ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell football team will attempt to claim its second Ivy League title in three seasons when it meets Penn on Saturday, Nov. 17, 1990 at 1 p.m. at Schoellkopf Field. A win would give the Big Red at least a share of the crown and coupled with a Dartmouth loss, would give Cornell its first-ever outright championship.
The Big Red, under first-year head coach Jim Hofher, enter the weekend with a 6-3 overall record and a 5-1 mark in conference play. It will be the 97th meeting between the programs for the 12th longest rivalry in college football. Penn will attempt to spoil the Big Red's celebration much like Cornell did to them two years ago when it topped the Quakers 19-6 at Schoellkopf. The Big Red victory ruined the visitor's chance at an outright title and helped Cornell share in the glory.
Cornell is coming off a 41-0 road shutout of Columbia and is averaging 38.7 points over its last three games since an 11-6 road loss to Dartmouth on Oct. 20. The Big Red has overcome 1-2 and 3-3 starts to put itself in a position to join the 1970 and 1988 teams with conference crowns.
Senior quarterback Chris Cochrane will close out his Big Red career looking for a second ring. He earned one as a backup in 1988. He now enters his final game just a few tosses from moving into No. 2 on the school's career passing yardage list. Cochrane has piled up 2,645 yards - just 57 out of the second spot. Mark Allen '73 graduated with 3,313 for a record that has held for nearly two decades.
Cochrane lines up in front of two explosive tailbacks in John McNiff and Scott Oliaro. Together, the duo has accounted for more than 1,600 rushing yards. McNiff needs 83 yards in the final contest to surpass 1,000 for the season. Their offensive line, including All-Ivy candidates Jay Bloedorn (T), Chris Field (G) and Greg Finnegan (C) on the left side, has posted at least 160 rushing yards in each game and is averaging 247.7 yards per game on the ground with 22 touchdowns.
The defense has tightened up over its last four games after surrendering 29.6 points and 359.2 yards per contest in its first five. Since then, the Big is limiting foes to 12.3 points and 305.5 yards. Defensive linemen Tim Cronin, Ardrell Mannings and Rob Ryder, linebackers Mark Broderick and Don Printy, and the defensive backfield including Paul Tully and Gerry Willinger, have played a part in silencing opposing offenses.
