in20, 1 FC, 1 TB

Daniel Giovacchini, Brown (Jr., LB - Acton, Mass.)
12 tkls. (10 solo), 1.0 TFL

Garrit Leicht, Princeton (Jr., LB - Louisville, Ky.)
7 tkls. (3 solo), 0.5 TFL

Jeff Mathews, Cornell (Sr., QB - Camarillo, Calif.)
13-29-1, 223 yds., 2 TDs, 16 rush yds.

Zach Olinger, Columbia (Sr., LB - Hoover, Ala.)
14 tkls. (6 solo)

Candler Rich, Yale (Fr., RB - Newnan, Ga.)
11 car. for 159 yds., 1 TD

John Spooney, Brown (Sr., RB - Northfield, Ohio)
9 car. for 103 yds., 1 TD, 2 rec. yds.

Paul Stanton Jr., Harvard (So., RB - Kenner, La.)
21 car. for 113 yds., 2 TDs, 6 rec. yds.

Chase Womack, Dartmouth (Sr., CB - Austin, Texas)
9 tkls. (7 solo), 1 FF, 1 BrUp

Game story from Yale's 52-31 loss to Fordham on Saturday.

And here's the rest of the recap from around the league, courtesy of the Ivy League.

Monmouth 48, Cornell 23
 WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. -- Monmouth outscored Cornell 31-7 after halftime and cruised to a 48-23 victory over the Big Red in front of a Homecoming crowd of 4,553 on Saturday afternoon at Kessler Field.

Harvard 35, Lafayette 16  
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- No. 25 Harvard forced four turnovers and scored in each quarter en route to a 35-16 victory over Lafayette Saturday afternoon at Harvard Stadium. The win is the Crimson's 15th straight at home, the third longest streak in Division I, and improves the team to 5-0 for a second-straight year.

Penn 21, Columbia 7  
NEW YORK -- A downright dominating defensive effort propelled Penn to a 21-7 win over Columbia on Saturday at Robert K. Kraft Field in New York City.

Bucknell 17, Dartmouth 14
HANOVER, N.H. -- Junior Bo Patterson caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from senior Alex Park in the final minute of regulation two plays following a blocked punt, but visiting Bucknell was able to hold off Dartmouth Saturday afternoon at Memorial Field, 17-14.

Princeton 39, Brown 17
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Princeton moved to 4-1 overall, 2-0 in the Ivy League, by scoring the final 39 points of a stunning 39-17 victory over Brown in a Saturday night showdown at Brown Stadium.

Yale’s junior varsity team knocked off Milford Academy 45-32 on Sunday at Clint Frank Field.

Here are some highlights from Sunday…

Eric Williams connected with TE Leo Haenni for a 44-yd TD in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead. Yale never trailed after that. On the ensuing kickoff, Austin Carter forced a fumble and Haenni returned it 16 yards for another TD.

Everett Johnson scored on an 8-yd TD late in the first half. Tony Reno spoke highly of Johnson during the spring session. Parker Toms tacked on a 39-yd FG with one second left in the half.

On the opening drive of the second half, CB Keith Hawk recovered a fumble and returned it 99 yards for a TD. That gave the Bulldogs a 31-12 lead, their biggest of the game. Milford Academy returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a TD.

DB Roger Kilgore returned an interception 38 yards for a TD late in the third quarter.

RB L.J. Hunt scored on a 2-yd TD run in the fourth. Johnson helped set up the TD with a 30-yd run of his own.

Sr. DE Kolu Buck stood out defensively. He got a ton of pressure on Milford Academy’s QB and came up with multiple sacks.

Sure Tyler Varga fumbled for the fourth time in his last two games and Henry Furman added another — all in the first half. Yale had some costly mistakes reminiscent of last year’s 2-8 season and the Bulldogs gave up their most points since Brown dropped 55 on them in 2003.

Read the rest of the story here.

Here is a look at four things to keep an eye on when Yale hosts No. 8 Fordham on Saturday.

Another challenge: Yale's young defense has exceeded all expectations so far. Saturday will be its biggest challenge yet. The Rams are among the nation's top-scoring offenses at 40.6 ppg and averaging just under 500 ypg. UConn-transfer QB Michael Nebrich leads the nation completing 74.2 percent of his passes. He is great at taking what the defenses give him. They also have a talented RB in Carlton Koonce and another UConn transfer in WR Tebucky Jones, Nebrich's top target.
 Also, keep in mind, Fordham has outscored its opponents 82-44 in the fourth quarter.

Stepping up: LB Will Vaughan has emerged this season as a real factor on the defensive side for the Bulldogs. He has a knack for getting to the ball and is averaging 10.5 tackles a game (he had 20 tackles last week) and also has a sack this season. Yale will need a big day from Vaughan this week.

Down a playmaker?: Chris Smith left the game with a knee injury in the second quarter last week and did not return. His status for Saturday's game is unknown. If he's unable to go, look for players like Grant Wallace and maybe Cam Sandquist to step in and really get a shot to contribute. Both were key players in last year's passing game. And if Smith is out, that should mean increased targets for Deon Randall.

Bouncing back: QB Henry Furman struggled last week and had his worst performance of the year, completing 15-32 passes for 144 yards with one interception. He did rush for a 17-yard touchdown. But Furman just didn't seem comfortable in the pocket, failing to complete passes he made earlier in the year. Yale will need Furman to bounce back in a big way if the Bulldogs are going to have any shot in keeping up with Fordham's offense.

I spoke with Fordham head coach Joe Moorhead about Saturday’s matchup. Moorhead was UConn’s offensive coordinator 2009-10.

Moorhead said he’s very impressed with what Tony Reno has done with the program. He said the Bulldogs are very disciplined on film. He spoke highly of the Bulldogs offensive line and said Tyler Varga will be one of the toughest RBs Fordham will see all year. They can’t let QB Henry Furman beat them with his legs and Deon Randall will be a dangerous matchup.

Defensively, Moorhead said Will Vaughan will be one of the top LBs the Rams will see. He was also impressed with Beau Palin up front and the talent of the underclassmen in the secondary.

Also a quote from DL Brett Biestek, who is from Wallingford: “Varga is a great RB. He’s a big, strong, tough, hard-nosed guy. One of the toughest RBs we will face all year. They OL does a good job of protecting the QB and opening holes. We have to watch the bubble and quick screens. It’ll be a touch challenge for our defense.”

Dartmouth handed Yale its first loss last week and it only gets harder for the Bulldogs, as they host No. 8 Fordham Saturday.

What's your prediction for Saturday's game? Comment below...

Some additional notes below.

But first, what I like most about covering Yale football is the human interest and off-the-field stories that come along with the beat. One example is this feature on Austin Carter.

BIGGER ROLE

Kyle Cazzetta had been recruited by Tom Williams as a kicker, but ended up winning the punting job.

Now he’s doing both for the Bulldogs.

“I like kicking,” Cazzetta said. “It’s fun to score points. Having the game in your hands, that a big part too. Field position is huge, but when you can put points on the board for your team that’s good.”

Reno said Cazzetta has a naturally strong leg and has given Yale some reliability at the position.

He is 5-7 on FGA this season with a long of 46 yards. He’s also 10-12 on XPs. He’s also averaging 36.7 yards per punt with eight inside the 20-yard line.

Cazzetta was No. 16 on Phil Steele’s FCS preseason national list of punters.

NOT GIVING UP MUCH

Despite its youth and inexperience, Yale’s defense has been playing quite well this season. The Bulldogs are the top-ranked scoring defense in the Ivy League right now, allowing just 18.8 ppg.

“One thing that’s been pretty constant is that we’ve really bent but not broken,” junior DT Jeff Schmittgens said. “Some situations, in the red zone, close to the goal line, we came up with big stops.”

Schmittgens has seen an increased role this season. He had a promising spring, earning the team’s defensive line award.

After playing in just two games last year, he has 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception and a fumble recovery.

SCHMITTGENS ON CAPTAIN BEAU PALIN

“He’s the hardest worker on the team,” he said. “Very inspirational. Everyone listens to him and trusts him. That stems from people seeing how hard he works in the offseason and prior seasons. Kind of makes us want to follow. Not because he’s a captain, but because he churns out results. It makes us want to work harder.”

LINKS

I came across a pair stories I thought would be worth posting…

Here’s one the Boston Globe did on Reno and Yale’s strong start.

Here’s another on the friendship between Cazzetta and UConn women’s basketball player Steph Dolson, via the Hartford Courant.

Fresh off its first loss of the year, Yale will host No. 8 Fordham Saturday.

The Rams are 7-0 and are ranked No. 8 in the FCS in scoring offense (40.6 ppg), while averaging just under 500 yards per game.

QB Michael Nebrich leads the nation, completing 74.2 percent of his passes and completed 20 straight throws in last week’s win against Georgetown. RB Carlton Koonce is averaging 111 yards per game on the ground and the Rams are huge up front.

Defensively, Fordham is fast and athletic. Everything expected for the No. 8 team in the country. The Rams get off blocks well and their LBs play downhill. Junior DB Jordan Champman, of Southington, is a tough matchup because of his size and speed at 6 foot 1. They are aggressive in the blitz game and bring the pressure, whether in zone or man.

Fordham has wins over No. 11 Villanova, No. 16 Lehigh and knocked off Temple of the FBS.

UCONN TIES

Former Huskies have played a critical role in the Rams success this season.

For starters, head coach Joe Moorhead served as UConn’s offensive coordinator in 2009-10.

Nebrich played for UConn as a freshman, throwing for 69 yards on 5 of 14 passing. Also, top receiver Tebucky Jones (son of former Syracuse and NFL player Tebucky Jones Sr.) played in 16 games for the Huskies. He has 50 catches for 601 yards and three touchdowns this season.

There’s also another local tie on the Fordham roster. Former Sheehan standout Brett Biestek. The DL has 28 tackles and three sacks on the season. Look for a story on Biestek later in the week.

SMITH UPDATE

WR Chris Smith went down with a knee injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s 20-13 loss to Dartmouth and did not return. He is listed as day-to-day.

Tony Reno said he did not get the results of the MRI. Smith wore a brace on his left leg and did not participate in Tuesday’s practice.

Also, K Kyle Cazzetta injured his ankle during Tuesday's practice. He is listed as day-to-day as well.

RENO ON DARTMOUTH LOSS

“It was a game of missed opportunities,” Reno said. “Plays we made in the first three weeks, we just didn’t make them Saturday. When you look at the end of the game and you lose the turnover battle, you lose third down, you lose total yards and field position, you’re not going to win. But I think our guys will be ready to play.”

Yale hosts No. 8 Fordham at the Yale Bowl this Saturday at noon.

It will be Walter Camp Day. The Walter Camp Football Foundation in conjunction with the Yale-NH Hospital Auxiliary Toy Closets Program is asking fans to bring a new unwrapped toy (developmentally appropriate, new and unwrapped toys and gifts only).

To support the cause and in return, fans will receive a free general admission ticket to the game. Toys can be dropped off at the Hospitality Village on Central Avenue, which is located near Gates D and E.

From the Ivy League...

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dartmouth senior running back Dominick Pierre (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) powered the Big Green to a 20-13 homecoming victory over Yale, the first win at home against the Bulldogs since 2002. Pierre took the handoff a career-high 37 times for 167 yards and the decisive touchdown in the fourth quarter. He also led Dartmouth in receiving with four catches for 63 yards, giving him a personal-best 230 all-purpose yards. It was Pierre's third-straight game with 100+ yards on the ground and seventh of his career. In addition, he surpassed 2,000 career rushing yards early in the third quarter, making him just the third Big Green player ever to do so. Pierre also took over the Ivy League lead in rushing with 133.8 yards per game.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dartmouth senior defensive back Mike Banaciski (Hillsborough, N.J.) tied a career high with 10 tackles to help the Big Green hold Yale to a season-low 264 yards and get the team's first Ivy League win this season. Two of Banaciski's tackles (both in the fourth quarter) went for a loss, but his biggest plays came on two fumble recoveries. The first recovery came late in the third quarter with the score tied at 13 and the second on Yale's final possession with Dartmouth clinging to a seven-point lead, effectively sealing the victory. As a defensive unit, the Big Green held the League's leading rusher to just 64 yards on 20 carries.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Brown senior placekicker Alexander Norocea (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) stayed perfect on the season in the Bears' 41-14 win over Bryant, booting field goals of 23 and 38 yards while converting all five of his extra point attempts. Norocea has now connected on all five of his field goal attempts and is 17-of-17 on extra points attempts. He now has 205 career kicking points, which is third all-time in school history and seventh all-time in Ivy League history.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Penn freshman linebacker/punter Donald Panciello (Succasunna, N.J.) punted three times and also played linebacker in the Quakers' loss at William & Mary. Each of Panciello's three punts went for more than 40 yards and two of them were downed inside the 20-yard line. He had a long of 44 yards, which was downed just outside the 20 at the 25-yard line, and averaged 41.7 yards per punt. Impressively, despite the length of his punts, Panciello did not allow a single return yard. In addition, he finished with a pair of tackles and also assisted on a tackle for loss.

HONOR ROLL
Matt Arends, Princeton (So., DB - Prior Lake, Minn.)
10 tkls. (6 solo), 1.0 TFL, 1 BrUp

Eric Armagost, Brown (Jr., DB - Fayetteville, Ga.)
10 tkls. (8 solo), 1.0 TFL, 1 BrUp

Nolan Bieck, Princeton (So., PK - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
2 FGs (30, 40), 4 PATs

Paul Delaney, Columbia (Sr., P - Palatine, Ill.)
42.6 yds./punt, 3 in20

Patrick Donnelly, Brown (Sr., QB - Longmeadow, Mass.)
23-31-1, 339 yds., 4 TDs

Chris Fraser, Cornell (Fr., P - Potomac, Md.)
47.3 yds./punt, 1 in20

Marcorus Garrett, Columbia (Sr., RB - Marietta, Ga.)
27 car. for 150 yds., 1 TD

Sebastian Jaskowski, Penn (Sr., DB - Moorestown, N.J.)
12 tkls. (8 solo), 1 FF, 1 FR

Connor Kelley, Princeton (Jr., WR - Batesville, Ind.)
8 rec. for 102 yds., 1 TD

Jeff Mathews, Cornell (Sr., QB - Camarillo, Calif.)
39-56-2, 472 yds., 2 TDs

David Mothander, Harvard (Sr., PK - San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
2 FGs (36, 28), 4 PATs

Nnamdi Obukwelu, Harvard (Sr., DT - Brockton, Mass.)
4 tkls. (3 solo), 3.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks

Michael Pruneau, Harvard (Sr., QB - Plano, Texas)
23-29-1, 340 yds., 2 TDs

Will Vaughan, Yale (Jr., LB - South Orange, N.J.)
20 tkls. (7 solo), 2.5 TFL, 1 sack

Here's the game story from Yale's 20-13 loss to Dartmouth. It was the Bulldogs first loss of the season. 

And the rest from the Ivy League...

Lehigh 24, Columbia 10
NEW YORK -- Columbia fell to No. 14/17 Lehigh, 24-10, on Saturday at Robert K. Kraft Field. The Lions (0-4) received another strong performance by running back Marcorus Garrett, who rushed 27 times for 150 yards and a touchdown.

Harvard 34, Cornell 24  
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Michael Pruneau threw for a career-high 340 yards in his first-career start, while the Crimson defense combined for six sacks, as the Harvard football team downed Cornell, 34-24, before 8,329 fans at Schoellkopf Field Saturday afternoon.

Brown 41, Bryant 14
SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- Brown senior quarterback Patrick Donnelly threw for a career high 339 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Bears to a 41-14 win over Bryant, in the first ever meeting between the two Ocean State teams.

Princeton 42, Lafayette 26
PRINCETON, N.J. --  Bob Surace said he was happy to go into the locker room at halftime. But he was way happier at the end. After two weeks of comfortable victories, his Princeton football team was pushed hard by an aggressive Lafayette squad through a tense first half. Surace knew this was what games would be like for the rest of the season, and he was thrilled to see how his team responded in a 42-26 home win over Lafayette.

William & Mary 27, Penn 14
 WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Despite a strong defensive effort and a late fourth-quarter rally, Penn fell short to William & Mary, 27-14, on a rain-soaked Saturday afternoon at Zable Stadium.

Here is a look at four things to keep an eye on when Yale takes on Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H., on Saturday.

How will they respond?: On one hand there is Yale, who is 3-0 following a 2-8 season, and is coming off a huge win over previously ranked No. 19 Cal Poly. Will the Bulldogs have enough motivation to keep the momentum going after one of the biggest non-conference wins in school history?

On the other hand, there is Dartmouth who could easily be 3-0 and lost in four overtimes to Penn last week. It marked the longest game in Ivy League history. The Big Green will be playing with a chip on their shoulder and a sense of urgency after a sluggish start.

One of the Ivy’s best: The Yale defense held Cal Poly to its lowest scoring total of the season last week. Well, the Bulldogs will face an even tougher challenge this week. His name is Dalyn Williams. The Dartmouth quarterback was the Ivy League’s Freshman of the Year last season. He leads the league in total offense (353.5 ypg) and his streak of 216 passing attempts without an interception came to an end last week.

Can they keep up?: Dartmouth’s defense has good size up front and talented linebackers in Bronson Green and Michael Runger. The Big Green do a good job of disguising its defensive looks.

But will Dartmouth be able to keep up?

Yale’s high-paced offense has had opposing defenses winded and gasping for air by the time the second half rolls around. The Bulldogs run 80-plus plays per game. Penn ran a total of 81 plays against Dartmouth over the course of regulation and four overtimes last week.

Motivation: RB Tyler Varga watched as Dartmouth handed Yale a 34-14 loss last season. The NCAA received a complaint regarding the eligibility of Varga, a transfer from Canada, prior to the game. Many speculated it came from Dartmouth. Varga had to sit out while the NCAA looked into the situation and was eventually cleared.

Varga will be on the field Saturday, perhaps with some added motivation. He’s averaging 151.7 ypg on the ground.

Yale is off to its best start - 3-0 - since 1997.

The Bulldogs are coming off a 24-10 upset over Cal Poly. Yale will travel to Hanover, N.H. to face Dartmouth Saturday at 1:30. The Big Green lost to Penn in four overtimes last weekend, the longest game in
Ivy League history.

What's your prediction for Saturday's game? Comment below...

 

First, check out this story on Henry Furman and how he went from fighting for playing time at WR to starting QB for the 3-0 Bulldogs.

Following a big win over previously nationally ranked Cal Poly, Yale will travel to face Dartmouth. The Big Green will be playing with a major sense of urgency after losing in four overtimes to Penn (the longest game in Ivy League history) and falling to 1-2.

“They should be 3-0 in our eyes,” SS Cole Champion said.

Dartmouth has one of the top QBs in the Ivy League in Dalyn Williams. He was last year’s Ivy League Freshman of the Year and is leading the league in total offense (353.5 ypg). Williams saw his streak of 216 passing attempts without an interception come to an end against Penn. Dartmouth also has a talented running back in Dominick Pierre and a deep group of WRs. Defensively, they are very disciplined and do a good job of disguising their defensive looks. They have size that could present some issues for the Bulldogs.

And don’t expect last week’s win to have any effect on Yale.

“We haven’t won in a while,” Furman said. “We won two games last year, so everyone is in high spirits. But we need to decide if we want to be a good team or a great team. Do we want to rest our laurels here or really do something special this season.”

A LOOK BACK

Last season, Yale RB Tyler Varga, a transfer from Canada, had to sit out against Dartmouth as the NCAA investigated his eligibility. The NCAA received a complaint about his eligibility and many speculated it came from Dartmouth. Varga was eventually cleared. The Ivy League eventually issued a press release stating that the complaint did not come from Dartmouth.

Then during pregame warmups, Yale lent Dartmouth a kicking tee because the Big Green forgot theirs. But Dartmouth kicker R.C. Wilenbrock told the USA Today that Yale coach Tony Reno came over and asked for the tee back. Dartmouth cut a water bottle and molded it into a tee.

Needless to say, there’s some bad blood here.

Dartmouth went on to beat Yale 34-14 last year.

“We don’t really know what happened with that,” said Furman about the Varga situation. “We just know he wasn’t able to play that week. We’re more concerned with the 34 points they put up on us. They played at the level we inspired to play at every week. We want to beat Dartmouth. And we want to beat them bad.”

Added Reno: “As long as he’s there Saturday, that’s all that matters to me. Whatever happened last year, happened. That’s out of my control. What’s in my control is my 95 guys and us getting ready to play a football game.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Where Yale stands in the FCS…

Total offense: No. 11 (486.7 ypg)

Turnover margin: Tied for No. 1 (+2.0 tpg)

Interceptions thrown: Tied for No. 2 (1 INT)

FURMAN ON YALE’S OFFENSE AGAINST CAL POLY

“We have a lot of weapons,” he said. “Cal Poly ran their base coverage. They didn’t really blitz or try to disguise their schemes or anything. They basically say we’re better athletes than you and we don’t need to do that kind of thing. Our first drive we moved the ball well, we didn’t score, but huge it was a huge confidence booster. Ivy League football is often portrayed as slow. I thought we did a good job with what we always do pressuring the defense by pushing the tempo. We have really good athletes on the team and it’s nice to see the guys respond to the challenge.”

WALSH ON YALE

And in case you missed it, here’s a quote from Cal Poly coach Tim Walsh on the Bulldogs.

Bulletin board material at its best…

“I’m sure that deep down they weren’t totally 100 percent convinced they could play against our school, but they had tremendous confidence after halftime,” Walsh said. “They believed. And I think once you get a team that starts to believe, great things can happen for you. I think that team started to believe and probably is going to have a huge thing to build on with this win.”

Along with being named Ivy League co-Defensive Player of the Week, So. SS Cole Champion was named The Sports Network National FCS Defensive Player of the Week.

Champion had 14 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He was also named national defensive player of the week by beyondsportsmadness.com.

Yale Sr. WR Chris Smith was the last Bulldogs player to win the TSN Player of the Week honor. He won the special teams award in November of 2010.

The Bulldogs received 12 votes in the latest FCS coaches' poll, which was released on Monday. That would put Yale at No. 31. Harvard (31 votes) is No. 27. Cal-Poly (29 votes) is No. 28. The Bulldogs also received 201 votes in The Sports Network poll. They were No. 30 overall.

Poll is below and also here...

From the Ivy League, here's a look at what happened in Week Three...

With a strong second half, Yale stunned No. 19 Cal Poly 24-10 Saturday. Also, a look at what Saturday's win means for the Bulldogs. 

Jeff Mathews set the Ivy League record for most career passing yards Saturday, but the Big Red football team dropped a 41-20 decision to Colgate at Schoellkopf Field. Cornell slipped to 1-2, while Colgate improved to 1-4.

Princeton 53, Columbia 7
PRINCETON, N.J. -- After gaining more than 500 yards in back-to-back games, Princeton took a step up and gained 629 offensive yards in an impressive 53-7 victory over Columbia Saturday in the Ivy League opener for both teams.

Penn 37, Dartmouth 31 (4OT) [IVY]
PHILADELPHIA -- In a game which featured blocked field goals, fumbles returned for touchdowns and back-and-forth action in a frenzied finish, Penn outlasted Dartmouth in an Ivy League-record four overtimes, 37-31, at Franklin Field.

Harvard 41, Holy Cross 35 (3OT)
WORCESTER, Mass. -- In Harvard's first overtime game since a 30-24 triple OT win against Yale in 2005, the Crimson tallied touchdowns on all three of its overtime possessions, capped by a 17-yard rush by sophomore Paul Stanton Jr., to down in-state rival Holy Cross 41-35 Saturday at Fitton Field. The overtime victory allows Harvard (3-0, 1-0 Ivy) to stay undefeated on the season, while Holy Cross (2-4) picks up its fourth loss of the season.

Brown 31, Rhode Island 14 [IVY]
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Brown racked-up 471 yards of total offense and hoisted the Governor’s Cup for the third straight year with a 31-14 win over Rhode Island in the 98th meeting between the two Ocean State schools at Brown Stadium Saturday evening. The Bears extended their record to 2-1 with the win, while Rhode Island falls to 2-4 overall.

From the Ivy League...

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Princeton junior quarterback Quinn Epperly (Knoxville, Tenn.) accounted for six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) while completing more than 75 percent of his passes and totaling more than 330 yards of total offense in the Tigers' 53-7 win over Columbia. Epperly completed 19 of 25 passes for a career-best 272 yards and four touchdowns through the air and two more scores on the ground on 11 rushes for 54 yards.

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Penn senior linebacker David Park (Atlanta) provided the heroics in the Quakers' 37-31, four-overtime win over Dartmouth. Park sent the game into overtime with a block of Dartmouth's potential game-winning, 21-yard chip-shot field goal attempt with four seconds remaining. With the score tied late in the second quarter, he scooped up a forced fumble, found daylight and ran 84 yards for the go-ahead score. Park totaled seven tackles on the day, including a second-quarter sack which was the first Dartmouth had allowed all season.

Yale sophomore defensive back Cole Champion (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) led all tacklers with 14 stops with a fumble recovery and two interceptions in the Bulldogs' 24-10 upset road victory over No. 18/19 Cal Poly. Champion had 23 yards in interception returns as the Yale defense held a high powered Mustang offense to 37 total yards in the second half while not allowing a point. His fumble recovery came on Cal Poly's first offensive drive of the game.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Yale junior punter/placekicker Kyle Cazzetta (Slate Hill, N.Y.) helped change field position for the Bulldogs all day in their 24-10 win at Cal Poly. Cazzetta averaged 44.8 yards in five punts, pinning Cal Poly inside its own 10-yard line three times. He boomed a fourth-quarter punt 68 yards that was downed on the Mustangs' seven-yard line. Cazzetta also connected one PAT that came after Yale's first score.  On that game-opening score, he lined up for a 20-yard field goal attempt, but holder Deon Randall kept the ball and drove into the endzone for a touchdown.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Yale freshman cornerback Spencer Rymiszewski (West Chester, Pa.) had a stellar day in the Bulldogs' win over Cal Poly. Rymiszewski set up Yale’s first score of the day with a punt block and a 20-yard return. He posted a career day with six tacked (four solo), including 1.5 stops for loss.

HONOR ROLL
Jeff Mathews, Cornell (Sr., QB - Camarillo, Calif.)
33-44-2, 351 yds., 2 TDs

Eric Medes, Harvard (So., LB - Philadelphia)
11 tkls. (11 solo), 1 FR

Alexander Norocea, Brown (Sr., PK - Hermosa Beach, Calif.)
1 27-yd. FG, 4 PATs, 2 tkls. (1 solo)

Dominick Pierre, Dartmouth (Sr., RB - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
21 car. for 151 yds., 1 TD; 43 rec. yds.

Emory Polley, Brown (Sr., DB - University Heights, Ohio)
7 tkls. (6 solo), 2 INTs

Michael Runger, Dartmouth (Sr., LB - Lisle, Ill.)
13 tkls. (8 solo), 0.5 TFL, 1 INT

John Spooney, Brown (Sr., RB - Northfield, Ohio)
8 car. for 89 yds., 2 TDs, 14 rec. yds.

Paul Stanton, Harvard (So., RB - Kenner, La.)
21 car. for 103 yds., 2 TDs; 55 rec. yds.

Tyler Varga, Yale (Jr., RB - Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)
26 car. for 114 yds.

Kyle Wilcox, Penn (Jr., RB - Tampa)
18 car. for 94 yds., 1 TD

Roman Wilson, Princeton (Sr., WR - Broken Arrow, Okla.)
9 rec. for 144 yds., 3 TDs

Dalyn Williams, Dartmouth (So., QB - Corinth, Texas)
26-45-1, 292 yds., 2 TDs; 77 rush yds.

Victor Williams, Dartmouth (So., WR - Muskogee, Okla.)
5 rec. for 113 yds.

The Bulldogs improved to 3-0 with a huge 24-10 win Saturday over No. 19 Cal Poly.
Yale's defense adjusted to the Mustangs pace and held them to just 37 yards of total offense in the second half. Meanwhile, Yale's up-tempo offense seemed to wear down Cal Poly and Henry Furman threw for two second-half TDs.
To be honest, Cal Poly did not look like a Top 25 team. Either that, or Yale is just that good. 

The story of Yale junior wide receiver Deon Randall is one of inspiration.

He grew up on 33rd Street in San Diego, a neighborhood notorious for crime. It was home to the Crips street gang. Drug trafficking and the sound of gun shots were the norm.

Read the rest of the story here. 

Here is a look at four things to keep an eye on when Yale squares off against No. 19 Cal Poly.

Track meet: Expect close to 200 plays to be run between the two teams on Saturday. Both teams run a fast-paced, no-huddle offense. At the very least, it should make for an exciting contest.

Pick your poison: Tyler Varga ran for 200-plus in Yale’s opener against Colgate, so Cornell decided to stack the box and that allowed the Bulldogs to thrive in the passing game. How will Cal Poly defend the Yale’s dynamic offensive attack?

High temperatures: It’s expected to be a hot one Saturday. Temperatures could reach in the upper 80s. Reno said he and his medical staff are prepared, but it certainly could be factor.

Cal Poly’s attack: The Mustangs run a triple-option offense and look to establish the run. DE Beau Palin said it’s a much different offense than the Bulldogs are used to seeing. RB Kristaan Ivory (130.2 ypg) and QB Chris Brown (76.3 rushing ypg, 145 passing ypg) highlight the attack.

I'm here in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and will be heading to Yale's final walkthrough in soon. The weather is beautiful here: 80s and sunny.

After the team arrived on Thursday night, Peter Oppenheimer, father of Yale C John Oppenheimer and Apple CFO, along with his wife, hosted a team dinner for the Bulldogs.

Yale will face No. 19 Cal Poly on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. EST.

What's your prediction for Saturday's game? Comment below...

Yale leaves Thursday morning to travel cross country for a big test with No. 19 Cal Poly on Saturday. It will mark just the third time the Bulldogs have played in the Golden State.

Also, Cal Poly head coach Tim Walsh on Yale...

Tony Reno has been very impressed with the play of QB Henry Furman thus far.

And rightfully so.

Furman set the school’s single-game record or completion percentage, as he completed 29 of 36 passes for 353 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed four times for 22 yards and another score.

Reno likened him to a strong point guard who distributes the ball to his playmakers.

“He’s doing a great job,” Reno said. “He’s steady, he’s a leader. Nothing rattles him. He’s been very efficient. That’s what we’re looking for.”

RENO’S FUTURE

Reno had this to say Tuesday when asked about his future plans…

“There’s a guy (former Yale coach Carm Cozza) that comes to luncheon usually. He’s coached here for 32 years. I’d like to surpass his record. I come from a tight family. That means a lot to me. This is one of those places. These guys have goals which are incredible. I love Ivy League football. Raising three kids around guys like this, how do you get better than that. My father said to me once ‘It’s not where you’re at, it’s who you’re with.”

RIES MAKING IMPACT

Yale freshman DB Robert Ries had nine tackles and his first career INT in the Bulldogs win over Cornell, earning him Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors.

Ries, part of a young secondary, has stepped in and made an immediate impact for Yale. He played well in the scrimmage against Brown and the Bulldogs coaching staff took notice.

“He comes from a good high school program,” Reno said. “He understands routes and has good vision.”

CAL POLY MATCHUP

Yale travels to California for the third time Saturday to take on No. 19 Cal Poly.

The game was scheduled by former Yale coach Tom Williams. There’s a significant alumni base in California and it’s also good for recruiting purposes. Yale will meet with some recruits during the trip.

And it’s obviously a good test for the Bulldogs.

“They’re as close to a BCS school as you’re going to get,” Reno said.

The Mustangs are similar to the Bulldogs in the sense that they play at a fast pace. Cal Poly ran 97 plays last week in a 38-34 win over Portland State. Defensively, they have speed as well. They run a 4-3 defense and stay pretty static in it, Reno said.

FAMILIAR FACES

Yale and Cal Poly have three California high schools in common.

Yale’s Keith Coty, along with Cal Poly’s EJ Galvez and Aaryn Bouzos were teammates at La Mirada High School in 2008-09. Yale’s Deon Randall and West Gavin were teammates with the Mustangs Ronald Jackson at Francis Parker High School from 2007-09. Lastly, Austin Reuland of Yale and Cal Poly’s Colin Dzubnar played together at Mission Viejo High in 2010-11.

There are 18 players on the Yale roster that are from California.

OPPENHEIMER ON NO-HUDDLE EFFECT

Center John Oppenheimer had this to say about Yale’s no-huddle offense and its effect on Colgate and Cornell…

“It’s interesting, at the end of first half both teams you can see it in their body language. Their hands are on their hips, they’re bending over. As an offensive line and an offense in general, we love that. We eat that up. We know if we push to play even faster we’re going to wear them down by the end of the game.”

NEON DEON

Deon Randall earned Ivy League offensive player of the week honors, scoring four consecutive TDs and catching a career-high 11 passes for 148 yards. He also rushed three times for 18 yards.

His first TD of the game marked his first TD at Yale Bowl.

The bubble screen caused problems for the Cornell defense and Randall reaped the benefits.

Randall missed last season with a shoulder injury. His return has been huge for Yale’s offense.

Randall also got in on the defensive action for the Bulldogs. He made a tackle and broke up a pass.

One reporter asked Randall if he could stop himself.

“It’d be a good matchup,” Randall said.