Yale Running all Over Ivy League

Yale is dismantling its opponents like no Ivy team has done before. The Bulldogs are the first team in Ivy League history to have scored more than 50 points in two league games, with a 51-12 victory over Cornell and a 50-10 victory over Dartmouth. Yale is averaging 41.8 points per game, which is nearly 11 points more than the next-highest-scoring team, Brown. Meanwhile, the Elis are also first in scoring defense, as they give up only 13.2 points per game.

This reason for their dominance is no secret—they can run the football and stop other teams from doing the same. Powered by junior running back Mike McLeod, the Elis have run for 303.5 yards per game, and for three weeks in a row they have outgained their opponents by at least 200 yards. Meanwhile, the defense has given up only 90 yards per game. These gaudy offensive numbers come in spite of the fact that Yale is last in the Ivy League in passing offense. But with a running game as powerful as the one the Bulldogs have, Yale quarterbacks have had little need to air it out.

No Quarterback Controversy Here
After junior quarterback Robert Irvin threw seven interceptions in Penn’s first two games—both losses—head coach Al Bagnoli made a change at quarterback that may have rescued the Quakers’ season. Senior Bryan Walker, who saw playing time in each of the first two games, has started the last two games and has thrown three touchdowns and zero interceptions. While his team is only 1-1, the offense has scored 55 points in the last two games, compared to 21 in the first two. Walker has completed 44 of his 84 passes for 444 yards since being handed the starting job and brings another element to the backfield in the option, with the senior running for 61 yards in a 21-13 loss to Dartmouth. With six Ivy games ahead to finish off the season, more consistent quarterback play will be needed if the Quakers want to have a strong finish.

Wide Receivers Flourishing
Who says the Ivy League doesn’t get premiere-skill players? In a league not traditionally known for great passing attacks, seven wide receivers are averaging over 73 yards per game, a threshold only one receiver passed last season. In 2006, Princeton senior Brendan Circle led the Ivy League with 835 receiving yards. This year, with his numbers only taking a four-yard-per-game dip, he has fallen to fifth in the league. Brown senior Paul Raymond leads the impressive class of receivers with 124.5 yards per game—joining him in the century club are Lions sophomore Austin Knowlin and Harvard senior Corey Mazza. Brown has three players averaging 73 yards or more, and Harvard has two.

Running Game Holding Lions Back
In terms of mistakes, there is little explanation for Columbia’s 1-3 start. Through four games the Lions are leading the Ivy League in fewest penalties and penalties against. They have committed only 19 penalties all year and are averaging 35.2 penalty yards a game. Meanwhile, Columbia’s opponents have committed 31 penalties for 61.5 yards a game. The Lions also have a positive turnover margin.

The one stat that sums up why the team has struggled out of the gate, however, may be time of possession. The Lions offense spends under 25 minutes a game on the field—the worst in the Ancient Eight. In comparison, Yale holds the ball for over 34 minutes a game. Just as Yale has dominated by running and stopping the run, Columbia has faltered, with the team allowing over 250 yards a game on the ground while averaging only 95 yards, placing them last in the league in both categories.