What Is 2016 Cornell Big Red football

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2016 Cornell Big Red football team represented Cornell University during the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS season, finishing with a 4–6 overall record and 3–4 in Ivy League play under head coach David Archer. The season began on September 17, 2016, with a loss to Colgate.

Key Facts

The 2016 Cornell Big Red football team finished with a 4–6 overall record.
They went 3–4 in Ivy League play, placing fifth in the conference.
Head coach David Archer was in his fourth season leading the team.
The team opened the season on September 17, 2016, with a 41–10 loss to Colgate.
Cornell played home games at Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca, New York.

Overview

The 2016 Cornell Big Red football team represented Cornell University in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) during the 2016 season. Competing as a member of the Ivy League, the team was led by head coach David Archer, who was in his fourth year at the helm.

Playing their home games at Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca, New York, the Big Red finished the season with a 4–6 overall record and a 3–4 mark in conference play, placing fifth in the Ivy League standings. Despite some offensive struggles, the team showed improvement in several key areas compared to previous seasons.

Overall record: The 2016 Big Red finished with a 4–6 win-loss record, a slight improvement from their 3–7 performance in 2015.
Conference performance: They went 3–4 in Ivy League games, placing fifth among the eight teams in the final standings.
Head coach: David Archer, entering his fourth season, continued to rebuild the program with a focus on player development and discipline.
Season opener: The team lost its first game on September 17, 2016, falling 41–10 to Colgate in a non-conference matchup.
Home stadium: All home games were played at Schoellkopf Field, a historic 25,597-seat stadium located on Cornell’s campus.

How It Works

The Ivy League football structure operates under NCAA Division I FCS rules but does not participate in the FCS playoffs, even for teams with winning records. The conference prioritizes academic integration and does not allow athletic scholarships, shaping team composition and competition dynamics.

Ivy League structure:The Ivy League consists of eight private institutions that compete in football without offering athletic scholarships, emphasizing academic-athletic balance.
Season format: Teams play a 10-game schedule, with seven games against conference opponents and three non-conference matchups.
Eligibility rules: Student-athletes must meet strict academic standards, and recruiting is limited compared to other FCS programs.
No postseason: Despite strong records, Ivy teams are ineligible for the FCS playoffs due to conference policy.
Game scheduling: The 2016 season began on September 17 and concluded with the annual rivalry game against Columbia on November 19.
Player development: Under David Archer, Cornell emphasized quarterback progression and defensive consistency throughout the 2016 campaign.

Comparison at a Glance

Here’s how the 2016 Cornell Big Red season compared to other Ivy League teams and recent program history:

Team	Overall Record	Conference Record	Final Standing
Cornell	4–6	3–4	5th
Princeton	6–4	5–2	2nd
Harvard	4–6	3–4	5th
Columbia	3–7	2–5	7th
Yale	5–5	3–4	5th
Penn	4–6	2–5	6th

The table shows that Cornell was tied with Harvard and Yale in conference record but ranked ahead of Penn due to head-to-head results. Princeton won the Ivy title with a 5–2 conference record, while Cornell’s 3–4 mark reflected a competitive but inconsistent season. The Big Red defeated Columbia, Brown, and Penn but lost to Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth in league play.

Why It Matters

The 2016 season was a transitional year for Cornell football, reflecting both challenges and signs of progress under David Archer’s leadership. Understanding this season helps contextualize the program’s long-term development within the Ivy League’s unique athletic framework.

Program trajectory: The 4–6 record indicated modest improvement from 2015 and laid groundwork for future seasons under Archer.
Recruiting impact: Competitive games against Ivy rivals helped attract academically strong athletes interested in both sports and education.
Player development: Quarterback Jake Waters showed promise, throwing for over 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns during the season.
Defensive effort: The defense held Dartmouth to 10 points in a key October win, showcasing improved consistency.
Rivalry games: The annual matchup against Columbia, known as the Empire State Bowl, ended in a 24–17 Cornell victory.
Long-term goals: The season emphasized the importance of depth and special teams, areas targeted for improvement in 2017.

While the 2016 campaign did not result in a winning record, it provided valuable experience and incremental growth for a program striving to regain consistent competitiveness in the Ivy League.