Lions Travel to Philadelphia for Saturday Matchup at Penn

Saturday, October 13

Philadelphia, Pa. / Franklin Field

1:00 p.m.

Columbia

Penn

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Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

Lions Travel to Philadelphia for Saturday Matchup at Penn

10/10/2018 3:14:00 PM | Football

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Winners of 12 of their last 15 games and five of their last six, 3-1 Lions get back into Ivy League play with important conference matchup at Penn.

GAME 5 • Ivy League Matchup
COLUMBIA (3-1, 0-1 Ivy League) at PENN (3-1, 0-1 Ivy League)
Saturday, October 13, 2018 • 1:05 p.m. ET • Franklin Field • Philadelphia, Pa.

THE FACTS

Television: ESPN+ (Joe Tordy and Coffee Jones; Producer: TBA). WATCH LIVE. ESPN+ FAQ

Columbia Online Radio Network: Jerry Recco and Sal Licata, listen live on gocolumbialions.com. LISTEN LIVE

Live Stats: www.pennathletics.com. LIVE STATS

Coaches: Columbia- Al Bagnoli, 4th year at Columbia (16-18), 36th year (251-116). Penn- Ray Priore, 4^th year at Penn (23-11), 4^th year overall (23-11).

Series: Columbia and Penn meet for the 98^th time since the series began in 1878. Columbia won last year's game, 34-31 in overtime, on Anders Hill's game-ending pass to Josh Wainwright. Penn holds a 74-22-1 advantage in the series and has won 10 straight games vs. Columbia at Franklin Field.

GAME NOTES

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Columbia (3-1, 0-1 Ivy League) gets back into conference play when it travels to Philadelphia, Pa. to take on Penn (3-1, 0-1 Ivy League) for a key Ivy League matchup on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Franklin Field. The matchup marks Columbia's fifth game of the 2018 season and its second Ivy League contest.

The game will be live streamed on ESPN+ with Joe Tordy (play-by-play) and Coffee Jones (color analyst) calling action. The Columbia Online Radio Network will broadcast live from Franklin Field with Jerry Recco and Sal Licata calling action. The audio only broadcast is available for free at www.gocolumbialions.com.

SATURDAY'S TOP STORYLINES

Columbia gets back into Ivy League play on Saturday when it travels to Philadelphia to play Penn in an important conference matchup.
Columbia has won five of its last six games.
Dating back to the end of the 2016 season, Columbia Football has won 12 of its last 15 games. The Lions are coming off their most successful season in 21 years after posting an 8-2 record and second place finish in the Ivy League at 5-2 in 2017.
Columbia coach Al Bagnoli was the head coach at Penn for 23 seasons from 1992-2014. He led the Quakers to nine Ivy League titles, a 148-89 overall record and 112-49 Ivy League record.

ABOUT THE LIONS

Winners of 12 of its last 15 games, Columbia concluded its non-conference schedule with a 3-0 record after defeating Marist 34-24 on Oct. 6. The Lions get back into Ivy League play after dropping a 45-10 loss to No. 21/25 Princeton in their Ivy League opener. Columbia won its first two games against Northeast Conference champion and NEC preseason favorite Central Connecticut State (41-24) and a Lou Little Cup win at Georgetown (23-15). The Lions recovered three fumbles, limited its opponents to 45 yards rushing and used a three-quarterback system to register a convincing win over CCSU in its season opener. In week two, Columbia limited the Hoyas to 25 yards rushing and Chris Alleyne kicked three field goals as the Lions captured the Lou Little Trophy for the second straight season with a 23-15 win at Georgetown. In Columbia's 34-24 win over Marist last Saturday, the Lions saw the return of quarterback Josh Bean, who threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns. In addition, Columbia dominated the ball for 42 of the game's 60 minutes and held Marist to just 38 yards rushing.

This season, Columbia has had a variety of key players sidelined with injuries.

Columbia is also coming off one of its most successful seasons in school history in 2017 under Head Coach Al Bagnoli. In 2018, the Lions returned 14 of 22 starters (seven on offense and seven on defense) and six All-Ivy League selections from a program that recorded its best season in 21 years. Last year, Columbia posted an 8-2 record, finished second in the Ivy League with a 5-2 record, began a season with six straight wins for the first time since 1996, put together the school's longest win streak since 1935 (seven games) and posted one of the nation's top-five best yearly comebacks in the FCS with a five-win improvement from 2016 to 2017. Along the way, it was the Lions' resiliency, toughness and work ethic that captured the attention of their fans, the New York City media and national media members alike.

COLUMBIA STARTS SEASON WITH 3-1 RECORD

For the seventh time since Columbia joined the Ivy League in 1956, the Lions have started a season with at least a 3-1 record. Other seasons that began with at least a 3-1 record include: 3-1 in 1961, 3-1 in 1978, 4-0 in 1996, 3-1 in 2006, 3-1 in 2010, 4-0 in 2017 and 3-1 in 2018.

COLUMBIA FINISHES 3-0 IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE SEASON

A 34-24 win over Marist gave Columbia a 3-0 non-conference record for the second consecutive season. The Lions swept non-conference opponents (41-24 win over CCSU and 23-15 win over Georgetown).

In 2017, Columbia completed its three-game non-conference schedule with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2006. The Lions defeated Wagner (17-14), Georgetown (35-14) and Marist (41-17) last season.

Columbia has completed perfect non-conference seasons only seven times since the Ivy League was formed in 1956: 1963, 1967, 1970 all with 2-0 records and 1996, 2006, 2017 and 2018 all with 3-0 records.

COLUMBIA ON SCHOOL-RECORD SEVEN-GAME NON-CONFERENCE WIN STREAK

Columbia's 34-24 win over Marist on Oct. 6, 2018 gave the Lions a school-record seventh consecutive non-conference win. Columbia established the school-record with a 41-24 victory in its season opener at Central Connecticut State. The current streak began at Wagner on Oct. 8, 2016. The previous record was four straight non-conference wins from Sept. 28, 1996-Oct. 4, 1997.

AL BAGNOLI WINS CAREER NO. 250

Columbia Head Football Coach Al Bagnoli captured career victory No. 250 on Sept. 22, 2018 in the Lions' 23-15 win at Georgetown. In his fourth season as Columbia's head coach and 36th year overall, Bagnoli now has a career record of 251-116.

Columbia honored Bagnoli for his achievement in a ceremony prior to the Princeton game.

BAGNOLI TO FACE PENN

Saturday's matchup at Penn marks the fourth meeting between Bagnoli and his former employer where he spent 23 seasons as the Quakers' head coach from 1992-2014. In 23 seasons, Bagnoli guided Penn to nine Ivy League championships (1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010 and 2012), a 148-89 overall record and 112-49 Ivy League record. He also led Penn to three undefeated seasons (10-0 in 1993, 9-0 in 1994 and 10-0 in 2003), 12 years of seven or more victories and six perfect 7-0 Ivy League slates. Bagnoli also guided Penn on the longest winning streak in FCS history (24 wins from 1993-95).

At Penn, Bagnoli compiled a 20-3 record vs. Columbia. Against Penn, he is 1-2 after Columbia defeated the Quakers 34-31 in a thrilling overtime victory before 13,000-plus Homecoming fans in 2017. He has now registered victories against all eight Ivy League teams.

FIRST-YEAR DANTE MILLER NAMED IVY LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK FOR SECOND TIME

For the second time this year, Columbia first-year running back Dante Miller was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday. Miller also earned the honor on September 17 following his career debut at Central Connecticut State.

Miller takes the honor after he rushed for a game-high 80 yards on 18 carries in Columbia's 34-24 victory over Marist on Saturday. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry and his long run went for 14 yards. On the year and through four games, Miller ranks No. 7 in the Ivy League and leads the Lions in rushing with 269 yards on 51 carries with one touchdown and a 5.3 yards per carry average. He also ranks second on the squad in all-purpose yardage (275) and has one reception for six yards.

In each of the first four weeks of the 2018 season, Columbia has had at least one Ivy League Player of the Week award-winner: Dante Miller (Rookie of the Week, Sept. 17), Chris Alleyne (Special Teams Player of the Week, Sept. 24), Will Allen (Special Teams Player of the Week, Oct. 1) and now Miller again.

Senior placekicker Chris Alleyne, senior linebacker Sean White and sophomore quarterback Josh Bean were all named to the Ivy League's weekly honor roll.

COLUMBIA, LIONS PLAYERS AMONG NATIONAL STATISTICAL LEADERS IN A VARIETY OF CATEGORIES

Through four games, Columbia ranks among the nation's top-25 FCS teams in 14 different team statistical categories. According to the NCAA, Columbia is ranked:

No. 1 fourth down conversion percentage (1.000).
No. 1 in blocked punts allowed (0).
No. 2 in time of possession (34:51).
No. 5 in fewest penalty yards (153).
No. 6 in fumbles lost (1).
No. 6 in fewest penalties (19).
No. 7 in first downs defense (65).
No. 8 in kickoff returns (27.0).
No. 12 in fewest penalty yards per game (38.3).
No. 13 in fewest penalties per game (4.75)
No. 14 in team sacks (3.25).
No. 21 in rushing defense (117.0).
No. 21 in winning percentage (75.0).
No. 25 in fewest turnovers lost (6).

Individually, several Lions also rank among the top-25 national statistical leaders in eight different categories:

Chris Alleyne (No. 9 in field goal percentage, 88.9%; No. 1 in field goals per game, 2.0; No. 19 in scoring, 9.0).
Cameren Carter (No. 3 in fumbles recovered, 2).
Will Allen (No. 15 in kickoff returns, 27.0).
Josh Bean (No. 22 in completion percentage, 64.9).
Ty Lenhart (No. 17 in rushing touchdowns, 6; No. 19 in scoring, 9).

COLUMBIA, LIONS PLAYERS LEAD THE IVY LEAGUE IN VARIOUS STATS

Through four games, Columbia leads the Ivy League in a variety of statistics:

Columbia leads the league in fourth down conversions (100%).
Will Allen leads in kickoff return average (27.0).
Chris Alleyne leads in field goals (2.00 per game), field goal percentage (88.9%) and PAT percentage (100%).
Daniel DeLorenzi is tied for the lead in sacks (1.00 per game).
Cameren Carter leads in fumble recoveries (2).

ABOUT THE QUAKERS

Penn enters its Saturday matchup vs. Columbia with an identical 3-1 overall record and 0-1 Ivy League slate. The Quakers won all three of their non-conference games but dropped a 37-14 Ivy League contest at Dartmouth on Sept. 29. Penn enters the game on a one-game win streak after defeating Sacred Heart 31-27 last Saturday.

On offense, Penn does its damage in the running game as it averages 217.2 yards per game. Karekin Brooks leads the rushing attack as he has scored seven touchdowns and gained 467 yards on 77 carries for a 6.1 average and 116.8 yards per game average. Quarterback Ryan Glover contributes 39.0 yards rushing per game (156 yards on 41 carries) and Abe Willows has rushed for 150 yards on 37 carries. Glover has also passed for 610 yards and four touchdowns while completing 57 of 98 passes on the season. Penn's top receivers are Steve Farrell (14-173 yards), Willows (12-106) and Christian Pearson (10-142, 2 TD).

On defense, the Quakers have allowed 319.5 yards per game and registered an Ivy League best 21 sacks totaling 134 yards. Penn is led by Nick Miller, who has made 41 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Along with Miller, Jacob Martin (35 tackles, two interceptions), Brian O'Neill (28 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks), Conor O'Brien (22 tackles, 1 INT) and Zak Evans (18 tackles, 3.0 TFL) are key performers.