Where do the Giants go from here without Dart?
Ever since John Harbaugh was officially named the New York Giants’ new head coach, the “vibes” around the team were the highest they’ve been in recent memory. They finally have a winning leader of men that would bring sustained success back to the franchise since the days of Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning. They have a “big three” of offensive talent—QB Jaxson Dart, RB Cam Skattebo, and WR Malike Nabers—who were all healthy and ready to fulfill their potential. They have arguably the best pass rush in the league with Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Arvell Reese, and Kayvon Thibodeaux, part of a defense that should be much improved under Dennard Wilson.
It’s hard to blame Giants fans for being optimistic about this season, and their positivity was bolstered by a season-opening 28-20 over the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Heading into this past Monday Night Football’s game against the Super Bowl-favorite Rams, murmurs of an upset victory were certainly plausible.
But just seven plays into the game, all the hope, all the goodwill that Big Blue had been brewing for months came crashing down.
When Dart went down with a knee injury, everybody feared for the worst. There was slight relief when initial reports came out that he had likely suffered an MCL sprain, which would’ve only kept him out for four to six weeks. But the injury was indeed worse than anticipated, and he now needs season-ending surgery to repair his torn MCL, torn meniscus, and damaged PCL.
Injuries were the spotlight of Dart’s first season in the pros, suffering a concussion and making multiple trips to the blue tent. Fair questions were asked about his perhaps overly-aggressive playing style. But by no means was this recent injury his fault at all. It was an unfortunate collision with the leg of Rams linebacker Josaiah Stewart, and nothing more than that.
What could’ve been a promising season for the G-Men now feels more like a lost cause. Going back to the Rams game, Dart’s injury seemed to have sucked all the life out of his teammates. The defense was unable to stop Davante Adams. The offensive line reverted to its former woes. Jameis Winston looked completely lost when he took the reins under center, completing just 41% of his passes (11 of 27) for 111 yards and threw one of his patented awful interceptions. While there was no guarantee they would’ve pulled off the upset had Dart not gotten hurt, it most certainly would’ve been more of a fight.
Given Winston’s struggles, the million-dollar question arises: What do the Giants do at quarterback? There are three options that they could pursue. The first (and most realistic) option is to hand Winston the keys for the rest of the season given that he’s had much more time to adapt to Harbaugh’s system than any quarterback they bring. I’m a hard pass on this scenario. I know that he just led Big Blue to a 12-7 win over the Titans, and I know that weather conditions were less than ideal. But I’ve seen the “Jameis Winston Experience” play out in Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Cleveland for a grand total of zero playoff appearances. No thank you.
The second option is to sign a free agent quarterback, but available options are pretty dire. Jimmy Garoppolo is the “best” one out there. At least he’s made a Super Bowl? Oh who am I kidding, that was seven seasons ago. Outside of Jimmy G, there’s Bailey Zappe, who couldn’t even make the Jets roster, and Jake Browning, who was released by the Buccaneers. Again, not really inspiring options.
The third option is to trade for a quarterback already on an active roster. The Giants have been linked with a plethora of intriguing options, including Mac Jones, Joe Milton, Spencer Rattler, Justin Fields, and Mr. “Nine” himself JJ McCarthy (UPDATE: “Nine” is now officially a Giant). Even if you do see them as upgrades on Winston, do the Giants really want to give up any draft capital for a one-year rental?
While Harbaugh is gung-ho on Winston being the starter for the rest of the year even if they do acquire another quarterback, they should at the very least bring in some true competition so that they’re not stuck with one mediocre option.
The bad news doesn’t stop at Dart. After dealing with a high ankle sprain against the Rams, Burns somewhat surprisingly was available to play against the Titans, where he injured his right knee. Only time will tell if both sides of the ball will suffer significant season-ending injuries (UPDATE: It appears so with fears of a torn ACL). If that’s the case, it’s back to the regularly-scheduled misery.
Big Red football pulls off big upset
In much more positive news on the gridiron, it was a wildly successful home opener and Ivy League opener for Cornell.
The Big Red welcomed 17th-ranked Yale to Schoellkopf in front of a large, boisterous crowd of 12,542. The thousands of home fans left happy as Cornell pulled off a 38-25 victory.
Given the level of their opponent, Cornell could not afford a slow start like what hampered in their season-opener 20-7 loss at Colgate where they were down 20-0 at halftime. Also given that was the Big Red’s first game of the year and the Raiders’ fourth game, that was to be expected. But Cornell made no mistake this time around.
After both teams punted on their opening drives, Tommy MacPherson intercepted a pass from the Bulldogs’ backup quarterback Charles Hewitt. In case you’re wondering why Hewitt was in the game, their starting QB Dante Reno—who torched Holy Cross through the air with 454 yards and five touchdowns—did not play at all and was in street clothes on the Yale sidelines. Cornell were able to complement the pick with a score, as Garrett Bass-Sulpizio punched it in from two yards out.
After the Bulldogs got on the board with a field goal, Bass-Sulpizio responded with a 41-yard dot to JaVon Broussard, which set himself up for another keeper with a one-yard rushing score to put the Big Red up 14-3 at halftime.
Cornell’s offense didn’t let the 20-minute intermission slow them down one bit. On the first drive of the second half, the Big Red got into the end zone again with a 31-yard rush from Ean Pope. Five plays later, MacPherson came up with another interception, and Cornell once again played complementary football with a seven-yard rushing TD from Brendan Lee to put the Big Red up big, 28-3.
The Bulldogs would not go quietly into the Ithaca afternoon. Yale rattled off 15 unanswered points to make it a 28-18 ballgame. But the Big Red closed things out thanks to an Alan Zhao field goal, a turnover on downs, and a one-yard Jordan Triplett TD to go back up by 20 points, an insurmountable lead with just 3:31 left on the clock.
Bass-Sulpizio had a bounceback performance under center. After throwing three interceptions against Colgate, he played turnover-free football and completed 14 of 21 passes to go with his two rushing TDs. Head coach Dan Swanstrom saw a more comfortable version of his quarterback.
“He was in complete control,” Swanstrom said after the game. “He saw everything, had a great vision. Yale’s burying down on us, especially going into the wind. It’s hard to get vertical down the field, so he took what was there and made a couple really big runs and a really big throw. That was really important in this game.”
The five rushing touchdowns the Big Red had was the most in a game since the final game of the 2019 season, also tallying five rushing scores in a 35-9 win over Columbia.
Speaking of notable facts, MacPherson made a bit of history with another monster performance. With his two interceptions against Yale and his interception and forced fumble against Colgate, he becomes the first Cornellian ever to record four takeaways in the first two games of the season. The senior safety has established himself as one of the cornerstones in their new-look defense under first-year coordinator and former Ithaca College head coach Mike Toerper.
“We always talk about being mad dogs,” MacPherson said. “That’s how we break down every huddle. It’s just relentless every single time, getting 11 hats to the ball on every single play, hunting the ball, running through faces is something that he preaches every day, and we work on it, too. It shows up on gamedays.
It was great to catch up with Toerper after the game following his successful tenure on South Hill. When our own Nick Karski asked him how he was adapting to life on East Hill, he jokingly said that his commute is now triple the length… from four minutes to a whopping 12 minutes. Glad to see his strong sense of humor has also carried over to Cornell.
“[I’m] just loving it back here with some familiar faces,” Toerper said. “Being together with my brother, Coach Swanstrom, is tremendous to reunite with him. [I’m] staying connected to with the other hill and talking to [Ithaca College head coach] Brandon Maguire on a weekly basis, sometimes a daily basis, and watching those guys have success. I love those guys over there, as well. It’s just a dream come true to be able to be in this town and coach football have just a lot of passion behind everything what we’re doing.”
It was quite the statement win for the Big Red, but it doesn’t get easier for the next few weeks. After they take a trip to Georgetown this Saturday, they’ll have back-to-back home games against ranked opponents: #25 Harvard and #7 Lehigh. It’s certainly a gauntlet, but it’s one that Big Red has proven it’s more than prepared to take head-on.
Cortaca soccer stalemates
When it comes to Ithaca College vs. SUNY Cortland games, the Cortaca Jug on the gridiron is as big as it gets. But that doesn’t mean the other sports don’t have as heated of rivalries. Look no further than not one, but two Cortaca soccer games last week on South Hill.
The women’s game was up first on Tuesday afternoon at Carp Wood Field. After an even opening 15 minutes, the Bombers struck first off a corner kick, where Jayne Bogle’s delivery found a wide open Zara Nourie in the six-yard box, and the senior defender easily headed it in. While they usually focus on defensive set pieces in practice, Bogle and Nourie were talking before the game about where Bogle wanted to place and where she wanted Nourie to run, and that discussion clearly paid off.
Cortland kept applying pressure on Ithaca’s back line for the rest of the first half and into the second half. Their best opportunity came in the 69th minute, where Samantha Ruffles’ effort was denied by Katrina Varnum and deflected and ricocheted off the post.
It seemed like it wouldn’t be the Red Dragons’ day until the 76th minute off a set piece of their own. Cassia Schuyler lofted a long-range free kick into the box that was cleared away. It was sent back into the mixer, fell to Chloe Polito to clip a ball towards goal, and Tyla Vuotto was there to head it in for the equalizer.
The Bombers were undeterred and nearly restored the lead three minutes later. Sophie White pounced on a loose ball with just the goalkeeper Olivia Rouse to beat, but she sent her effort over the crossbar. That would be the final meaningful chance of the game as it ended all square, 1-1.
While Ithaca failed to keep a clean sheet, they were able to largely contain a Red Dragons team that had just put seven goals past Alfred State in the previous game. The Bombers have kept four shutouts and have only conceded four goals. Nourie has been a big part of that stoutness as a center back.
“I think it’s just overall communication with Katrina [Varnum] our goalie and the back four and the midfielders,” Nourie said. “If we all keep track of our runners, know who’s open, it all works out.”
Since that contest, the Bombers (4-1-3) had a scoreless tie in their Liberty League opener at Vassar, while the Red Dragons (4-2-1) will next play on Wednesday vs. Buffalo State.
Then on Wednesday night at Butterfield Stadium, it was over to the men’s game. It was an expectedly tight and physical contest, but it also ended level with no goals scored.
That doesn’t mean the game was without its premium opportunities. The Bombers had two big chances early on. Three minutes after Edin Estrada’s attempt in right side of the box was denied by Jordan Ott, Cameron Wooten received a ball that was cut across the face of goal, but his sliding effort went over the bar. The game evened out for the rest of the first half.
Ithaca would find the back of the net in the 57th minute after a Liam Breslin free kick forced a double save out of Ott and was tapped in by Colin Adams. But the goal was immediately ruled out as Adams was in an offside position.
The Bombers came close again with eight minutes remaining as they had a shot hooked off the line by Sam LaMendola. The game opened up late on with the Red Dragons firing some effort on Brayden Milbrandt’s goal, but the senior keeper was up to the test.
Not only was it was a defensive battle, it was quite an aggressive battle. Both teams combined for 29 fouls (Ithaca committed 15 to Cortland’s 14) and five yellow cards were dished out (three to Cortland, two to Ithaca).
Given that the Bombers had not beaten the Red Dragons in their last 14 meetings and that they were playing the 10th-ranked team in the nation, they’ll be more than happy with the performance they put in. But what made this particular rivalry game stand out was that it was the first time a Cortaca men’s soccer game was played under the lights at Butterfield Stadium. Bombers head coach Gabe Kuhn knew that element added to what was a phenomenal atmosphere.
“It was a great crowd,” Kuhn said. “You felt the energy. You felt everything about certain lays, and the fans were getting after it. We can’t do it without them. We’re super grateful and hopefully they’ll keep attending games and keep supporting us, and we’ll hopefully keep fighting and keep doing well.”
Ithaca is still undefeated on the year at 7-0-3, most recently notching another scoreless tie in its Liberty League opener at Vassar. Like the women’s team, they too have a near-impenetrable back line that’s kept seven shutouts and conceded five goals. Cortland (5-1-1) ventures to Buffalo State on Wednesday.
Other things that caught my eye:
- Entering the final week of play, the Yankees had a 0.8-0.9% chance to win the AL East. They had to sweep a four-game set against the Rays to keep their microscopic hopes alive, but a 6-1 loss in the nightcap of Tuesday’s doubleheader officially secured the title for Tampa Bay. As was foreseen months ago, it’s Yankees vs. Red Sox for the second straight year in the American League Wild Card series, which begins on Tuesday night. Like last year, New York will once again have home-field advantage and boasts an even stronger pitching arsenal. Cam Schlittler will start Game 1 in the hopes of spinning another postseason masterclass against Boston. Max Fried will take the mound in Game 2, and Gerrit Cole is lined up to start the if-necessary Game 3. The pitching should be just fine, but what about the bats? And what about Aaron Judge? Your guess is as good as mine if the captain will suit up for this series.
- The Bills lived up to the old adage of “winning ugly” against the winless Chargers. They got the job done in a 24-16 struggle. It was a sloppy performance from the Buffalo offense that hummed along through the first two games. They committed five turnovers, three of which were from Josh Allen. But they were able to overcome those mistakes and a 10-0 first quarter deficit to come out on top. It’s on to New England. That’s all they have to say. Also, speaking of ugly, those new “Nickel City” gray jerseys look just as bad on the field as they did when they were initially released. Woof.
- For the second straight week, the Jets fought hard against an NFC North opponent but once again couldn’t find a way to win. Geno Smith rolled back the years to his Seahawks days by completing 31 of 37 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns. Garrett Wilson had a big day with 10 receptions for 107 yards and a score, while it was a breakout performance for rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq (seven receptions, 105 yards, one touchdown). Yes, scoring the Lions is no hard feat, but still impressive. The only problem? The Lions had Jahmyr Gibbs, and the Jets didn’t. His 164 total yards and three touchdowns powered Detroit to a 31-24 win. If they can perform like this against the Caleb Williams-less Bears next week, maybe they can finally get one over that specific division.
- Both sides of the Cortaca Jug notched blowout victories at home. Ithaca destroyed St. Lawrence 66-0 as the Bombers continue to establish themselves as the team to beat in the Liberty League. With the 76-0 win over Hilbert last week, it’s the first time in program history they’ve scored over 60 points in back-to-back weeks. It should be a tougher test this Saturday with a trip to Hobart, though they’re coming off a 33-7 loss to RPI. Meanwhile, Cortland routed Morrisville 62-6, highlighted by a three-touchdown performance from wide receiver Jacque LaPrarie, tying the school record in the process. The 17th-ranked Red Dragons have their biggest test in the Empire 8 this Saturday as they head to #22 Utica for a battle of unbeatens. Last year’s meeting was the closest win for Cortland in conference play last year, a 28-13 victory. It could very well be even tighter this time around.
- Week 4 of the Section IV high school football season is in the books. The marquee matchup was in 8-man football between state-ranked foes Moravia and Lansing. The Blue Devils jumped out to a 22-6 lead in the second quarter. But the Bobcats, led by Logan Mayo’s four touchdowns and Jacob Bowen’s two scores, scored 30 unanswered points to pull off a 36-22 victory. Groton kept up its perfect start with a 46-15 victory at Newark Valley powered by Kam McClain’s four touchdowns and Colin Brockway’s three TDs. Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour blanked Spencer-Van Etten/Candor 39-0 to improve to 3-1 on the season and have won three straight games. Trumansburg gave defending Class D state champions Tioga all they had, going up 21-6 in the second quarter. But the Tigers scored 28 unanswered points to come away with a 34-21 victory. Ithaca suffered its first loss of the season after getting blanked by Johnson City 30-0. Dryden fell to state-ranked Thomas A. Edison 48-16, and Newfield lost at Cooperstown/Milford 33-6.
- The college-to-pros pipeline for Cornell men’s lacrosse is as strong as ever. Four Big Red student-athletes were selected in Thursday’s National Lacrosse League draft. 2026 graduate and faceoff specialist Jack Cascadden was taken 15th overall by the Georgia Swarm. Fellow classmate Bowie Horsman was selected 35th overall by the San Diego Seals. 2025 graduate Rory Graham went 62nd overall by the Halifax Thunderbirds. But the most remarkable pick was Aiden Long, a sophomore forward on the men’s hockey team, being selected 43rd overall also by the Thunderbirds. Given that most NLL games are played inside hockey rinks, Long will be right at home.
- It’s crazy to think that we’re still in September but the NHL season is getting underway this week. All three New York teams are on the road for their respective season openers. The Rangers face the Bruins on Tuesday, the Islanders head north of the border to battle the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, and the Sabres play the Blue Jackets on Thursday. For Big Red hockey fans, there are three Big Red alums currently active in the league: Sam Malinski (2019-23) on the Colorado Avalanche, Morgan Barron (2017-20) on the Winnipeg Jets, and Jeff Malott (2016-20) on the Los Angeles Kings.
