GAME THREE: IVY LEAGUE OPENER
COLUMBIA (2-0, 0-0 Ivy League) at PRINCETON (2-0, 0-0 Ivy League)
Saturday, October 2, 2021 • 1:05 p.m. ET • Powers Field at Princeton Stadium • Princeton, N.J.
 
THE FACTS
 
Television: SNY/ESPN+/NBC Sports Philadelphia (Cody Chrusciel, Dave Giancola, Renee Washington; Producer: Dave Turner | Watch Live on ESPN+
Columbia Online Radio: Alex Oberweger and Shawn FitzGerald | Listen Live
Live Stats: http://www.goprincetontigers.com | Live Stats
Coaches: Columbia- Al Bagnoli, 7th year at Columbia (24-28), 39th year overall (259-126). Princeton- Bob Surace, 12^th year at Princeton (58-44), 12^th year overall (58-44).
Complete Game Notes: Click here.
Series: Columbia and Princeton meet for the 90th time since the series began in 1874. Princeton holds a 72-16-1 lead in the series. Columbia has claimed two of the last six games played at Princeton Stadium, including a 28-24 win in 2017.
 
GAME NOTES
 
PRINCETON, N.J.—Columbia (2-0, 0-0 Ivy League) opens Ivy League play when it travels to Princeton (2-0, 0-0 Ivy League) on Saturday for game three of the 2021 season. The contest will be played on Oct. 2 at Princeton Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET.
 
TODAY'S TOP STORYLINES
 

• Columbia opens Ivy League play with an undefeated 2-0 record for the third time in the last four years.
• Columbia enters Ivy play after displaying a dynamic running game and big play offense through each of its first two games. The Lions scored 30+ points in back-to-back games to start a season for the first time since 1945.
• Columbia has claimed two of the last six games played in the series at Princeton, including a 28-24 win in 2017.
• Columbia's Al Bagnoli enters the 2021 season as the nation's second active winningest coach throughout all NCAA divisions. He is the nation's winningest active coach at the FCS level. He is vying for his 260th win today.

 
ABOUT THE LIONS
 
For the third time in the last four years, Columbia enters Ivy League play with a perfect 2-0 record following back-to-back home wins over Georgetown (35-24) and Marist (37-14).
 
On Saturday vs. Georgetown, Columbia rushed for 232 yards and four touchdowns, quarterback Ty Lenhart scored three touchdowns, defensive back Ben Mathiasmeier intercepted two key passes, and Will Allen returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown in a 35-24 Lou Little Cup win over Georgetown in New York.
 
Columbia led the entire game as the Lions jumped on top 14-0 in the first quarter on back-to-back rushing scores set up by long plays. Allen's kickoff return gave the Lions a 21-7 lead and the Lions held off Georgetown the rest of the way. A Mathiasmeier interception and 68-yard return set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Lenhart with 4:14 to play in the third quarter. After Georgetown scored again, Columbia went up 35-24 and put the game away with a 12-play, 80-yard drive ending with an 8-yard TD run by Lenhart.
 
On Sept. 18, Columbia returned to the gridiron in fine fashion as the Lions claimed a 37-14 season-opening victory over Marist. Marist jumped out to a 14-0 lead just five minutes into the game, but the Lions scored 37 unanswered points, piled up 465 total offensive yards, and rushed for 311 yards in the victory, which marked the Lions' fourth straight win in a season opener.
 
The Marist season opener marked Columbia's first game in 664 days as the Ivy League Council of Presidents canceled the 2020 football season in July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council announced during spring 2021 that sport competition would begin again in the fall.
 
Because all of Columbia's students were attending classes virtually during the 2020-21 academic year, the Lions did not have the benefit of having spring practice sessions. Columbia was the only Ivy League football program to not hold spring practice drills.
 
Over 90 of Columbia's players were on campus this summer to prepare for the 2021 season.
 
Columbia returns 14 total starters from its 2020 roster, including six on offense and eight on defense. The Lions also return a variety of players who suffered season-ending injuries during the 2019 campaign. A total of 72 lettermen return to the squad and the Lions add 62 student-athletes from the sophomore and first-year classes who had never attended a class on campus. In addition, nine fifth-year players are back to compete for the Lions. Columbia does not have a graduate student on the roster.
 
The Lions continue to trend upward as they have registered winning seasons in two of their last three campaigns. Seventh-year Head Coach Al Bagnoli guided Columbia to an 8-2 record (second-place Ivy finish at 5-2) in 2017 and 6-4 record (3-4 Ivy) in 2018. In 2019, Columbia went 3-7 and finished sixth in the Ivy League with a 2-5 conference record.
 
MATHIASMEIER EARNS IVY LEAGUE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
 
Columbia senior defensive back Ben Mathiasmeier was named the Ivy League Football Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday morning.
 
In Columbia's 35-24 win over Georgetown on Saturday, Mathiasmeier intercepted a career-high two passes, made six tackles and broke up a pass. With Georgetown driving down the field, Mathiasmeier picked off a pass and returned it 68 yards to the Georgetown eight-yard line in the third quarter, where the Lions scored on a 1-yard run by quarterback Ty Lenhart. It marked Mathiasmeier's fourth career interception and longest return of his career. Then, later in the game, he intercepted another pass, his fifth career interception to seal the game. The last time Columbia had a player intercept two passes in a game was Justin Woodley on Oct. 4, 2017 vs. Penn.
 
On Sunday, Mathiasmeier was also named the College Sports Madness Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week.
 
An All-Ivy League safety and team captain, Mathiasmeier ranks second on the team in tackles with 12 (10 solo), has registered 1.0 tackle for loss, two interceptions, and a pass breakup in 2021. In his four-year, 32-game career, he has made 109 tackles (68 solo), intercepted five passes, totaled 5.5 tackles for loss, and recovered two fumbles. Should Mathiasmeier see action in all 10 games in 2021, he would tie a school-record for most games played in a career with 40. Only six players in school history have played in 40 games at Columbia.
 
RUSHING ATTACK LEADS COLUMBIA
 
Through its first two games, Columbia has displayed a dynamic rushing attack as the Lions have piled up 543 yards, seven touchdowns, and rushed for a 5.6 team yards per carry average. Against Marist, Columbia rushed for 311 yards, its largest total in 33 years (since 1988). The Lions followed that up with a 232-yard, four touchdown performance vs. Georgetown. Columbia ranks No. 6 in FCS in most rushing yards per game.
 
Seniors Dante Miller (208 yards on 25 carries) and Ryan Young (188 yards on 37 carries) lead the rushing attack. Running backs Broderick Taylor (42 yards, TD), Ty'son Edwards (35 yards, TD) and quarterbacks Joe Green, Ty Lenhart (3 TD), and Gabriel Hollingsworth (TD) have also fueled the effort.
 
BIG PLAY OFFENSE
 
Columbia has relied on big plays to fuel its first two victories. Against Marist, Columbia hit on a 69-yard pass play from Joe Green to Ernest Robertson for a touchdown. Robertson followed with a 17-yard run for touchdown. The Lions' rushing game also produced a variety of 15 and 20-yard runs in the win.
 
Against Georgetown, a big play set up each of Columbia's five touchdowns. A 46-yard pass from Joe Green to Wills Meyer set up the Lions' first touchdown, a 63-yard Dante Miller run set up their second touchdown, and Will Allen returned a kickoff 92-yards for a score. In the second half, a 68-yard interception return by Ben Mathiasmeier set up another touchdown run.
 
RECAPPING SATURDAY'S 35-24 WIN OVER GEORGETOWN
 
Following are some notes from Saturday's Lou Little Cup victory over Georgetown:
 

• The win gave Columbia a 2-0 start to a season for the third time in the last four years.
• It also gave Columbia its fifth all-time victory over Georgetown and improved Columbia to 5-3 vs. the Hoyas. Columbia won its third victory in its last four meetings vs. Georgetown.
• Columbia won its 10th victory in its last 12 non-conference games.
• From the first quarter vs. Marist through the second quarter vs. Georgetown, Columbia scored (51) unanswered points over six quarters.
• For the second straight game, Columbia rushed for over 200 yards. The Lions put up 232 yards on 41 carries for a 5.7 yards per carry average.
• Columbia rushed for four touchdowns on the day. The last time the Lions rushed for four touchdowns was vs. Penn in 2019.
• Senior quarterback Ty Lenhart rushed for a career-high three touchdowns on the day and it marked his 10th, 11th, and 12th career rushing touchdowns. He scored on a six-yard run in the first quarter, then scored again on a one-yard run in the third quarter, and then sealed the win with an eight-yard run in the fourth quarter. Lenhart finished the day with 18 yards on five carries and three touchdowns. The last time a Columbia player rushed for three touchdowns in a game was quarterback Kyle Castner (3) at Brown on Nov. 10, 2018. The three touchdowns rank tied for fifth-most in school game history
• Senior Ben Mathiasmeier intercepted a career-high two passes, made six tackles and one pass breakup. With Georgetown driving down the field, Mathiasmeier picked off a pass and returned it 68 yards to the Georgetown eight yard line in the third quarter. It marked Mathiasmeier's longest return of his career. The Lions scored on a 1-yard run by Ty Lenhart. Then he intercepted another pass at the end of the game, his fifth career interception. The last time Columbia had a player intercept two passes was Justin Woodley on Oct. 4, 2017 vs. Penn.
• Senior Will Allen returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. It marked his first career kickoff return touchdown, longest return of his career (he had a 91-yarder vs. Princeton in 2018) and ranked tied for the sixth longest kickoff return in school history. The last time Columbia scored on a kickoff return was 12 games ago, when Mike Roussos rambled 87 yards for touchdown vs. Cornell on Nov. 17, 2018. Allen led the Lions with 122 all-purpose yards, which ranks as 20th all-time total at Columbia for game all-purpose yards
• Running back Ty'son Edwards scored his first career touchdown on a four-yard run in the first quarter. Edwards rushed for a career-high 32 yards on eight carries.
• Dante Miller ran for a 63-yard run in the first quarter. It marked the second-longest run of his career (83 yards at CCSU in 2018). Miller made his first start of the season and finished with 91 yards on seven carries. Miller totaled 106 all-purpose yards.
• Senior running back Ryan Young rushed for 93 yards on 19 carries. He went over 1,000 yards for his career
• Sophomore quarterback Joe Green connected with sophomore Wills Meyer for a diving 46-yard catch which put the Lions in scoring position for their first touchdown. Meyer finished with a career-best 87 catches for six yards. Green finished the day with 125 passing yards on 11 of 16 completions.
• Tight end Dominic Busby made his first career catch in the second quarter.
• Junior offensive lineman Andrew Pruske made his first career start at center
• Thomas Thibault recorded a career-high five tackles
• Senior defensive lineman Paul Akere registered a career-high and team-leading eight tackles, with 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack for 10 yards.
• Sophomore linebacker CJ Brown registered a career-best seven tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss.
• Senior punter Drew Schmid finished the day with two punts inside the 10-yard line.
• Columbia honored its 1971 football team during the third quarter of today's game. The team had its 50-year reunion prior to today's contest.
• Georgetown's Cameron Crayton finished the day with 190 yards receiving on eight catches. The 190 yards mark the fourth most for an individual opponent vs. Columbia in school history.

 
ABOUT PRINCETON
 
Princeton enters its Ivy League opener with an undefeated 2-0 record after back-to-back shutout victories including a 32-0 win at Lehigh on Sept. 18, and a 63-0 win vs. Stetson on Saturday.
 
On offense, Princeton has piled up 973 total yards of offense, 12 touchdowns, 95 points and 48 first downs through two games. The Tigers have 663 yards passing and 310 yards rushing.
 
On defense, the Tigers have not surrendered a point this year, and have held opponents to one rushing yard and 145.5 yards of offense per game.
 
Quarterback Cole Smith leads the Tigers with 637 yards passing and six touchdowns and has completed 45 of 65 passes. His targets are Jacob Birmelin (13 catches for 206 yards, 2 TD), Andrei Iosivas (five catches, 158 yards, 3 TD), and Dylan Classi (eight catches, 107 yards, TD). Collin Eaddy (19 rushes for 72 yards, TD) leads the Tigers' rushing attack.
 
Princeton has played a ton of players on defense.
 
COLUMBIA, LIONS AMONG NATIONAL STATISTICAL LEADERS
 
Through two games, Columbia is ranked among the nation's top-25 FCS teams in 10 different team statistical categories:

• No. 1 in red zone offense (100%).
• No. 3 in first downs defense (30).
• No. 6 in rushing offense (271.5).
• No. 6 in kickoff returns (36.0).
• No. 7 in rushing defense (68.5).
• No. 10 in turnovers lost (2).
• No. 12 in team tackles for loss (8.0).
• No. 19 in scoring offense (36.0).
• No. 24 in fourth down conversion percentage (28.6).
• No. 26 in scoring defense (19.0).

 Individually, the Lions rank among the top-25 national statistical leaders in 11 different categories:

• Ben Mathiasmeier, No. 1 in interceptions per game (1.00)
• Will Allen, No. 1 in kickoff return TDs (1).
• Will Allen, No. 2 in kickoff returns (41.8).
• Dante Miller, No. 5 in rushing yards per carry (8.32).
• Ernest Robertson, No. 6 in yards per reception (26.3).
• Dante Miller, No. 9 in rushing yards per game (104.0).
• Joe Green, No. 15 in completion percentage (66.7).
• Alex Felkins, No. 17 in field goals per game (1.50).
• Drew Schmid, No. 17 in punting (43.0).
• Alex Felkins, No. 21 in scoring (9.0).
• Ty Lenhart, No. 21 in scoring (9.0).