Time For The Ivies To Act

It appears a window of opportunity is opening for the Ivy League if it is ever going to join the FCS/IAA football playoffs. In an Asbury Park Press blog posting about Monmouth University football and the playoffs, the writer quotes Northeast Conference commissioner Brenda Weare on a proposed expansion of the tournament:

"Basically the proposal is that in 2010 we would expand the FCS bracket from 16 teams to 20 teams which would allow for additional automatic bids. It has the support of football coaches, athletic directors, and (league) commissioners."

The story goes on to say the expansion would allow for two more automatic bids and two more at-large bids.

Green Alert Take: I've been told in the past by people in the know that the NCAA would love to have the Ivy League – with its national reputation and large, historic facilities like Franklin Field, the Yale Bowl and Harvard Stadium – in the playoffs. Clearly, if the Ivy ban is ever lifted, the Ancient Eight wouldn't want to be at the mercy of the selectors hoping for an at-large bid. Given that the timeline for further expansion beyond 20 teams is uncertain, the time to act to reserve one of those two prized automatic bids is ... now.

Not surprisingly, given its difficulties against the run last fall, Columbia is looking at an alternative to the 3-3-5 defense according to the Columbia Spectator. The story says coach Norries Wilson employed a lot of 4-3 in the Lions' Blue-White game.

It is the most-played rivalry in college football and one of the most hotly contested. Harvard-Yale? Hotly contested, yes. Most-played? No. That would be Lehigh-Lafayette as the Lehigh Brown and White reports. It's on my list of games to see some day along with The Game, Amherst-Williams and Army-Navy.

It won't be done in time for parents of juniors and seniors at Dartmouth, but a 72-room "upscale boutique hotel" with restaurant, conference room and underground parking is being proposed for Hanover. The Daily Dartmouth reports a story that first appeared in the local paper. The location would be pretty much opposite Hanover Hardware, one block south of the Hopkins Center. It would take an estimated 18 months to construct.