GAME 7
COLUMBIA (2-4, 1-2 Ivy League) at YALE (5-1, 2-1 Ivy League)
Saturday, November 2, 2019 • Noon ET • Yale Bowl • New Haven, Conn.
 

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THE FACTS
 
Television: ESPN+ (Josh Hess and John Henry Smith; Producer: Evan Ellis) | Watch Live on ESPN+
 
Columbia Online Radio Network: Alex Oberweger & Shawn FitzGerald | Listen Live
 
Live Stats: https://yalebulldogs.com/ | Live Stats
 
Coaches: Columbia- Al Bagnoli, 5th year at Columbia (21-25), 37th year overall (256-123). Yale- Tony Reno, 8^th year at Yale (41-33), 8^th year overall (41-33).
 
Series: Columbia and Yale meet for the 98^th time in football. Yale holds a 73-22-2 all-time advantage in the series which began in 1872. Columbia has claimed two of the last four meetings between the schools, including last year's 17-10 victory over the Bulldogs at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium.
 

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GAME NOTES
 
NEW HAVEN, Conn.—Columbia (2-4, 1-2 Ivy League) continues its 149th anniversary year and 129th season of college football when it travels to New Haven, Conn. to take on Yale (5-1, 2-1 Ivy League) on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Yale Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for Noon ET.
 
The contest will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Josh Hess (play-by-play) and John Henry Smith (color commentary) calling the action. Evan Ellis will produce. The Columbia Online Radio Network will also provide a free audio-only broadcast on its website (www.gocolumbialions.com) with Alex Oberweger and Shawn FitzGerald providing the call.
 
SATURDAY'S TOP STORYLINES
 

• Columbia travels to Yale after having won two of its last four matchups vs. the Bulldogs, including last year's 17-10 victory at Robert K. Kraft Field.
• The Lions have played a difficult schedule as the teams they lost to have combined for a 24-4 overall record this year (Dartmouth 6-0, Princeton 6-0, Georgetown 5-3, CCSU 7-1). Three of those teams are ranked
• Columbia is coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1961 and 1962. With 14 wins combining the 2017 and 2018 seasons, the Lions have set a program-record for most victories in consecutive seasons since joining the Ivy League in 1956.
• Columbia has won 10 of its last 18 overall games and 17 of its last 27 contests dating back to the 2016 season.

 
ABOUT THE LIONS
 
Columbia is 2-4 on the season and 1-2 in Ivy League play after dropping a 59-24 loss at No. 16/17 Dartmouth last Friday night. Dartmouth scored 42 unanswered points in an 11-minute span, including 28 before halftime to claim the win. Columbia was led by Mike Roussos, who accumulated 259 all-purpose yards (177 kickoff return, 79 receiving, 2 punt returns, one rushing).
 
The Lions won a 44-6 Homecoming victory over Penn on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium. Columbia sophomore quarterback Ty Lenhart accumulated 253 total offensive yards and was responsible for three touchdowns, Columbia rushed for a season-high 255 yards and the Lions' defense limited Ivy League rushing leader Penn to 93 yards as it registered its largest Homecoming victory in school history with a 44-6 win. The victory was also Columbia's largest since a 38-0 win at Princeton in 2009. Columbia was dominant from the start and played its most complete game of the season. Led by Lenhart, the Lions scored 44 unanswered points and led 44-0 before Penn scored its lone touchdown in the fourth quarter. Columbia outgained Penn 413-232 in total yards, 255-93 in rushing yards and registered 24 first downs to Penn's 14. Columbia's defense limited Penn to just 93 rushing yards, 3.6 yards per play and 0-3 on fourth downs. The Quakers entered the game averaging an Ivy League-best 223.0 yards rushing per game and featured Karekin Brooks, who led the nation in yards rushing per game (157.2).
 
Columbia opened its 2019 season after registering back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1961 and 1962. The Lions returned 15 starters (eight on offense and seven on defense) and nine total All-Ivy League selections from a program that won 14 of its 20 games over the previous two seasons (8-2 in 2017 and 6-4 in 2018).
 
Last year, Columbia endured a season that saw it suffer injuries to over 25 of its key players. It started four different quarterbacks and won with all of them, lost its top two running backs and top two receivers to injuries and still registered a winning season.
 
LIONS SCHEDULE PROVES TO BE VERY DIFFICULT
 
Columbia has played an extremely difficult schedule in the early-going this year. The Lions' four losses have come to teams who have compiled a 24-4 overall record in the early-going this year: Central Connecticut State 7-1, Dartmouth 6-0, Princeton 6-0, Georgetown 5-3. Three of those teams are currently ranked in national polls: No. 12 Princeton (6-0), No. 15 Dartmouth (6-0) and No. 19 Central Connecticut State (7-1).
 
LIONS REGISTER BACK-TO-BACK WINNING SEASONS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1961-62
 
With a 24-21 victory over Cornell in its 2018 season finale, Columbia secured its first back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1961-62. In 1961, Columbia captured the Ivy League Championship with a 6-3 overall record and followed that up with a 5-4 record in 1962. Aldo T. "Buff" Donelli coached both teams.
 
In 2018, Columbia concluded its year with a 6-4 overall record. Columbia finished 8-2 in 2017.
 
LIONS AMASS MOST WINS OVER TWO-YEAR PERIOD SINCE 1956
 
With its 14 victories over its previous two seasons (combining 2017 and 2018), Columbia set its school-record for most total victories combining two consecutive seasons since it joined the Ivy League in 1956. The Lions surpassed the previous record of 12 wins combining 1996 and 1997.
 
In the 129-year history of Columbia Football, the record is 17 wins over a two-year period in both 1901-02 and 1903-04. Other top winningest two-year periods include 16 wins in 1899-1900; 15 wins in 1900-01, 1933-34, 1932-33 and 1902-03; 14 wins in 1901-02, 1931-32, 1945-46 and 2017-18; 13 wins in 1946-47, 1931-32; and 12 wins in 1996-97, 1930-31 and 1925-26.
 
LENHART STARTS LAST TWO GAMES AT QUARTERBACK FOR LIONS
 
Sophomore Ty Lenhart has started each of the last two games for the Lions at quarterback. Over those two contests, Lenhart has completed 36 of 53 passes (68 percent) for 348 yards with three touchdown passes.
 
At Dartmouth last Friday, Lenhart completed 22 of 33 passes for a season-high 190 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 21 yards on nine carries.
 
Against Penn on Homecoming, he accumulated 253 total offensive yards and was responsible for three touchdowns, rushed for a career-high 95 yards on 11 carries and completed 70 percent of his passes (14-20) passes for 158 yards in Columbia's 44-6 victory over Penn last week. He scored on two 1-yard runs and threw an 11-yard TD pass and most importantly led a Columbia offense that scored on 5-5 of its red zone opportunities and dominated time of possession (35:51) with its run game. He was named the John Toner Homecoming Player of the Game for his efforts.
 
Lenhart started his fifth career game and second in place of Josh Bean, who was injured. The Lions play a two-quarterback system.
 
COLUMBIA, LIONS PLAYERS AMONG 2019 NATIONAL STATISTICAL LEADERS
 
After six games, Columbia is ranked among the nation's top-25 FCS teams in xxx different team statistical categories in 2019. According to the NCAA statistics, Columbia ranked:

• No. 2 in first downs defense (101).
• No. 5 in punt returns (19.40).
• No. 6 in fewest penalties (29).
• No. 9 in fewest penalty yards (272).
• No. 15 in fourth down conversion defense (37.5).
• No. 15 in blocked kicks (3).
• No. 16 in fewest penalties per game (4.83)
• No. 21 kickoff returns (23.05).
• No. 22 in time of possession (31:33).
• No. 24 in fumbles recovered (7).

 
     Individually, the Lions rank among the top-25 national statistical leaders in four categories:

• Mike Roussos, No. 1 in punt return touchdowns (1).
• Mike Roussos, No. 2 in punt returns (19.4).
• Will Allen, No. 3 in blocked kicks (2).
• Mike Roussos, No. 9 in combined kick returns (632).

 
COLUMBIA NOTES FROM 59-24 LOSS AT NO. 16/17 DARTMOUTH
 
THE LOSS

• Gave Columbia its second loss in its last four games vs. Dartmouth.
• Dropped Columbia to 10-8 in its last 18 games and 17-10 in its last 27 games since the 2016 season.

 
TEAM NOTES

• Columbia's 16-play, 71-yard drive was its longest scoring drive in terms of plays of the season. The 16-play drive ranks tied for the fifth longest drive (plays) in school history.
• Columbia led in time of possession (34:27-24:19.
• First downs were tied (18-18).
• In No. 16/17 Dartmouth, Columbia played its second nationally ranked opponent of the year.
• With its 59 points, Dartmouth scored the most points ever against an Al Bagnoli-coached Columbia team.

 
PLAYER NOTES

• Sophomore Mike Roussos finished the game with 259 all-purpose yards on 17 touches. The 259 all-purpose yards rank as the 11th most all-purpose gained in a game in school history. He finished with 177 kickoff return yards, two punt return yards, 79 receiving yards and one rushing yard.
• Roussos' finished with 177 kickoff return yards on eight attempts. His 177 kickoff return yards rank as the third most in school history and his eight returns rank tied for second. The school-record for most kickoff return yards in a game is 220 yards set by Terry Brown at Bucknell on Oct. 24, 1987. His return average of 22.1 (8-177) ranks third in school history for best kickoff return average in a game with five or more returns.
• With his 54-yard kickoff return in the second quarter, Roussos tied a school-record for most career returns over 50 yards. He tied the previous record held by Eugene Rossides, who registered five career returns of 50 yards or more from 1945-48.
• Roussos also caught a career-high seven passes for 79 yards and scored his fifth season touchdown in the third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run.
• Sophomore quarterback Ty Lenhart started his second straight game. He completed 22 of 33 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also rushed for 21 yards.
• Junior Will Allen intercepted the first pass of his career in the first quarter.
• First-year placekicker Alex Felkins converted a 25-yard field goal in the first quarter. He is now 5-8 on the year.
• Senior wide receiver Josh Wainwright caught his second touchdown pass of the season, an 11-yard catch from Ty Lenhart in the second quarter. He finished the game with five catches for 50 yards.
• Junior Broderick Taylor caught his first career touchdown pass in the third quarter, a 13-yard touchdown catch from Lenhart. Taylor also ran for his longest run in his career, a 16-yarder in the third quarter. He finished with a career-high three catches for 20 yards and a touchdown and 28 yards rushing on five carries.
• Senior Hunter Lunsford registered his first career forced fumble of his career in the third quarter. The play led to a 41-yard fumble recovery by junior safety Ben Mathiasmeier.
• Junior Marquavious Moore led the Lions in rushing with 33 yards on 12 carries.
• Junior Ben Mathiasmeier led the Lions with six tackles along with his first career fumble recovery, which he returned 41 yards.

 
ABOUT YALE
 
Yale enters the weekend with a 5-1 overall record and 2-1 Ivy League record. The Bulldogs are on a two-game win streak following wins at Richmond (28-27) and vs. Penn (46-41).
 
Yale is led by quarterback Kurt Rawlings, who has thrown for 1,474 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 111 of 174 passes for a 150.29 passer rating. He has also rushed for five touchdowns, 171 yards on 57 carries.
 
Zane Dudek leads the Bulldogs in rushing (363 yards and four TD on 81 carries, 4.5 average) and Alan Lamar has 137 rushing yards on 37 carries.
 
Rawlings' top two targets are Reed Klubnik (32 catches for 566 yards, 4 TD) and JP Shohfi (25 catches for 413 yards, 2 TD). Mason Tipton has 15 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns and Dudek has caught 17 passes for 80 yards.
 
On defense, Yale is led by Kyle Ellis, who has 33 tackles, two interceptions and four pass breakups, Ryan Burke, who has 26 tackles, 7.0 TFL and one sack and Micah Awodiran, who has 23 tackles and 2.5 TFL.