Penn Readies For Key Ivy Match-Up With Columbia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It is all Ivy League action from here on out for the Penn Quakers. The final stretch of six straight league games begins on Saturday when Penn heads to New York City to visit the Columbia Lions.

Penn is 2-2 on the season (0-1 Ivy) and coming off a 42-21 non-league road loss at Central Connecticut State.

"We dug ourselves a hole early [down 21-0]," Penn head coach Ray Priore tells KYW Newsradio, "and it was sort of fluky early in the game, a couple injuries, couple tipped balls that created opportunities, interception for them for a touchdown. We fought hard, just couldn't get it back and we have to do a better job of stopping the run."

Central Connecticut State rolled up 294 yards rushing in the game.

Penn senior starting quarterback Will Fischer-Colbrie was injured in the first half against the Blue Devils. Sophomore Nick Robinson took over at quarterback and threw three touchdowns to help get the Quakers back into the game.

"Both Will and Nick throughout the year have done a really nice job," Priore says. "Nick has played in three of the first four games and we saw some really good things out of him. It's nice that you can have a good one-two punch there and we'll see as the health of Will progresses during the week and make a decision [on this week's starter] probably towards the end of the week."

Columbia is off to an outstanding 4-0 start which includes an Ivy League win over Princeton. The Lions are led by former Penn head coach Al Bagnoli.

"Their package on offense is very, very similar [to Penn's], much of what we call the RPO, run-pass option football," Priore says. "And on defense they are an attacking press-man [unit]. So they try to put as much stress on the quarterback and as much stress on the defense by spreading people out."

Last year, Penn beat Columbia at Franklin Field, 35-10.

Saturday's game will kick off at 1:30pm.