Columbia
Lafayette
Football Kicks Off 2026 Against Lafayette Saturday
9/16/2026 3:00:00 PM | Football
The Lions open up the new campaign Saturday at 12 p.m.
OPENING DRIVE
• The Lions open up the 2026 campaign at home against Lafayette, who comes into the matchup 1-1 after a loss to UConn and a 13-9 win against Marist last weekend.
• Columbia has won four consecutive home openers and seven of its last eight dating back to the 2017 season.
• Jon Poppe will begin his third year as head coach of the Lions.
A WIN WOULD...
• Improve the Lions ' record to 21-7 against non-conference opponents since 2016.
• Be the 47th win for the program against a Patriot League school.
PREVIEWING THE LIONS
• On offense, Columbia returns experience at quarterback and running back heading into the 2026 season.
• Senior Chase Goodwin is projected to get the nod under center. He is backed up by junior Caleb Sanchez, senior Xander Menapace and sophomore Xander Eschelman, who all saw significant game action a year ago.
• Senior Griffin Johnson is coming off a 203-yard rushing performance in the season finale against Cornell. He will be joined in the backfield by Michael Walters, who set Columbia's first-year rushing record and ranked No. 3 in the Ivy League in rushing yards per game in 2025.
• The offensive line has been reconfigured after losing three starters to graduation. However, the left side features the returns of senior tackle Ahmari Owens and junior guard Nik Winzer to provide stability.
• At wideout, junior Hutch Crow, along with sophomore Beckett Robinson, saw significant action last year and will be joined in the starting lineup by 6-4 first-year Bryce Coleman. Senior Braden Dougherty is also a dependable pass catcher and blocker at tight end, entering his third year as a starter.
• The defense will have a new look under new coordinator Ryan Osborn. Sophomores Julius Patton and Austin Coronado will replace two mainstays at defensive end: Justin Townsend, who is playing a grad year at Virginia, and the dependable Joshua Powell, who graduated last season. Keller Patterson and Owen Thomas will provide a veteran presence on the interior.
• The linebacking core has some familiar faces in senior Charlie Newton and sophomore Liam Donagher, who were both primary starters in 2025.
• The Lions' defensive backs should be a strength after they return six players who started at least one game. Carter McCray enters his third year as a starter, and Caleb Solomon started all 10 games at free safety last season.
LAFAYETTE'S STATUS
• Lafayette enters the matchup with a 1-1 record through its first two games of the season. The Leopards are coming off a 13-9 win over Marist in their home opener and fell to UConn after their season opener at Georgetown was ruled a no contest after a prolonged lightning delay.
• John Troxell is in his fifth season leading the Leopards. Lafayette finished last season with an 8-4 overall record and a program-record 6-1 mark in Patriot League play, finishing second in the conference. The 2025 season was highlighted by Lafayette earning a Top 25 ranking for the third consecutive season and winning six conference games for the first time in program history.
• Lafayette's offense is averaging 10.0 points and 264.5 yards per game through two contests. The Leopards are averaging 121.5 rushing yards and 143.0 passing yards per game. Quarterback Daniel Lipovski has thrown for 238 yards, completing 43.8 percent of his passes. Jakyre Henley leads the rushing attack at 42.5 yards per game, while Mason Kuehner leads Lafayette with 46.0 receiving yards per game.
• The Leopards are second in the Patriot League with 6.5 tackles for loss per game and have recorded 1.5 sacks per contest. Beckham Dee and Darrick LeBeouf have each recorded an interception, while Dee and Paul Widerman are averaging 0.5 sacks per game.
• Lafayette's special teams are averaging 24.0 yards per kickoff return, which ranks second in the Patriot League. Kameron Vance is averaging 22.0 yards per kickoff return. Jack Simonetta is 2-for-3 on field goal attempts, while Christian Bush is averaging 39.7 yards per punt.
LAST YEAR'S MATCHUP
Columbia could not climb out of an early hole and fell to the Leopards, 38-14, in the 2025 season opener for the Lions. After falling behind 10-0, the Lions pulled within three twice on a 17-yard touchdown grab from Hutch Crow and a four-yard rushing score from Griffin Johnson. However, Lafayette scored 21-unanswered points in the second half to put the game away.
Michael Walters was responsible for 63 of Columbia's 91 yards on the ground. Junior wide receiver Titus Evans recorded a game-high of 58 yards in the air. Defensively, Charlie Newton led the Lions with 12 tackles, while Caleb Solomon followed with a career-high of 11 stops.
SERIES HISTORY
• The Lions and Leopards will meet for the 46th time on Saturday with Lafayette holding a 29-13-2 lead in the all-time series.
• Lafayette is 3-2 in the last five matchups.
COLUMBIA/LAFAYETTE CONNECTIONS
Lafayette head coach John Troxell spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Columbia (1994-96) under head coach Ray Tellier. In 1996, Troxell oversaw a secondary that recorded the third-best passing defense in the country. Troxell helped Columbia to its first winning season in 23 seasons in 1994. An 8-2 mark and the program's best finish in 15 years followed in 1996.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
The Lions' first depth chart of the season features 23 underclassmen. Columbia is projected to start six sophomores, with 12 more listed as backups.
First-year Bryce Coleman earned a starting nod at wide receiver after an impressive training camp. Coleman, who hails from Los Angeles, caught 67 passes for 917 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025 for Crean Lutheran High School.
Another rookie will back him up, Gavin Barth, who earned First Team All-State honors at Boston College High School in Massachusetts in 2024 and was All-NEPSAC at Choate Rosemary Hall in 2025.
Additionally, CJ Willingham, a speedster who ran a 4.38 40-yard time, is penciled in as the Lions' primary kickoff returner heading into week one.
NEWTON NAMED NOMINEE FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY
Senior linebacker Charlie Newton was selected as Columbia's nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy this summer. The National Football Foundation awards it to the American college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. Many consider it the "Academic Heisman" and have nicknamed it as such. Newton was third on the squad with 62 tackles last season and holds a +4.0 GPA at Columbia's Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Sciences.
THE CAPTAINS
Newton and junior defensive back Caleb Solomon were named team captains ahead of the 2026 season. Newton has played in all 30 games throughout his career at linebacker. Solomon anchored the secondary as a sophomore last season, making 73 tackles, adding an interception and forcing two fumbles.
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