Staff Blog

Cornell Preview

It won't be a ranked opponent this week, but it will be a 2-1 football team as Luther will travel to Mount Vernon to take on Cornell. The Rams come into the matchup off their bye week with a 2-1 record. Two weeks ago they lost to Loras 30-20. Cornell has been the team that Luther has had the most success with recently, winning the last four matchups between the two teams.

Statisically, it appears it could be a shootout. Cornell has the second best pass offense in the league, behind Wartburg, averaging 267 yards per game. The Norse are last in the league in pass defense, giving up 285. 3 yards per game. Luther is the third best rushing offense in the league, led by Tyler Sherden who is leading the conference in rushing. Cornell is last in the league giving up 186.7 yards per game on the ground. So at least statisically it appears one teams strength offensively and can attack the other's defensively.

Turnovers have played a key factor in the Norse's three games to this point. In two of the three games the Norse have had a negative turnover ratio and their opponents have taken advantage of those mistakes. Both Luther and Cornell have negative four turnover ratios going into Saturday. Which teams defense can force the others into mistakes will play a key role. Luther came close to making some game changing plays on Saturday versus Wartburg. Those game changers mean the difference between winning and losing. As well as the defense played Saturday, they need to play that much better for future success.

What you have Saturday is two Iowa Conference teams trying to establish something and get over the hump. Cornell has dropped 13 consecutive Iowa conference games dating back to a 25-21 win over Dubuque at Ash Park in 2005. Luther's lone conference win last year was against Cornell. Both teams have to view this game as very winable. Whoever comes out victorius Saturday and lead their way to a 500 or better record in league play, while the other will have a higher mountain to climb.

From the Norse perspective, there are many things that they can control that can get them better. Both the mental and physical mistakes of the first three weeks had a lot to do with their losses. Due respect given to their great opponents, but Luther has done a lot to lose ballgames, something that can't be done against opponents in the top 25 in the nation.

Also, the focus, effort and determination was there the first three weeks. Human nature is to not take an opponent like Cornell as serious as the first three, which were all ranked opponents and are all unbeaten. It would be more of a subconsicous thing, but it's there. The Norse have to have the mental toughness to treat this game the same way as they've treated their first three opponents. Going into the season Norse players and coaches told me they'll treat this year as ten one game seasons. Saturday will be the mental challenge to keep that going.

Tune in or log on Saturday. KWLC AM 1240 in the Decorah area. Kwlc.luther.edu on the web. Jerry, Mike and I with the call. 12:30 pregame. 1:00 kickoff.

Published Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 7:12 PM by Darin Svenson

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