Except Penn has already stomped out its flame, peed on it, and then smothered it with a wool blanket.

Sorry, Al.

On the picks...

BROWN AT DARTMOUTH

This had the potential to be a major trap game for the Big Green (6-2, 4-1). While Brown (4-4, 2-3) sits right in the middle of the standings, the Bears boast the second best defense in the league behind record-setting Harvard and they haven’t lost any game by more than 14. But, running back Tyler Varga and Yale knocked the air out of Brown by knocking it out of title contention in a back-and-forth 45-42 win last weekend. I don’t see the Bears getting up for another big game this time around. Look for Dartmouth to survive and enter next week’s matchup against Princeton with a chance to earn a share of the Ivy title if Harvard stumbles.

Prediction: Dartmouth 27, Brown 19

CORNELL AT COLUMBIA

Coaches are fond of saying “It was one of those games somebody had to lose.” It’s quintessential meaningless coach garble, but the corollary actually applies here. The Empire State Bowl (yes, that’s an official name) between the Lions (0-8, 0-5) and the Big Red (0-8, 0-5) is one of those games somebody has to win, unfortunately. I would list all of the other bowls I’d rather watch for three hours Saturday, but this is a family newspaper, so I’ll get straight to the prediction and move on.

Prediction: Columbia 24, Cornell 16

PRINCETON AT YALE

The big game of the week is a rare elimination game in Ivy football. Either the Tigers (5-3, 4-1) or the Bulldogs (7-1, 4-1) will enter week 10 with a chance to win a title share. I see Yale pulling through on the back of Varga and the arm of quarterback Morgan Roberts over a Princeton team that was not able to blowout cellar-dwelling Cornell and Penn over the last two weeks. An Eli victory would set up one of the most interesting Games in years next week as both Harvard and Yale would be playing with title implications.

Prediction: Yale 37, Princeton 20

HARVARD AT PENNSYLVANIA

Senior Day + Bagnoli’s final home game = a motivated Penn side, but that will not be enough. Look for the emotional squad to start hot and keep pace for a while, but expect the Crimson’s bruising offensive line and nearly unbreakable defense to ultimately help Harvard move one game away from a perfect season.

Prediction: Harvard 34, Penn 17

—Staff writer Jacob D.H. Feldman can be reached at jacob.feldman@thecrimson.com.