NEW YORK – In a game that will be televised on the YES Network, Columbia will hit the road for the first of two straight games away from Robert K. Kraft Field when the Lions will face Yale on Saturday, October 30 at noon.
Columbia is seeking to bounce back after a wild 24-21 setback to Dartmouth in front of 10,904 fans who packed Wien Stadium last Saturday, while Yale suffered its first Ivy loss of the season to Penn, 27-20 at Yale Bowl last week.
This is the third time in the last four weeks that Columbia's game will be televised live as the Lions try to move back above .500 and even their Ivy League record at 2-2.
THE SERIES WITH YALE
Saturday's game will mark the 87th meeting between Columbia and Yale with Yale winning the last eight meetings. Last year, the Bulldogs squeaked out a 23-22 victory at Robert K. Kraft Field.
LAST TIME OUT FOR COLUMBIA
Columbia led 21-17 midway through the fourth quarter but Dartmouth embarked on a 14-play, game-ending drive when the Big Green converted a pair of third downs and one fourth down to keep the chains moving. Nick Schwieger's second touchdown of the day, a one-yard plunge with 2:28 left in the game, gave Dartmouth the 24-21 win.
LAST TIME OUT FOR YALE
Defending league champion Penn withstood a late Yale comeback for a 27-20 win. The Bulldogs got 331 passing yards from junior quarterback Patrick Witt, including a pair of touchdowns, but the Quakers had one score set up by an interception and also got a 53-yard punt return for a touchdown.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
Every Columbia game can be heard on gocolumbialions.com with Jerry Recco (play-by-play) and Sal Licata (commentary) calling the action. Student radio can be found on WKCR 89.9 FM with Tommy Di Benedetto providing play-by-play.
GOT TV? YES!
The Columbia-Yale football game will be televised on the YES Network. Chris Shearn (play-by-play), Ross Tucker (commentary) and Jack Ford (commentary) will lead the broadcast set for 12:05 kickoff.
WINNERS BRACKETT
Sophomore quarterback Sean Brackett continues to lead the Ivy League in pass efficiency by a wide margin at 160.4. Brackett has completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 1,207 yards, which ranks third among Ivy League quarterbacks. He has thrown for 12 touchdowns with just one interception, while rushing for 328 yards on the ground this season. Brackett currently ranks fourth in the Football Championship Subdivision in pass efficiency.
HOMECOMING AWARDS
Alex Gross finished the Dartmouth game with a game-high 16 tackles, including 10 solo stops, along with a pass breakup. For his efforts, he was named the John Toner Columbia Football Homecoming Player of the Game.
20-20 VISION
The last six times that Columbia has scored 20 points or more, the Lions are 5-1, dating back to last season's 30-20 win at Cornell in the penultimate game of the 2009 season.
RUSH, RUSH
In its three victories, Columbia has piled up more than 200 yards rushing. For the season, the Lions have totaled 994 yards on the ground.
GROSS: OHIO PRODUCT
Senior linebacker Alex Gross continues to lead the Ivy League in tackles with 75 stops through six games. He ranks fourth in the Football Championship Subdivision with 12.5 tackles per game. This season, the Campbell Trophy semifinalist also has returned an interception for a touchdown, has a tackle for a loss, a pass breakup and forced a fumble.
KRAFTING A NEW LEGACY
At Kraft Field at Wien Stadium this year, Columbia is 3-2 in its first five home games. With a win against Cornell, Columbia can clinch a winning record at home for the first time since the 2000 season. The Lions went 3-2 at home that season.
THIRD TIME IS A CHARM
The third Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame class was inducted during Homecoming weekend on Friday, October 22. Former Lion standouts Walter Koppisch '25 and Rory Wilfork '97 were enshrined along with legendary head coach Buff Donelli and Columbia's 1961 Ivy League championship squad.
EDDY MONEY
Luke Eddy was the Ivy League's Rookie of the Week after a strong kicking performance in the game at Penn. Eddy made both of his field goals on a blustery day, including a 48-yarder late in the third quarter, the longest by a Columbia kicker since Jon Rocholl nailed a 49-yard attempt in the Lions' season opener at Fordham in 2007. The Lions' longest standard field goal in history was made by Matt Pollard, a 50-yarder against Lehigh in 1988. The previous long was a 53-yard drop kick by Ralph Hewitt in 1930.Eddy currently ranks fifth in the Ivy League in scoring with 28 points, including 19 consecutive PATs.
TURNOVER A NEW LEAF
Columbia's defense has been one of the most opportunistic in the Ivy League so far this season, while its offense has taken good care of the ball. As a result, Columbia is first in the league with a plus-seven turnover margin. Columbia has forced its opponents into 12 turnovers (nine fumbles, three interceptions), while only giving away the ball five times in six games. Meanwhile, Yale ranks second in the League in turnover margin and second in turnovers caused with 11 (four forced fumbles, seven interceptions). Columbia ranks eighth in the FCS in turnover margin.
MADAM, I'M ADAM
Senior Adam Mehrer, a second team All-Ivy defensive back in 2009, has had another strong season. He ranks second on the squad with 44 tackles and at Penn, Mehrer made nine stops and forced a Quaker fumble.
SOPHOMORES BOOKENDING DEFENSIVE LINE
Sophomores Josh Martin and Ryan Murphy have made an impact on the defensive line in their first year as starters. Martin ranks second in the Ivy League with 3 1/2 sacks at one defensive end spot, while Murphy is tied for 11th in the league with a pair of sacks from the opposite defensive end spot.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
In six games this season, 12 Columbia players have scored a touchdown. Alex Gross's interception return for a score was the first for the defense, while Leon Ivery, Nick Gerst and Sean Brackett have all scored rushing touchdowns. Of Brackett's 12 touchdown passes, eight different receivers have been on the other end – Nathan Lenz, Andrew Kennedy, Zack Kourouma, Kurt Williams, Nico Gutierrez, Mike Stephens, Brian DeVeau and Clif Pope.
SPREADING THE WEALTH, PART II
Columbia has three players who have amassed more than 200 yards rushing this season - Sean Brackett, Nick Gerst and Leon Ivery. The Lions also have four players who have more than 100 yards receiving this season - Andrew Kennedy, Nico Gutierrez, Kurt Williams and Zack Kourouma.
