In the Clutch (part 2)

Hollingsworth Powers In

The stunning 19-0 win over Dartmouth was obviously the most impressive win of the season for the Lions, but the fact that the Big Green was never really in the game makes it a little harder to pinpoint the one clutch play of the contest. Luckily, there was a statement moment when QB Gabriel Hollingsworth plowed through a would-be tackle by Dartmouth LB Jalen Mackie and twisted himself into the end zone for a TD. The score gave Columbia a 10-0 lead and the Big Green never recovered. 

Young Wears Many Hats

A week after the big win in Hanover, the Lions lost control of the game at Yale Bowl despite a game filled with clutch moments from RB Ryan Young. Two weeks later, Young was responsible for the biggest clutch play in Columbia's comeback win over Brown. With the Lions trailing 14-6 in the 3rd quarter, Young did his job playing the role as a potential backup WR on a 3rd and long play that required QB Joe Green to roll out right. Not only did Young smartly get back in bounds after he was pushed out by a Bear defender, but he made the catch of Green's pass and rumbled down the sideline for a 60-yard TD. 

It should be noted that WR Mike Roussos' clutch punt return, and clutch diving TD catch earlier in the game were also very close to being the most important plays of the game for CU. And the Hollingsworth-to-Roussos-to-Brandon Radice-back-to-Hollingsworth double flea flicker pass for a two-point conversion after Young's TD was also a super clutch play. But remember that for Young's TD to happen he had to 1) make his initial block before crossing the line of scrimmage, 2) run his route properly, even though he knew he was probably the third or fourth target option, 3) make sure to get right back in bounds properly after being pushed out, and 4) make the catch and keep from stumbling out of bounds before reaching the end zone. 

Dante's Final Inferno

There were a lot of highlight reel plays in Columbia's season finale 34-26 win over Cornell. But the most clutch play was the 42 yard, hesitation-then-sprint TD run up the middle by RB Dante Miller to give the Lions their first lead of the game early in the 2nd half. One of the things that made it so special was the fact that it was up the middle when just about all of Miller's other big TD runs this season were to the outside and along the sidelines. 

A close second was Will Allen's interception and long return later in the game that set up Columbia's final TD. And of course both Bryson Canty and Wills Meyer snagged nice one-handed TD grabs.