NEW YORK—With 58 seconds to play, first-year Mike Roussos scored the game-winning touchdown on an 87-yard kickoff return and also added a 91-yard punt return touchdown in the first quarter to lead Columbia to a 24-21 come-from-behind Empire State Bowl victory over Cornell Saturday at Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium.
 
With the win, Columbia concludes its 2018 season with a 6-4 overall and 3-4 Ivy League record. The Lions register back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1961-62. Columbia's 14 victories over its last two years are the most wins in consecutive seasons since the institution joined the Ivy League in 1956. The six overall wins also rank among Columbia's top-five winningest seasons since 1956. In addition, it marked Columbia's fourth come-from-behind victory of the year.
 
After Cornell took a crushing 21-17 lead with 58 seconds to go on a two-yard touchdown run by Dalton Banks following a back-breaking 77-yard scoring drive, Roussos came to the rescue. He fielded the ensuing squib kickoff at the 13-yard line and with a running start, grabbed the ball off the turf and raced toward an opening. He continued untouched down the center of the field and left all 11 Cornell defenders behind before diving into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. With the touchdown, Roussos became the first player in school history to score on both a punt return and kickoff return in the same game.
 
Cornell had one last possession, but the Columbia defense forced a four-and-out and the Lions registered their third straight Senior Day victory.
 
"They squibbed the kick and finally Mikey picks it up," Patricia and Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football Al Bagnoli said. "We block a couple Cornell players, he splits a couple, he jukes a couple, next thing you know, 12 seconds later, we're in the lead. It's one of the most surreal things that just happened. It's really a testament to our players, a testament to Mikey and a testament to the emphasis we put on special teams."
 
"It's a great, great ending to the game and our season. We were trying to create history today to get back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1961 and 1962. We knew it was going to be hard. It pretty much took the entire 60 minutes of play. It took some spectacular individual plays, two great returns by Mikey and some really good team effort to win the game."
 
Cornell held the advantage statistically in virtually every category. The Big Red outgained the Lions in total yardage (460-235), rushing (175-76), passing (285-159), first downs (22-13) and time of possession (31:47-28:01).
 
"When you throw in special teams' yardage, it narrows the difference down," Bagnoli said. "We had two key one-play drives, a 91-yard punt return play and the 87-yard kickoff. I look at the numbers and I see the same thing. When Cornell scored their final touchdown, I was trying to save some timeouts. At the very least, we were hoping to get ourselves into a scenario where we have a final play. But the fortunes changed very quickly."
 
Columbia took an early 10-0 lead in the first quarter. The Lions went up 3-0 when senior Chris Alleyne converted a 33-yard field goal following a five-play, 19-yard scoring drive. The score was set up by an interception from first-year Fara'ad McCombs after senior linebacker Jacob Young deflected a pass. A 16-yard pass from Lenhart to senior Kyle Castner put Columbia in the red zone.
 
Roussos made it 10-0 Columbia on his first big play of the day, a 91-yard punt return touchdown. Roussos caught a high-arching punt near the sideline, paused and rambled 91 yards down the left sideline for the score. The touchdown, with 5:21 left in the first quarter, tied for the longest punt return in school history and was the first Columbia punt return touchdown in 10 years.
 
Cornell cut Columbia's lead to 10-7 when the Big Red got on the board with a seven-yard touchdown run by Harold Coles following a 65-yard, six-play scoring drive. The drive was highlighted two Dalton Banks passes, a 22-yarder to Coles and a 24-yarder to Eric Gallman. Cornell missed on two field goals in the first half as Columbia first-year Ogonna Oraedu blocked a 48-yard attempt by Zach Mills at the end of the first quarter and Mills missed a 24-yarder in the second quarter after defensive lineman Jordan Landsman intercepted a pass.
 
Neither team could score in the third quarter as both teams couldn't convert on several fourth down opportunities.
 
That set the stage for the dramatic fourth quarter.
 
A 31-yard touchdown run down the middle of the field by Coles put Cornell up 14-10 with 12:40 to play. Cornell's Mo Bradford picked off a pass which put the Big Red at the Columbia 46-yard line and Banks completed a 15-yard pass to Gallman to set up the score.
 
The Lions took the lead back with 6:46 left in the game when senior Kyle Castner took the snap from center and raced around the left end for a two-yard touchdown run. The score gave Columbia a 17-14 lead following a 13-play 75-yard drive that featured a key third down and 14 play in which junior Kaleb Pitts leaped up and snared a 25-yard pass from quarterback Ty Lenhart. Lenhart followed with a quarterback keeper off a fake handoff for eight yards and then hit Castner for a 10-yard reception. After a pass to Ronald Smith down the middle of the field, Castner scored his fifth rushing touchdown of the season.
 
With the lead and just under three minutes to play, Columbia was in comfortable position to secure the win, but Cornell was not finished. The Big Red marched 77-yards on eight plays and took a commanding 21-17 lead on the two-yard run by Banks with just 58 seconds to play. A 48-yard pass play from Banks to Owen Peters set up the score.
 
The score set the stage for Roussos' game-winning 87-yard kickoff return touchdown.
 
"It's such a momentum boost, because you not only have the short-team momentum of winning the game, but you also get a tremendous amount of momentum heading into the offseason and recruiting," Bagnoli said of the win. "There is a lot to be gained in addition to a dramatic win. I couldn't be happier for everyone concerned and certainly am proud of our seniors and everything they've been through. It's a great story, a great ending and as dramatic of a game I've been involved with."
 
Roussos led Columbia with a career-high 206 all-purpose yards on four plays and two touchdowns, first-year Ryan Young rushed for 79 yards on 23 carries, first-year quarterback Ty Lenhart threw for 159 yards and completed 12 passes and Castner led the Lions with three receptions for 60 yards. Three Lions registered 10 or more tackles including senior linebacker Calvin Falkenhayn (13 tackles), senior safety Ryan Gilbert (12) and senior linebacker Sean White (10). Columbia also registered a season-high 12 pass breakups.
 
Cornell (3-7, 2-5 Ivy League) was led by Banks, who threw for 285 yards while completing 22 of 46 passes. Coles rushed for a game-high 123 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns and caught a game-high seven passes for 86 yards.