PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Columbia football kept its Ivy League title hopes alive with a 21-12 victory over Brown on Saturday. The Lions moved to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play and can clinch a share of their second Ivy League Championship, and first since 1961, with a win against Cornell and a Yale win over Harvard next weekend.

First-year quarterback Caleb Sanchez led the Lions with an impressive outing in his first career start. He threw for 241 yards and three touchdowns, including two explosive connections with senior wide receiver Bryson Canty. Canty totaled a career-high 183 yards on six receptions, with touchdowns of 55 and 52 yards that showcased his game-breaking ability. Senior running back Joey Giorgi rushed 19 times for 107 yards.

"We executed when we absolutely needed to today, and that was the difference," said Patricia & Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football Jon Poppe. "I couldn't be more proud of how these guys went out there and did their jobs with physicality and relentlessness. I've never seen a defense stop Brown on so many short fourth down situations, which gave our offense more opportunities, and that was huge when starting a true freshman quarterback."

Columbia's offense, which gained 478 total yards, was balanced by a stout defensive effort. It held Brown to 94 rushing yards, and Carter McCray intercepted a critical pass in the second quarter. 

The Lions' defense made critical fourth-down stops throughout the second half. Early in the third quarter, Columbia halted a Brown drive on fourth-and-short at the Bears' 36-yard line after Anthony Roussos stuffed the run. This pivotal stop gave the Lions favorable field position, which they turned into a scoring opportunity. On the ensuing possession, Sanchez connected with Jordan Kelley for a 12-yard touchdown pass, extending Columbia's lead to 14-3.

Columbia busted out a fake punt, which saw Joshua Powell scamper 28 yards to extend a third-quarter drive. This drive led to an 11-yard touchdown to Jordan Kelley with 5:27 left in the quarter.

Later in the game, Columbia's defense again thwarted a Brown fourth-down attempt deep in Columbia territory, stifling any momentum the Bears tried to build with Jack Smiechowski snuffing out a direct snap run to give the Lions the ball back.

Despite a late push by Brown, including a touchdown pass by Jake Willcox in the game's closing minutes, Columbia recovered an onside kick, and a 43-yard connection from A.J. Simpkins to Ethan Hebb iced the game. 

Smiechowski spearheaded the unit with 13 tackles, while McCray, the two-time reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Week, had three pass breakups and five tackles.

The Lions will wrap up the 2024 season next Saturday, November 23, against the Big Red in the Empire State Bowl. The contest will also be the Columbia Football Players' Club Senior Day, where the program will honor the 34 members of the Class of 2025. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. on ESPN+.

Tickets are available starting at $13. To purchase, click here or call 888-LIONS-11.

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POSTGAME NOTES
- Canty is up to 1,666 receiving yards, which puts him fifth on Columbia's all-time list.
- Sanchez became the first true first-year quarterback to start a game since Ty Lenhart in 2018.
- The Lions racked up a season-high 315 passing yards after Simpkins added 74 yards through the air.
- Columbia is 6-0 when recording at least one takeaway.
- Jon Poppe's six victories are the most for a Columbia first-year head coach since Charles F. Crowley in 1925.