From the Ivy League...

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Chris Fraser, Cornell (Fr., P - Potomac, Md.)

FIRST TEAM ALL-IVY
Offense
Cole Hooper, Brown (Sr., OL - Oklahoma City)
Cohle Fowler, Dartmouth (Sr., OL - Claremore, Okla.)
Scotty Whitmore, Dartmouth (Jr., OL - Spring, Texas)
Nick Easton, Harvard (Jr., OL - Lenoir, N.C.)
Christopher Bush, Penn (Sr., OL - Westwood, N.J.)
Spenser Huston, Princeton (Jr., OL - Summit, N.J.)
Joe Goss, Princeton (Sr., OL - Massapequa, N.Y.)
Quinn Epperly, Princeton (Jr., QB - Knoxville, Tenn.)
*John Spooney, Brown (Sr., RB - Northfield, Ohio)
*Dominick Pierre, Dartmouth (Sr., RB - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Grant Gellatly, Cornell (Sr., WR - Issaquah, Wash.)
*Roman Wilson, Princeton (Sr., WR - Broken Arrow, Okla.)
*Deon Randall, Yale (Jr., WR - San Diego)
*Cameron Brate, Harvard (Sr., TE - Naperville, Ill.)

Defense
Michael Yules, Brown (Sr., DE - South Dartmouth, Mass.)
*Zach Hodges, Harvard (Jr., DE - Atlanta)
Nnamdi Obukwelu, Harvard (Sr., DT - Brockton, Mass.)
Caraun Reid, Princeton (Sr., DL - Bronx, N.Y.)
Adewole Oyalowo, Brown (Sr., LB - Bowie, Md.)
Michael Runger, Dartmouth (Sr., LB - Lisle, Ill.)
*Joshua Boyd, Harvard (Sr., - LB - Hyde Park, Mass.)
Daniel Davis, Penn (Jr., LB - Norman, Okla.)
Emory Polley, Brown (Sr., DB - University Heights, Ohio)
Garrett Waggoner, Dartmouth (Sr., DB - Sarasota, Fla.)
Norman Hayes, Harvard (Jr., DB - Tucker, Ga.)
Brian Owusu, Harvard (Sr., DB - Oxnard, Calif.)
Anthony Gaffney, Princeton (So., DB - Columbus, N.J.)

Special Teams
Alexander Norocea, Brown (Sr., PK - Hermosa Beach, Calif.)
Paul Delaney, Columbia (Sr., P - Palatine, Ill.)
Chris Fraser, Cornell (Fr., P - Potomac, Md.)
Alexander Jette, Brown (Fr., RS - North Attleboro, Mass.)

SECOND TEAM ALL-IVY
Offense
Daniel Austin, Brown (Sr., OL - Franklin, Tenn.)
Clayton Paino, Brown (Sr., OL - Tarpon Springs, Fla.)
Austin Scheufele, Harvard (Sr., OL - Lafayette, Colo.)
Max Coale, Princeton (Sr., OL - Highland, Md.)
Ben Carbery, Yale (Jr., OL - Oak Park, Ill.)
Wes Gavin, Yale (Sr., OL - San Diego)
Jeff Mathews, Cornell (Sr., QB - Camarillo, Calif.)
Paul Stanton, Jr., Harvard (So., RB - Kenner, La.)
DiAndre Atwater, Princeton (So., RB - Duluth, Ga.)
Tellef Lundevall, Brown (Sr., WR - Highland Park, Ill.)
Ricky Zorn, Harvard (Sr., WR - Dallas)
Seth DeValve, Princeton (Jr., WR - Manchester, Conn.)
Andrew Marks, Brown (Sr., TE - Berlin, Wis.)

Defense
John Bumpus, Brown (Sr., DE - Concord, Mass.)
Evan Chrustic, Dartmouth (Jr., DL - Andover, N.J.)
Cody Fulleton, Dartmouth (So., DL - Seattle)
Jason Ray, Princeton (Sr., DL - Clarkston, Mich.)
Zach Olinger, Columbia (Sr., LB - Hoover, Ala.)
Brett Buehler, Cornell (Sr., LB - Dublin, Ohio)
Sam Chwarzynski, Penn (Sr., LB - Norwood Park Township, Ill.)
Mike Zeuli, Princeton (Sr., LB - Marlton, N.J.)
Stephen Dazzo, Dartmouth (Jr., DB - Arlington Heights, Ill.)
Vernon Harris, Dartmouth (So., DB - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
D.J. Monroe, Harvard (Sr., DB - Columbia, S.C.)
Evan Jackson, Penn (Sr., DB - Hamden, Conn.)
Phillip Bhaya, Princeton (Sr., DB - Haddonfield, N.J.)
Cole Champion, Yale (So., DB - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Foyesade Oluokun, Yale (Fr., DB - St. Louis)

Special Teams
David Mothander, Harvard (Sr., PK - San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
David Bicknell, Harvard (Jr., P - Boca Raton, Fla.)
Matt Lescano, Princeton (So., RS - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-IVY
Brad Wagner, Cornell (Sr., OL - Mill Rift, Pa.)
Zach Wilk, Cornell (So., OL - Harrisburg, Pa.)
Sean Ronan, Dartmouth (Jr., OL - Boca Raton, Fla.)
John Oppenheimer, Yale (Sr., OL - Menlo Park, Calif.)
Dalyn Williams, Dartmouth (So., QB - Corinth, Texas)
Conner Hempel, Harvard (Jr., QB - Union, Ky.)
Luke Hagy, Cornell (So., RB - Pittsburgh)
Kyle Wilcox, Penn (Jr., RB - Tampa, Fla.)
Tyler Varga, Yale (Jr., RB - Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)
Bo Patterson, Dartmouth (Jr., WR - Charleston, S.C.)
Connor Kelley, Princeton (Jr., WR - Batesville, Ind.)
Cole Marcoux, Dartmouth (Sr., TE - New York)
Des Smith, Princeton (Sr., TE - Watertown, Wis.)
Niko Padilla, Columbia (So., DL - Dallas)
Elliot Kastner, Dartmouth (Sr., DT - Kamuela, Hawaii)
Austin Taps, Penn (So., DL - Mahopac, N.Y.)
Greg Sotereanos, Princeton (Sr., DL - Elizabeth, Pa.)
Beau Palin, Yale (Sr., DE - Oconomowoc, Wis.)
Daniel Giovacchini, Brown (Jr., LB - Acton, Mass.)
Tré Minor, Cornell (Sr., LB - Columbia, S.C.)
Bronson Green, Dartmouth (Sr., LB - Los Angeles)
David Park, Penn (Sr., LB - Buford, Ga.)
William Vaughn, Yale (Jr., LB - South Orange, N.J.)
Michael Turner, Cornell (Jr., DB - Pikesville, Md.)
Chris Splinter, Harvard (Sr., DB - Middleton, Mass.)
Matt Arends, Princeton (So., DB - Prior Lake, Minn.)
Kyle Cazzetta, Yale (Jr., PK - Slate Hill, N.Y.)
Bo Patterson, Dartmouth (Jr., RS - Charleston, S.C.)

* Unanimous Selection

Life could have easily taken a different path for Yale junior Deon Randall.

He grew up on 33rd street in San Diego, home to the Crips street gang, and when he was 11, lost his father to diabetic complications. Randall could have fallen victim to the streets.

Read the rest of the story here.

From the Ivy League...

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Cornell senior quarterback Jeff Mathews (Camarillo, Calif.) accounted 467 yards and accounted for five total touchdowns, including four passing scores in his final collegiate game as the Big Red won 42-41 at defending champion Penn. Mathews guided an offense that scored 35 consecutive points and took a 42-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter after rallying Cornell from 14-0 and 21-7 deficits just a week after sitting out his second career game due to injury. He threw touchdown passes of 25, 4, 19 and 8 yards and ran one in himself from one yard out.

Harvard sophomore running back Paul Stanton, Jr. (Kenner, La.) tied the school record for most touchdowns by a player in "The Game," finding the end zone four times in the Crimson's 34-7 win over Yale. All four of his scores came in the first half as he had touchdown runs of 25 and 2 yards to go along with touchdown receptions of 21 and 18 yards. He finished "The Game) with 27 carries for 188 yards on the ground and four catches for 40 yards as a receiver.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dartmouth senior linebacker Michael Runger (Lisle, Ill.) recorded a season-high 15 tackles, leading a Big Green defense that contained the vaunted Princeton offense to 409 yards and a season-low point total in a 28-24 victory. One of Runger's tackles thwarted a Tiger third down, leading to Princeton turning the ball over on downs. He also broke up two passes, one of which came during the crucial goal-line stand in the fourth quarter that kept the Tigers from tying the score and instead led them to kick a field goal. Runger's 15 tackles were the second-most in his career as last year he finished the season with 17 stops at Princeton.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cornell senior linebacker Tré Minor (Columbia, S.C.) made the one of the biggest special teams plays of the 2013 season, blocking a game-tying PAT attempt with 1:11 left in the Big Red's 42-41 win at Penn. After earlier making three tackles, including two for a loss, and intercepting his first career pass, Minor broke through the line and swatted away the Quakers' extra-point kick to give Cornell the win for his third career blocked kick on his final collegiate play. His block came just seconds after Penn returned an interception for what looked like a game-tying score. He intercepted a pass on Penn's final drive of the first half at the Big Red 33-yard line to keep Cornell within 21-14 at the break and had tackles for losses on consecutive plays in the third quarter to force a three-and-out after the Big Red had taken a 28-21 lead.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Penn freshman quarterback/punter Alek Torgersen (Huntington Beach, Calif.) led a furious comeback and threw two late fourth quarter touchdowns as the Quakers lost 42-41 to Cornell on a blocked extra point in the final minute. With Penn trailing by 21 with just over seven minutes to play, Torgersen entered the game. He threw for 109 yards in that short span on 6-of-10 passing, including his first two career touchdowns. Torgersen also ran for seven yards and totaled 116 yards in about a half quarter of play. With the Quakers down three touchdowns, he led Penn 57 yards in just three plays to start the late comeback. On the next drive, Torgersen took the team 75 yards, accounting for all 75 yards (68 passing, 7 rushing), in just 1:56 to get the Quakers within seven.

HONOR ROLL
Ryan Becker, Penn (So., QB - Davie, Fla.)
12-28-2, 146 yds., 3 TDs

Sam Chwarzynski, Penn (Sr., LB - Norwood Park Township, Ill.)
6 tkls. (4 solo), 2.0 sacks, 3.0 TFL, 1 INT, 1 block

Seth DeValve, Princeton (Jr., WR - Manchester.)
9 rec. for 136 yds., 38 rush yds.

Brian East, Columbia (Sr., LB - Carmel, Ind.)
18 tkls. (10 solo), 2.0 TFL, 1 FF

Adewole Oyalowo, Brown (Sr., LB - Bowie, Md.)
12 tkls. (9 solo), 1.0 sack, 3.0 TFL, 2 FF

David Mothander, Harvard (Sr., PK - San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
2 FGs (19, 48), 4 PATs

Alexander Norocea, Brown (Sr., PK - Hermosa Beach, Calif.)
2 FGs (23, 29), 6 PATs

Dominick Pierre, Dartmouth (Sr., RB - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
28 car. for 112 yds., 1 TD, 16 rec. yds.

Deon Randall, Yale (Jr., WR/DB - San Diego)
63 rec. yds., 28 rush yds., 1 TD

Caraun Reid, Princeton (Sr., DL - Bronx, N.Y.)
7 tkls. (6 solo), 3.0 sacks, 4.0 TFL

Chris Splinter, Harvard (Sr., DB - Middelton, Mass.)
7 tkls. (4 solo), 1.0 TFL, 1 INT, 1 BrUp

John Spooney, Brown (Sr., RB - Northfield, Ohio)
27 car. for 186 yds., 1 TD

At New Haven, Harvard topped Yale 34-7 in the 130th edition of "The Game." It was the Crimson's seventh straight win the series.

Click here for the game story and here's a look at Yale's future.

And the rest of the Ivy, courtesy of the Ivy League...

Cornell 42, Penn 41
 PHILADELPHIA -- Senior quarterback Jeff Mathews closed out his outstanding Cornell career with his Ivy League-record ninth 400-yard passing game as he led the Big Red to a 42-41 victory over Penn in a high-scoring affair at Franklin Field.

Brown 48, Columbia 7
NEW YORK -- Brown senior tailback John Spooney ran for 186 yards and scored two touchdowns, and senior quarterback Patrick Donnelly threw four touchdown passes to lift Brown to a 48-7 victory over Columbia at Wien Stadium, giving the Bears their sixth consecutive winning season on the final day of the 2013 season.

Dartmouth 28, Princeton 24
HANOVER, N.H. -- Dartmouth denied 19th-ranked Princeton the claim to an outright Ivy League title, outlasting the visiting Tigers at Memorial Field on Saturday afternoon, 28-24. Sophomore quarterback Dalyn Williams broke a 21-21 tie in the third quarter with a 17-yard touchdown run, and the Dartmouth defense limited the vaunted Princeton offense to a mere field goal the rest of the way.

Harvard beat Yale 23-13 in the JV edition of "The Game" on Friday at Clint Frank Field.

Some highlights...

* Blane Brady's 1-yd TD run capped a 96-yd drive and put Harvard up 16-0 midway through the third. Harvard led 9-0 at the half. 

*Yale LB Thomas Undercuffler had a first-half INT.

* Eric Williams connected with TE Leo Haenni for a 17-yard play-action TD late in the third.

*RB Tate Harshbarger scored on a 1-yd TD run late in the game. 

Friday, Nov. 22, 1963.

Thanksgiving was only six days away but the weather was more like October, beautiful for football.
Harvard-Yale. The weekend breathed anticipation as events unfolded in New Haven.

Read the rest of the story here.

The Boston Globe's John Powers writes: For Yale, a football resurgence requires finally beating Harvard.

A look back at the 1913 Yale-Harvard game from Sports Illustrated.

Tony Reno on CBS Sports Tim Brando Show...

I know this is a Yale blog, but I had to share. Quite funny...

Here is a look at four things to keep an eye on when Yale hosts Harvard for the 130th edition of The Game on Saturday.

Ready to go?: It's been the same story for weeks now. RB Tyler Varga and WR Chris Smith are once again game-time decisions, along with QB Henry Furman. The Bulldogs simply need them to return if they are going going to have a shot of knocking off rival Harvard.

 

Motivation: Obviously, Yale will be up and ready for Harvard. But the series has been lop-sided lately, as the Crimson taking the last six. That has to be weighing heavy on the Bulldogs. Also, Yale needs this win to show that the program is really turning the program and for some momentum heading into next season. 

How will they respond?
 

Riding Randall: It's no secret, Yale is going to put the ball in the hands of its top playmaker Deon Randall. He's seen a steady increase in touches the last three games. He had three carries and 13 receptions against Princeton. That should continue, especially if Varga and Smith remain out.
 

Spreading the wealth: QB Conner Hempel likes the spread the ball around and he has plenty of options to do so. Harvard has playmakers that can stretch the field in all directions. The Crimson have had seven different receivers catch a pass in all but one game this season. 

 

NEW HAVEN >> Stephen Shoemaker remembers running onto the field after “The Game” and collecting gloves from the huge offensive linemen. Shoemaker has about 10 from over the years, he says. All right-handed ones.

Read the rest of the story here.

It's time. The 130th edition of The Game.
Yale hosts Harvard on Saturday at noon at the Yale Bowl.
There are a few unknowns like the weather and injury updates that will be factors.
My pick? Yale drops another close one and finishes at .500: Harvard 34, Yale 27.
What's YOUR prediction? Comment below...

Friday's Yale-Harvard JV game will take place at Clint Frank Field at 1 p.m.

Also, with all parking passes for lots around Yale Bowl sold out, fans can park downtown and take shuttle buses to the Yale Bowl. Locations of the buses will be at Payne Whitney Gym and on the corner of College and Chapel Street.

Here are some additional notes off of Tuesday’s media luncheon.

Also, note that Tony Reno has closed practice to all media this week.

Coming off a 59-23 loss to Princeton, the Bulldogs head into the 130th edition of The Game. The Bulldogs host Harvard at the Yale Bowl on Saturday at noon.

The Crimson have owned the Bulldogs, winning the last six meetings. Harvard (8-1, 5-1) is looking to keep its hopes of a share of the Ivy League title alive with a win on Saturday. The Crimson have a ton of speed at RB led by Paul Stanton. Up front, they are strong and move teams off the ball well. Reno says QB Conner Hampel has improved every week, which has been key. Players like Ricky Zorn, Seitu Smith and Cam Brate pose problems because they stretch the field both vertically and horizontally.

Defensively, LB Josh Boyd is a force in the middle. DTs Zach Hodges and Nnamd Obukwelu lead the way up front.

RENO ON YALE’S IMPROVEMENT
“It’s been pretty incredible to be a part of the process and seeing the change,” Reno said. “I can’t tell you how much credit goes to Beau Palin for leading that and seniors for buying into that. We have a football team now.”

He later added: “The things we’re seeing, it’s really exciting for me, because I had the idea that this is what we can be and I’m starting to see it come alive.”

FURMAN ON THIS WEEK
“We’re really not focused on Harvard at this point,” QB Hank Furman said. “We really want to put together a complete week of practice and have a great walkthrough and a great game. We’ve flirted with that a couple of times this year. Coach Reno has been talking about setting the standard on how to prepare for a football game and for the teams to come.”

ROBERTS AT WR
Clemson-transfer QB Morgan Roberts played some WR on Saturday. He didn’t get a full week of practice in because he was banged up and Reno felt his speed could help on the perimeter. He had two catches for 15 yards, including a 13-yd TD.

SCOTT WITH SOLID DAY
Sophomore QB Logan Scott made his first career start against Princeton. He finished 22 of 39 for 240 yards, three TDs and an INT.

“A solid effort,” Reno said. “He threw the ball well. He plays with his feet. He made good decisions, good decisions in the option game. He’s a cool character. Nothing is really going to rattle him. He did a nice job.”

PALIN ON PLAYING IN THE GAME 

“It’s the pinnacle of our athletic career,” Palin, Yale’s captain said. “It’s truly an honor and privilege to be a part of a game that’s so rich in tradition. I remember coming and watching my brother play, so I’ve seen both sides of it. It’s really an honor to be a part of it.”

From the Ivy League...

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Harvard junior quarterback Conner Hempel (Union, Ky.) did it with his arm and his legs as the Crimson held off Penn for a 38-30 victory. Hempel started the game 11-of-11 passing and finished 21-of-25 for 227 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He ran for a game-high 65 yards on 12 carries and added a third score on the ground. Hempel directed Harvard to points on six of the team's first eight drives, including three-straight touchdowns to build a lead that would sustain Penn's valiant comeback effort.

Princeton junior quarterback Quinn Epperly (Knoxville, Tenn.) guided the Tigers to at least a share of the Ivy League title in a 59-23 win over Yale. Epperly had another big day through the air and on the ground, throwing three touchdowns on 24-of-40 passing for 221 yards to move into the conference's all-time, single-season top 15 for touchdown passes with 23. He totalled 54 yards on the ground and added another score to move into the League's single-season top 10 in rushing touchdowns with 17. Epperly still leads the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in points responsible for per game at 27.6.

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK & ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Dartmouth linebacker Michael Runger (Lisle, Ill.) anchored the Big Green defense with 14 tackles, matching a season high, in a 24-20 victory on the road at Brown. This was his third game this season with double-digit tackles and the ninth game of his career. Ten of Runger's tackles were solo stops, but none was bigger than when he stopped John Spooney in his tracks on a 3rd-and-1 in the middle of the fourth quarter with Dartmouth clinging to a one-point lead, forcing the Bears to punt. Dartmouth converted a field goal on its next offensive possession to provide the cushion needed for the four-point win.

Harvard senior linebacker Joshua Boyd (Hyde Park, Mass.) came up big in his final home game with eight tackles and his first interception since 2010 in the Crimson's 38-30 win over Penn. Boyd's nabbed his second-quarter interception with under one minute left before halftime and set up Harvard's quick two-play, 31-second scoring drive that put the Crimson up 24-0 at the break. Boyd made his big play with the game on the line in the fourth quarter. He broke up a 4th-and-9 pass on the Crimson's 20-yard line with 16 seconds remaining with Penn threatening to tie the game.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER & ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Dartmouth freshman placekicker Alex Gakenheimer (Charlotte) was clutch for the Big Green in just his second game as the team's placekicker in the 24-20 win at Brown. Gakenheimer converted all three of his PATs, while his 21-yard field goal from the left hash mark in the fourth quarter extended Dartmouth's lead to four points, forcing Brown to go for the end zone late in the game.

HONOR ROLL
Phillip Bhaya, Princeton (Sr., DB - Haddonfield, N.J.)
9 tkls. (6 solo), 1 INT, 1 BrUp

Brett Buehler, Princeton (Sr., LB - Dublin, Ohio)
9 tkls. (1 solo), 0.5 sack, 0.5 TFL

Kyle Cazzetta, Yale (Jr., P/PK - Little Rock, Ark.)
39-yd. FG, 2 PATs, 42.2 yds/punt

Mark Cieslack, Columbia (So., LB - Montvale, N.J.)
12 tkls. (6 solo), 1 sack, 2.5 TFL

Paul Delaney, Columbia (Sr., P - Palentine, Ill.)
42.4 yds/punt, 2 in20, 1 TB

James Few, Cornell (So., QB - Tampa, Fla.)
14-17-0, 178 yds., 2 TDs

Chris Fraser, Cornell (Fr., P - Potomac, Md.)
40.5 yds/punt, 2 in20, 3 FC, 1 TB

Grant Gellatly, Cornell (Sr., WR - Issaquah, Wash.)
9 rec. for 136 yds., 38 rush yds.

Zack Latrell, Brown (Sr., LB - West Newbury, Mass.)
10 tkls. (6 solo), 0.5 TFL

Dre Nelson, Princeton (So., RB - Stone Mountain, Ga.)
5 car. for 77 yds., 2 TDs

Dominick Pierre, Dartmouth (Sr., RB - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
18 car. for 94 yds., 1 TD

Deon Randall, Yale (Jr., WR/DB - San Diego)
127 rec. yds., 1 TD, 28 rush yds.

Conner Scott, Penn (Sr., WR - Kenilworth, Ill.)
6 rec. for 88 yds., 1 TD

John Spooney, Brown (Sr., RB - Northfield, Ohio)
27 car. for 166 yds.

 
A look at what happened around the Ivy League, courtesy of the Ivy League...
 
Princeton 59, Yale 23 
 PRINCETON, N.J. -- For the Class of 2013, the long, often-times painful journey through four years of Princeton Football ended with the ultimate Senior Day celebration. The Tigers clinched at least a share of the program's 10th Ivy title and broke the Ivy League scoring record in a 59-23 home win over Yale Saturday at Powers Field
 
Harvard 38, Penn 30
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Harvard withstood a 30-0 run by Penn to close the game, as the Crimson held off the Quakers, 38-30, Saturday afternoon before 10,235 fans at Harvard Stadium.

Dartmouth 24, Brown 20
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Senior Dominick Pierre ran for 94 yards, including the go-ahead touchdown just before the end of the third quarter, and Dartmouth (5-4, 4-2 Ivy) held off host Brown on Saturday afternoon by a final of 24-20. The Bears (5-4, 2-4 Ivy) drove down to the Big Green 30 on their final drive, but an incomplete pass on 4th-and-5 with 1:25 to play sealed their fate.

Cornell 24, Columbia 9  
ITHACA, N.Y. -- On Senior Day, wide receiver Grant Gellatly made sure his teammates would always remember their final game on Schoellkopf Field. He had plenty of help, and the Big Red ended its home slate with a 24-9 victory over Columbia on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. The Big Red improved to 2-7 (1-5 Ivy), while the Lions fell to 0-9 (0-6 Ivy).

Here is a look at four things to keep an eye on when Yale travels to face first-place Princeton on Saturday.

Responding to success: Yale won three straight earlier in the season and did not respond well. The Bulldogs followed, dropping their next three. Yale has now won two straight and face a tough challenge against the Tigers. Let's see how they respond this time.

 

Opportunity: Whether starting or not, expect to see Logan Scott at QB on Saturday. He's done well in the limited chances he's gotten. Now is his chance to really prove himself against an aggressive, fast Princeton defense. Scott has managed the game well and has made good decisions. That's what the Bulldogs need against the Tigers.
 

Containing Epperly: QB Quinn Epperly can do it all, highlighting an offense that is averaging 44.2 ppg. The Bulldogs defense needs to contain Epperly and keep him in the pocket. They also have to remained disciplined against the multi-QB sets and play action. It certainly won't be easy.
 

Who's playing?: As he has all season, Tony Reno hasn't said much about injury situations heading into this week. Players like Candler Rich, Kahlil Keys, Grant Wallace and Myles Gaines have done a solid job of stepping in. But the Bulldogs could use playmakers Chris Smith and Tyler Varga now, more than ever, after missing multiple games. 

I stopped by near the end of practice on Thursday.
Logan Scott got the majority of reps at QB. Morgan Roberts did as well, along with freshman Spencer McManes.
Henry Furman was not practicing and Tyler Varga was still in a boot. Chris Smith was limited. 

Yale travels to face first-place Princeton on Saturday.
What's your prediction? Comment below...

Stepping in at QB in the second half of Saturday’s win over Brown, Logan Scott did a solid job under center.

He finished 4-of-8 for 24 yards and also rushed once for a 7-yard gain. Scott threw a couple of short passes to get in rhythm and took a shot down field and just missed Myles Gaines helped lead the Bulldogs on their game-winning drive in the fourth.

Overall, he did a good job of managing the game. At this point, it is unknown if he will get the start Saturday against Princeton. But perhaps he should get the nod over Morgan Roberts and Eric Williams, if Henry Furman is unable to go.

Scott also led Yale on its game-winning drive in the Bulldogs win over Penn last season. He completed 8 of 11 passes for 61 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with a season-ending injury.

“He’s a competitor,” Tony Reno said of Scott. “He’s done a real good job of developing. He’s cool and collective. Nothing really rattles him and he continues to grow. He had a nice JV game against Milford Academy.”

DOING IT ALL
Deon Randall is doing it all for the Bulldogs – literally.

He led the Bulldogs in receiving (9-55) and rushing (6-59), and the scored the Bulldogs game-winning touchdown on a 32-yard run in the fourth. Reno obviously wants the ball in the hands of Randall, Yale’s top playmaker, so he’s getting more involved in the run game. He’s also playing some DB, too.

WILL CHISM ON PRACTICES
“It’s interesting to note practices now are as intense as our camp practices in terms of our competitiveness. That hasn’t stopped. It’s even more competitive. We’ve really embraced the younger guys, but still get after each other. We’ve got the music going. It’s a lot of fun. We keep it fun and it prepares us for a hostile environment.”

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs travel to face Princeton on Saturday. The Tigers are the top team in the Ivy League at 5-0 in league play and 7-1 overall.

Princeton’s high-powered offense is averaging 44.2 ppg. The Tigers will play multiple QBs in the backfield and use the play action. They are similar to Yale in the sense that they run a hurry-up offense. But while the Bulldogs like to run with their RB, the Tigers like to run with their QB. QB Quinn Epperly is second in the Ivy at 267.9 ypg of total offense. He completed 29 consecutive passes to set an NCAA mark. They are very experienced with just one freshman on their two-deep.

Defensively, the use a 3-down front. DT Caraun Reid is one of the best in the league. Princeton likes to blitz and pressure to force turnovers.

Yale won its second straight with a 24-17 win over Brown on Saturday and kept its slim chances of an Ivy League title alive.

It also marked Tony Reno’s seventh win as Bulldogs head coach and his first in the fourth quarter.

“This was a special win with this group,” Reno said. “We pride ourselves at being very good at home. We’re 3-0 in the Ivy at home this year. That was important. They’re a very good, very experience team. We’ve had some good ones this year. That ranks up there.”

HELP WANTED
QBs Henry Furman and Morgan Roberts both went down with injuries on Saturday. Then Eric Williams was pulled for a fourth QB in Logan Scott.

So who will be under center against Princeton?

“Can you play?,” said a smiling Reno to a reporter when asked about the QB situation. “I don’t know, it’s a wait-and-see game, who’s healthy on Saturday. That’s the nature of where we’re at. Hank is recovering. It’s a time thing with him. If he feels good, he’s going.”

Furman has a shoulder injury. Reno said Roberts has a thigh bruise.

If Furman can’t go, it’s an open competition.

“This week of practice will tell,” Reno said. “They will earn it through practice.”

Reno continues to list Chris Smith and Varga as day-to-day.

I will be at practice on Thursday for an update.

OUT FOR SEASON
Senior wide receiver Cam Sandquist will miss the remainder of the season after suffering an elbow injury in practice last week.

Sandquist led the Bulldogs with 54 catches for 589 yards and two touchdowns as a junior, but saw a decreased role this season with the return of Chris Smith and Deon Randall. He had four receptions for 36 yards this season.

“He’s a pretty special kid,” Reno said. “Not only good football player and a huge part of our offense, but a leader. This time of year we need him to step up in leadership. He’s a great person, teammate and leader. We gave him the game ball on Saturday.”





There will be more notes to come later today.

Courtesy of the Ivy League...

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Princeton junior quarterback Quinn Epperly (Knoxville, Tenn.) led the Tigers back from a 16-0 deficit to grab a 38-26 victory at Penn. Epperly threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores to become the first quarterback in Ivy League history to rush for at least 16 touchdowns in a single season. He completed 71.1 percent of his passes (32-of-45) for 268 yards and added 53 rushing yards. Epperly, who remains first in the Football Championship Subdivision in points responsible for, is just the second quarterback in school history to have 20 touchdown passes in a season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK & ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Yale freshman defensive back Foyesade Oluokun (St. Louis) was all over the field for the Bulldogs in the 24-17 victory over Brown with a career-high 13 tackles. Of his 13 stops, 12 were solo efforts as Oluokun helped hold Brown’s high-powered offense to only two touchdowns. He added a tackle for loss and two pass breakups in the win.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Yale junior placekicker/punter Kyle Cazzetta (Little Rock, Ark.) had a very busy day in the Bulldogs' 24-17 win over Brown. Cazzetta connected on a career-long 46-yard field goal as time expired to close the first half, giving Yale a 10-point lead at the break. In addition to hitting all three PAT attempts, he punted nine times for a 37.0 yards per punt average with three fair caught and two downed inside the Bears’ 20-yard line.

HONOR ROLL
Mike Banaciski, Dartmouth (Sr., DB - Hillsborough, N.J.)
6 tkls. (5 solo)

Kyle Bramble, Dartmouth (So., RB - Floyds Knobs, Ind.)
24 car. for 110 yds.

Seth DeValve, Princeton (Jr., WR - Manchester, Conn.)
7 rec. for 77 yds., 1 TD

Andrew Flesher, Harvard (Jr., PK - Little Rock, Ark.)
2 FGs (29, 33), 4 PATs

Danny Frate, Harvard (Sr., DE - Bentleyville, Ohio)
4 tkls. (2 solo), 1.5 sack, 1.0 TFL

Alex Gakenheimer, Dartmouth (Fr., PK - Charlotte)
2 FGs (26, 21), 4 PATs

Mike Laning, Penn (Jr., DB - Glen Ellyn, Ill.)
10 tkls. (5 solo), 0.5 TFL, 3 BrUps

Jeff Mathews, Cornell (Sr., QB - Camarillo, Texas)
16-32-1, 170 yds., 1 TD

Tre Minor, Cornell (Sr., LB - Columbia, S.C.)
9 tkls. (3 solo), 3.5 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 BrUp

Elijah Mitchell, Princeton (Sr., DB - Las Vegas)  
2 tkls. (2 solo), 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 INT for TD

Deon Randall, Yale (Jr., WR/DB - San Diego)
59 rush yds., 1 TD, 55 rec. yds.

John Spooney, Brown (Sr., RB - Northfield, Ohio)
27 car. for 125 yds.

Jacob Supron, Brown (Jr., DB - Mansfield, Ohio)
8 tkls. (8 solo), 1 BrUp

Dalyn Williams, Dartmouth (So., QB - Corinth, Texas)
156 pass yds., 1 TD, 96 rush yds, 1 TD

Mike Zeuli, Princeton (Jr., LB - Marlton, N.J.)
5 tkls. (5 solo), 1 FF, 1 INT

First, here's a look at Yale's gutsy performance in its win over Brown.

And here's what else happened around the league courtesy of the Ivy League...

Princeton 38, Penn 26
 PHILADELPHIA --Six turnovers, including a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown by Elijah Mitchell, and an efficient second half by the Tiger offense, led Princeton to a 38-26 comeback win over Penn Saturday afternoon in front of 21,214 at Franklin Field. The win keeps Princeton alone in first place in the Ivy League, though Harvard remains one game back with two games to go.

Harvard 34, Columbia 0
NEW YORK -- Harvard Columbia to only 216 yards of offense, as the Crimson knocked off the Lions by a score of 34-0 at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium Saturday afternoon. The shutout marks the first for Harvard since knocking off Columbia, 69-0, at Harvard Stadium last year.

Dartmouth 34, Cornell 6
HANOVER, N.H. -- Sophomore quarterback Dalyn Williams threw for 156 yards and ran for 96 more and Dartmouth outgained the visiting Cornell Big Red by nearly 300 yards as the Big Green cruised to a 34-6 victory in a game broadcast nationally by NBC Sports Network.

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

Opening up: Brown has set the tone early in most games. The Bears have scored almost 70 percent of their points in the first half and have put up 82 points in the opening quarter. Yale can't let Brown jump out to a big lead early, as its margin for error is small, especially against a team like Brown.

 

Ground game: The Bears have a solid passing game led by QB Pat Donnelly. But Brown thrives on the ground. It's no secret. Speedy back John Spooney has come on strong lately. He is averaging 115.5 ypg and had two 90-plus yard runs last week in a win over Penn. Yale needs to contain Brown's rushing attack to have a shot.
 

Will they play?: Players like Kahlil Keys, Candler Rich and Grant Wallace have stepped up with playmakers Tyler Varga and Chris Smith out. But the Bulldogs need those playmakers back. Reno said both are game-time decisions. He did add both did enough in practice this week to play if they are ready. 

Also, WR Cam Sandquist is injured and will not play Saturday.
 

Keep it up: QB Henry Furman got back on track last week against Columbia. Yes, it was Columbia. But Furman has been efficient for the most part this season. Yale had 11 turnovers over its three previous games heading into Columbia. The Bulldogs can't revert back to those mistakes. Brown has playmakers at every level on defense, including league sack leader Michael Yules (six sacks) and INT leader Emory Polley (five INTs).

Yale's season is winding down. The Bulldogs begin a tough three-game stretch beginning with Brown this Saturday at the Yale Bowl.

What's your prediction? Comment below...

Tony Reno called it one of the top moments of his coaching career.

5-9, 153-pound senior Tate Harshbarger, who played on Yale’s JV team the previous three seasons, scored his first career touchdown on a 14-yard run in Saturday’s win over Columbia. His teammates rushed to the end zone to congratulate him and drew a penalty.

“I’ll take that penalty 100 times,” Reno said. “It was awesome. You feel great for a kid like that.”

Harshbarger was voted the team’s “senior leader” leading into the game. The senior leader leads the team with captain Beau Palin from the Walter Camp arches.

Everyone seems to call Harshbarger one of the hardest workers on the team. Tuesday practices are called Tackle Tuesdays. A scout team running back is tackled to the ground by the defensive starters. Harshbarger is that running back.

“Tate’s been there every practice, ready to go,” fellow RB Kahlil Keys said. “He fully takes on everything he does. That’s the reason why we celebrated like that when he scored.”

RENO ON INJURIES

Both RB Tyler Varga and WR Chris Smith missed Saturday’s game because of injury.

As for this week’s meeting with Brown?

“We’ll see on Friday,” Reno said. “Tyler and Chris, we will find out. It’s a big difference being able to run full speed and being able to jog. We need to see if they can do that or not. Andrew Larkin pushed through it and played. I didn’t think he was going to be able to, but he did.”

And after missing the previous game against Penn, QB Henry Furman played well against the Lions.

I will have an update from practice on Thursday.

OLUOKON LEARNING

DB Foyesade Oluokon is one of many freshmen that have had the opportunity to play immediately at Yale. He’s done a solid job in the secondary for the Bulldogs. He has 33 tackles on the year.

Oluokon moved from S to CB because of an injury to Fr. Dale Harris. Harris is back now, so that Oluokon (6-2, 200) moved back to FS where he played during the preseason.

Oluokon said he really learned to study film since arriving at Yale.

He also talked about going up against Fordham WR Sam Ajala who had 10 receptions for 282 yards and four TDs against Yale.

“I got beat in the secondary pretty badly,” he said. “It helped me become a better player. I’ve never played against a player that I couldn’t keep up with before.”

RENO ON PRINCETON

The Tigers have been the surprise of the Ivy League. Princeton sits atop the standings, following a 5-5 season last year.

Yale will travel to face Princeton next week.

“They’re playing good football,” Reno said. “They’re not turning it over. They have a good QB in Epperly and they’re playing good, sound defense.”

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bulldogs will host Brown (5-2, 2-2) this week.

The Bears have jumped on opponents quickly, scoring around 70 percent of their points in the first half and 82 points in the opening quarter. They are very experienced with 11 seniors on offense and nine on defense. And they are seniors that have played in the Ivy League, so they have experience.

QB Pat Donnelly has completed 68.7 percent of his passes this season and takes what is given to him. He’s good on the move and Brown has two tough matchups at WR in Tellef Lundevell and Jordan Evans. RB John Spooney has been coming on strong lately. He rushed for two 90-plus runs last week. Yale will need to keep Brown in 3rd-and-long situations.

Defensively, Brown will bring a lot of pressure in its 4-4 set and will use some 2-high to contain Yale’s spread attack. The Bears have a playmaker at each level on defense: DL Mike Yules (Ivy League sack leader), LB Dan Giovacchini (31 tackles) and DB Emory Polley (Ivy League INT leader).

TICKET AND PARKING INFO FOR “THE GAME”

This year marks the 130th edition of The Game between Yale and Harvard. Yale will host Harvard on No. 23 at noon. Here is a link for ticket and parking information.

NEW HAVEN >> Dwelling in the shadows of talented Yale running backs like Alex Thomas, Mordecai Cargill and Tyler Varga, playing time has come at a premium for Kahlil Keys.

“It’s a bit frustrating,” said Keys, a junior.

He’s gotten some carries as a change-of-pace back in certain situations and late in games when the outcome has already been decided.

Read the rest of the story here.

 
From the Ivy League...
 
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Brown senior tailback John Spooney (Northfield, Ohio) ran to a record-setting day in the Bears' 27-0 win over Penn. Spooney set an Ivy League record with two 90-plus yard runs for touchdowns, becoming the first player in League history to  accomplish the feat in the same day and just the second to do so in the same season. The reigning League champion in the 100 meters scored on the game's first play from scrimmage, running 93 yards for a touchdown, at the time, the third-longest rush ever at Brown. He later outran the Penn defense again for a 94-yard score, the second-longest run in school history and tied for the ninth longest in Ivy history. He finished the game with 232 rushing yards, the sixth-best, single-game effort in school history

Princeton junior quarterback Quinn Epperly (Knoxville, Tenn.) threw his way into NCAA Division I football history, completing 29-straight passes, in the Tigers' 53-20 victory over Cornell. Epperly accounted for six touchdowns (three passing and three rushing) and now leads the Football Championship Subdivision in points responsible for game at 28.0. He completed 32-of-35 passes with no interceptions for 325 yards through the air and added 69 yards on the ground as Princeton took over sole possession of first place with the win. Epperly's big day moved him into second in the FCS in passing efficiency (179.6 rating) and completion percentage (74.9).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Brown senior defensive back Emory Polley (University Heights, Ohio) led the Bears' defense to a 27-0 shutout victory over Penn with two interceptions to go along with four total tackles (three solo). Polley's first interception came deep in Brown territory, at the Bears' four-yard line, keeping Penn off the scoreboard. He picked off a second pass at the Brown 18-yard line and ran it back 40 yards in the fourth quarter to preserve the shutout. Polley now leads the FCS in interceptions with five picks through seven games.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Harvard junior placekicker Andrew Flesher (Little Rock, Ark.) posted his second-straight, double-digit scoring output in the Crimson's 24-21 win over Dartmouth. Flesher booted a game-winning, 23-yard field goal with 48 seconds left for his third field goal in the game. He also connected from 34 and 32 yards out. Flesher added one PAT to finish with 10 points.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Yale freshman running back Candler Rich (Newnan, Ga.) had an impressive outing as the Bulldogs posted four rushing touchdowns and three passing touchdowns in a 53-12 win over Columbia. Rich accounted for two of the rushing touchdowns and one of the receiving scores for his first collegiate touchdown catch. He rushed for 101 yards on 22 carries and added two receptions for 28 yards.

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

Brett Buehler, Cornell (Sr., LB - Dublin, Ohio)
18 tkls. (7 solo), 1.0 TFL, 1 BrUp

Kyle Cazzetta, Yale (Jr., PK/P - Slate Hill, N.Y.)
2 FGs (46, 35), 5 PATs, 40.2 yds./punt

Stephen Dazzo, Dartmouth (Jr., SS - Arlington Heights, Ill.)
5 tkls. (1 solo), 1 FR, 1 BrUp

Seth DeValve, Princeton (Jr., WR - Manchester, Conn.)
8 rec. for 81 yds., 1 TD

Chris Fraser, Cornell (Fr., P - Potomac, Md.)
45.3 yds./punt, 2 in20, 2 FC

Grant Gellatly, Cornell (Sr., WR - Issaquah, Wash.)
11 rec. for 97 yds., 1 TD

Kahlil Keys, Yale (Jr., RB - Petaluma, Calif.)
10 car. for 137 yds., 1 TD

Max Kurucar, Penn (So., P - Oak Lawn, Ill.)
42.7 yds./punt, 2 in20, 2 FC

D.J. Monroe, Harvard (Sr., DB - Columbia, S.C.)
5 tkls. (4 solo), 1 INT, 3 BrUps

Alexander Norocea, Brown (Sr., PK - Hermosa Beach, Calif.)
2 FGs (44, 45), 3 PATs

Paul Stanton, Jr., Harvard (So., RB - Kenner, La.)
26 car. for 146 yds.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Saturday, November 9
*Brown at Yale, Noon [IVY]
*Princeton at Penn, Noon [IVY]
*Harvard at Columbia, 12:30 pm [IVY]
*Cornell at Dartmouth, 4 pm [NBCSN]

From the Ivy League...

Yale snaps three-game losing streak with 53-12 win over Columbia.

Brown 27, Penn 0
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Senior tailback John Spooney re-wrote the Brown and Ivy League records books this afternoon with touchdown runs of 93 and 94 yards to lead Brown to a 27-0 Homecoming win over Penn at Brown Stadium. Spooney, who finished with 232 rushing yards, sixth best in Brown football history, is the first Ivy League running back to have a run of 90 or more yards twice in a game.

Princeton 53, Cornell 20
PRINCETON, N.J. -- In a season that was already approaching historic numbers, Princeton junior quarterback Quinn Epperly helped the Tigers take sole possession of first place in the Ivy League with some NCAA history of his own. He completed his first 29 straight passes, a Division I record, to lead the Tigers to a 53-20 victory over Cornell on a day when Princeton honored its greatest player ever, the late Dick Kazmaier, at halftime.

Harvard 24, Dartmouth 21
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Andrew Flesher nailed a 23-yard field goal with 48 seconds remaining in the game to lift the Harvard football team past Dartmouth, 24-21 at Harvard Stadium on Saturday.

Here is a look at four things to keep an eye on when Yale hosts Columbia on Saturday.
  
Bouncing back: Tony Reno said this past week has been the best week of practice the Bulldogs have had all season. An Ivy League title is a longshot at best at this point, so there really is no pressure for the Bulldogs. This should be a game where Yale bounces back, regains some confidence could serve as a springboard to a strong finish to this season.

Protect the ball: Yale’s 11 turnovers over the last three games are reminiscent of last year’s struggles. The Bulldogs already have a small margin for error, making turnovers even more critical. Henry Furman is back under center, which should help. He’s been efficient for the most part this season.

A helping hand: Even if RB Tyler Varga is unable to go, the Bulldogs running game appears to be in good hands. Freshman Candler Rich has 31 carries for 256 yards over his last two games. When Varga does return, Rich will still get a solid amount of touches and that should keep Varga fresh as the season winds down.

Offensive issues: Columbia is starting a freshman QB and will be down its top playmaker in RB Marcorus Garrett, who has been suspended for violating team rules. The Lions are averaging just 7.5 ppg. The Bulldogs aggressive defensive line should thrive against this struggling offense.

Yale looks to snap its three-game losing streak when it hosts Columbia (0-6) this week.

What's your prediction? Comment below.

Also, QB Henry Furman and LB Andrew Larkin both practiced Thursday and appear ready for Saturday. However, Tyler Varga and Chris Smith did not practice. QB Eric Williams is really making a push for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.

"He's made some really nice strides the last three weeks," Tony Reno said.