Liveblog | Penn football at Yale

We are live in New Haven as Penn football (1-4, 1-1 Ivy) takes on Yale (4-1, 1-1) in the 100th year of the Yale Bowl. Follow along as Sports Editor Ian Wenik and I bring you the action.

Key Numbers: Penn football vs. Yale

While anything can happen any given Saturday, leashing the Bulldogs this weekend will be a tall order for Penn football. Delving into the game of numbers, one cannot find many reasons to pick Penn to beat the 17-point spread. Here are key numbers heading into the Red and Blue’s weekend game with Yale.

28: On September 27, Yale became the first Ivy League team in 28 years to defeat a Football Bowl Series school, ousting Army in overtime. While army itself is only 2-5 on the year, the Bulldogs’ historic victory highlights them as a special team in the Ancient Eight.

72.7: Penn coach Al Bagnoli is 16-6 against Yale for a winning percentage of about 72.7 percent, which ties Princeton for Bagnoli’s third-most beaten Ivy team. That being said, the last three games have gone to the home team, and the Quakers travel to New Haven this weekend.

109.9: Yale quarterback Morgan Roberts sets the tone for the Ivy League’s most prolific offense, boasting a 109.9 QB rating. For context, only Denver Bronco Peyton Manning, Green Bay Packer Aaron Rodgers, and San Diego Charger Phillip Rivers have higher passer ratings in the NFL. In the entire FCS, he has the fourth-highest passer efficiency rating, a category led by a gunslinger known all to well to the Quakers—Villanova QB John Robertson.

84: Yale running back Tyler Varga alone has recorded 84 points this season in all games, averaging over 16 points per game. This is only 20 less than the entire Penn team has scored all year. However, a “welcome” trend may help an already thriving Quaker rush defense: Varga has averaged only 9 points per game in Ivy play (which is similar to not having to play Peyton Manning but then playing Russel Wilson instead).

1: Penn has only recorded more passing yards than its opponent in one game thus far, which was a Dartmouth match where the Quakers gave up over 200 rushing yards. Even in a rout of Columbia, Penn allowed QB Trevor McDonagh to throw for 266 yards. With the Bulldog’s high power offense, something has to click for the Red and Blue defense, which ranks last in league play in sacks (2), fumble recoveries (0), and interceptions (0).

0: Technically, Penn’s and Yale’s conference records are separated by zero wins, as each is 1-1. Both lost their only game thus far to Dartmouth, who looks to be a legitimate contender for the Ivy League Championship. Both have also only defeated 0-2 teams, as Penn and Yale smashed Columbia and Cornell, respectively. Though non-conference play tells a completely different story—Yale went 3-0, Penn went 0-3—hope can be found in the fact that, in common games, the scoreboard shows little difference.

What do you think the result will be this weekend? Can the Quakers upset the Bulldogs? Have you come across your own interesting statistic? Leave your comments below, or tweet them at @DailyPennSports.

Penn football Alumni Q&A: All-Ivy Quarterback Billy Ragone

To Penn football, winning Ivy games in impressive fashion is nothing new. After defeating Columbia last Saturday, Penn looks to continue its recent success going into the weekend in a showdown against Yale.

In preparation for the game, we took the time to connect with former Penn quarterback Billy Ragone. A three time Ivy champ, Ragone credits a lot of his success on the field to good leadership that came from Coach Bagnoli. Over five years at Penn, Ragone started 35 games at quarterback and was named first team All-Ivy in 2010. He also set the career touchdown record at Penn with 56 total (36 passing, 20 rushing). Here’s what he had to say.

Daily Pennsylvanian: What were your football experiences like at Penn? What was it like returning for that fifth season?

Billy Ragone: Having a bonus semester is not something that everyone gets to have. While that didn’t lead to an Ivy championship we were certainly successful in the five years that I was there. … I thought the culture of the team was great. We were fortunate enough to be successful and that always makes your experience a little better. I couldn’t have asked for anything different in your college career.

DP: Do you think the leadership helped you to be successful?

BR: Absolutely. My first two championships were freshmen and sophomore years so having those older guys helping you through the process. And then my class and the class above me were used to winning and we did not take that for granted. We were looking to add to the unbelievable resume that Penn football has.

DP: What did you think of Al Bagnoli as a coach?

BR: His resume speaks for itself. He’s one of the most accomplished coaches in Ivy history so to play for a guy like that was something special in itself. A lot of the kids he attracted were hard-working kids who wanted to win, had good character – that was something we all bonded over, which made it easier to play for each other in a way. That all starts with Coach Bagnoli. His way worked and we were fortunate enough to be a part of his success.

DP: What about Bagnoli as a Coach was most memorable for you?

BR: One of the most memorable things for me was his ability to find success in every game. He challenged us to be better and build upon things that we were successful doing, while fixing our mistakes. … He didn’t care about how successful he was in the past. He didn’t want his players to hang their heads over an Ivy championship the year before. And that trickled down through the coaches: it’s a new day, new week, new year, and you’re only as good as your last game.

DP: Do you have a favorite memory from Penn football?

BR: One of my favorite games was at Princeton in my senior year (2012). We kind of had a bumpy road up to that point and we were able to rattle that off with a victory. We had a pick-6 from a defensive lineman to tie the game. Then we were able to punch one more score in, recover a fumble inside our own 10, and win the game. We were on the verge, we made a couple of great plays and we had to keep our season alive. We followed that up with a win at home against Harvard in similar fashion. But in that Princeton game, we all really came together and we had some unsung heroes. But really everybody contributed to give us a shot at that championship.

DP: You’ve done a lot of practicing against Coach Priore’s defense. What do you think of him as a coach?

BR: Coach P is – like Coach Bagnoli has the respect of every player and every coach in the League – [revered for] his defense. I know they’re struggling this year and he’s taking a bit of criticism but he always puts a polished product on the field. It was something difficult to go up against every practice. I certainly looked forward to going against other teams on Saturdays than going up against his defense. As far as coaching goes, the energy and passion he brings is second to none and he does a really good job motivating his players on game day, getting them to do what they need to be successful.

I have the utmost respect for him as far as defense is concerned. Competing with him on the practice field we had a good relationship. A little bit of trash talk here and there but it was good fun and all for the better of the team. I enjoyed sharing the football field with him for five years.

DP: Do you think that he will provide for a smooth transition?

BR: [Priore] has been there longer than Coach Bagnoli has so if there is anybody to succeed such a storied coach, I think he’s definitely the right person. He’s been a part of the program. He knows the alums. He knows the League. He knows what type of players he needs to be successful and we’re looking forward to him taking the reins and making a mark on the program instead of being a piece of the puzzle. We’re looking forward to him taking the reins and hopefully we can rebound a little bit and let Coach Bagnoli leave on a high note. Congratulations to Coach Priore for getting the opportunity and we are all expecting him to take advantage of it.

DP: So, what are you up to now?

BR: I’m currently working in New York for a startup innovation and marketing agency with another former Penn football player, Matt Makovsky. He graduated in 2005. He’s also a multiple Ivy champion, so that’s what I’m up to now and I’m looking to continue my career in the marketing field and enjoy myself.

…And my body is happy that I’m not playing football anymore

Why Yale will beat Penn | Greg Cameron, Yale Daily News

Welcome to the third edition of "Why Penn will lose" as Greg Cameron of the Yale Daily News explains why the Elis will beat the Quakers on Saturday. Disagree? Comment below.

A year ago Sunday, in the matchup we’re about to see tomorrow, Penn football took a game from Yale, 28–17, at Franklin Field.

Decisively so, as the Bulldogs found themselves down 28–3 at the end of three quarters, and their two touchdowns in the fourth were not nearly enough to overcome the deficit. The loss, perhaps the only one in the Elis’ last five games of the season that reasonably could have been avoided, dropped Yale’s record to 0.500 for the first time and did serious damage to the team’s position in the standings.

Though Penn and Yale finished the season tied with a 3–4 conference record, the 28–17 final showed that at that moment, the Quakers were the better team.

But that Yale squad was nothing like the one that the Bulldogs are bringing to the Yale Bowl tomorrow.

A year ago, running back Tyler Varga ’15, the Ivy League rushing and touchdown leader who requires roughly four or five defenders to take down, was sidelined with a foot injury.
A year ago was the first start for quarterback Morgan Roberts ’16, who was still adjusting to head coach Tony Reno’s hurry-up spread offense after his transfer from Clemson. You could say he’s adjusted now — he’s averaging 331.8 passing yards per game, leading all Ancient Eight quarterbacks by over 70 yards. Last week against Colgate, he went off for 379 while still leaving room for partner-in-crime Varga to score five touchdowns.

A year ago, Yale wasn’t leading the entire 124-team Football Championship Subdivision with 46.0 points and 601.2 total offensive yards per game.

No one has been able to stop this offense in Yale’s first five games, and Penn’s seventh-best defense has not given much reason to believe that it will reverse that trend. Dartmouth came closest, holding the Elis to 31 points while quarterback Dalyn Williams led his team to a narrow 38–31 victory.

That isn’t to say that a win in this contest won’t be easy. After last year’s loss and Penn’s Ivy championship two years ago, no one doubts head coach Al Bagnoli’s ability to win big games.

But if Penn wants to steal an important victory in Bagnoli’s final year, it’ll likely have to do so the same way as Dartmouth did: on the offensive side.

Admittedly, Yale’s young defense has its holes, despite strong individual talent scattered around the field. This year’s defense has followed a consistent theme: allow big numbers for three quarters, and then make a few major stops when it counts.

Penn’s offense, currently ranked fifth in the Ancient Eight in points scored and riding momentum from its first win, may have what it takes to walk over the Bulldogs for all four quarters. None of its performances thus far have been particularly noteworthy, but this could be the breakout game for quarterback Alek Torgersen and his offense.

We at the YDN see this game as one that Yale should and must win to remain a legitimate power in the Ivy League. But it’s not one that the Bulldogs can’t lose, especially considering the Quakers’ motivation to turn their season around with a statement in this game.

If the Quakers can limit the damage that Roberts, Varga and captain and wide receiver Deon Randall ’15 create, and if Torgersen can lead his offense to another strong performance, we could see a completely different game from the one projected on paper.

All there is for our two newspapers to do, then, is wait and see.

Where are they now? | Miles Jackson-Cartwright

Over the summer, 2014 Penn graduate and former basketball captain Miles Jackson-Cartwright signed overseas with Dutch club Aris Leeuwarden.  And while we have to wait and see how the Quakers perform this season in his absence, basketball season starts a bit early overseas.

After serving primarily as a shooting guard for Penn, Jackson-Cartwright has taken on the role of point guard for the Dutch club and has found himself starting in three of the team's first four games.

It appears as though the transition was a smooth one for the Van Nuys, Calif., native at least on the court.  Jackson-Cartwright has led Aris Leeuwarden in points and assists per game with 17.8 and 6.5, respectively.

Jackson-Cartwright is one of four Americans with the team – all but one of whom graduated this past year.  Joining Jackson-Cartwright from the States are Marquise Simmons (St. Bonaventure), Ryan Watkins (Boise State) and Philip Bach (Santa Clara).

Aris Leeuwarden has started 2-2 in the Netherlands DBL with all four Americans starting alongside Dutch guard Dexter Hope.  The team struggled to a 13-25 record and seventh place finish last season, though with so much turnover in the league - only one of Leeuwarden's six most used players was with the team last year - team results vary greatly.

Takeaways from the Ivy men's basketball media teleconference

The Ivy League men’s basketball preseason teleconference was held Wednesday, which gave each coach a chance to talk at length about their team’s prospects for the 2014-15 season. Here are some takeaways from four key Ancient Eight squads.

Harvard: Winning helps, but recruiting is still an uphill battle

The Crimson may be one of the fastest-rising programs in college hoops after winning in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. But coach Tommy Amaker doesn’t think that the process of drawing top recruits into the Ivy League has changed much.

“I don’t think recruiting is ever easy,” he said. “Whether that’s at UConn, or Duke or some of the top programs at the country that have been amazingly successful, I don’t think they would equate recruiting with ‘easy,’ and [it’s the] same thing with us.”

Yale: Eager to get on the road

The Bulldogs haven’t forgotten their upset win at Harvard’s Lavietes Pavilion last year, nor have they forgotten the 70-58 loss to the Crimson on their home floor that ended the Ivy title race. Asked if the Bulldogs already knew the secret to taking down the conference’s three-time defending champs in their house, coach James Jones responded:

“If I knew that, we would have beaten them the second time.”

Yale travels to Cambridge on Mar. 6, 2015.

Dartmouth: Meet Mr. Maldunas

Big Green forward Gabas Maldunas missed most of the 2013-14 season with a torn ACL — including all but one game of Ivy play — but the 2012-13 Second Team All-Ivy selection has been progressing in his rehab effort and hopes to be fully healthy for Ivy play.

In the meantime, look for junior forward Brandon McDonnell to take on a bigger role in the offense while Maldunas rounds into shape. The 6’8” inside presence has earned raves from the Dartmouth coaching staff.

Penn: Blocking out the noise

By the end of a 2013-14 season that ended in turmoil on and off the court, message board pundits all over the city had taken to their keyboards to call for coach Jerome Allen’s job.

Now entering his fifth full season as Penn’s leader, Allen gives little regard to the charge that he’s on the hot seat.

“I pay no attention to the periphery,” he said. “I can only control what I can control.”

With a six-man freshman class that has impressed many with how quickly it has bonded together off the court, and two new assistant coaches on staff, Allen has his best chance yet to mold the Penn program however he wants.

Three up, three down: Penn volleyball vs. Princeton

Having won three of its last five matches — including its most recent contest against a strong Dartmouth squad — it looks like Penn volleyball’s young roster may be finding its footing. On Friday, the Quakers will hit the road to take on Ivy-rival Princeton and get back to .500 in conference play. Let’s look at some reasons why the Red and Blue may extend their recent success and some reasons why they may revert to old tendencies.

Three Up

Recent history:  While the Quakers (6-12, 3-4 Ivy) have taken positive strides as of late, Princeton (9-8, 4-3) has been digressing. The Tigers started their season strong, reeling off four consecutive Ivy victories. However, they have been in a funk lately, having dropped their past three games — all of which have been in conference.

Throwing a block party:  In their most recent victory over Dartmouth, the Red and Blue were propelled by 11 crucial team blocks. Senior Kendall Turner  — who has been credited for her leadership throughout the year — was a major part of the effort, chipping in five block assists herself. If Penn puts up a similar defensive effort on Friday, it could spell trouble for the Tigers.

A jack of all trades : It seems like Alex Caldwell  has done a little bit of everything for the Quakers this year, and she pretty much has. The junior captain continued her stellar campaign by recording her second triple-double of the year over the weekend. She and fellow junior Alexis Genske will be relied upon heavily once again against Princeton.

Three Down

Slightly less recent history : While recent results have comparatively favored Penn, the Tigers got the best of the Red and Blue earlier this season. In Penn’s Ivy home opener, the Quakers were swept by the Tigers, who were propelled by an impressive 29-assist performance from setter Lauren Miller . The Red and Blue will need to adjust if they want a different result this time around.

Setting the table : Miller has been a force for the Tigers all season. After finishing fourth in the Ivy League last year as a freshman, she has averaged an impressive 10.62 assists this season. The Quakers do not have a single individual averaging half of that mark.

On the road again:  Penn has struggled in matches away from home this season, having gone 1-4 on the road thus far. Admittedly, several of these have come against tough national opponents, but the Quakers will need to overcome their overall inexperience and improve on the road moving forward. They will get another shot this weekend against Princeton in a match that will start the Quakers on the second half of their Ivy season.

Roundtable | Did Saturday's win turn around Penn football's outlook?

Penn football finally got its first win of the year on Saturday, taking down lowly Columbia. This weekend, a much greater test awaits in a strong Yale squad. Our editors debate: Does the Columbia game change the outlook for Penn football, or are the Quakers bound to fall to the Elis?

Senior Sports Editor Steven Tydings: Winning always changes things. Look, the Quakers aren’t going to look like world beaters overnight, but the team knows the formula to win now. They need to establish the running game, which should be easier with senior running back Kyle Wilcox back at practice this week and possibly ready to go to the Yale Bowl. Alek Torgersen will need to be just as strong with his decision-making, and the O-line needs to hold up its end of the bargain.

But the defense was the most important change on Saturday. Yes, I know, Columbia. But that defense had floundered for four games and now the D-line looks like it has things together. Senior linebacker Dan Davis is healthy. All of these factors means Penn is a strong competitor to Yale. Favorites? No, but Dartmouth proved these Elis are beatable, even at Yale. Game on.

Sports Editor Ian Wenik: I’m gonna have to be party pooper on this one. Penn’s secondary looked good against Columbia, yes, but I don’t see any reason to be confident in it until it shows up well against a competent quarterback. Yale senior quarterback Morgan Roberts is completing 69.4 percent of his passes this year, a ridiculously efficient clip.

If Penn wants me to believe it has a shot at the Ivy title, it’ll need to have that pass rush show up again in force on Saturday, to make the secondary issue irrelevant. After all, you can’t complete a pass if you’re pile-driven into the Yale Bowl turf. But that pass rush didn’t show up against Dartmouth, and I don’t see it showing up against the Bulldogs, either.

Sports Editor Holden McGinnis: I’m with Ian on this one. Sure, Dartmouth proved the Elis are beatable, but Penn and Dartmouth are far from the same team. And remember how close that one was. If Big Green quarterback Dalyn Williams had made one fewer heroic play in leading Dartmouth back in the fourth quarter, then we’d be talking about a Yale team undefeated in the league and holding a win over Army.

I don’t think a dominant win over lowly Columbia changes much of anything about Penn’s chances against one of the stronger teams in the league. Sure, it was by far the most complete game the Quakers have played all season, but the Lions aren’t a fearsome opponent. I think, if anything, Columbia helped cover up the flaws that doomed the Red and Blue in early games. We’ll see if Yale can expose them the same way that Dartmouth did, but either way Penn’s chances didn’t improve too much after a win that everyone saw coming.

Penn football Alumni Q&A: All-Ivy Quarterback Gavin Hoffman

As Penn football prepares for some strong competition at the Yale Bowl, we had the chance to speak with the legendary Ivy League quarterback, Penn’s own Gavin Hoffman, about this hectic part of the season. Hoffman broke Penn’s main passing records – those for yards, completions, attempts and touchdowns – after transferring to Penn from Northwestern in 1999. As a freshman at Northwestern, Hoffman started the entire season, including eight games against Big Ten teams.

He transferred to Penn because of a coaching switch at Northwestern but ultimately loved the time he spent at Penn quarterbacking the Quakers.

Daily Pennsylvanian: As Penn football’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, what is that feeling like when you return to Franklin Field and Penn in general?

Gavin Hoffman: [It] makes me miss the place and wish I was still in college!

DP: In what ways do you credit Coach Al Bagnoli with your successes while quarterbacking Penn?

GH: I always respected Coach Bagnoli for his professional approach to managing the team. He played no favorites, you were only judged on results. That atmosphere of accountability is new for lot of young guys coming into college, and I think that environment he fostered explains a lot of his sustained success at Penn.

DP: What was your favorite memory as a part of Penn football?

GH: Coming back to beat Brown after we were down 18 points with 4 minutes left.

DP: With the team in the middle of Ivy play, could you share your thoughts when you were going into these high pressure contests?

GH: I remember thinking that the Ivy League teams were generally equal in talent, so the winner was usually decided by the better prepared team and the one that rose to the occasion on that particular Saturday. Because the margin of victory in the Ivy League is so slim, I really enjoyed the week long process of preparing for the opponent and making sure my play was ready to peak on Saturday. The three hours on Saturday are just the public display of a week long effort.

DP: What about Penn football helped your decision to transfer?

GH: I had started at QB for Northwestern but was no longer having fun playing football. I came to Penn because I wanted to get back to enjoying football and got the sense that everyone was serious about football, but also had fun playing it. I was right.

DP: You’ve spent a lot of time in practice learning from defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Ray Priore. Coach Priore will be taking over Quaker football in 2015. What do you think of Priore as a coach and do you think that the team is in good hands during this transition?

GH: I am very happy for Ray, I don’t think it’s possible to find a better person in football. He has been very loyal to Penn and has produced all-time defenses in the Ivy League. He deserves this spot and will be a great new leader for Penn Football.

Penn Women's Basketball Recruit Roundup: Class of 2019

With the season on the horizon for Penn women’s basketball, it only seems appropriate to take a look ahead at the future of the team. With coach Mike McLaughlin’s prowess for successful recruiting – all four of his classes have produced the Big 5 Rookie of the Year – it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that the commits for the Class of 2019 have been strong so far.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the five verbal commits.

Kristen Daley (6-foot-0, G, Weston, Ma.) – A standout performer for The Rivers School over the past three years, Kristen Daley comes from a family of basketball players. Daley has earned three All-ISL selections and two All-New England selections through her three years of high school ball. Though she played point guard primarily in high school, the Massachusetts native is projected as more of a wing player at the college level.

Princess Aghayere (6-foot-1, F, Reston, Va.) – The most recent commit in the Class of 2019 (and by far the recruit with the coolest name), Princess Aghayere will add to an already deep stable of post players for the Quakers. While at South Lakes High School, Aghayere has already shown a strong ability to crash the boards. As a junior, she was named to the 2013 Virginia AAA All Northern Region first team.

Jameira Johnson (6-foot-3, F, Tamytown, Md.) – With reigning Ivy League defensive Player of the Year Sydney Stipanovich and highly touted recruit and now-freshman Michelle Nwokedi already with the program, one might figure that recruiting post players would be less of a concern for McLaughlin and co. Yet with Aghayere and Jameira Johnson, the team will find itself with two more forwards capable of dominating the glass. At McDonogh High School, Johnson established herself as a strong inside presence and helped lead her team to a 29-2 record last season.  Though we aren't sure if she's achieved her goal of dunking yet, the athletic forward should help bolster an already-strong frontcourt.

Ashley Russell (5-foot-10, G, Braintree, Ma.) – Russell – who committed in June – helped lead her high school (Braintree) to a state championship by averaging 13 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals per game. She is currently Massachusetts’ reigning Gatorade Player of the Year. With the graduation of Alyssa Baron and Meghan McCullough, the Quakers are certainly in need of strong ball handlers for the future and Russell seems to fit that mold.

Deja Jackson (5-foot-9, G, Grinell, Iowa.) – The third guard in a well-balanced Class of 2019, Deja Jackson was listed as a forward for her junior season and was named first and second-team all-state by various news organizations. As a junior, Jackson averaged a team-high 18.9 points per game and tied for the team lead in assists with 41. While she'll likely find herself playing more guard than forward at Penn (especially amid all the taller forwards McLaughlin has brought in), Jackson will hopefully provide some of the scoring touch that helped her lead Grinnell in recent years.

Liveblog | Penn football (0-4) vs. Columbia (0-4)

Penn football is back in action, taking on Columbia. Both teams carry long losing straks and winless records into the matchup, so something has to give. Seamus Powers, Riley Steele and I will bring you the action.

Why Columbia will beat Penn football | WKCR Sports' Ryan Young

Penn football plays Columbia this weekend so as an introduction to the Light Blue, we asked WKCR Sports' Ryan Young to tell you why Columbia will beat Penn. For more information on Columbia, listen to WKCR's "The Firing Lion," in which Young interviews Lions coach Pete Mangurian. 

Why will Penn lose? Well, that’s a tough one. Let’s see.

Columbia’s head coach, Pete Mangurian, has been constantly vilified. His captain quarterback, Brett Nottingham — who transferred to Columbia, played three quarters and then spent nearly a year rehabbing from an injury —quit the team this week. The same team that Mangurian described as finally being on the same page this year.

Columbia has lost 15 games in a row, the fourth-longest losing streak in Ivy League history. It has dropped 19 road games in a row.

The Lions have lost 17 straight games against Penn, tied for the longest streak against one opponent in league history.

Since they faced Penn last year, the team has held one lead — for precisely 12 minutes and 52 seconds against Princeton two weeks ago.

Their average margin of defeat during this losing streak is by well over 30 points. Exactly zero of the games have been competitive.

So, I guess you could say … they’re due?

On the other hand, after what had to have been one of the toughest FCS schedules out there to begin Columbia’s season, this Saturday represents a chance to at least start turning the page. Penn, who likewise has faced a tough schedule, is winless as well.

And despite the record losing streak against the Quakers, the Lions have played them pretty tightly in recent years. In fact, the 21-7 loss against Penn on homecoming last year, was Columbia’s most competitive game on its current slide.

Columbia’s new starting quarterback, Trevor McDonagh, struggled mightily throwing the ball last season, but after replacing Nottingham at Monmouth last week, he threw for four touchdowns. During the losing streak, Columbia had not previously had a game where it had thrown for even multiple touchdowns (as a team). Maybe momentum can carry over — or maybe his success was just a result of playing the second or third team defense for the Hawks.

Nevertheless, the Lions have especially been successful with screen plays and short passes in recent weeks, so quick plays to running backs Cameron Molina, Chris Schroer or Turner DeMuth will be crucial for success. Penn has struggled defending the pass so far this year, but the Lions cannot rely on deep passes.

Otherwise, Columbia will need to force turnovers and keep the game close into the fourth quarter. Maybe Mangurian’s team will be world-beaters at winning close games —we clearly just don’t know yet.

Or maybe, Al Bagnoli will just feel so awful about going 19-2 against Columbia in his career, that he’ll finally let the Lions have one. He knows that regardless of what happens, his departure from his team this year will probably be a little more romantic than that of the one from across the sidelines.

Turn Back the Clock: Columbia football goes streaking

Having lost its past eight games, Penn football is in the midst of quite a losing streak. However, when it comes to stretches of ineptitude, the Quakers have nothing on their next opponent.

On Saturday, the Red and Blue will take on a Lions squad mired in a 15-game losing skid. For the occasion, let’s turn back the clocks to the end of the greatest — or worst — college football losing streak of all time.

When the two programs met on Oct. 1, 1988, they were in very different places.

Still a couple years away from picking up coach Al Bagnoli, Penn had won its first two games of the young season, and it was looking to compete for an Ivy title.

Columbia, meanwhile, had lost its past 43 games. Yes, its past 43 games.

To say that the Lions were underdogs going into the game would be a massive understatement. However, when they made the trek to Franklin Field that Saturday afternoon, they were not content to roll over.

Despite the Lions’ early energy, the Quakers took control of the game from the start. After a Columbia fumble deep in Red and Blue territory, then-senior running back Bryan Keys put Penn on top, 7-0.

Penn continued its opportunistic play throughout the first half, taking a 21-7 lead into halftime.

But despite the scoreboard, Columbia was dominating in almost every aspect of the game, and with over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Lions were poised to get within one possession of the Quakers.

However, Penn linebacker Bill Caughell changed that, laying a vicious hit on Columbia running back Solomon Johnson and forcing a fumble only two yards away from the end zone. Penn recovered and regained control of the game.

“When we fumbled, I was talking upstairs,” Columbia coach Larry McElreavy said. “I didn’t say anything bad, because I didn’t want to get struck by lightning.”

With 8:35 remaining and the Quakers up, 24-10, the game was Penn’s to lose. An incredible 77-yard punt from Penn’s Dave Amodio erased almost all doubt of the outcome. The punt more than doubled up his season average at the time of the kick and completely demoralized the Lions.

“Oh man, it was the killer,” Johnson said.

Penn improved its record to 3-0 on the year, but the Red and Blue recognized that they were fortunate to do so.

“I’m just glad the game’s over,” Penn coach Ed Zubrow said.

Unsurprisingly, the Lions felt that they had let a golden opportunity to end their already infamous streak pass them by.

“Those turnovers cost us the game,” McElreavy said. “The difference is [Penn] knows how to win.”

However, the streak would end soon enough, as Columbia defeated Princeton, 16-13, the very next week. To this day, the 44-game losing streak remains an FCS record.

Meanwhile, the Quakers would go on to share the Ivy title that year, coming only a loss on their last game away from winning it outright.

This year, neither program looks poised to reach the level of success — or ineptitude — that it reached in 1988. However, one thing is certain: one losing streak will, once again, live on.

Ivy League soccer roundup | Oct. 13

Women’s Soccer

Harvard 2, Cornell 0

Harvard (7-3-2, 2-0-1 Ivy) put up a commanding 2-0 win over Cornell (6-5-0, 1-2). The match marked Harvard’s 11th  consecutive unbeaten game in the Ivy League and its third straight conference game without conceding a goal. Cornell’s defense celebrated “neutralizing” the defending Ivy Offensive Player of the Year, Harvard sophomore Midge Purce, as she didn’t score. Yet Purce fired off more shots and shots on goal than the entire Cornell team —  eight to Cornell’s five, and four to the Big Red’s two. At this point in the season, it’s not a question of who the team to beat is, but who can stop Harvard?

Princeton 5, Brown 0

If one team can steal the Ivy League title from Harvard, it’s looking like Princeton. The Tigers (4-4-4, 2-0-1) destroyed Brown (5-5-2, 0-1-2), led by the dynamic sophomore duo of midfielder Haley Chow and forward Tyler Lussi, who combined for five goals. Lussi’s hat trick marks the first of the conference this season. The Tigers gave coach Julie Shackford her 200th  career win in dominant fashion.

Penn 1, Columbia 0

Penn earned its first conference win of the season by way of a beautiful goal from Co-Ivy League Rookie of the Week, freshman Juliana Provini. The win ends Penn’s slow start in conference play —  the Red and Blue improve to 5-4-2, 1-2-0. More importantly, Columbia (5-2-5, 1-1-1) was knocked off the top of Ivy League standings, which Princeton and Harvard now share.

Dartmouth 0, Yale 0

In a matchup between the league’s notorious draw-ers —Dartmouth (3-3-4, 0-0-3) and Yale (5-3-2, 0-1-2) — no one was surprised by the outcome: 0-0. Though both teams had their chances, Yale’s solid defense matched Dartmouth’s more active offense. After a double overtime, the match ended exactly as it began: 0-0.

Men’s Soccer

Harvard 1, Cornell 0

At home, the Crimson can’t lose. They’ve won nine of their last 10 contests at home, including all six home games this season. Harvard (7-3, 2-0) is now tied for the second-longest active winning streak in the nation at seven wins. Senior Hiroki Kobayashi’s shot found the back of the Cornell net in the 48th minute, marking the lone goal. The Crimson have won their past four games by a single goal.

Dartmouth 4, Yale 1

If the Elis were hoping to break their four-game losing streak, they sure weren’t hoping to face championship contender Dartmouth, a team unbeaten in eight consecutive matches. The Bulldogs (0-8-2, 0-2-0) showed promise early on. Yale neutralized the Dartmouth lead in the 11th minute. However, Ivy League Rookie of the Week  midfielder Jonathan Nierenberg scored twice in four minutes to give control back to the machine that has been the Big Green (7-2-1, 2-0). Dartmouth now sits atop conference rankings with Harvard.

Princeton 2, Brown 1

The Princeton offense is not only revered in basketball, but also in soccer . The Tigers (5-3-2, 1-1) were the first team to score on Brown’s airtight defense in over 500 minutes of play. Brown (3-4-3, 1-1) led Princeton for most of the match, until a Princeton penalty kick in the 68th minute evened the score. From there, the Tigers controlled possession and eventually scored the go-ahead goal.

Columbia 2, Penn 1

Columbia’s late game comeback edged out a Quakers squad poised to defend their Ivy League title. Penn (5-5, 1-1) looked dominant early on. After a classic Duke Lacroix goal (20’), the Lions (4-5, 1-1) broke a 300-minute goal drought with a score in the 61st minute, followed by a game-winning goal just eight minutes later.

Penn football kicker Jimmy Gammill racks up Ivy League, national honors

It isn't all bad news coming out of the Fordham game for Penn football.

Junior kicker Jimmy Gammill, who had just three field goals on the year before Saturday, made a program-record five field goals. Gammill's feat surpassed a record set by multiple former Penn kickers, including writer Andy Glocker, who congratulated Gammill on twitter.

Congrats to Jimmy Gammill for his school-record 5th FG today (with 26 mins left in the game!) @pennathletics @PENNfb

— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) October 11, 2014

Will Gammill break his own record at some point? We will have to wait until at least Columbia on Saturday to find out...

Penn baseball gives back to West Philly community

Penn baseball is back in action ... on the tee ball field.

The Red and Blue took part in the Jackie Robinson Tee Ball League College Day in West Philadelphia, supporting former assistant coach Andre Butler, who is the head coach of the league. Butler is now an assistant at DeSales and invited new Penn assistant Mark Royer and others to help out.

Check out the video below to see what the Quakers are doing in the community. Hat tip to coach Butler for sharing the video. 

Liveblog | Penn football vs. Fordham

Join sports editor Ian Wenik and staff writer Thomas Munson as they bring you the live action from Penn football vs. Fordham. 

Beyond the Baseline with Thomas Spratt | Oct. 10

Welcome to the first edition of Beyond the Baseline, where men's tennis sophomore Thomas Spratt talks about his experience at Penn. In his first post, he talks about why he chose Penn and how he has balanced school and tennis now that he's here. 

In the fall of my freshman year of high school, I decided to abandon the electricity of Friday night basketball games for the more solitary world of tennis.

As scheduling conflicts exacerbated, I needed to focus on one sport to foster my collegiate aspirations. Keeping both recruiting processes in mind, I figured tennis would allow me to emerge on the national scene into the scopes of the top universities.

While junior tennis lacks the camaraderie that drives basketball, the individuality maximizes your potential to distinguish yourself from the competition. Despite my passion for team athletics, I sacrificed those experiences and began working towards college earlier than most.

As mass recruiting emails from smaller universities trickled into my mailbox, I compiled a list of more than thirty potential schools to contact; ironically, Penn wasn't included in my original list. There were other Ivy League schools in my sights, but I hadn't considered joining the Quakers until I received an unexpected phone call from head coach David Geatz.

While there were a myriad of factors in my college decision, I was only positive about the location: I wanted to leave the South for a northern city to gain more cultural diversity. Once I completed my ambitious list, I fired off an array of emails in hopes of receiving mutual interest.

Prior to committing to Penn, I narrowed my selection and organized official visits with a final group of schools. Though these schools offered various advantages, coupled with their respective disadvantages, I ultimately decided Penn would grant me the ideal blend between academic rigor and athletic intensity.

Thankfully, concluding my college search early in my senior year allowed me to enjoy my last months of school, rather than stressing about college applications. However, while my athletic success contributed to my Penn acceptance, our schedules as student-athletes are more hectic than most of us would prefer.

Being on the tennis team has been a phenomenal experience, but as with most benefits, certain drawbacks manifest as well. Instead of enjoying scheduling flexibility for spontaneous weekday events or weekend trips, our schedules are interwoven with practice times and tournament dates. Early rising and midnight studying become routine as we juggle Ivy League academics with Division I athletics. Simple tasks such as walking around campus become arduous after lengthy daily workouts and practice sessions. Furthermore, finding time to eat seems to evade you as the day unfolds.

On a typical Wednesday, I begin with two hours of class from nine to 11. After a one hour intermission, class resumes for a couple hours before our two hour practice, which is followed by an hour lift. As soon as the lift ends, when I'm ready for a Wawa care-package or a comfortable spot to pass out, I must run home before my hour and a half lecture at 5:30. Some nights we'll be expected to attend athletic conferences after class ends. This schedule isn't unique to the tennis team, as all of us student-athletes must balance our various responsibilities.

This regimented schedule would be unbearable if it weren't for my teammates and coaching staff. I've been blessed to be a part of a tremendous program here in Philadelphia. When I was a recruit in high school, my parents and advisors stressed the importance of evaluating the quality of future teammates and coaches.

Over the course of my freshman year, my teammates became brothers and my coach continued to drive me towards success. As student-athletes, lofty expectations define our lives, but we are acquiring distinct skills that will ensure future success long after our athletic days.

Turn Back the Clock | Rudy Fuller's first Ivy game for Penn men's soccer

There was a lot going on in the sports world on Sept. 19, 1998. Untainted by the steroids scandal that would break later, the nation was enthralled by the home-run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.

But it was also a day for Penn sports, as it featured the Ivy debut of one of its current coaches.

In last week’s edition of “Turn Back the Clock,” we took a look Al Bagnoli’s debut, so it’s only fair that we take the opportunity this week to recognize another of Penn’s longest tenured coaches: men’s soccer’s Rudy Fuller.

As of late, Fuller has been most well known for bringing home Ivy championships, as recently as last year. However, leading up to his Ivy debut with Penn against Darmouth, Penn men’s soccer was in a far different state.

The Quakers were coming off of a 1-6 Ivy campaign in 1997, and Fuller — always known for his tough nonconference scheduling tendencies — had lost the first two nonconference matchups of his career with Penn, 0-1 in each against William & Mary and Old Dominion.

And with the team on the road in Hanover to take on No. 15 Dartmouth, prospects were not looking strong that the trend would change anytime soon.

In fact, the Red and Blue may have even surprised themselves with the start that they were able to put together.

In the 17th minute, then-freshman striker Evan Anderson put the Quakers up 1-0, giving Penn its first goal of the season as well.

The Big Green — who came into the match 1-1 on the season — threatened to equalize for the remainder of the half, but goalkeeper Michael O’Connor and defender Tom Hughes kept Dartmouth’s dangerous offense of the board.

However, Dartmouth — a team returning 10 starters and plenty of experience — maintained its composure, and the second half was an entirely different story.

Keeping the offensive pressure on the Quakers, the Big Green tied it up by the 51st minute. By the 68th minute, they had taken a commanding 3-1 lead.

Dartmouth then proceeded to hold the Red and Blue at bay for the rest of the match en route to a relatively comfortable victory.

The Quakers would go winless — only managing a single draw — in Fuller’s 1998 Ivy campaign, but that would not be indicative of the rest of his career.

In his 17 years at the helm of the program, Fuller has won three Ivy championships and made four NCAA Tournament appearances, fully turning the program around.

He and the rest of the current program will continue their quest for a repeat of last year’s Ivy championship this Saturday at home against Columbia.

Penn men's soccer moves to No. 20 in RPI

Junior Forrest Clancy's free kick goal isn't the only highlight for Penn men's soccer this week.

The Red and Blue moved up to No. 20 from No. 45 in the NCAA's weekly RPI after a big 1-0 win over Cornell. The Quakers' four defeats have come against teams that are all in the top 31 in RPI, including No. 1 Washington, while the win over the Big Red is their only top 100 victory.

Penn is the highest ranked Ivy League squad, 13 spots ahead of Dartmouth. The Quakers' matchup with the Big Green is on the horizon, coming in Hanover on Oct. 18.

Cornell fell to No. 68. The Big Red had received votes in the NCAA coaches poll last week but the Quakers were able to end their four-match win streak.

Up next for Penn is No. 146 ranked Columbia. Meanwhile, Dartmouth's next opponent is winless Yale, a squad that has the second worst RPI in the nation.