The Book of Samuels
Results Unpredictable in FCS Football
With only seven league games all year, one loss against a team in the middle of the pack can be crushing. When the Crimson dropped its game against Brown last year, putting itself in an early 0-1 hole in league play, Harvard had to play with an if-we-lose-one-more-time-we’re-done mentality. And when the Crimson did lose one more time—to eventual league champion Penn—the team was done.
Week Two Performance Erases Doubts
Against Holy Cross last week, Harvard scored 14 points in the first 16 minutes. The offense looked unstoppable. The Crimson and the Crusaders looked about as well-matched as two right shoes. But after that second score, the wheels fell off, and Harvard only managed to tack on eight more points the rest of the way.
Early Mistakes No Cause for Concern
And the same is certainly applicable to football. Concerns are brushed aside and discounted, and confidence bubbles to the surface. Talking to the players and Tim Murphy over the past few weeks, enthusiasm reigned. One player told me that Collier Winters was surprising even the secondary coaches with his accuracy. Murphy expressed deep confidence in a Collin Zych-less secondary and thought that Treavor Scales, more so than his Ivy League MVP predecessor, could pull off those highlight-reel runs. And of course, no one would be able to stop Josue Ortiz.
Haitian Fans and Team Join Together
These contests all had their share of drama, their share of those unbeatable, ecstatic, I-believe-that-we-just-won moments.
Bettors Choose Crimson In Ivies
But it’s not just showtime for football fanatics and digestive systems across the country. Bettors go crazy on Super Bowl Sunday too, last year plopping down nearly $100 million at Nevada sports books. And that’s just legal bets; by some estimates, illicit wagering around the country could have pushed the total over $1 billion.
