- The Liberty Cup
The Liberty Cup is awarded annually to the winner of the
college football game betweenColumbia University andFordham University , the twoNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)Football Championship Subdivision football programs inNew York City . The trophy was dedicated in 2002, a year after the Columbia-Fordham game was postponed due to the attacks ofSept. 11, 2001 . [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0610FF345C0C768DDDA00894D9404482]
Background
Despite their proximity and long football histories, the schools met only three times in the 100 years from 1890 until 1991, with Columbia shutting out Fordham each time. However, for 35 of those years the Rams did not have a Division 1 team to field against the Lions. Fordham folded its football program in 1954 citing financial concerns, until 1970 when it was re-introduced at the Division III level. The Rams would not play at the Division I level again until 1989. Fordham won the fourth meeting, in 1991, 20-16.
The teams have played annually since 2000. The Liberty Cup game now opens Columbia's season; it is typically the third game on Fordham's schedule.
Origin Of the Liberty Cup
The 10th meeting between Fordham and Columbia originally was scheduled for September 15th, 2001. In the days following the
The schools decided against playing on Sept. 15, but later in the season agreed to meet on Thanksgiving Day (November 22nd, 2001). Fordham thumped Columbia 41-10 before a capacity crowd of 7,000 fans. Afterwards, O'Hare said it had been the right decision to reschedule. "Oh, absolutely," he said. "I think we had put sports in perspective -- and we played great." [ Berkow, Ira. "Reflections on Making the Proper Decision Over Postponing a Game." "The New York Times" Sept. 12, 2002. ]
Less than 10 months after that game, the underdog Lions gained their revenge, holding Fordham close for 59 minutes and winning with a 37-yard field goal with 10.5 seconds to play. This was the inaugural Liberty Cup game. The 13-11 victory would be Columbia’s only win of the 2002 season; Fordham would finish 10-3, gaining a share of the
Columbia Band's altar boy joke controversy
The
“It’s typical of Ivy Leaguers to make fun of a Catholic school’s strait-laced reputation,” Fordham University President
Recent History
The 2003 game was a thriller, with Fordham coming out on top in a wild 37-30 game.
Columbia took the 2006 meeting, 37-7, in the most lopsided result of the cup series. It was the Lions' second consecutive victory over Fordham, and made
Fordham won a second consecutive cup in 2008 to take the series lead, 4-3.
The Liberty Cup results
Fordham leads the Liberty Cup series, 4-3.
* 2008 Fordham 29, Columbia 22
* 2007 Fordham 27, Columbia 10 [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/sports/16fordham.html?ref=sports]
* 2006 Columbia 37, Fordham 7 [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/17/sports/17columbia.html?_r=1&oref=slogin]
* 2005 Columbia 23, Fordham 17 [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40F1EF73A580C7B8DDDA00894DD404482]
* 2004 Fordham 17, Columbia 14 [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70A10F83F5D0C7A8DDDA00894DC404482]
* 2003 Fordham 37, Columbia 30 [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0811F73A5E0C728EDDA00894DB404482]
* 2002 Columbia 13, Fordham 11 [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30912FF3C5D0C718EDDA00894DA404482]
Results of all meetings
Including meetings before the Liberty Cup was dedicated, Columbia leads the all-time series, 11–6.
* 2001 Fordham 41, Columbia 10 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE5D9153AF930A15752C1A9679C8B63]
* 2000 Columbia 43, Fordham 26 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E6D81F38F934A2575AC0A9669C8B63]
* 1996 Columbia 17, Fordham 10 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE1DC103CF93AA1575AC0A960958260]
* 1994 Columbia 24, Fordham 13 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07E4DF1E3DF93AA35753C1A962958260]
* 1993 Columbia 7, Fordham 0 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE3D7173CF935A1575AC0A965958260]
* 1992 Columbia 18, Fordham 9 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEEDC1F31F934A1575AC0A964958260]
* 1991 Fordham 20, Columbia 16 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE5D9153DF935A35753C1A967958260]
* 1972 Columbia 44, Fordham 0
* 1902 Columbia 45, Fordham 0
* 1890 Columbia 40, Fordham 0
References
External links
* [http://www.fordham.edu/ Fordham University homepage]
* [http://www.fordhamsports.com/ Fordham Athletics]
* [http://xsorbit31.com/users5/rams/index.php Unofficial Fordham Athletics Message Board]
* [http://www.columbia.edu/ Columbia University homepage]
* [http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ Columbia Athletics]
* [http://boards.basketball-u.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=columbia Unofficial Columbia Athletics Message Board]
* [http://i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=80713 Day of Reflection: Before the Liberty Cup, 2006]
* [http://i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=80942 I-AA Diary: Fordham at Columbia, Sept. 18th, 2006]
* [http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1741746 Alter Boy Incident]
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