Princeton Tigers tame Columbia Lions, 45-10
New York, NY – After an upstart 8-2 season and second place in the Ivy League in 2017 for Columbia, the Princeton Tigers showed the Lions who the “Big Cats” of the Ivy are in 2018 as they humbled Columbia in the Ivy opener for both programs, 45-10. Last season, Columbia defeated Princeton, 28-24, but Princeton leads this all-time series now, 71-16-1. PU QB John Lovett threw for two TDs and ran for two more to lead his team to its third lopsided victory in its first three games.
Tigers strike back quickly
Columbia (2-1, 0-1 Ivy) got off on a positive foot for a quick start as Will Allen returned the opening kickoff 91 yards to the Tiger seven. However, PU stiffened and CU settled for Chris Alleyne’s 25-yard FG. The lead was short-lived. Lovett connected with WR Stephen Carlson (5 catches for 86 yards, 2 TDs) for a 37-yard TD pass. On the next Tiger possession, Lovett raced through Columbia for a 22-yard TD run to take a 13-3 lead over the Lions.
Lions and Tigers ready to mix it up on Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium
In the second, Columbia QB Ty Lenhard ended a 75-yard drive with a two-yard TD run. Lovett (12 of 22 passing, 135 yards. 2 TDs) went back to work later in the period scoring from the one on a QB draw. After an INT by DB T.J. Floyd putting the Tigers at the Lion 34, Lovett hooked up with Carlson again for a six-yard scoring strike. The Tigers closed the first half score with Nick Ramos’s 19-yard FG as time expired with the striped cats up, 30-10.
Tigers end the circus
The Tigers erupted to start the second half as RB Collin Eaddy (8 rushes, 102 yards, 1 TD) sped around the right side for a 67-yard touchdown jaunt. After a Lion punt put in the Tigers play at the Columbia 49, RB Charlie Volker ran it in from the seven for a 45-10 lead with 9:05 left in the third. PU HC Bob Surace worked in his second and third teamers as did CU HC Al Bagnoli. Neither squad scored again, and the Tigers roared over the Lions to leave 1-0 among the Ivies.
Next week, Columbia hosts non-conference Marist (1-3) from the Pioneer League and Princeton hosts Patriot League foe Lehigh (1-3). We at CFF.com will leave behind the big city where the game was played in front of 5,327 and head for greener pastures in State College, PA where the No. 9 Nittany Lions host the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes. We predict the attendance will be a little bigger and a little more fired up!
When friends say they turned this game on and saw that there were only four people in the stands, well, here’s three of them: Frank, me, and Brian.
Extra Points:
Princeton QB John Lovett sat out last season with an injury. In 2016, he won the Bushnell Trophy as the MVP of the Ivy League. He also ran 17 times in this game for 174 yards. PU has now outscored its three opponents to date, 146-26.
Columbia HC Al Bagnoli is in his fourth season here. From 1992-2014, he had a very successful career at UPenn. Prior to that, he was HC for D-3 Union College in upstate NY from 1982-91. Two weeks ago, his Lions topped Central Connecticut State, his Alma mater, for his 250th career win as a head coach.
The Columbia defense came into this contest against the Tigers with some impressive defensive statistics. After two games (CCSU and Georgetown), they were No. 2 in rushing defense allowing only 35 yards per game. They shut out seven of their last 12 opponents in the first half. Lovett and the Tigers ended their defensive domination wiping out those stats in the first quarter. Their total offense churned up 540 yards by end of the game.
To enhance their football pedigree, the Lions play their home games now on Robert K. Kraft Field (New England Patriots owner) at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium.
Ivy League football, in a class by itself
Only in the Ivy League, or maybe Columbia: Guest Game analyst Frank Scarpa (Rutgers-Newark) headed to the concession stand in the third. I wrote down some notes while our other GGA Brian Donnelly (Towson) whose Dad played at Columbia in the ’40s, stared watching the game in a daze. The Columbia Lion cheerleaders chanted, “D-D-D, defense! D-D-D, defense!” until some astute young, female fan voice yelled out, “We’re on offense!” Brian and I both looked up, saw she was right, looked at each other, and laughed. Where else would that happen?
At least the Columbia Cheerleaders’ placard reads, “Lions!”
It reminded me of the Princeton-Columbia game we attended in 1987 when CU was looking to set the NCAA record for its 35th straight loss. Their fans showed up in pretty good numbers at old Palmer Stadium in Princeton with signs like, ”0-35. Go for it!” They were ecstatic when they did losing, 38-0. The winning streak didn’t end until they defeated the Tigers a year later, 16-13, right here at what was then Baker Field. The streak ended at 44 in all.
Before and after
The three of us met at the Crow’s Nest in Hackensack before the game for beer and apps to ride over together. Only about nine miles from there. We headed back for a few more beers after. Since I was going out to PSU Saturday, and Frank had some BBQ responsibilities to attend to next day, Brian had kicked around the idea of going to Indiana at RU the next day. I told him he was crazy for wasting his time.
I suggested Shippensburg at West Chester for him in a D-2 PSAC contest convenient on his way back home. He went and watched 5-0 West Chester beat The Shipp (2-3), 28-21. RU lost to IU, 24-17, but one die-hard RU fan at work told me it was played in front of about 35 people (The Star-Ledger reported over 35,000 paid), and IU got the lead and toyed with the Knights. I feel sorry for them for once. I wonder if Rutgers will extend Chris Ash’s contract another year for a close loss? What a tough spot for him.