Pictured: Harvard's defense will look to hold down a potent
Columbia team that features a balanced rushing and passing attack.
(Photo: Dave Silverman)
The Particulars
After enjoying three straight home games, Harvard hits the
road for a pivotal game against a revamped Columbia team in New
York City on Saturday.
On Radio
All Harvard games can also be heard on a variety of
radio stations including AM 1120 (Boston), 1390 (Plymouth), 970
(Sturbridge) as well as Harvard's student station, WHRB-FM
95.3. Additionally, Saturday's game is the Ivy League Game of
the Week and will be heard nationally on Sirius Satellite Radio.
Series History
Saturday's game will be the 68th meeting between Harvard
and Columbia in a series that dates back to 1877.
Harvard holds a 52-14-1 series lead and has won the last five
meetings against the Lions. However, Harvard is just 3-3 in
New York since 1996 despite winning two straight at Baker
Field.
Last Year's Meeting
Chris Pizzotti passed for 376 yards and four touchdowns
while Levi Richards caught seven passes for 103 yards and two
touchdowns and Matt Luft had six catches for 110 yards and a score
as Harvard cruised past Columbia, 42-28.
Columbia's Austin Knowlin returned a punt 76 yards for a
touchdown and the Lions did hold Harvard to minus-4 yards rushing
on 37 carries once pass sacks were included in the final stats but
Harvard scored 28 points early to run down the clock.
Harvard's Last Time Out
Harvard rushed for 315 yards with Gino Gordon (119, 3 TDs)
and Treavor Scales (120, 2 TDs) carrying the load while Gordon
added 103 receiving yards on four receptions as Harvard dominated
Dartmouth, 42-21.
The duo became the first pair of Harvard players to rush for 100
yards apiece in 10 years. Harvard led 42-14 before fumbling the
ball away twice and having a blocked punt returned for a touchdown.
Harvard's defense allowed just 64 rushing yards on 30 carries.
Columbia's Last Time Out
Columbia held a 22-17 lead with just under six minutes
remaining, but Yale forced a fumble and capitalized on another
Lions' turnover in the final minutes to defeat Columbia
23-22.
Ivy Updates
Harvard and Penn are tied atop the standings at 4-0 apiece
following Penn's 14-7 overtime win at Brown last weekend. Brown and
Yale are tied for second place at 2-2.
Harvard Coach Tim Murphy
In his 16th season as Harvard's head coach, Tim Murphy
enters Saturday's game with a 102-54 record with the Crimson and a
134-99-1 overall head coaching record, which includes five years at
Cincinnati and two years at Maine. Murphy is one of just five
coaches to win 100 games since the formation of the Ivy League in
1954. Murphy has led Harvard to five Ivy League championships
(1997, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008). He is 11-4 all-time against
Columbia.
Columbia Coach Norries Wilson
Norries Wilson is in his fourth year as head coach at
Columbia, and he brings a 10-28 record into Saturday's game against
Harvard after pulling off a 5-5 record in his first year. Wilson
had been offensive coordinator at Connecticut before taking over on
the Lion sideline.
Complete Game Notes
For complete games notes in PDF format, click on the link
at the beginning of this page.
