Columbia Football

Bill Campbell Today


Game of the Day (Day 8)

November 18, 1961

Columbia 37 Penn 6

The promise the Columbia football team injected into the campus atmosphere after the opening week win at Brown was kept in the season's final home game, which clinched the Ivy title for the Lions.

More than 17,000 fans jammed Baker Field on a very cold day for a game everyone expected Columbia to win. But even then, Lions fans knew not to count their chickens before they hatch.

The first quarter belonged to the Lions as Tom O'Connor kicked a 28-yard field goal. Then special teams expert Lee Black picked up a punt blocked by Ron Williams in the Penn end zone to make it 9-0.

Early in the second quarter, it was Russ Warren doing his usual 1961 magic, running it in from the three for a touchdown and then adding the 2-pt. conversion on his own for the 17-0 lead.

The half ended not long after Dick Sakala scampered for a 40-yard TD to make it 23-0 and the Lion faithful knew the championship was just 30 minutes away.

The third quarter was highlighted by 68-yard run by Tom Haggerty. Columbia did not end up scoring after that run, but on the next drive Haggerty finished off a 46-yard drive with a two yard run to make it 29-0.

Penn put together a 58-yard drive after that, and managed to finally score on an 18-yard dash by Bill Novelli on a reverse. But Columbia answered back quickly with a 14-play 66-yard drive that ended when QB Tom Vassell took it in from the one. Sakala added the two point conversion run and the final score was 37-6.

When the game was over, fans poured onto the field and the players carried their captain Bill Campbell off on their shoulders.

All three of Columbia's non-conference opponents are in action this Saturday, and weather permitting, all the games start at the same time!

Fordham takes on the University of Rhode Island at home in what has become the annual confusing "Rams vs. Rams" showdown.  The game is scheduled to begin at 6 pm at Jack Coffey Field.  Lions fans can do some "advance scouting" by listening to the game on WFUV on the Web, and you can find that link on the Fordham sports Web site.

Fordham's two-deep has been released, and there are no real surprises other than co-captain and star defensive lineman Fonzie Culver being listed as a backup to fellow senior Ryan Mehra.  I assume that is because of some injury to Culver, but perhaps there are other reasons.

Fordham won this game in Kingston last year, and they will be strongly favored this time around, as URI is rebuilding with new head coach Darren Rizzi, who was an assistant to Greg Schiano at Rutgers.  URI is actually 1-0 after eking out a 27-24 win over Monmouth last week.

Lafayette heads to New York to face Marist, also at 6 pm.  Marist is 0-1 after losing to the University of San Diego by a 40-22 score last weekend in California.  I don't see any game notes from either school, but you can expect Lafayette to roll in this game.

Finally, Towson plays its second game of the season.  The Tigers have scheduled their home opener against Morgan State for 6 pm at Johnny Unitas Stadium.  The school is very excited about the unveiling of its new 47-foot wide Daktronics HD video board.  Towson narrowly beat Morgan State last season, and this game should also be a close one.

While it's often frustrating the Ivy schools have to wait so long to start their seasons, this weekend is not one where I will be envying our non-conference foes.  The weather is really expected to be nasty this Saturday in New York and Baltimore, and I wonder if lightning will play a role in any of these games.

Of course, there's no guarantee the weather will be better in two weeks when Columbia gets going with its season.  But this Saturday seems like it will be uniquely nasty.

1993 marked a huge change in Ivy football, as freshmen were finally allowed to play in varsity games (nitpickers will point out, however, that during World War II and the three to four years following, freshmen were also allowed to suit up in varsity games).

Since '93, Columbia has probably played the most freshmen of any Ivy team.  Most of the time this was due to necessity, but a number of these pure freshmen have made a nice impact right off the bat.

Not including the WWII era, here now are the top five freshmen players in Columbia history.

5) Travis Chmelka, 2000

The Fremont, Nebraska native burst into training camp and immediately became the fastest man on the squad.  Chmelka saw action in the very first game of his freshman season as a kick returner and played a nice role in a 43-26 win over Fordham.

He wasn't much a part of the regular offense until 2002, when he became a speedy pass target over the middle.  But he just got better and better as a punt returner, and by his senior season of 2003 his returns were making the difference in game after game.

4) Alex Gross, 2007

The Ivy League Rookie of the Year burst onto the scene against Princeton by leading the team in tackles in an tough but exciting 42-32 loss to the Tigers.  Gross ended up getting the Ivy League Rookie of the Week award four times, the most in league history.

As the season wore on, Gross became more of a key part of the Lions defense as they desperately tried to plug a weakness up the middle.  By season's end, that weakness had improved decidedly, thanks in great part to Gross.

3) Andy Shalbrack, 2006

You really could argue that Shalbrack should have been named the 2006 Ivy Rookie of the Year.  His stunning freshman campaign included leading the league in interceptions and putting up 55 tackles, five of them for loss.

Shalbrack made an impact right away by forcing a fumble against Fordham in the first game of the season, then followed that up in week two with 11 tackles versus Georgetown.  He won the Ivy League Rookie of the Week award twice.

2) Austin Knowlin, 2006

He edged teammate Andy Shalbrack for the 2006 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Award by bursting on to the scene as a key receiving threat. Knowlin scored on a catch-and-run 62-yard TD in the opener versus Fordham and finished the season with 44 receptions for 553 yards and four touchdowns.

Knowlin upped the ante in his sophomore campaign with 74 catches for 988 yards and 11 TDs.  He has the inside track to shattering just about every receiving mark in the Columbia record book.

1) Johnathan Reese, 1998

The exciting 1998 season was the launching pad for Reese's extraordinary Columbia career.  He won the Rookie of the Year award despite fighting injuries for much of the season.  But he made a strong showing in the opener with 72 yards rushing in a 24-0 shutout of Harvard.

By the final game of the season, Reese was the go-to guy, getting carry after carry in a valiant drive against Brown in the final moments that came up just short.  Reese now owns just about every rushing record in the Columbia books.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Roy Hanks 1994, Hashim Dalton 1995, Ryan Kiernan 1997, Philip Murray 1999, Adam Brekke 2003, Tad Crawford 2003, Jon Rocholl 2005, Matt Bashaw 2006, Taylor Joseph 2006, Justin Masorti 2006, Lou Miller 2006, Brian England 2007, Nico Gutierrez 2007, Calvin Otis 2007

(PHOTO CREDIT: Columbia College Today)

Game of the Day (Day 81)—December 1, 1935

Columbia 13, Dartmouth 7

Most Columbia fans know the name Al Barabas and its significance.  He was the back who scored the lone touchdown in Columbia's 7-0 win over Stanford in the 1934 Rose Bowl.

Barabas was just a sophomore then, and by his 1935 senior campaign he was a senior quarterback.  But by that season most of the Rose Bowl stars were gone, and the Lions stumbled to a 3-4-1 record before the final game of his career against another team known as the "Indians," Dartmouth.

Still, 20,000 people showed up to Baker Field to watch the Lions finish a year that had already featured thrilling games against the likes of Michigan, Syracuse, and Navy.

Columbia struck first in the opening quarter with a one-yard QB sneak by Barabas into the end zone on fourth and goal.  Barabas then kicked the PAT himself for the 7-0 lead.

Dartmouth knotted the score at seven early in the second quarter, and it remained that way until early in the fourth, when backup Lion junior halfback Joe Vollmer made a thrilling 63-yard dash for a touchdown that New York Times writer Joseph C. Nichols described in superb detail:

"(Vollmer) started around his own right end, apparently heading into a herd of Dartmouth tacklers.  Just as a number of eager arms reached out to grab him, the nimble Columbia back reversed himself, stepped inside his own tackle, and crossed into Dartmouth's zone.  There Vollmer was immediately surrounded by the Green secondaries and appeared to be stopped completely.  But Nick Pistolas came to his rescue with a herculean effort that took two men out and left the path to the goal clear for the ball-carrier, except for the safety man, Joe Kiernan.

Vollmer had to take his chance with the safety and he went to it.  He raced along the middle of the field as fast as his legs could carry him and Kiernan ran too, setting himself to gauge a tackle.  Near the Dartmouth 10-yard line Kiernan lunged at Vollmer, got his hands on one arm, but could not hold him.  Vollmer pulled away, still in stride, and raced to the goal line standing up."

I doubt even a major play in the Super Bowl would be described in so much detail nowadays.

Vollmer's run gave the Lions a 13-7 lead, but they fumbled the snap on the PAT try, and the Green fans had plenty of reasons for hope.  The Lions defense stepped up, however, and the lead held.

Columbia finished a respectable 4-4-1 with wins over VMI, Rutgers, Brown, and this most impressive win of all against the Indians.

For Barabas, it was a great way to finish his football career.  But his time at Columbia was not over...not by a long shot.  He still was a big star on the baseball team, and he had a strong senior campaign in the spring.

After graduation, he spent three years playing football with the old Brooklyn Dodgers and baseball with the Red Sox triple-A farm team in Little Rock, Arkansas.

He was a naval officer in World War II, and in 1960 returned to Columbia as executive director of the college's fund-raising office.  He retired in 1977 as one of the most successful fundraisers in school history (can you imagine asking alums for money after 1968?).

Al Barabas died in January, 1988.

The College Sporting News is out with its preseason football picks for the Ivy League.

Here's how it looks:

1. Harvard

2. Yale
3. Brown
4. Penn
5. Dartmouth
6. Cornell
7. Princeton
8. Columbia


Should I be worried that this prediction doesn't look all that bad to me?

 

I'll get to the Lions being picked last in a moment, but I too plan on picking Harvard, Yale, Brown and Penn as my top four when I release my detailed picks later this summer.

Unless something changes, Harvard looks like the team to beat with a great offensive line, experienced QB and overall strong defense.

Yale has a shot, because of star running back Mike McLeod, but the Elis have lost a lot of stars on the offensive and defensive lines.

Brown is everyone's favorite to surprise after last season's offensive explosion.

I am surprised by how low they placed Princeton and how high Dartmouth ended up, but you don’t know how hard these guys work on picking the Ivies after the first 2-3 teams.

As far as Columbia's last place prediction, well, you have to expect that after going 0-7 last year.

 

Any team starting a new QB is always a little suspect and Columbia will need to do that this season.

 

Of course, it's always nice to surprise people and the Lions certainly have the opportunity to do that in 2008.


Game of the Day

November 4, 1951

Columbia 21, Cornell 20


Yesterday, I highlighted Columbia's thrilling one-point upset win over Cornell in 1950. The Lions did it again a year later in Ithaca.

 

This time the final score was 21-20.

Once again, an extra point that wasn't the biggest role in Columbia's victory.

 

Big Red kicker, Bill Kirk, simply missed the PAT after Cornell had stormed back from a 21-7, fourth quarter deficit to make it 21-20.

But Columbia still needed an interception by Ben Mione a few minutes later to truly ice the game in front of 21,000 very cold fans at Schoelkopf Field.

Other of the other Lion stars were Wes Bomm, who broke Bill Swiacki's career receptions record with seven grabs on the day.

The Lions won despite being out gained 383-273 from scrimmage.

 

Columbia also lost two fumbles, but made up for it with three interceptions, including the game-clincher.

And the unsung heroes were the snow removal crews from “gorges” Ithaca.

 

The entire field and most of the stands were covered in heavy snow before the game, but the snow plows quickly made the field playable.