Columbia
3-1 , 0-1
Marist
3-3 , 2-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 7 | 14 | 0 | 20 | 41 |
| Marist | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
Late Surge Powers Columbia Past Marist, 41-28
10/9/2026 11:54:00 PM | Football
Lions score 20 unanswered points in fourth quarter to improve to 3-1
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — Columbia scored in all three phases and survived a Friday-night game that seemed to swing on something strange every few snaps, beating Marist 41-28.
The Lions scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including a go-ahead touchdown pass, a safety and a late scoring drive to seal the win. Columbia improved to 3-1 and completed a perfect nonconference slate.
We've got a resilient bunch, said Patricia and Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football Jon Poppe. We've (got a bunch of things to clean up), but what an awesome job by the offense to come back and the defense to (come through) at the end. Chase made two unbelievable throws to Hutch (Crow) and Bryce (Coleman) for those last two touchdowns. As long as we're in position in the fourth quarter, I like our chances with this team.
Chase Goodwin went 22 of 32 for 277 yards and three touchdown passes to three different receivers. Hutch Crow had a career-high 105 yards on seven catches with a touchdown, and Bryce Coleman caught nine passes for 93 yards and a touchdown for the fourth straight game. Griffin Johnson ran for 98 yards on 19 carries and scored for the second time this season.
The weirdness started early. With 7:06 left in the first quarter, Jonah Walker blocked a 25-yard field-goal attempt, and Carter McCray scooped the loose ball and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown.
Marist (3-3) answered in the second quarter. Sonny Mannino hit Jayden Taylor for a 15-yard touchdown with 10:23 left before halftime, then the Red Foxes took their first lead, 14-7, when Jeremy DeCaro scored on a 16-yard run with 2:43 remaining.
Columbia responded just as quickly. The Lions ran an 89-yard drive in 1:31 and capped it when Goodwin connected with Beckett Robinson for a 38-yard touchdown with 1:31 to go in the half. Two plays later, Walker struck again, sacking Mannino and forcing a fumble. AJ George recovered and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown, sending Columbia into halftime up 21-14.
Marist tied it on the opening drive of the second half when Mannino found Zach Garmont for a 55-yard touchdown with 12:10 left in the third quarter. The score stayed tied into the fourth before Mannino rolled right and scrambled into the end zone to put Marist ahead 28-21.
Columbia closed the gap with a 71-yard drive. Coleman sparked it with a 31-yard gain on third down and drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone to set up first-and-goal at the 1. Two more Marist penalties moved the Lions to the doorstep, and Johnson scored to make it 28-27 with 9:56 left, but the extra point missed wide right.
More chaos followed. With Marist facing third-and-4 in its own territory, Julius Patton recorded a strip sack and recovered the fumble at the Marist 19. On the next snap, Goodwin hit Crow for the go-ahead touchdown with 8:28 remaining. Columbia's two-point attempt failed, leaving it 33-28.
The Red Foxes then unraveled on special teams and in the end zone. Marist's kickoff returner signaled for a fair catch but muffed the kick, pinning the Red Foxes at their own 3. On the first play, Mannino dropped back and a holding penalty in the end zone resulted in a safety, pushing the margin to seven.
Columbia put it away with a 12-play, 57-yard drive that took more than five minutes. Goodwin's 13-yard touchdown pass to Coleman made it 41-28 with 2:19 left.
Defensively, Andrew Burmeister led Columbia with eight tackles, and MD Awe had five pass breakups.
Columbia has its second consecutive Friday night game when it squares off against Penn on October 16 in Philadelphia. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Franklin Field. Fans can catch the action on ESPNU.
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POSTGAME NOTES
• McCray's blocked kick returned for a touchdown was the first for the program since 2017
• The 85-yard return was the longest blocked kick for a touchdown in program history
• The safety was the first by Columbia since 2023 against Dartmouth
• George's fumble return for a touchdown was the first by a Lions defensive player since 2023.
• Columbia improved to 8-0 all-time against Marist
Team Stats
COL 7, MAR 0
COL - McCray,Carter 85 yd blocked field goal return (Merry,Hugo kick)
COL 7, MAR 7
MAR - Taylor,Jayden 15 yd pass from Mannino,Sonny (Stenson,Luke kick) 6 plays, 58 yards, TOP 03:31
COL 7, MAR 14
MAR - Decaro,Jeremy 16 yd run (Stenson,Luke kick), 9 plays, 56 yards, TOP 04:52
COL 14, MAR 14
COL - Robinson,Beckett 38 yd pass from Goodwin,Chase (Merry,Hugo kick) 7 plays, 89 yards, TOP 01:31
COL 21, MAR 14
COL - George,AJ 44 yd fumble recovery (Merry,Hugo kick)
COL 21, MAR 21
MAR - Garmont,Zach 55 yd pass from Mannino,Sonny (Stenson,Luke kick) 4 plays, 73 yards, TOP 00:56
COL 21, MAR 28
MAR - Mannino,Sonny 1 yd run (Stenson,Luke kick), 9 plays, 66 yards, TOP 04:43
COL 27, MAR 28
COL - Johnson,Griffin 1 yd run (), 10 plays, 71 yards, TOP 04:16
COL 33, MAR 28
COL - Crow,Hutch 19 yd pass from Goodwin,Chase () 1 plays, 19 yards, TOP 00:07
COL 35, MAR 28
COL - 0 yd safety
COL 41, MAR 28
COL - Coleman,Bryce 13 yd pass from Goodwin,Chase () 12 plays, 57 yards, TOP 05:07
