Duquesne dismantled Patriot League middling Fordham last weekend to move to 2-0 on the season.
The Dukes, however, have yet to venture beyond the friendly confines of Pittsburgh, Pa., and have yet to see a team of Penn’s caliber. Duquesne’s attempt to shake the mid-major stigma will have to wait another week—Columbia looms on the horizon—as the Quakers should remind the Dukes to which of I-AA’s two sub-divisions they belong.
A healthy Pat McDermott should lead Penn to a 20-plus point win.
YALE at SAN DIEGO (2-0)
Why an Ivy League institution would waste a valuable out-of-region trip on a game against a I-AA mid-major absolutely defies logic.
Furthermore, why a team like Yale—which will enter its first game with lingering question marks at all of its skill positions—would risk going up against a gun-slinging upstart, to which it could possibly lose, also defies logic. Throw in the fact that many Bulldogs supporters feel that coach Jack Siedlecki should be packing the contents of his desk into cardboard boxes, and you’ve got the makings of a disastrous opener.
Yale will win, but the margin should be tight enough to make the Bulldogs reconsider using the Toreros as a tune-up in the future.
COLUMBIA at FORDHAM (1-1)
Lions coach Bob Shoop finally settled the quarterback controversy by picking sophomore Craig Hormann over co-captain Joe Winters. Sadly, neither was named Sid Luckman, because that’s what it would have taken to make the offense even remotely respectable.
Fordham has looked downright awful as well, but the Rams will take the Liberty Cup by a field goal in what should be an offensive game to watch.
BUCKNELL (0-2) at CORNELL
The Big Red has lost five straight non-league games dating back to the 2003 season. The last win was a 21-19 nail-biter over visiting Bucknell. Two years later, Cornell should end the streak as the Bison limp into Schoellkopf Field after dropping two straight games to mediocre competition.
Spurred on by its strong defense, the Big Red will slip past Bucknell by a field goal, sending the Bison home with their third straight three-point defeat.
COLGATE (1-1) at DARTMOUTH
The second Buddy Teevens era gets underway in Hanover this weekend, but it likely won’t begin with a victory.
The Big Green entertains the Raiders, who are fresh off a 17-14 win over No. 15 Massachusetts. Despite losing former Payton Award winning running back Jamaal Branch and dropping the season opener to mid-major Central Connecticut, Colgate seems to be back on the right track.
It will be tight, but the Raiders have too much talent to fall to Dartmouth.
—Staff writer Michael R. James can be reached at mrjames@fas.harvard.edu.