Columbia 29 Cornell 14
Why Columbia Won
The Lions had a near-perfect 1st half on both sides of the ball, moving quickly on offense and stuffing the Cornell attack. When the offense stalled in the 2nd half the defense bailed the team out with three interceptions, including a pick six that iced the game.
Why Cornell Lost
The Big Red couldn't stop the Columbia run at all in the 1st half, and didn't get its own offense going until the 3rd quarter. But even as Cornell did finally move the ball, it couldn't overcome QB Jameson Wang's four total interceptions on the day.
Key Turning Points
-After both teams missed field goal tries on their opening drives, the Lions started their second possession of the game at their 22 with seven minutes left in the 1st quarter. They proceeded to go on a hurry-up 10-play drive that included eight running plays and two passes for 78 yards and a TD.
-On Cornell's ensuing possession, DB Aaron Brebnor picked off a Wang pass tipped by DB Jayden Marshall to give the Lions the ball on the Big Red 38. Columbia converted that opportunity into a FG, a 10-0, and a decisive grabbing of the game's momentum.
-After Cornell scored a TD on a quick 75-yard drive to start the 3rd quarter, the Big Red started moving the ball well on its second possession of the half as well. But on the 10th play of the drive, Cornell faced a 3rd and six at the Columbia 21 and Wang was intercepted at the one yard line by DB Carter McFadden who returned to the Lion 33. Cornell's next possession ended in an interception by LB Rocco Milia.
-With the score now 22-14 and Cornell within striking distance, the Big Red took over possession at the Cornell 18 with 6:56 left in the game. They got as far as the Lion 36, when Wang forced a pass that DB Hayden McDonald picked off and returned 71 yards for the game-icing TD.
Columbia Positives
-You'll be hard pressed to find a better 1st half performance in the history of this program. The offense moved the ball on every possession but one. The defense stuffed Cornell on every possession but one. The special teams excelled in every opportunity but one. The hurry up offense executed when it did and didn't need to.
-Columbia's rushing attack was impressive, gaining 6.2 yards per carry and 222 total net yards on the ground. The offensive line had its best game of the year, getting a massive push on almost every 1st half run and one sack overall.
-On the other side of the ball, the Lions harassed Wang most of the day and recorded three sacks, two of which (both by DE Justin Townsend) resulted in Wang fumbles.
-Punter William Hughes was a key reason why the Lions never relinquished the lead, nailing two punts inside the 20, including one at the five yard line.
Columbia Negatives
-The inventiveness and quickness the Lions offense showed in the 1st half disappeared in the 2nd. Luckily the defense picked up the slack.
Columbia MVP
There are A LOT of Lions who could easily get this award this week, including McFadden and McDonald. But Justin Townsend's two strip sacks and two other tackles for a loss on the day stood out the most.
18 comments:
Painton is in the transfer portal.
https://twitter.com/lpainton17/status/1726645348750508097
...Class of "61...Long time Columbia football and basketball fan...care little about other sports except as they positively influence student character and I do love and respect our genuine student athletes. Many football seasons, I've attended all games, home and away, and despite years of brutal losing, I've always enjoyed the spectacle of Saturday afternoon college football.
I am not a "booster"; have not met and don't know the first names of coaches or administrators, am not a former player or father but I have followed Columbia sports long before I was a student. I've cheered Forte and Needleman and at age six (my father was a faculty member) did see Rossides to Swiaki. I've previously written only two letters to the administration and one was in support of Armand Hill because of the genuine mutual affection that he and his players had for each other.
So, for a moment allow me my take.
Columbia will never achieve success in the marquee sports. With the possible exception of President Rupp, Columbia presidents and most of its Board of Trustees care little about undergraduates and the quality of college student life. I am certain, as they allowed the West End to close, they were more concerned about Indian famine, Bangladesh floods and African malaria. They've tolerated football and basketball and must enjoy losing as it perversely may add to out intellectual, worldly brand. So many blunders over the years bear this out...selling part of Baker for a hospital...the lost opportunity and architectural fiasco of Manhattanville and the ignorance in allowing Cornell a footplate in NYC on Randall's Island etc, etc,.
The president of the University of Pennsylvania, in the early 80's, while Penn was reversing its athletic ineptitude, said that winning in athletics was cheaper than losing. Surely, our university leadership must understand that...yet...they continually do nothing BOLD to reverse course.
Lazy and cheap is their MO in selecting athletic leaders. National search?...hardly...just a few phone calls, then mediocre or ridiculous selections. Pick a new guy; get it done quickly; spend as little as possible and keep losing as it adds to our image.
Now, I'm not saying that this may not be an improper course for a major research university (University of Chicago?) but I do know that for the banal alumnus fan (me) we are sports losers and that won't ever change.
I suggest you follow pro sports, Friday night lights or other colleges that may have affected you or your family favorably...or, if possible, be like me, continue to attend and ignore the results.
Respectfully, as we all love Alma Mater, "61 Lion
P.S. My other letter to a university President was to return playing football on Fourth Field...that would solve all.
Obvious correction-South Field
I assume you know the rule.
These seniors all have an extra Covid year. This is that last class that has this. A senior will most likely GRADUATE, and can do a grad year elsewhere.
The Ivy League, unlike other leagues, does NOT allow grad students to play varsity sports. Almost every senior should consider this. It allows another year of football and progress towards a grad degree.
These guys in almost every case are on track to graduate in '24 and cannot play Ivy League football.
As a side note, this will be an interesting statement on the senior class talent level. Really good players can play elsewhere.
4th yr seniors have a covid season of IL eligibility remaining so long as they dont graduate in spring. Baby gronk was already a 5 th year
Response to Class of ‘61–Mike Sovern will live in infamy for his sale of part of Baker Field (with his equally infamous sidekick Jonathan Cole). Lee Bollinger just got a $6,000,000 loan as a golden parachute to buy a coop in the Beresford for $11,700,000. So I have no use for him either (on top of his sweetheart loan his recent compensation by way of salary and bonus would choke a horse). Rupp struck me as a good guy; no complaints about him. But I still harbor the hope/fantasy that we can win in football and in basketball if we find the right coaches.We have great coaches in baseball, WBB, tennis, both men and women, for example. So despite a terrible administration (I am appalled by the new president and dean of the College in their response to the Hamas massacre, for example), I still think that we can shock the world and our alumni base if the right people are in place. As far as Painton, he was a fifth year senior so I don’t think it would have been in the cards for him to come back again.
Yes, that's correct but most will graduate on time.
The original poster was likely excited that a kid is "in the portal" for a negative reason, which isn't the case. He's out of IL eligibility.
Let's see where he winds up.
seniors can actually can waive/sit out spring semester and come back in fall to play 1 more season.
true that is how Jenkins was able to play also
2 more are hitting the portal this week
Seniors?
Cornell fired its HC almost immediately following its loss to the Lions. Why are we still waiting for the AD to decide whether he's going to fire or retain MF? His silence is deafening!
I continue to vacillate on the decision to retain or look elsewhere. I still continue to believe that this season looked a lot like last season other than that we came up short in a couple games instead of being on the winning side. I struggle with the negative comments mostly because we do not know who is posting them. Likely a small handful of folks. I feel that the coach does come across as a good guy, however, he rarely acknowledges the failures, especially on the offensive play calling and other issues re: execution. The above comment regarding retention and importance of continuity resonates with me . So do previous points about the inexperienced OL. Maybe we do need to clean house and disrupt. However, I do not have confidence that the administration will be truly bold and disruptive. As somebody mentioned above, make a few phone calls.
And here’s an amusing fact - I read about Coach Chesney at Holy Cross, and it turns out that he like Coach Engles is a proud graduate of Dickinson College.
As the original poster, my intent was to inform the other lions fans about a change in the team. I'm well aware of covid eligibility rules and how prevalent grad transfers are now, particularly in the Ivys. Good lord, you must be a Fabish fan to be so sensitive.
Class of '61 - great post and thank you for sharing your thoughts.
If he's a graduating senior, everyone knows he won't be back.
But everyone doesn’t know that he’s continuing his football career. Fans love to follow players who are still playing
Columbia announces nationwide search to identify the Lions next head football coach. See the details at the Columbia Lions website.
Why on earth would Rick Santos ever have been someone Columbia thinks they could have gotten.
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