Top 10 Moments (part three)

Let's continue to make the magical 2017 football season last as long as possible.

Here's part three of my countdown of the top 10 plays of the year:


4) The Flea Flicker 


With 14:40 left in the 4th quarter of the Homecoming game against Penn, Columbia was struggling with a 21-7 deficit. But the offense was now set up at the Quaker 39 after freshman LB Justin Woodley's interception. Penn had turned the ball over before in the game, but the Lion offense hadn't been able to do much. Things changed on this 1st down play where Columbia used a double flea flicker from QB Anders Hill to WR Josh Wainwright, to WR Kyle Castner back to Hill who then passed it to an open Wainwright who made some nifty moves for a 20 yard gain. 

The play kick started the CU offense in a dramatic way and signaled to everyone that the Lions were out to win the game. 


3) The Sack


Columbia's most crucial defensive play of 2017 was also its most controversial. After taking a 22-7 lead against Dartmouth into the 4th quarter, the Lions started to falter on both sides of the ball. The Big Green cut the score to 22-17, and with less than a minute to go launched another drive that went as far as the CU seven yard line. But on a play that began with 17 seconds to go, senior DL Mike Hinton sacked Dartmouth QB Jack Heneghan at the 17 yard line. Heneghan hurried his toss to the refs to set up the next play, but they bobbled the ball and time ran out. 


2) Smith Goes all the Way

Columbia's wins over Wagner and Georgetown to start the year at 2-0 were great. But the team didn't make a case for being "for real" until the Lions stunned the Tigers at Princeton Stadium. Facing a 3rd and 11 at their own 37 with under two minutes to go, QB Anders Hill stood strong in the face of an all-out blitz and found WR Ronald Smith sprinting to the ball in the middle of the field. The blitz meant Smith really needed to beat only one man to score and he did. 

This crucial and almost hear-stopping score comes close to being the #1 moment of the season, but there's no shame in being the runner up in a year like this. 

What could possibly be bigger than Smith's game-winning TD? 

I'll have the #1 moment coming up along with a few honorable mentions.