NEW YORK – The Columbia football team will wrap up its non-conference slate by hosting Marist on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium. Columbia has won all six meetings between the teams and is looking to make it seven-straight wins Saturday. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
 
THE MATCHUP
• Columbia and Marist meet for the seventh time in program history Saturday at Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium.
• Columbia enters the game with an 1-2 record coming off a loss to Princeton, while Marist is 2-2 overall and on a two-game win streak.
• Columbia has dominated the series with an unblemished 6-0 record against the Red Foxes since the first meeting in 2007.
• Marist is 2-2 overall this season and 2-1 in Pioneer Football League action coming off back-to-back wins against Valparaiso and Stetson.
 
NOTES TO KNOW
• Columbia leads the nation in red zone defense.
• The Lions are No. 2 in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 11.3 points per game.
• Columbia leads the nation in kickoff return defense, allowing 11.8 yards per return.
• Columbia leads the FCS in net punting average with an average of 45.75 yards.
• Carter McFadden is No. 8 in the country and No. 2 in the Ivy League in kickoff returns, averaging 28.2 yards per return
• Carter McFadden leads the Ivy League and is No. 7 in the country in punt returns with an average of 17.8 yards per return.
• William Hughes leads the Ivy League and is No. 7 in the country in punting with an average of 45.4 yards per punt.
• Anthony Roussos leads the Ivy League and is No. 8 in the country with an average of 6.7 solo tackles per game.
• Saturday's game marks Northern Manhattan Neighbors Appreciation Day. Columbia distributed free tickets to residents of the Inwood, Washington Heights, and Harlem neighborhoods.
 
MARIST AT A GLANCE
Marist is 2-2 overall this season and 2-1 in Pioneer Football League action coming off back-to-back wins against Valparaiso and Stetson. The Red Foxes prevailed in overtime, 36-30, on the road at Valparaiso before returning home to take a 34-24 win over Stetson last Saturday. Running back Amin Woods helped lead the offensive attack against Stetson as he rushed for 232 yards. Marist totaled 524 yards of offense, which is the most since 2019.
 
The passing game has been a highlight of the Marist offense as the team ranks 18th in the FCS in passing yards per completion at an average of 13.92 yards. Brock Bagozzi is 54-for-111 passing for 770 yards and seven touchdowns this season. Matt Stianche leads the receiving corps with 16 receptions for 402 total yards and four touchdowns. The Marist offense leads the PFL and ranks 22nd in the FCS in fourth down conversions with a success rate of 70 percent. Nick Vecchiarelli and Camron Ball have helped lead the defense with 25 tackles each this season.
 
PRINCETON LEFTOVERS
• By holding Princeton to 10 points, Columbia's defense held opponents to 10 or fewer points in back-to-back games for the second consecutive season after holding Marist and Georgetown to nine points in September 2022.
• Senior Joey Giorgi led the rushing attack at Princeton on 16 attempts for 61 total yards.
• Caden Bell completed 11 passes and threw for 71 yards at Princeton.
• Anthony Rousses led the Columbia defense with 10 tackles at Princeton, while Aaron Brebnor added nine.
 
LAST YEAR'S MATCHUP AGAINST MARIST
• Columbia dominated in the 2022 season opener at Marist to take a 38-3 win.
• The Lions amassed 405 yards of total offense and snatched a pair of turnovers in the win.
• Joey Giorgi racked up 103 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown in his first collegiate action.
• Joe Green was 15-for-21 passing with 144 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
• The margin of victory was the biggest for Columbia in a season-opener since a 44-0 win over Fordham in 1972.
 
GIORGI SEMINFINALIST FOR WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY
Senior running back Joey Giorgi was named a seminfinalist for the 2023 "William V. Campbell Trophy, which is named after former Columbia football player and head coach William "Bill" Campbell '62CC and is awarded by the National Football Foundation to the American college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. It is considered by many to be the "Academic Heisman" and nicknamed as such. The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on October 25.
 
TOWNSEND-ING A MESSAGE
Junior defensive lineman Justin Townsend is off to another strong start after an All-Ivy League season in 2023. His 8.5 career sacks have him one shy of joining the top-15 in program history. At Princeton, the Randolph, New Jersey native, posted a sack to end the first half and recorded a pick-six from two yards out on the Tigers' next play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Townsend was a force in the Lions' opener at Lafayette, registering 1.5 sacks and five tackles. On the season, Townsend has 4.5 tackles for loss this season, including two against Georgetown. Last year, Townsend ended the season ranked third in the Ivy League and 38th in the nation with 0.6 sacks per game and his six sacks in 2022 put him sixth on Columbia's single-season list.
 
THE ROUSSOS WAY
Anthony Roussos leads the charge for the Columbia defense with 26 total tackles this season, including 21 solo tackles. He has also tacked on 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Roussos led the way with 10 tackles at Princeton. He now leads the Ivy League and ranks No. 8 in the country with an average of 6.7 solo tackles per game.
 
CAN'T GET CARTER
Carter McFadden has been a weapon for Columbia in both punt and kickoff returns. The senior currently leads the Ivy League and ranks No. 7 in the country in punt returns with an average of 17.8 yards per return. He also ranks No. 2 in the Ivy League and No. 8 in the country in kickoff returns with an average of 28.2 yards per return.
 
BILLY BIG FOOT
William Hughes was named to the FedEx Ground FCS National Honor Roll after a strong season opener at Lafayette. Hughes averaged 47.8 yards on four punts and pinned the Leopards inside the 20 three times. He also had three kicks that went beyond 50 yards, including a game-long 56-yarder. Last season, Hughes stepped up as Columbia's starting punter for the final four games and averaged 43.6 yards per attempt on 16 kicks to earn All-Ivy League honors.
 
After three games, Hughes leads the Ivy League and is No. 7 in the country in punting with an average of 45.4 yards per punt. He has boomed five punts over 50 yards, including his season long 59-yarder. Hughes has the knack for pinning opponents deep with five punts inside the 20 this season.
 
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF BAKER FIELD
The Columbia football team began playing at Baker Field in 1923. Columbia Athletics is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Baker Field this season. A 32,000-seat wooden stadium was built on the site in 1928. It was in use until 1982, when it was demolished to make room for the current 17,000-seat Lawrence A. Wien Stadium. Baker Field played host to the first live television broadcast of an athletics event on May 17, 1939 as Columbia played Princeton in a baseball game at Robertson Field. New England Patriots owner Robert K. Kraft played at Baker Field on the freshman squad in 1959. In October 2007, the playing surface at Wien Stadium was dedicated as Robert K. Kraft Field.
 
HONORING BUDDY TEEVENS
Columbia, along with the other eight Ivy League schools will honor former Dartmouth head coach Buddy Teevens, who passes away on September 19 following sustaining injuries in a bicycle accident in March. Each institution will wear a decal with his initials on their football helmets this fall in Coach Teevens' honor.
 
TICKETS
Tickets start at just $13. Click here to purchase game tickets or call 888-LIONS-11
 
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