Quarterback Billy Ragone had a magical season for Penn’s Ivy League champion football team.
But while he was recognized for his efforts by being named a finalist for the Asa A. Bushnell Cup — the prize awarded to the Ivy League’s top football player — the sophomore could not put the final cherry on top of the cake.
Instead, the honor was split between Dartmouth tailback Nick Schwieger and Harvard running back Gino Gordon, as picked by the Ivy League coaches.
Schwieger, a junior, led the Ivy League in rushing with 1,133 yards on 242 carries (4.68 yards per carry). The now two-time leading rusher of the Ancient Eight also found the endzone 14 times on the ground and tallied 210 receiving yards on the season.
“I want to thank my offensive line and our tight ends for all they did this year,” Schwieger said in his acceptance speech at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. “They know that much of my success can be attributed to their hard work.”
“The receivers also did a great job blocking downfield, and [quarterback Conner] Kempe really stepped up as a leader of our offense,” Schwieger added.
While the other winner, Gordon, followed his co-victor in total yards, he was an even more efficient runner than Schwieger this season. The senior ran for 1,059 yards on 168 carries (6.3 yards per carry) and compiled 156 receiving yards. Gordon finished the season with 10 touchdowns and not a single fumble.
“It’s a great honor, and I’m very humbled by this honor,” Gordon said in an interview with the Ivy League. “Harvard is the best decision I’ve made in my whole life.”
While Schwieger and Gordon compiled impressive seasons, Ragone led the best team in the Ivy League, the undefeated Quakers — and his numbers weren’t too shabby either.
Ragone was third in the Ancient Eight in passing efficiency (121.8). He also gained 548 rushing yards — fifth in the conference and first among quarterbacks — while rushing for seven touchdowns.
But as a passer, Ragone threw for just 834 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions, perhaps limiting him in the voting. He could not be reached for comment.
Had the quarterback been named MVP, he would have followed in the footsteps of former Penn linebacker Jake Lewko, who took a share of the award last year.
The two most recent award-winning quarterbacks, Harvard’s Chris Pizzotti (2008) and Princeton’s Jeff Terrell (2006), threw for 2,490 and 2,445 yards, respectively.
Nevertheless, neither of these players had the rushing statistics Ragone compiled in 2010.
Ragone and Schwieger will surely be two of the top players in the Ivy League again next season, as the Quakers compete for a third-straight Ivy League title.
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