The joke is always the same when Dartmouth and Cornell get together. The Big Green versus the Big Red in the battle of the Christmas colors. While usually a stale punchline, the thought of Christmas and getting home for the holidays will not be far out of mind for the loser of this contest, who can forget about the Ivy League title race.
Despite picking up a win over Yale last weekend, the Big Green face a must-win situation this weekend when they travel to Ithaca to face Cornell. Sitting in a four-way tie for third with a 1-1 Ivy mark, Dartmouth basically controls its destiny in the Ivy League race and has a shot for the title. However, the schedule gets tough over the next four weeks, with Harvard, Brown and Princeton all on tap.
So that means this weekend's contest against last-place Cornell is probably the easiest game remaining on the Big Green's schedule. But records can be deceiving, because although the Big Red are 0-2 in league play, they are the only Ivy League team with a perfect 3-0 mark out of conference. Furthermore, they have lost both league games by less than a touchdown on the road at Princeton and Harvard.
After fading from prominence the past two seasons, Cornell's program has been rejuvenated by new head coach Pete Mangurian. Mangurian placed an emphasis on the run and achieving run-pass balance on offense, and it has worked. The Big Red are effective through both the air and on the ground.
For the Big Green, this has to be the game they put together a complete performance. To still be trying to find themselves entering the sixth game of the year is the mark of an inconsistent and underachieving team. The offense must put together time-consuming drives and keep the defense off of the field. If Dartmouth is unable to win this game, it is possible they could finish the year with only three or four wins.
Quarterback:
Last week, Mike Coffey '99 was the difference between winning and losing for the Big Green. After starting the game one of nine, he completed nine of his final 12 passes and accounted for three touchdowns. However, the offense has still been inconsistent and 100 yards passing a game is not enough for the Big Green to capture the close ball games. The news gets no better for the senior signal-caller, who faces the Big Red secondary and the top pass defense in the Ivy League this season.
After sharing the duties last year, Cornell quarterback Mike Hood has vastly improved this season. His completion percentage is right around the 60 percent mark and the passing game is fourth in the Ivy League. Hood should feel comfortable on Saturday, as he is completing 68 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and no interceptions at Schoelkolpf Field.
Advantage: Cornell
Running Back:
The running game struggled against a tough Yale front last week but must recover if the Green are to beat Cornell. Reggie Belhomme '00 has shown flashes of brilliance at points this year, but the ground attack has been inconsistent for the most part. Dartmouth is last in the league in rushing, averaging a meager 66 yards per game and no Big Green back has broken the 100-yard barrier this season.
In comparison, Big Red tailback Deon Harris is averaging 75 yards per contest, eight more yards per game than the Dartmouth team. Harris made the move from defense back to tailback this season and has flourished in Mangurian's ball control offense. Still, he may not be Cornell's top backfield threat. Last season's tailback Justin Bush has been outstanding accounting for nearly 70 yards per game rushing and receiving.
Advantage: Cornell
Wide Receiver:
They may not be the most dynamic receivers in the league, but seniors Adam Young and Damon Ferrara have been very effective inside the red zone. Young leads the team with 18 catches for 205 yards while three of Ferrara's ten catches have been for touchdowns. Forest Wester '98 provides the deep threat for the Big Green, picking up 20 yards per catch on the season.
Cornell's wide receiving corps has been efficient but lacks the big playmaker or the dazzling receiver. Sophomore wideout Joe Splenderio has caught 23 balls on the season and leads the team, but there is a lack of depth after him. J.B. Moresco has hauled in 13 passes while tight end Jim Seifert, an all-ivy pick in 1995, has eight catches.
Advantage: Dartmouth
Offensive Line:
Dartmouth's offensive line gave Coffey time to pass last week but has still lacked the dominating run-blocking presence that has characterized offensive fronts in the Lyons era. Cornell has a strong defensive front, so expect this unit to focus on getting off of the line of scrimmage and helping move the pocket for Coffey to throw the ball on the run.
Mangurian spent 10 years in the NFL coaching offensive lines for Dan Reeves, so you would expect this to be the strength of this team. And it is. Despite having one freshman and four sophomores, Cornell's offensive line is coming together and quietly enjoying a strong season.
Advantage: Cornell
Defensive Line:
Dartmouth's defensive front is still struggling to post big sack numbers because they have faced running quarterbacks who have eluded the Big Green's upfield rush. Tackle Brent Crombie '99 leads the team with two sacks while defensive end Adam Kane '99 has 1.5 sacks. Expect the Big Green defense to try and surprise the young Cornell offensive line with different looks.
Cornell's defensive line has been sub-par this season and has failed to record a sack in three of the Big Red's five contests. Last week's three-sack performance against Bucknell may be a sign of things to come, but Princeton and Harvard both had little trouble handling the Big Red pass rush.
Advantage: Dartmouth
Linebackers:
Steve Varney '00 and Jon Gibbs '99 continue to be the run-stoppers on defense. The two linebackers are once again one-two in tackles, with 62 and 61 respectively. Varney leads the team with eight tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries and always has his nose around the ball. Outside linebacker Kyle Rogers '99 has played well in recent weeks.
Not surprisingly, two-time All-Ivy linebacker John Hanson is the leader of the Cornell defense. Hanson is the team's leading tackler with 61 tackles and has continued to impress this season. His play has been enhanced by the emergence of Nate Fischer, who was named the Division I-AA player of the week for his two interception, nine tackle performance against Holy Cross earlier this season. He is tied for the Ivy League lead with three interceptions.
Advantage: Even
Secondary:
Dartmouth's pass defense is the only reason that the Big Green have managed to emerge 2-3 despite a slow start. The secondary has been outstanding, ranking second in the Ancient Eight behind Cornell. Against Yale, cornerback Brad Verber '99 had the best game of his career that included a forced fumble, an interception and two key pass breakups to lead Dartmouth to victory. Safety Brad Eissler '00 has been key as well, with fourth on the team in tackles and first in the conference with three interceptions.
Tom Nunes's switch from cornerback to safety has given the Big Red secondary a new look, but the results have been impressive. Along with improving their run-stopping abilities, the Cornell pass defense leads the Ivy League, limiting opponents to 160 yards per game while snatching seven balls out of the air, as opposed to only three touchdowns.
Advantage: Even
Special Teams:
After maturing into a solid unit, the Big Green watched as kicker Alex Csizinsky '00 missed two extra points last weekend against Yale. Csizinsky remains solid on field goals but must continue to pay attention to the little things. Punter Wayne Schlobohm '00 continued his brilliant season with two punts inside the six-yard line.
Led by legendary coach Bill Arnsparger, the Big Red special teams have been outstanding this season. Bush leads the NCAA in kickoff return average, picking up 36 yards per return, and has a 87-yard touchdown return against Harvard to his credit. The kicking game is solid, as John McCombs has nailed six of seven field goal attempts this season. Punter John Watson has been one of Cornell's finest over the years.
Advantage: Cornell
Prediction:
This weekend might be a real wake-up call for Dartmouth. Cornell has a balanced attack that can be efficient, especially when playing at home. Dartmouth's offense must be able to move the ball against an average Cornell defense in order to keep the Big Green defense off of the field. The opposing team is averaging almost 15 plays more than Dartmouth per game and the defense has carried the load.
With Cornell's strong pass defense, the Big Green have to run the ball effectively. Either Belhomme or Eric Davis '99 must be able to top the 100-yard mark for the Big Green to win. Cornell's secondary is small, so expect the Big Green to try and get the ball downfield to Ferrara. A poor first-half for Coffey could result in freshman Brian Mann's first appearance.
Cornell has been tough at home and the Big Green have yet to win on the road. Not a good combination for a Dartmouth squad that may be better than Cornell but has yet to prove it to its opponents.
Final Score: Cornell 21, Green 17
