1995 IVY LEAGUE FOOTBALL STANDINGS: Pope, Bagnoli converge on NY

As if the Yankees aren't creating enough excitement of their own these days, New York City is about to get even crazier. Tomorrow, two vastly different people are scheduled to visit the city that never sleeps. One is Al Bagnoli. The other is Pope John Paul II. Despite having vastly different roles and agendas, these two visitors to the Big Apple actually do share some similarities. For one thing, the Penn football coach and religious leader both will be bringing a fairly large entourage with them. And secondly, they both seem to command plenty of respect from those around them. Of course, some people would say that Bagnoli has posted a better record these last few years. At any rate, this much is clear: While the Pope will likely be greeted with overwhelming hospitality in New York tomorrow, Bagnoli should expect nothing of the sort. The Penn coach brings his two-time defending Ivy League champion Quakers and their 24-game winning streak to Baker Field for a showdown with the Columbia Lions. In fact, the Lions (1-1-1, 1-0 Ivy League) figure to be anything but gracious hosts tomorrow. After countless years of frustration and futility -- between 1984 and 1988 Columbia lost 44 straight games -- things seem to be finally looking up. Last season, coach Ray Tellier led the team to an overall mark of 5-4-1, good enough for its first winning season since 1971. At Franklin Field last season, Columbia gave Penn all it could handle before falling 12-3. This year, Tellier's squad is off to a respectable start, having snatched an early league victory on the road at Harvard. The Lions are looking at tomorrow's matchup with powerhouse Penn (3-0, 1-0 Ivy) as a chance to finally earn some respect in the football world. "Like every team that plays Penn, everybody always wants to play the top dog," Tellier said. "We're excited about the challenge. We'll have to play our best game of the season." In trying to do that, much of Columbia's fortunes will depend on senior quarterback Mike Cavanaugh. An extremely versatile passer, Cavanaugh shared playing time in in a two-quarterback system with Jamie Schwalbe last season. This year, Cavanaugh will be forced to adapt and become more comfortable in the pocket. He has certainly made progress, but there is still room for significant improvement. For now, his agility and elusiveness still pose plenty of difficulties for opposing defenses. "He's a terrific athlete," Bagnoli said. "He scares us because he can break containment. He has the ability to make big plays." Concentrating too much on Cavanaugh, though, is not the answer. The vaunted Penn defense, led by tackle Tom McGarrity (29 tackles, 5 sacks) and linebacker Joey Allen (22 tackles), will also have to contend with sophomore tailback Mike Atkins and senior fullback John Harper. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Harper, whom Bagnoli describes as "a big bruiser," has been utilized effectively by the Lions in short yardage situations and at the goal line. On the other side of the ball, Bagnoli would like to see his offense raise its level of play. Penn currently ranks last in the Ivies in total offensive yardage. Compounding Penn's offensive woes, of course, will be Columbia junior linebacker Rory Wilfork. Wilfork, a first-team all-Ivy selection last year, leads the Lions will 37 tackles. He also is fired up -- "this is the biggest game in Columbia football history," the tri-captain said. And so, the Quakers head to the Big Apple in search of consecutive win number 25. If the game is anything like Penn's heart-stopping 20-19 win over Bucknell last weekend, Bagnoli may just call on that other guy visiting New York for some help. · When Penn travels to New York for this weekend's game, starting nose guard Chris Osentowski won't be making the trip. The 5-foot-11, 245-pound junior has been suspended for the Columbia game, Bagnoli confirmed last night. Osentowski already visited the Big Apple. He attended Wednesday evening's taping of The Late Show with David Letterman at the Ed Sullivan Theatre. In order to make the trip, he did not attend practice Wednesday. According to an anonymous teammate, Osentowski told the Penn coaches he would be missing practice to attend a study session. Osentowski, seated in the front row of the audience, was singled out by Letterman early in the show. He appeared on the air numerous times and was given a case of beer. Sophomore defensive lineman Mike Elsey is expected to start in Osentowski's place.

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