Columbia University
Wagner
Football Welcomes Wagner in Final Non-Conference Tilt
10/6/2022 12:37:00 PM | Football
Columbia hosts the Seahawks for Northern Manhattan Neighbors Appreciation Day
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. Columbia has scored a defensive touchdown in three consecutive games, setting a program record.
2. Aaron Brebnor recorded a takeaway for the second straight game with his scoop and score against Princeton.
3. Joe Green sits fourth in the nation in competition percentage (71.9 percent).
4. Columbia leads the Ivy League in both third down conversion percentage and defensive third down conversion percentage. Nationally, it ranks third and fourth, respectively.
THE MATCHUP
Columbia and Wagner will meet for the fourth time in a series that started in 2015, but hasn't been played since 2017. All-time, the Lions are 3-0 against Wagner, winning a pair at home and one on the road. In the previous meeting between the two in 2017, Columbia won a 17-14 battle at home on an Ore Milstein '20CC last second 29-yard field goal. The win was Columbia's first of now five consecutive season opening wins. Combined, the Lions have outscored the Seahawks 58-30 over the three meetings and at home the Lions have outscored Wagner 43-17 overall.
LION DEFENSE SCORES A RECORD
In Columbia's Ivy League opener against Princeton, Aaron Brebnor scored on a Tigers fumble to put Columbia on the board. It was the third-straight game that the Lions have scored a defensive touchdown, setting a school record for consecutive games scoring at least one defensive touchdown. The previous record had been two, happening twice in 2006 and 2011.
AARON LIKES TO SCORE
With his scoop and score against Princeton, defensive back Aaron Brebnor leads the team with two takeaways after posting an intercpetion at Georgetown.
RUSH DEFENSE ROARS ... THE NATION HEARS IT
For the second time this season, and sixth time since 2015, the Lions held a team to under 50 yards of rushing, holding Princeton to just 19 yards of total rushing in Columbia's home opener (Oct. 1). The solid performances so far this season from the Columbia rushing defense has placed them first in the country in rushing yards allowed, allowing only 24.7 yards per game over the first three games.
GREEN CONNECTS
Over the first three games, Joe Green has been on target with the best in the country. He has completed nearly 72 percent of his passes, sitting at a completion percentage of 71,9 percent. The solid number puts Green fourth in the nation and first in the Ivy League.
TOWNSEND SACKS THE TIGERS
The Lions recorded six sacks against Princeton, the most since recording eight against Central Connecticut State in 2021. Leading the way was sophomore Justin Townsend, who recorded three sacks, a career-high and most in a game by a Lion since Cam Dillon's 5.5 sacks at CCSU in that same 2021 game.
THIRD DOWN AND ROARING
Columbia has been one of the best teams in the nation on third downs, both defensively and offensively. They have been converting third downs at 56.2 percent, the best in the league and third-best in the nation. On defense, Columbia has been holding teams to a third down conversion rate of 23.7 percent. That again puts them top of the league, and places them fourth in the nation.
NON-CONFERENCE ROARING
In impressive fashion, Columbia has won 13 of its last 15 non-conference games. The Lions completed their 2021 non-conference slate with a perfect 3-0 record for the third time in the last four years. A 24-10 loss to Georgetown on Sept. 28, 2019 ended Columbia's school-record non-conference win streak at eight games. The streak began at Wagner on Oct. 8, 2016. The record was four straight non-conference wins from Sept. 28, 1996-Oct. 4, 1997. 2021 marked the fifth time since Columbia joined the Ivy League that the Lions went undefeated during non-conference competition: 3-0 in 2021, 2018, 2017, 2006 and 1996.
Columbia has partnered with SportsNet NY (SNY) to televise two games, the Lions' home-opener against Princeton on October 1 and homecoming against Dartmouth on October 22. This is the fifth consecutive year Columbia will be featured on the regional sports leader. With a total distribution of nearly 11 million homes, SNY is available to viewers throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Northeastern Pennsylvania for a regional reach of 8.0 million households. Combined with national coverage on DIRECTV, Verizon FiOS, and AT&T U-Verse, SNY's total distribution is 11 million homes. SNY is the official television home of the New York Mets, New York Jets, and all things New York sports. As New York's leader in local sports TV coverage, SNY delivers the most comprehensive access to all of the Tri-State area's professional and collegiate sports teams through several nightly sports and entertainment programs.
BUY TICKETS FOR UPCOMING HOME GAMES
Season and single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.gocolumbialions.com/tickets or calling 888-LIONS-11.
FOLLOW THE LIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the Columbia football team, follow @CULionsFB on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
