There's bad luck - and then there's Columbia luck.
The Lions' football program is certainly no stranger to losing streaks. Its 44-game skid in the 1980s is the second-longest in Division I history. But now, trying to ride out a 12-game tumble - the second-longest active rut in the Football Championship Subdivision - Columbia(0-4, 0-1 Ivy) seems to be getting the short end of every stick and the raw end of every deal.
But this weekend, Penn (2-2, 1-0) looks to push the number to 13 and push its own winning streak against the Lions to 12.
"They've been a victim of playing good teams and coming up just short," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "They've played tough, and I hope it's another week before they figure it out."
The Lions have lost by an average of 6.75 points per game this season, and they have seen games slip away on a 12-men-on-the-field penalty, a fumble-inducing storm and a botched fake field goal.
Columbia coach Norries Wilson was not made available for comment.
The Red and Blue used fall break to their advantage, watching film since the final whistle of last weekend's win over Georgetown.
On both sides of the ball, the consensus Penn gameplan is clear: Be ready for anything.
"They do a lot of movement on defense, so we've got to be able to adjust to different stunts that they run," said senior tight end and captain Josh Koontz, who hauled in a career-high seven catches for 69 yards last week. "That's something that's going to keep us on our toes."
Columbia's top defensive weapons may lie in its front seven, which is led by middle linebacker Drew Quinn. The senior's 13.5 tackles per game put him atop the Ivy League and fourth in the nation.
"He's somebody we have to keep an eye on," Koontz said.
On the other side of the ball, Columbia doesn't hesitate to mix it up. Quarterback Shane Kelly, a transfer from Temple, doesn't have the same passing chops as his predecessor, Craig Hormann. But his running ability has contributed to a multi-faceted approach that can frustrate defenses.
"They're a little bit more varied than they were last year," Bagnoli said. "Now they have this option, power and pass offense that kind of spreads you all over the place, and it's a little bit more multi-dimensional than it's been in the past."
Penn, on the other hand, may be lacking a couple of offensive weapons this weekend. While halfback Bradford Blackmon is expected to return from an ankle injury, fullback Kelms Amoo-Achampong is out with a gall bladder ailment.
Halfback Mike DiMaggio has been cleared to play after separating his shoulder last week; he will be available if needed but likely won't see action. Cornerback and captain Tyson Maugle will need at least another week off with a broken nose.
Despite the bumps and bruises, the Quakers' two-game winning streak has them rearing to climb back above .500.
And with an Ivy title still at the forefront of their minds, the Quakers will be looking to make a statement on Saturday.
"You have to defend homefield," Bagnoli said. "When you have an Ivy League school coming into your backyard, it puts you just about into a must-win situation."
