Harvard Football Set to Face Off Against Cornell

Carved out of a hill high in Ithaca, N.Y., Schoellkopf Field is a foreboding structure.

An enormous crescent of bleachers rings one side of the Cornell stadium. Trees loom over one end zone. The place feels like the plateau of a giant mountain—windy and open.

The Big Red football program (0-3, 0-1 Ivy) is much less intimidating. Cornell hasn’t won at home since week two of 2016. The Big Red has dropped nine of its last 10 games, including three blowouts to start the 2017 season.

Saturday’s matchup with Harvard offers a chance to reverse course. In three games, Cornell has committed a staggering 10 turnovers. These miscues have boosted opponents and made competitive games feel more like routs.

Yes, the Big Red is a better team than the winless record indicates. Cornell has gained more first downs (67) than its opponents (60). The Big Red has accumulated 825 passing yards and only yielded 444.

Moreover, the three defeats have come against capable opponents. In conference play, Cornell has played only Yale—an offensive juggernaut that averages over 40 points a game.

Crimson coach Tim Murphy likes to emphasize the parity of the Ivy League. No team is a pushover, and, given recent dominance, Harvard tends to absorb the best shot from each conference foe.

Cornell marks the ultimate test of this philosophy. Harvard has won 11 straight against the beleaguered program from Upstate New York. On Saturday, the Crimson will have a chance to claim a 12th.

“Going into enemy territory can be difficult,” said junior defensive tackle Richie Ryan. “They’re going to be pumped up. But I know my team is going to bring the juice.”

The Harvard defense has certainly brought the juice in recent weeks. Last Saturday, the Crimson shut out the Georgetown offense. The Saturday before, Harvard pulled the same trick for three quarters versus Brown.

The front seven has played a major role. The Hoyas netted a pathetic 46 rushing yards on 30 attempts. Already, junior defensive end D.J. Bailey has recorded four sacks and a forced fumble.

As capably as the defensive line has played, the secondary may have performed even better. Senior defensive backs have tallied pick-sixes in consecutive games—one by safety Tanner Lee and one by cornerback Raishaun McGhee.

The Crimson has a reasonable chance of furthering the streak against quarterback Dalton Banks. The Big Red junior has tossed nine interceptions versus three touchdowns.

This ugly stat line conceals major talent. At 6’3” and 237 pounds, Banks outweighs all of Harvard’s linebackers. Last season, the then-sophomore earned an All-Ivy honorable mention.

“Last year, we saw him bounce off guys that were trying to tackle him and just sling the ball,” Murphy said. “This is the ultimate trap game for us.”

Besides the many interceptions, Banks has posted solid numbers in 2017—over 250 yards per game and a completion rate of 58 percent. A sluggish ground game has hurt Cornell, though. The Big Red has totaled a paltry 219 rushing yards compared to 718 for opponents.

Like Banks, junior running back Chris Walker stands out physically but holds spotty statistics. Last year, he landed on the All-Ivy first team—a major accomplishment for a sophomore. But in 2017, he’s averaging 2.9 yards per carry.

Crimson junior Charlie Booker III has had more success. The runner has rumbled 7.2 yards per go, good for ninth in the nation. He scored two touchdowns against Georgetown.

The great mystery for Harvard exists at the quarterback position, where fifth-year senior Joe Viviano and Jake Smith are battling for the job.

Viviano, the first-game starter, has completed 60 percent of his passes for 408 yards. However, he flamed out in the second half of 2016, throwing eight interceptions over the last five games.

Smith comes with none of this baggage. Inexperience is his fatal flaw instead. He tossed two picks last week, both on ill-advised throws. At his best, Smith makes quick decisions and demonstrates impressive evasiveness. At his worst, he looks like a true freshman.

After three games, Murphy has yet to name a starter. That announcement seems likely to come in the next week or two.

“My mindset is that it’s a fluid situation,” the coach said. “I’m making no guarantees.”

Staff writer Sam Danello can be reached at sam.danello@thecrimson.com.