Cornell eyes role of spoiler this weekend in Ithaca, N.Y.

One month ago, Cornell coach Tim Pendergast didn't have a whole lot to be excited about.

His Cornell football team -- reeling from a 42-13 lambasting at the hands of Colgate -- had dropped their fourth decision in five tries. Their offense had pulled a series of second-half disappearing acts, and their defense was surrendering an alarming 460 yards per game.

Things were even worse when it counted.

In their two Ivy League contests, against Yale and Harvard, the Big Red had given up 50 and 52 points, respectively.

But since the Colgate game, Pendergast's side has used a series of inspired defensive efforts to salvage a respectable season.

"I think we would have rather played them earlier in the season," said Penn coach Al Bagnoli. "They've got a lot of young kids, and they certainly were not in sync. They're a lot more dangerous now than they have been."

With three narrow wins over Ivy League rivals Brown, Dartmouth and Columbia -- coming by a total margin of eight points -- the Big Red carry an air of confidence into Saturday's tilt with the Quakers.

Playing spoiler to the Ivy League champions would be quite an exclamation point to Cornell's decided turnaround. With a single game remaining on its Ivy League schedule, Penn travels to Ithaca, N.Y. with a one-game lead over Harvard.

The Quakers destroyed the Crimson at Franklin Field last Saturday, 44-9, in a battle of Ivy unbeatens.

At worst, Penn would tie for their second league title in the last three seasons.

At worst.

"It would be devastating," Bagnoli said. "The kids hopefully understand the ramifications."

It seems they do.

Senior quarterback Mike Mitchell echoed Bagnoli's prohibitive confidence.

"If we do our job, I think the outcome will be in our favor," Mitchell said. "Most of the leaders on this team are seniors. They want to have a great memory for their last game, and the rest of us aren't going to let them have any bad memories."

Though a letdown would seem a natural concern, Penn seems fairly intent on taking care of business.

"We beat Harvard so bad that we don't think they deserve to have a piece of the title," senior defensive end Chris Pennington said. "We don't want to let down because we don't want to lose what we think we rightfully deserve.

"We just want to finish what we started."

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