NEW YORK — For the first time in 63 years, The Columbia Lions are Ivy League Football Champions. The Lions used an all-around effort to pick up a 17-9 victory over Cornell. The win, coupled with Yale's win over Harvard on Saturday, gave Columbia a share of its first conference crown since 1961.
Columbia (7-3, 5-2) shares the title with the Crimson and Dartmouth after the Big Green topped Brown in its season finale to force a three-way tie at the top of the Ancient Eight.
"Just a tremendous job by all the seniors, coaches and staff," Patricia & Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football John Poppe said following the massive victory. "What a tremendous feeling. Sixty-three years (since the last Ivy League Championship) into now, and just seeing a lot of that history myself, this just brings a feeling of elation."
The wind, with gusts up to 30 miles per hour, dictated much of the script for both teams and hindered their passing attacks in the early portion of the game. Instead, both offenses leaned heavily on their rushing attacks, with Columbia racking up 184 rushing yards and Cornell matching that total on the ground. Senior running back Joey Giorgi spearheaded their effort with career-highs of 165 yards and 29 carries.
Columbia's passing game, led by Caleb Sanchez, came through in the second half and finished with 221 yards on 11-of-19 passing, with critical completions on third downs that sustained key drives.
As has been the calling card all season, Columbia's defense rose to the occasion, holding the Big Red to a season-low in points. CJ Brown and Hayden McDonald came up with crucial interceptions, both in plus territory. McDonald's interception in the fourth quarter came with the Big Red on the Lions' 15, preserving Columbia's lead and effectively ending the Big Red's comeback hopes.
Sanchez opened the scoring in the second quarter with a one-yard quarterback keeper to put Columbia in front with 6:27 left in the opening half.
Cornell answered with a 34-yard field goal, giving the Lions a 7-3 cushion at the break.
With time running down in the third quarter, Sanchez connected with Ethan Hebb for a 73-yard strike to put the Lions in scoring position. Two plays later, Giorgi capped the drive from one-yard out to give the Lions a 14-3 lead heading into the final frame.
Hugo Merry connected on a critical 25-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to extend Columbia's lead to 17-6 with 1:54 on the clock.
Cornell drove 65 yards but had to settle for a field goal with 10 seconds remaining. The Big Red's onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, and the Lions lined up in victory formation.
The Lions waited for the result of the Yale game in the locker room and raced to the field to celebrate with fans and alumni following the Bulldogs' victory.
"I'm speechless," Poppe said. "To know that this actually happened after 63 years. I'll keep saying that, because that is all that kept being thrown at me. And now here we go. Starting on Monday, we'll have a team meeting to close out this season and start building for the next one."
With the victory, Columbia also retained the Empire State Bowl Trophy for the fourth consecutive year.
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POSTGAME NOTES
- Giorgi cracked 2,000 career rushing yards, becoming the third player in Columbia history to accomplish the feat. He completed his career with 2,112 yards, second on Columbia's all-time list.
- Giorgi's 860 yards on the season ranks sixth on the Lions' single-season list.
- John Martin's pivotal sack in the first quarter was the first of his career.
- Brown's interception was the second of his career and first since the season opener against Marist in 2022.
- Hebb's catch of 73 yards was the longest all season by a Columbia player.
- The Lions registered a season-high three sacks on the day.
- Poppe's seven victories were the most for a Lions' first-year head coach since 1899. It is the most for a rookie Ivy League head coach since Ray Priore won seven games at Penn in 2015.
- Columbia is now 8-6 since the inception of the Empire State Trophy in 2010.
- Columbia improved to 5-0 when recording at least one turnover.
