NEW YORK – Columbia opens Ivy League play this Saturday, October 5, when it welcomes Princeton to Robert K. Kraft Field at Wien Stadium. Kickoff is slated for noon ET and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Lance Medow handling play-by-play and Shawn FitzGerald '80 as analyst.
OPENING DRIVE
• The Lions fell to Georgetown, 20-17, last week to snap a three-game winning streak against the Hoyas.
• Columbia leads the Ivy League in rushing, averaging 185.5 yards per game.
• Saturday marks the Ivy League opener for both squads.
GEORGETOWN LEFTOVERS
• Senior wide receiver Bryson Canty eclipsed 1,000 career yards receiving with his first catch of the day at Georgetown last week.
• Columbia strung together a 98-yard scoring drive in the second quarter, which was the longest for the program since 2016.
• The Lions limited the Hoyas to just 53 yards rushing on the day.
• Junior quarterback Cole Freeman made his first start at Columbia, filling in for an injured Chase Goodwin.
• The Lions had four turnovers in the contest and did not force any against Georgetown.
A COLUMBIA WIN WOULD...
• Give the Lions a 1-0 start in Ivy League play for the first time since 2017
• Be the first over Princeton since 2017 and the first at home against the Tigers since 2010.
• Be Jon Poppe's first Ivy League head coaching victory.
SERIES HISTORY
Columbia and Princeton will meet for the 93rd time Saturday. The Tigers have won 11 of the last 12 meetings and have been dominant at Wien Stadium, winning five straight in New York City by an average margin of 26.2 points.
The Lions are in search of their first win over Princeton since a 28-24 victory on the road in 2017 and first at home since a 42-14 triumph in 2010.
LAST YEAR'S MATCHUP
Princeton scored a go-ahead touchdown with 2:07 left in the fourth quarter to lift the Tigers to a 10-7 victory over Columbia in a Friday night contest. Justin Townsend's two-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter was the lone score for the Lions.
Townsend also had a sack to help another strong defensive effort. Anthony Roussos paced the squad with 10 tackles, and Aaron Brebnor added nine. The Lions held Princeton to just 80 rushing yards, half of what it averaged heading into the contest.
Both teams battled through miscues while playing through rainy conditions. Columbia was 4-of-16 on third down, did not capitalize on a pair of trips inside the 10 and lost two fumbles, including one on the final drive. Princeton racked up seven penalties, missed a field goal, blocked a punt, and lost a fumble.
PRINCETON'S STATUS
• Princeton is coming off a 30-13 victory over Howard. The Tigers bounced back last week after dropping their season opener to Lehigh. Princeton rushed for 195 yards against the Bison to guide the way.
•Bob Surace is in his 14th season leading the Tigers after playing and graduating from Princeton in 1990. Princeton finished last season at a 5-5, going 4-3 in Ivy League play.
• John Volker is tied for fourth in rushing yards in the Ivy League (116), and Luke Colella is tied for second in receiving touchdowns (2).
•Marco Scarano is tied for fourth in TFLs in the Ivy League (2.5), and Collin Tyler is tied for second in sacks (1.5).
•Princeton leads the Ivy League in punt returns, averaging 16.6 yards per return.
TICKETS
Tickets start at just $13.
Click here to purchase game tickets or call 888-LIONS-11
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