Who has a bye in college football? Few other than Georgetown, which enters its home game with Penn tomorrow fresh from two weeks' rest after a stomach virus outbreak forced its game against Colgate to be cancelled.
Contrast that with the Quakers (1-2, 1-0 Ivy), who are a bit beaten up. They are without three key players, and by coach Al Bagnoli's admission, have not been a great team - three wins out of their last 11 - on the road anyway.
If the Quakers weren't far and away the better team, they might just be worried.
But, in truth, the Hoyas (1-3, 0-1 Patriot) are not yet the kind of opponent that coaches circle on their calendar and think words like "Big Game" or "Tough Win." They have been outscored by 82 points in their three losses, and it is not hard to see why: They are too young to be very good.
For its last game, way back on Sept. 27 against Holy Cross, Georgetown listed just 10 seniors on its offense-defense depth chart, out of 44 total.
Penn's senior quarterback Robert Irvin made the obligatory point that anyone can beat anyone in college football. Then he conceded that facing a young defense - especially in the secondary, where Georgetown is particularly green - might make Penn's offense more willing to "go for the big play."
Bagnoli, too, pointed to youth, not talent, as Georgetown's biggest fault.
"They're new," Bagnoli said. "They're not as cohesive as they're going to be in a year or two years."
Georgetown employs a two-quarterback system, starting the mobile sophomore Keerome Lawrence, the Hoyas' leading rusher by a four-to-one margin.
For pass plays, coach Kevin Kelly prefers the ball in the hands of freshman James Brady.
The Hoyas have had more success throwing than running. They have gained 173.5 yards per game in the air; on the ground, each carry nets Georgetown a discouraging 2.2 yards and a pile of dust.
To top it off, its kicking game has been comical: two missed extra points and a 2-for-5 mark on field goals so far this year.
The biggest worry for Penn appears to be Georgetown's effective pass rush. Sophomore running back Mike DiMaggio knew off the top of his head on Thursday that Georgetown was leading the Patriot League in sacks (11), and he said that Penn's coaches had explored ways to counteract it.
Bagnoli said that Penn would pass on running downs and vice versa, and that his quarterback would have to throw quickly, perhaps on the move.
Cornerback Tyson Maugle, Penn's leading tackler, will watch from the sidelines because of a broken nose sustained last week. Sophomore running back Bradford Blackmon and senior running back Kelms Amoo-Achampong, who were both listed on their position on the depth chart, haven't practiced this week. Their status is unclear.
Returning for the Quakers is wide receiver Marcus Lawrence, who missed the last two games, according to the depth chart.
The only variable left is that pesky virus, which causes stomach problems for one to two days and has infected over 200 people (and counting) at Georgetown.
"We're staying away from all meals on campus," Bagnoli said.
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