WASHINGTON, D.C. — Georgetown's Nicholas Dunneman caught a 16-yard touchdown pass with 1:10 remaining to give the Hoyas a 20-17 victory over the (RV) Columbia football team Saturday to earn the Lou Little Trophy for the first time since 2019. The Hoyas (3-2) trailed 14-0 in the second before outscoring the Lions (1-1), 20-3, the rest of the way.
Columbia was intercepted on the next possession on a tipped ball but did get one more chance to tie or take the lead with time winding down. Carter McFadden had a nice punt return negated by a penalty with 20 seconds on the clock. However, a 15-yard grab by Marcus Libman gave the Lions a shot at a hail mary to set up a hail mary attempt that was knocked away by the Hoyas as time expired.
Columbia turned the ball over four times, including two in Georgetown territory. The defense was strong on the run, limiting the Hoyas to just 52 rushing yards, but quarterback Danny Lauter was 25-of-33 for 292 yards and a pair of TD passes.
"We showed some resiliency at the end," said Patricia & Shepard Head Coach of Football Jon Poppe. "So I'm happy with our offense getting right back up and making a play. We got away with some inconsistent play versus Lafayette because our big plays hit and we forced some big plays on defense, obviously, with some takeaways, and we have to minimize our mistakes. Defensively, we've got to keep taking the ball away, which we weren't able to do today."
Bryson Canty eclipsed 1,000 career receiving yards in the first quarter and finished with five receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. Cole Freeman started in place of the injured Chase Goodwin and was 15-of-30 for 211 yards and two touchdowns. Freeman also added 58 rushing yards.
A 28-yard pickup by Canty and catch over the middle by tight end Braden Dougherty put Columbia in the red zone on its second drive of the game. The Lions went for it on 4th and goal from the 1, and Canty corralled one on a slant route to make it 7-0 with 4:34 left in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Jordan Kelley made a key catch on 3rd and 13 to extend the drive, and after three positive rushing plays Columbia was in the red zone. Freeman found Edan Stagg wide-open down the right side and side-stepped a defender to walk into the endzone for the first touchdown grab of his career.
Georgetown answered with a 76-yard scoring drive, keyed by a back-shoulder catch by Jimmy Kibble for a gain of 43. Columbia forced the Hoyas to gamble on a 4th and 3 from the Lions' 4, and Georgetown cut the lead in half after a run up the gut by Bryce Cox with 4:32 in the half.
Columbia's offense had a chance to add points on its next possession, but fumbled in Georgetown territory and had an interception and punt on its first two drives of the second half.
Dunneman cut the deficit to 14-13 with one second left in the third, but the Hoyas missed the extra point to keep the Lions in front. Columbia strung together its longest drive of the season, a 16-play 82-yard drive that spanned 9:55, but had to settle for a 23-yard field goal with 5:05 to play.
Lauter went 5-for-5 on the final scoring drive to set up the game-winning score.
The Lions open up Ivy League play at home when Princeton comes to Robert K. Kraft Field at Wien Stadium on Saturday, October 5. Kickoff is set for noon ET on ESPN+. Tickets start at just $13.
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