The Optimist And The Pessimist Before Columbia
While The Optimist and The Pessimist are a little disappointed that their 20th year of meeting this way is half over, both are excited that the schedule is all-Ivy League, all-the-time from here on out.
The Optimist: I love the Ancient Eight.
The Pessimist: I wish someone would say they love the Ancient Two, but I’m not sure one of us is all that popular.
The Optimist: Speak for yourself, old man.
The Pessimist: I am.
The Optimist: Enough of that stuff. As I think back over the first half of the season, I have to admit I’d enjoy the non-conference schedule more if Dartmouth would get back to playing more Patriot League opponents, particularly with Richmond, Villanova and William & Mary joining the league.
The Pessimist: Agreed, although I’ve got to say I’m not crazy about playing at Fordham. I mean, the visiting team is in the baseball outfield, and unless you want to sit behind home plate there are virtually no stands on that side of the field.
The Optimist: I feel the same way about Georgetown. I enjoyed our trip down there a few years back, but playing once in that band box was enough. But more than anything, I wish they’d get Holy Cross back on the schedule. Central Connecticut, Merrimack, Sacred Heart and from what I’m hearing Bryant in the near future do absolutely nothing for me. And while I agree with you about Fordham, least we got our back-to-back wins over New York City teams started the right way.
The Pessimist: Speaking of getting started, shall we talk about how things started for you last Saturday?
The Optimist: The only thing that matters is we finished with our first blowout of the season, 30-13.
The Pessimist: I seem to recall it was 6-6 at the half, and it was a three-point game with less than 10 minutes left.
The Optimist: A game is 60 minutes, and when the 60 minutes were up we had a 17-point win. In my book that’s a blowout. We turned it on when we needed to, forcing consecutive three-and-outs in the second half, and scoring back-to-back touchdowns when we had to have them.
The Pessimist: Speaking of back-to-back, you said something earlier about Fordham being the first of back-to-back wins against New York City teams. I’m sure you realize this isn’t the Columbia you remember.
The Optimist: I’m sure you realize this isn’t the Columbia of last year. Good for the 2024 Lions winning a share of their first Ivy League championship since 1961, but they are back to being woeful this year. Their only win was against lowly Georgetown.
The Pessimist: The Lions are 1-4 but they’ve faced some pretty stiff competition. The four teams they lost to are a combined 23-8 in FCS play, and all four of them have received votes in the national poll at some point this season. The four teams you’ve beaten? They are a combined 17-15.
The Optimist: You could have mentioned that three of the teams we’ve played have gotten top-25 votes.
The Pessimist: I also could have mentioned that Columbia finished its more-than-respectable 17-10 loss at Princeton with its third-team backup quarterback, and then played No. 7 Lehigh without its first or second quarterback. The second guy finally returned last week and he helped the Lions throw for 311 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-21 loss to Penn.
The Optimist: Will the starter be back this week?
The Pessimist: We’ll find out Saturday.
The Optimist: You mean Friday. Did you really forget it’s a Friday night game?
The Pessimist: Nah, I just wanted to bring up the subject because of what happened the last time Columbia came up here for a Friday night ESPNU game.
The Optimist: Don’t remind me.
The Pessimist: You know I will. It was the 2021 season and you were cruising along with an undefeated season in your sights only to have Columbia embarrass you on national TV, 19-0.
The Optimist: That was the debut of the Lone Pine helmets design. I’m not expecting to see that again Friday night.
The Pessimist: I don’t think you have to worry about that. But you should be worried about this three-game stretch featuring Columbia, Harvard and Princeton.
The Optimist: I'll take them one at a time, starting with Columbia, since we have them this week. For the record, we haven't lost to them since that game back in ’21.
The Pessimist: It's true you’ve won all three games since then, but two of the three were by just three points, including last year. I’m not sure I’d call that having your way with them.
The Optimist: As for Harvard, the Crimson may be 5-0 but the game is down there and that’s a good thing. We always draw a big crowd at Harvard Stadium, and the games are usually close.
The Pessimist: They’ve beaten you three years in a row, including by a 17-9 score the last time you played at the Ivy League’s version of the Horseshoe.
The Optimist: The Horseshoe. I'm not sure the Johnnies will like that, but I do. And for the record again, we came away victorious in the two games at the ‘Shoe prior to that 17-9 game.
The Pessimist: Came away victorious. Who writes your stuff?
The Optimist: As for Princeton, we are living rent free in Bob Surace's head. He has had some very, very good teams down there since he returned to coach at his alma mater, but he’s oh-fer up here. He’s brought the Tigers to Hanover six times and is 0-6 at Memorial Field. And for good measure, we also beat them in our quote-unquote home game at Yankee Stadium in 2019.
The Pessimist: In my opinion, the Tigers are one of two surprise teams in the Ivy League this fall.
The Optimist: And the other would be . . .
The Pessimist: Penn, which beat you. But come to think of it, Brown might also be considered a surprise team given their 3-2 record, and their win over a top-10 Rhode Island team. They won't be the pushover they've been in the past when you close the season down there.
The Optimist: I notice you skipped completely over Cornell, which we play between Princeton and Brown. I understand why. The Big Red started the year 0-4 before finally beating a weak Bucknell team last time out.
The Pessimist: Beware the Big Red. They held Harvard’s offense to a season-low 14 points a couple of weeks back, and trailed the Crimson by just a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The Optimist: I prefer to think that says more about Harvard not being the juggernaut people are saying it is. But I’m not particularly worried about Cornell. They haven’t been a factor in years.
The Pessimist: They certain were a factor in the Ivy League race last fall. I seem to recall they beat you, 39-22, to cost you the undisputed Ivy League title.
The Optimist: Thanks for the reminder. I’ll see you Saturday afternoon.
The Pessimist: Now that's funny. I'll catch you Friday night.
